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Old 02-04-2008, 10:08 PM
 
Location: Gilbert, AZ
139 posts, read 528,114 times
Reputation: 84

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I just spent two weeks looking outside Portland for rentals. I was appalled at how scarce and expensive they are, even at quite a distance.
As for Vernonia, have you seen the pictures of what the storms did to it? I is decimated. Columbia county has always been cheaper, although I find it somewhat depressing.
I found some things cheaper around Salem, but poor quality.
The weather forced me back to Arizona temporarily. I'll be looking again when it clears.
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Old 02-05-2008, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Oregon
177 posts, read 966,359 times
Reputation: 89
Quote:
From Hood River/White Salmon you are close to beautiful lakes like this Lost Lake
OH! I love Lost Lake! You are not allowed to take boats with motors on the water, so it's nice and quiet up there. Also, you can walk all the way around the lake (great scenery).
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Old 02-05-2008, 11:49 AM
j1n j1n started this thread
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,641,973 times
Reputation: 468
Quote:
Originally Posted by ORexpat View Post
I just spent two weeks looking outside Portland for rentals. I was appalled at how scarce and expensive they are, even at quite a distance.
As for Vernonia, have you seen the pictures of what the storms did to it? I is decimated. Columbia county has always been cheaper, although I find it somewhat depressing.
I found some things cheaper around Salem, but poor quality.
The weather forced me back to Arizona temporarily. I'll be looking again when it clears.
hey ORexpat...
what sort of rentals were you looking for? and what kind of prices were ou finding? also...what do you find depressing about Columbia county?
sorry for all the questions...i'm just tring to put some info into the "storage bank".

hey seven of nine...
no, i will not necessarily need to commute into Portland. I posted a big intro in a couple of other threads under different states forums. I should have just started with it here as well. Here goes...

Ok, so let me say this upfront. I'm no noob here. I've researched, read, commented, read some more, and I know how to use the "search" function.

Background...
I'm a long-time northeasterner (NJ/NYC area...born and bred). I have spent large chunks of time in and/or lived in NJ, AR, FL, and upstate NY. I have spent smaller chunks of time in HI, WY, CO, UT, MT.
I currently live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern VA. My wife is a long-time med receptionist/records person. I have done everything from customer service, inside sales, to jockeying a forklift/warehouse work, to working on a horse farm. Neither of us have college degrees. We have 2 kids, 10 and 4.

All of that said...
I have a serious case of mountain fever. I love the snow. I know how to drive in it. I don't care about how green or lush the foliage is. I love camping and being outside. I like being above treeline. I love red rock landscapes. I enjoy high altitudes and the bluest skies I've ever seen. I'm not looking for a big "career". I'm no corporate climber, and I don't need to be a millionaire. I want to work doing something that I don't hate. I'm not too picky...good people and a good company are more important than a prestigious job title. I want to walk outside and see the mountains and be blown away every time. I want to live somewhere where the cost of living is low enough to allow life to be enjoyable. I want my kids to grow up with a love of hiking and camping and skiing and snowboarding. I want to live near other folks who feel a lot like I do. I have a sister in Golden, another in NM, and a best friend looking at a relo back to the SLC area.

Anyone have any suggestions? Opinions? Opinions on where/what might be right for me? Thanks!
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Old 02-05-2008, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
9,858 posts, read 11,868,701 times
Reputation: 10027
Quote:
Originally Posted by j1n View Post
Anyone have any suggestions? Opinions? Opinions on where/what might be right for me? Thanks!
I don't know.... you have lived a bunch more places than I have and several of them I would take in a New York minute! Blue Ridge Mountains, you don't say. Hawaii? The criteria you post are not unreasonable but it is hard for me to imagine that you haven't found any of it in the places you've been. Close to where you are now is a city called Asheville, NC. I've never lived there or even close but I would (and I might, one day) but I am giving Portland a try first. Somehow I don't think Portland would be quite right for you, maybe Eugene or Corvallis. But that is assuming that you really need a cross country re-location. I for one don't think so. Look for one of "Outside" magazines 'best places to....' issues and do some research. That's how I discovered Asheville. But there's also Roanoke, VA; Austin, TX; places in NM; places in NC and Mississipi, etc. with IMO 'better' weather than anywhere in OR. Good luck.

H
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Old 02-05-2008, 01:35 PM
 
Location: Vancouver, WA
8,175 posts, read 16,567,706 times
Reputation: 9402
Well,

I think one of the key points in J1ns threads I have read thus far is that he wants to be in/near beautiful Mtns. So CO, WY, UT, WA, & OR seem like great fits based on this criteria.

Second, affordability and access to jobs are important. That is why outskirt towns to Portland could work even if not in Portland.

Some of the smaller towns in WA between Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens may also work.

Or smaller towns on the outskirts of Denver or Salt Lake may also be a good fit (- coast access of course).
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Old 02-05-2008, 04:01 PM
j1n j1n started this thread
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,641,973 times
Reputation: 468
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leisesturm View Post
I don't know.... you have lived a bunch more places than I have and several of them I would take in a New York minute! Blue Ridge Mountains, you don't say. Hawaii? The criteria you post are not unreasonable but it is hard for me to imagine that you haven't found any of it in the places you've been. Close to where you are now is a city called Asheville, NC. I've never lived there or even close but I would (and I might, one day) but I am giving Portland a try first. Somehow I don't think Portland would be quite right for you, maybe Eugene or Corvallis. But that is assuming that you really need a cross country re-location. I for one don't think so. Look for one of "Outside" magazines 'best places to....' issues and do some research. That's how I discovered Asheville. But there's also Roanoke, VA; Austin, TX; places in NM; places in NC and Mississipi, etc. with IMO 'better' weather than anywhere in OR. Good luck.

H
I've visited HI...could never live there.
I actually live in the Roanoke Valley right now. Here's what I think about this area...
The Blue Ridge Mountains are no longer wild or necessarily breathtaking. They should be. But what I see is this...that a lot of folks seem to live here despite the mountains rather than because of them. The mountains around here, while inherently beautiful, seem sadly to be viewed as high spots to slap cell towers on top of...or to carve these "reverse mohawks" into in order to run power lines over.
And although I see quite a bit of what you might consider "southern hospitality", I also see a lot of the "good old boy" mentality, really backward attitudes, etc. There's just something about the South that doesn't quite work for me.
Asheville has been "discovered". I hear it's pretty, but that it is becoming overpriced and crowded. I've done the whole "Outside Magazine Best Places" thing too. I think I need to cross the Mississippi...
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Old 02-05-2008, 05:16 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,490 posts, read 40,186,319 times
Reputation: 17327
Closer to the Mountains and within one hour of Portland...drastically cheaper...hmmm...my thoughts

Okay, I would look at Sandy, OR to live in a community that has what you need (grocery store, etc). You can head out to Zig Zag and Rhododendron, but your kids would probably kill you since they wouldn't have any friends around (very small, out in the middle of nowhere communities).

I would also consider Salem and Keizer since we are much more affordable and in the valley for jobs. I live in South Salem and it takes me 45 minutes to hit Lake Oswego. Many people live in Keizer and commute to Portland. Keizer is a good town for you to consider. Salem is about 2 hours from Hoodoo, which has the BEST sledding runs (your kids will thank you) and it takes about 2.5-3 hours to get to Bend and Mt. Bachelor from here.

If you want small town Silverton is great, and prices are about the same as Salem. It is a charming small town. There is not much that I would recommend in between Salem and Portland. Woodburn is a very diverse community. I don't think it is well laid out, and traffic is a pain there.

You won't walk out and see mountains every morning though. We don't have enough high peaks to get you that feeling. My sister-in-law lives in Frisco, CO and it is like that there. Peaks all around you, but back to Oregon... We are close to Silverfalls State ParK (10 waterfalls and hence my moniker). I love that park. We also have Detroit Lake, Foster Lake, Santiam River (great fishing, canoing, rafting, etc) in the area. There are a multitude of great hikes in the area. Lots and lots of camping and state parks as well.
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Old 02-05-2008, 07:50 PM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,619,917 times
Reputation: 3459
check the Montana board for jobs in Billings, I read that they are begging for people due to growth. Western montana has snow, mountians, and fewer people. In Oregon look up the Steens mt. region, eastern oregon gets more snow and more sun and for now is somewhat cheaper to buy into, good luck
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Old 03-15-2008, 07:37 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,340 times
Reputation: 10
Ever thought about Arizona? There is Pinetop, Blueridge area; Payson, Flagstaff, Sedona. These are all places where you will get hiking, red rock, mountains, snow, skiing and great people. Check it out!
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Old 03-26-2008, 11:46 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
47 posts, read 159,873 times
Reputation: 44
Do not invest in buying a house in Woodburn even if it is cheap. Salem would be cheaper than Portland and less than an hour away. The west coast is expensive. When I retire , I will probably move to the south west , where I can get a better house than what I have now for 100,000 dollars less. (I live in the Rogue valley)
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