Small Town Oregon? (Portland, La Grande: prices, centers, housing)

[Silverfall]

Overcast and dreary is relative. We typically have overcast weather with occasional sun breaks. If you don't want overcast then you need to be in Eastern or Southern Oregon. The mi-valley has our fair share of overcast days from Nov-Marchish.

If you want nice green trees, you gotta have rain.

[minorbrew]

We like small towns of around 10,000 people, in or near the mountains, four seasons, with a hospital, grocery store(s), and within commuting distance of a four-year college. We're conservative, so we don't need anything in the way of nightlife, but we'd prefer outdoor activities (hiking, etc). We're looking to buy a 3br 2ba house with a few acres, hopefully for around $250,000, so I know that'll limit the area severely. We don't need to be on the outskirts of any large cities, but we'd like to be within a few hours' drive of a decent sized town. I'd be really grateful if anyone had some input.

Thanks in advance,
Elaina[/quote]

It seems no one has mentioned Southern Oregon to you. I would suggest looking into Grants Pass, or one of the smaller towns in Josephine or Jackson Counties. Grants Pass has grown to around 30,000 but there are some smaller towns in the area which might be suitable, and you're only a short drive to Medford (75,000) and Ashland, the home of Southern Oregon University. The weather's dryer and a little bit warmer in southern Oregon. The Rogue River area is very scenic and real estate prices have dropped considerably. You just might find what you're looking for.
There are also several smaller towns in Central Oregon in the areas around Bend, also very scenic. You'll get a lot more sun there but you will have to contend with colder winters and a modest amount of snow each year.
I happen to have friends in real estate in both of these areas, Southern and Central Oregon. If you would like to learn more about real estate in either location, please direct mail me on this forum. I'll be happy to put you in touch with them.
minorbrew

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by naturelover17

...Are any of the places you've mentioned terribly dreary and overcast a good deal of the year? I'm hoping to avoid months at a time of darkness.

Ummmm... that would be everything north of Sutherlin through Alaska, and west of Cascades to Pacific Ocean. If it is green and has dense forest undergrowth, it is wet and drizzly ~ 200 days / yr.

In the Rain Belt, Hood River is about the first place east to get significantly more sun. KFalls, LaGrande, and Ashland are the only 4yr OR college towns in sunshine (AFAIK), + Ellensburg, Walla Walla, Pullman, WA (Spokane can be dreary gray).
Moscow, ID would be my choice if you are conservative and don't need the beach. (Or Bozeman or Missoula, MT) Laramie, WY is great if you can handle the wind.

Ft Collins, CO is another good choice, but higher property values.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by janb

........ Walla Walla, Pullman, WA (Spokane can be dreary gray).
Moscow, ID would be my choice if you are conservative and don't need the beach. (Or Bozeman or Missoula, MT) Laramie, WY is great if you can handle the wind.

Ft Collins, CO is another good choice, but higher property values.

The OP is asking for towns of about 10,000 population. These are anywhere from 25,000 to 120,000.

[Cornerguy1]

Her's a second suggestion for Klamath Falls, especially considering the desire for less overcast and more sunshine.

[PNW-type-gal]

The Klamath Falls recommendation depends on what kind of 4 year school the OP is looking for. OIT (Oregon Institute of Technology) is a combination of a tech school and a university - they have degree courses (including some graduate degrees) in a limited number of areas.

Also, the town is around 40,000. (20,000 officially in city, but the "suburb" of Altamont is also around 20,000).

[Salena Willner]

Hi! Being from Forest Grove, and being a real estate Agent I recommend this area. Its a small town with a hospital, grocery and some dining. Pacific University is a great private college located right in down town Forest Grove. There is a lake nearby for hiking and outdoor adventures, and only 30 minutes to the "big city" of Portland. Right now is a great time to buy with low rates and low prices. Not to mention the market is saturated so you shouldn't have a problem finding a home in your price range. Goodluck with your adventure!

[oldhippie]

It sounds like La Grande would be a perfect fit for you. The main drawback right now is lack of jobs but otherwise it fits your criteria.

We are surrounded by mountains, definitely have the four seasons, there is a four-year university right in town. Real estate is very reasonable (a lot of deals to be had right now due to the economy). You should be able to find a decent home on acreage in your price range.

We are about two hours from Boise, ID (if you head SE on I-84) and about the same distance to the Tri-Cities in WA if you head North (One benefit of shopping in WA instead of Idaho is that Oregon residents are exempt from the state sales tax).

Overall, E. OR is very conservative but La Grande is a little less so. The people are friendly and welcoming. I love it here and hope to live here for rest of my life (I moved here about two years ago).

Good luck in your search.

Originally Posted by naturelover17

Hi everyone! My family and I are currently living in California, but would eventually like to get out. Just for the record, we're not stereotypical Californians who surf, live in LA, or own an expensive home. We're currently looking at Washington and Oregon, but don't really know where would be the best spot for us. We like small towns of around 10,000 people, in or near the mountains, four seasons, with a hospital, grocery store(s), and within commuting distance of a four-year college. We're conservative, so we don't need anything in the way of nightlife, but we'd prefer outdoor activities (hiking, etc). We're looking to buy a 3br 2ba house with a few acres, hopefully for around $250,000, so I know that'll limit the area severely. We don't need to be on the outskirts of any large cities, but we'd like to be within a few hours' drive of a decent sized town. I'd be really grateful if anyone had some input.

Thanks in advance,
Elaina

[Leap of Belief]

For WA state I would vote for Centralia - it is 1/2 way between Portland< Oregon & Seattle, Washington. The area is REALLY emerging as a bedroom community to Olympia which is 25 minutes to the north. Both Seattle & Portland are and hour and a half by car - but the train is much more fun! The historic downtown in Centralia is undergoing a huge revitalization and lots of kewl shops continue to open even in this economy.

For Oregon, I vote for Monmouth. WOU is there and you are about 15-20 minutes from Salem. I like Monmouth the best of all the Oregon cities mentioned above. The historic downtown is small, but on the grow as well. Really safe city with great schools and WUO campus is beautiful.

[BendOregon]

Central Oregon sounds like a good fit for you. Its sunny roughly 300 days a year. You can buy a home on aceage in areas like Prineville or Lapine for under $250K. There are rivers, lakes, and plenty of hiking within minutes of all Central Oregon cities.