Bend (Redmond, Newport: foreclosures, rentals, crime)

[ceeveg]

My family and I are considering relocation to the area, and wondered about the cost of living, activities available for young children, if there were more affordable neighboring/bedroom communities surrounding the city.

What do you consider the pros/cons or strengths/weaknesses of the city?

[Silverfall]

how do you define affordable?

[ceeveg]

That's a good question. I suppose rentals, hopefully detached homes or townhomes, with two bedrooms that can accommodate a small dog for under $1000/mo?

I mean to say, is it possible to get by one one income of about $70k for a small family?

What about daycare options?

[Bendite]

The Northeast area is a good place to look for reasonable living costs. One place to check out is in on Nova Loop. The street is all duplexes and triplexes in townhome style and there are several places for rent. Pets are allowed in most and you can find something for under $1,000.

Yes, you can live on 70k here. The cost of living has declined with the housing market. Jobs are tight, so if you have one, great. If you don't, I wouldn't suggest moving here until you have something in hand. There are lots of things for little kids to do in Bend including parks, a rec center with a great pool, a children's museum and fairs and other public activities that come up now and then.

Cons: high unemployment, vacant homes due to foreclosures, a too-political city council and a local paper that is too conservative for the population. Pros: vision for the future, friendly people, beautiful location

[delta07]

Once again, Bendite has provided some great information! I think there are quite a few options right now for housing rentals below $1000. I have seen ads for nice 3 bed/2bath homes in good neighborhoods for around $900 a month. The housing market has certainly lead to this. I currently rent a 5 bed, 3 bath house for just a little over $1000. Most landlords right now are willing to negotiate, especially if their house has been sitting vacant for any length of time.

In addition to all Bendite has mentioned, we have boundless outdoor recreation possibilities, the High Desert Museum, and numerous outdoor festivals/events. It's a great place to live and raise a family. I wouldn't necessarily consider other towns bedroom communities to Bend, considering it's pretty small itself. However, Redmond, about 20 miles north of Bend, is a little more affordable in terms of housing.

[Dry Side]

Yes NE Bend is reasonable, but also has a much higher rate of crime.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Dry Side

Yes NE Bend is reasonable, but also has a much higher rate of crime.

Hmmm...I don't know about that. I guess it depends on where you're coming from. Bend is not "crime" proof, but it certainly isn't chocked full of crime like a city. I really find it silly when people try to say NE Bend has more crime than NW Bend. That's a blanket statement. There are parts of Bend that have more crime than others, sure, but to generalize and say all of NE Bend has more crime is ridiculous! NE Bend does not have gated communities like NW Bend, but if you're looking for affordability, you really aren't even comparing the gated communities. I live in a very safe part of NE Bend. I would imagine that if you compared the neighborhood I'm living in, to the neighborhoods where COCC students live, there would be more crime by the college.

In terms of crime, most around here if theft. Yes, there have been bigger crimes, but they are not random. They almost all involve domestic issues or drugs. You will always have those types of crimes, whether you live in a big city, small city, town, or rural area.

I wouldn't take Dry Side's comments to heart. They really have no merit.

[Dry Side]

Must be the media in Bend being biased against the NE, cause most reports of crime occur in the NE.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Dry Side

Must be the media in Bend being biased against the NE, cause most reports of crime occur in the NE.

You're correct in one sense. Yes the media does report more crime in the NE part of Bend than the NW. However, these are not the only two "areas" of Bend. There is also a SW and SE part of town.

Point is, crime really isn't a major issue in Bend! At least not for me.

[Bendite]

DeltaO7, I agree. My daughter lives in NE Bend and feels perfectly safe. If there is a crime center in Bend, it's probably in SE Bend between Wilson and the railroad tracks. Also, several of the cheap motels have drug-related busts both SE along 97 and on Division Street in NW Bend. If you read the police reports in the paper, most of the crimes are DUii, although there is apparently a thief who is taking expensive bottles of Balsamic vinegar from Newport Market .