Roseburg or where???? (Bend, Aloha, Grants Pass: condo, to buy, community college)

[ladyflyfsh]

Well, can you believe it? I finally sold my house in SW Montana and I'm heading to Oregon in two weeks! It's been the longest most trying thing I've ever done. I'm going to bring my things to Roseburg to storage for now and spend the winter with friends in Dallas, OR just west of Salem. I will be able to save some money while living very inexpensively for the winter and then be looking for land to buy while I'm there (still want to live in Roseburg)

I see prices have come down a ton and there are lots of fancy 5 bedroom houses for rent that they can't sell so no shortage of housing at the moment. I still want to build something instead of buying an older house but open to anything if there is some land involved at the right price. I'm still wanting at least an acre or two. If anyone knows of anything send me a PM.

So, I'll see you in Oregon in a few weeks!

LFF

[Thai]

Hi Ladyfish, I'm wondering how your house search in Roseburg turned out. Were you able to find something that fit your needs at a price you could afford? I haven't been to this site for a long time. I hope you found your dream property!
Thai

[ladyflyfsh]

I have been renting since I got here and have NOT found anything I would even consider buying at this time. I was looking for a place with some land and all I see that is within my budget is not very good land with an old crappy mobile home that would need to be hauled off, then I'd have to replace it with some sort of dwelling. The market is grim here and the inventory is horrible. Land prices are still (in my opinion) too expensive for what you get. I'm not very encouraged.

The other thing I've learned since I've been here is that my bad knees can not tolerate the climate here so I'm going to be leaving here as soon as I figure out where I'm going! This has been a rather expensive learning experience for me but at least I've been having a good time picking mushrooms and hunting truffles etc. I am even considering returning to Montana and buying a travel trailer so I can escape the long winters there and go somewhere a little warmer for a few months.

Thanks for asking...unfortunately my story is not one of those great positive revelations. I'm still working on it though. I need to find a place with less moisture in the air. I had a total knee replacement (will be 2 yrs this April) and my other joints can't take this climate either. We have been socked in here with fog for several weeks now. The unfortunate reality is just above all this thick pea soup fog, is beautiful blue sky and SUN. (I'm starting to forget what that looks like) 40 degrees here with this dampness is way colder to me than 20 degrees is in a dry climate like MT has. My body is just not used to it and I feel freezing all the time. Sometimes it even feels colder inside than outside.

The Rockies seem to have a good dry climate but the winters are too long for me there. Isn't there something in the middle (not CA) that is affordable? I tried going over to take a look at Bend but I am not enamored with the high desert surroundings. (sage brush, ponderosa pines etc.) It's ok for a little while but not to live in year round for me. I love mountains, need streams for fishing, warm enough weather for gardening and dry climate. Anyone have any ideas? (doesn't need to be in OR)

Thanks to all here for the great help you've given me to help with my move. Now I'm going to be moving on as soon as I pick up a nice travel trailer and hit the road to find my perfect place.

[PineHallGirl]

Originally Posted by ladyflyfsh

I have been renting since I got here and have NOT found anything I would even consider buying at this time. I was looking for a place with some land and all I see that is within my budget is not very good land with an old crappy mobile home that would need to be hauled off, then I'd have to replace it with some sort of dwelling. The market is grim here and the inventory is horrible. Land prices are still (in my opinion) too expensive for what you get. I'm not very encouraged.

The other thing I've learned since I've been here is that my bad knees can not tolerate the climate here so I'm going to be leaving here as soon as I figure out where I'm going! This has been a rather expensive learning experience for me but at least I've been having a good time picking mushrooms and hunting truffles etc. I am even considering returning to Montana and buying a travel trailer so I can escape the long winters there and go somewhere a little warmer for a few months.

Thanks for asking...unfortunately my story is not one of those great positive revelations. I'm still working on it though. I need to find a place with less moisture in the air. I had a total knee replacement (will be 2 yrs this April) and my other joints can't take this climate either. We have been socked in here with fog for several weeks now. The unfortunate reality is just above all this thick pea soup fog, is beautiful blue sky and SUN. (I'm starting to forget what that looks like) 40 degrees here with this dampness is way colder to me than 20 degrees is in a dry climate like MT has. My body is just not used to it and I feel freezing all the time. Sometimes it even feels colder inside than outside.

The Rockies seem to have a good dry climate but the winters are too long for me there. Isn't there something in the middle (not CA) that is affordable? I tried going over to take a look at Bend but I am not enamored with the high desert surroundings. (sage brush, ponderosa pines etc.) It's ok for a little while but not to live in year round for me. I love mountains, need streams for fishing, warm enough weather for gardening and dry climate. Anyone have any ideas? (doesn't need to be in OR)

Thanks to all here for the great help you've given me to help with my move. Now I'm going to be moving on as soon as I pick up a nice travel trailer and hit the road to find my perfect place.

Ladyflyfish, I've been following your story and have enjoyed reading it. I am truly sorry that it didn't work out for you there...you had such high hopes, like most of us do when we are about to embark on a new adventure. I wish you the very best of luck wherever you lay your head, keep us posted...I think a travel trailer is a good idea...you can have the best of both worlds.

[ReturningWest]

Try looking at NM, parts of CO, Utah, NV or even Idaho, not quite as cold as MT, but is dry.

[ladyflyfsh]

Thanks PineHallGirl, I'm looking for that trailer every day now and hopefully will be on my way somewhere soon. I found an inside, heated storage facility for my stuff so I won't have to worry about it being ruined sitting in a storage space with all the dampness in the air.

I have thought about CO and ID but I wouldn't move to Utah or Nevada. I actually loved MT just didn't have the money to be able to leave in the winters nor did I have a place to go. If I went back this time, with a travel trailer I can at least escape for a few months and go somewhere warm. I'm still thinking this over but it is always such a help to hear others speak their opinions of what they would do. My brain is getting exhausted trying to figure this all out.

Part of my dilemma (which is good and bad) is I own my own business and it goes wherever I go. BUT, I need my 800 number to be able to ring on my cell phone (which I just found out I can do) and of course being on the road makes it difficult to receive mail. I will also need internet wherever I am. My business is all done with phone, internet and of course I need to be able to get my mail. It is much more complicated than this but this is the jist of it.

Anyway, thanks for your comments and hopefully I will hear some more ideas for people while this is still fresh on the board.

Thanks,
LFF

[Thai]

Hi again LF,
I, too, am sorry Roseburg didn't work out for you. Having lived in a number of places in the West I can tell you that almost always beautiful mountains and lush forests go hand in hand with dampness and/or significant rainfall. We loved Logan, UT (Utah State's home) and it's relatively dry, but it's not a good social climate in which to raise children unless one is LDS. Lots of sun, glorious skies, rivers for fishing right outside town, and a university environment. Flagstaff, AZ is a pretty nice college town, too. Both of these towns have winters too long for those of us used to California's gardening climate, though. Having a travel trailer myself I caution you that for long stints, especially if that's your only home base, you'll miss having a yard to tend and the privacy it brings, as well as having inside space to walk around in when the weather is very hot or cold. I've spent my life camping and RV-ing and adore my 5th wheel, but speak from experience on this. Also, space rents/utilities/propane at parks are not cheap if you are also maintaining a home base. Do the math carefully for whatever options you consider. I'm curious, if you don't mind sharing... what do you sell in your business?
Best of luck to you in your continued explorations. Most places have some drawbacks, unfortunately.
Thai

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by Thai

Hi again LF,
I, too, am sorry Roseburg didn't work out for you. Having lived in a number of places in the West I can tell you that almost always beautiful mountains and lush forests go hand in hand with dampness and/or significant rainfall. We loved Logan, UT (Utah State's home) and it's relatively dry, but it's not a good social climate in which to raise children unless one is LDS. Lots of sun, glorious skies, rivers for fishing right outside town, and a university environment. Flagstaff, AZ is a pretty nice college town, too. Both of these towns have winters too long for those of us used to California's gardening climate, though. Having a travel trailer myself I caution you that for long stints, especially if that's your only home base, you'll miss having a yard to tend and the privacy it brings, as well as having inside space to walk around in when the weather is very hot or cold. I've spent my life camping and RV-ing and adore my 5th wheel, but speak from experience on this. Also, space rents/utilities/propane at parks are not cheap if you are also maintaining a home base. Do the math carefully for whatever options you consider. I'm curious, if you don't mind sharing... what do you sell in your business?
Best of luck to you in your continued explorations. Most places have some drawbacks, unfortunately.
Thai

I have always been partial to either Sedona or Prescott, Arizona. They have the dry air and warmth but not so hot as Phoenix. And, they don;t have the snow drifts of Flagstaff.
In Nevada, you might check out Carson City. It has great proximity to the Sierra Nevada with great forests and streams for huntin, fishing and water sports. It is close to Lake Tahoe for all sorts of activities!
Lots to chose from and New Mexico has some good places also such as Santa Fe.

My 2 cents,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[ladyflyfsh]

Thai, I own a specialty travel agency which specializes in worldwide fishing trips. I send lots of people to New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Canada and Alaska, Costa Rica etc. Right now I'm contemplating just staying put in Roseburg and escaping the worst of the rain for a few months in the winter. I do love having all the mushrooming the area has. I really want to go clamming, crabbing etc. too. So much to do and right now business is calling...last minute New Zealand bookings to work on. TTFN

[leezardlady]

The Four Corners area in New Mexico is home to some of the best fly-fishing in the world, so I've been told I was raised in Farmington and know that while the winters are cold, they don't seem to last as long as in Durango (just 45 minutes north in Colorado). There is very little humidity, so you know the cold is "dry" and doesn't seep into the achy bones like it can here in the Pacific Northwest.

I do hope Roseburg works out for you, and that the NZ bookings were hassle-free.