Moving from Southern California to Oregon (Portland, Eugene: housing, rent, income)

[bliss60]

Seems Portland landlords are asking their tenants to buy a liability insurance policy to occupy many apartments. WHAT!
Liability, for those who may not know, is insurance that protects the landlord's property, if his tenant causes fires, accidents, etc. This type of insurance should not be confused with homeowners/property insurance. This type of insurance is strictly for the property owner to pay because he owns the building.
So, check it out...there can only be a few reasons why this is happening in Portland. One: the buildings are fire and injury hazards or landlords have chosen the wrong tenants who created lawsuits.
Whatever was the problem, if you are asked to do this...go straight to the attorney general's office in Salem. This is a consumer affairs issue for them to straighten out.
This happened to me..too late. I applied for an apartment at Mediterrean Manor (Beaverton) from Craigs List (and by the way, there were not interior photos of apartments online). They ran my credit application, that reduced my Experian credit score and THEN came back with, "sorry, we forgot to tell you. You need to get a liability insurance policy to live here".
I have no apartment and my credit score is lowered and you know, if this happens enough times, your score may not be high enough to rent an apartment.
Portland is one of those places...it creates the rules as it goes along...then gets mad when the government steps in. This was going on before California got there (I know, because I was born in Portland).
So, in addition to out of control rents (watch for those $100.+ monthly increases, when your lease expires), you are now paying the owners insurance.
Quality of life is relative. Green also stands for GREEDY

[sldkjf]

if you are moving to anywhere in the northwest especialy oregon make sure its portland its a major city but its very green with a lot of cool places

[sldkjf]

that has nothing to do with portland thats just why tou dont use cregslist!!!!!!!!

[trueblue39]

Originally Posted by SirLukesHouse08

Most everyone I have met has been great!
Guess it depends on you!

Thank you SirLuke. Having lived in Oregon for five years, I've met some wonderful folks as well, several of whom are good friends. But that didn't happen until I made an attitude adjustment. Hmmmmmmmmm! Must be something to that. I now believe that the kind of energy you put out there is what you can expect to get back.

Have a stupendous day!

[NWDUDE2002]

My family moved from S. Cal to Roseburg when I was 14 way back in the early 70s. While I do not live there now, it was okay enough to grow up in. Drawbacks: small town, bad planning and Oregon style sprawl, dead downtown, blue collar town, lower education level, somewhat isolate (could be a plus) poison oak. Upsides; North Umpqua river and Cascades, countryside, rural lifestyle, relatively affordable, decent climate. Could do a lot worse in Oregon, but also better (Ashland, Eugene, Portland).

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by bliss60

Seems Portland landlords are asking their tenants to buy a liability insurance policy to occupy many apartments.

Quality of life is relative. Green also stands for GREEDY

This is not unusual... it is quite common with high end rentals.

I think it can be a good idea... but shame on them for changing the requirements after you submitted your application.

Most Residents do not realize that they can and will be held responsible for damage they or their guests have caused beyond their deposit.

I personally know a family that was forced into Bankruptcy because they were being held responsible for the fire that destroyed most of the home they were renting.

The Tenant was frying fish in the Kitchen at the time his wife came home and asked for help with the groceries... a neighbor stopped by and they all started to talk about the up coming Super Bowl... the next thing anyone noticed were flames shooting out the kitchen window.

The owner's insurance covered ALL but the $1000 deductible and then promptly sued the tenant for negligence and won.

The Tenant had no insurance and ended up filing Bankruptcy and the Tenant's wife worked in a lay firm...

[Conde]

Ashland is one of the nicest places in the US. Perfect weather, good eating, great park and ski mountain, cute stores, etc. It does have an over priced real estate market, with poorly constructed homes form the 60s going for lots of $ and the well build houses in a good location going for twice what they are worth. Limited supply, high demand. Nice place, so understandable.

[mtn mike]

I am moving to Oregon from the San Bernardino mountains this fall, either to Eugene, Albany or the Medford area. The people from two big city (Los Angeles and San Diego) have trashed these mountain towns and have overbuilt up here. Lake Arrowhead is a zoo on the weekends and the tourist leave their trash everywhere. These cities also dump their low income people out here since rent is far less. And some areas like Cedar Glen have people that don't speak English and gang graffiti.
It is time to goooo. I have family in Albany but think it would be better to live in or near a bigger city Im leaning toward Eugene it also has alot of nice places around the area. What about Medford??? Klameth Falls ??? Or what about Newport Lincoln City??? Jobs housing ???

[freedom]

Originally Posted by mtn mike

I am moving to Oregon from the San Bernardino mountains this fall, either to Eugene, Albany or the Medford area. The people from two big city (Los Angeles and San Diego) have trashed these mountain towns and have overbuilt up here. Lake Arrowhead is a zoo on the weekends and the tourist leave their trash everywhere. These cities also dump their low income people out here since rent is far less. And some areas like Cedar Glen have people that don't speak English and gang graffiti.
It is time to goooo. I have family in Albany but think it would be better to live in or near a bigger city Im leaning toward Eugene it also has alot of nice places around the area. What about Medford??? Klameth Falls ??? Or what about Newport Lincoln City??? Jobs housing ???

hey, Mtn Mike

Spent a lot of time in Big bear as a kid, sorry to hear its not as nice, but then nothing really is the same in So. Cal. anymore.

Eugene or Medford are decent areas, you'll have similar city issues though. If you want a more peaceful, safe setting look to the outskirts of both.
There are small towns all around both areas.

Personally i'd stay away from Klamath. Too slow, too cold.

Work is a challenge here right now, 8-9% unemployment, what do you do?

Best to take a trip and check it out.

freedom

[ds495]

Why shouldn't people speak their native tongue?
I think we would too (speak our native tongue), in another country. You miss it.