The Good and The Bad of Ashland, OR (Portland, Medford: environment, real estate)

[macdebbie]

My husband and I are contemplating retirement away from our harsh winters and high, high, cost of living here in the Northeast.

We really want a place with a sense of season, and don't mind winter, just not 6 months of it.

We live now in a very vibrant waterfront community of @ 20K and can walk to the library, post office, bookstore, restaurants, and the town always has some festival or another going on. We are about 40 minutes from Boston give or take if we want pro sports events, etc., but to be honest, rarely venture in.

I've read lots about Ashland, but only seen the good to be honest, so I'd like to hear the downsides. One things someone did mention is that Ahsland is an oasis in the middle of nowhere. Would we feel isolated, or is there enough to do? I also assume it is getty pricey, since I've read lots of people from CA are moving there. Also read about the heat in the summer, but NC is also on our list, so we'll get that there as well. We feel it's a trade-off for a milder winter.

Our target home price is @ 350K - 375K, and our needs are modest - 3 BR, 1 1/2 bath - 1500 Sq Ft or so. We really dislike cookie cutter subdivisions, however, would not discount a new/newer home if the place had some landscaping and was nicely done. We might consider a townhome if there was private outdoor space (a courtyard or small yard) but that is not our first choice.

We want a safe community where we can walk and aren't afraid to be out at night. Nightlife is not a big thing for us. Mostly we like to go out to eat once in awhile, like to poke through the bookstores, walk around town, and garden.

The only real requirement we have is that the town have a hospital, as my husband has asthma and a heart condition, and the closer the ER, the better.

Any thoughts, comments, PICTURES would be much appreciated. I'm looking for the real scoop. What you can't get in the books. Thanks all.

[ochoco]

Ashland is not in the middle of nowhere. Medford to the north is approx. 80,000 souls; there's perhaps 50k to 60k in the greater Grants Pass area to the west; Ashland itself is 25k. You're looking at close to 200k, if not more, within 30 miles of Ashland. I wouldn't say it's in the middle of nowhere. It's also on busy I-5.
Oh, btw, I live in GP and very much enjoy the time I spend in Ashland.

[Waterlily]

Ashland is usually one of the most expensive cities in Oregon. I doubt if you'll find much for the price you are wanting. You could move out further for a decrease in price.
Yes Ashland is an enjoyable place to visit.

[Larry Caldwell]

Good luck finding housing in Ashland in your price range. It may be possible. You should contact local realtors immediately and talk it over with them. You can also browse multiple listings online. Jackson County, which includes Ashland and Medford, has the highest average housing costs in the state.

Things are so expensive in Ashland because so many people want to live there. Lithia Park, the home of the Shakespearan Festival, was designed by the same man who designed Golden Gate Park. It is an enchanting delight, and doubles as the largest industry in town. The Shakespearean Festival won the Regional Tony Award in 1983, and regularly hosts Tony Award-winning actors and directors.

Ashland is also the home of Southern Oregon University, so there are substantial educational opportunities in town.

Development standards in Ashland are very restrictive, which is another big reason housing is so expensive there.

One little quirk of Ashland is that it is the only community in Oregon with a sales tax. It's entirely local, and catches many Oregon natives by surprise.

[newt]

I’ve lived in Ashland for a while now, and to tell you the truth, your current situation sounds better. I doubt you would find something nice in your price range, possibly a modest condo. This place is unbelievably overpriced for what you get. Many of the decent homes in the nice neighborhoods command prices similar to areas in Southern California--$600K and up…way up. I can’t figure out why, really. The lots are often small, and neighbors are close. Multi-unit and run-down dwellings often sit next to million dollar plus properties. Dining, shopping, and entertainment are all expensive, too.

Don’t get me wrong, Ashland is nice. It has a good theater and educational environment and there are plenty of restaurants (however, none of them I’ve eaten at even come close to East coast fare). The inhabitants of the town are good folk, for the most part. I’ve found almost all of them I’ve encountered to be witty and polite. There’s also a university which gives the town some youthful vitality, and the theater industry encourages a diverse and interesting mix of supporters and employees. The town is safe and you can pretty much reach everything by walking.

On the other hand, Ashland is remotely located, in my opinion. Yes, Grants Pass and Medford are not far, they have more population and plenty of chain restaurants/big box stores like Lowes. Costco, etc., but they seriously lack any big city culture, entertainment, or personality. The closest thing to a worthwhile big city would be Portland, which is almost 300 miles away.

The weather here is more mild than the East, but winter can also be cold, icy, and dull. A fog often descends on the valley, making nearby places like Talent, Phoenix, and Medford downright depressing. Summer is pretty much hot and dry, usually in the 90s or low 100s. There’s also a recurring atmospheric inversion layer which traps smog and heat in the valley. My skin and eyes seem to be constantly dry here, and I’ve never had that problem before.

The other thing that bothers me, is that Ashland and the Rogue Valley seem to be expanding too much, too quickly. Cookie cutter developments have sprouted everywhere. Traffic and congestion are growing. There doesn’t seem to be any more room to build in Ashland, but they somehow manage to cram more housing into every nook and cranny. Single lots are often split with new homes wedged-in. Many old houses are divided into multi-room rentals. The individualistic and interesting people that made the town unique and colorful, are also getting priced out by wealthy, bland, retirees from California.

I don’t know your entire living arrangement, but from your original post, it sounds as though you have a pretty good situation/location. Seems like you just need to find a way to escape for a while during the winter. By all means, check Ashland out for yourself. You wanted the good and the bad, and from my viewpoint, you now have it.

[bluebird39]

Hi there,

Ashland is a very nice place. It's a small community with plenty of good places to eat, theater, shops, etc. I don't consider the Rogue Valley isolated, but then again we moved a year ago because they want to start building those super walmarts there, and it's grown WAY too fast in recent year, bringing lots of growth issues with it (crowded schools, long waits to see doctors, traffic, high housing prices...). That being said, the airport situation has gotten so much better in recent years. When we first moved there, you could fly to Portland. Seattle, San Franciso, or Los Angeles. Now there are many places you can fly to.

Ashland is up high enough to escape the fog, and pollution most of the time, but there is that. The winters can be very cold and wet, but not long at all. The heat in the summer is very dry, making it totally bearable, IMO. IT gets chilly at night, but 100+ for a few weeks in the worst of summer. That's a good time to go to the mountains or the ocean, both of which are close.

Rogue Valley Medical Center is rated as one of the top 100 hospitals in cardiovascular care in the country. I used to work there, and it's a very good hospital. Ashland has a very small community hospital.

For housing, you might try Talent. Many people have been buying there who can't afford the houses in Ashland.

Ashland is a college town, and can have plenty of counter-culture there at times. There is a love/hate relationship with Ashland and the rest of the Rogue Valley. It is quite an island in that aspect. It's a liberal place in a county of conservative people (Bush has visited Jackson County twice, and even spent the night in Jacksonville.)

Anyway, good luck. The West is beautiful! Lots of wineries fresh produce, mild weather, breathtaking scenery

[macdebbie]

Well, we can't wait to visit Ashland, whether or not we choose to put it on our list of possible retirement places after that, who knows.

Sounds really nice though....

Where would we fly into - Medford? Would it be possible to drive up to Portland if we had a week and fly out from there? We'd like to see some of the coast since we're coming that far!

[bluebird39]

Medford is the closest commercial airport. Portland (airport) is about 5 hours away by interstate. The coast is a must-see, but the road is very curvy and much slower. It's worth a trip to see it though. It's all public beaches in Oregon... no condos, houses, etc. A true treasure.

[LivingLikeAGradStudent]

Health care and most major services are in Medford. It's hard to fathom how much more expensive the area has become since I was younger, but you might find a fixer near downtown and all the shops/restaurants/Lithia Park. Despite the growth, the valley is somewhat isolated in many respects, which has its good and bad points.

[macdebbie]

Housing for us doesn't need to be in dowtown area, as long as we are not in the boonies... (say within a 15 minute drive to town).

I know in looking at Realtor.com that prices are pretty high for real estate. We would consider a townhouse, again as long as we have some "private space" outdoors.

Right now we have what is called a "half house" which is literally, an old historic house, cut down the middle, and divided into 2 halves. It's not like a modern day townhouse in that it has retained all the original features from it's origin in 1795 - fireplaces in each room, wide pine floors, crown molding, etc. We love that about it. And we have a small front and side garden, a 2-car garage, and small back courtyard full of flowers where we entertain in good weather.

We will check out Talent as someone suggested. Can anyone else recommend areas of Ashland which might not be as expensive or surrounding towns with some appeal?

What might be a "half-way" place to rest and spend the night if we fly into Ashland and then drive to Portland? I really don't want to drive a full 5 hrs in one day, as I want to stop and be able to savor the coast.