yet another "i'm moving to portland" thread (Beaverton: fit in, apartment) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

Nimbus09 · 03-15-2011, 11:02 PM

Hi guys,
Hoping you can give me some advice on where to live. I'm 25, single, and will be working in Hillsboro. I like going out for a few beers on a regular basis and will probably need to make some friends asap since the people I know where I will be working are a little on the older side. I'm also a big car guy so parting with the ride is out of the question. Suggestions?

philwithbeard · 03-16-2011, 09:43 AM

If you want 'burb type living, you won't go wrong with Beaverton, or maybe closer in on the West Slope area. Typical 'copy & paste' suburban living from many other large cities; don't get me wrong, it is safe, comfortable, and good living with lots of places to grab a beer or two. Beaverton gets a lot of recommendation for young families with small, or infant, children. Not so much intense hard rock, indie music, raw hipster, epic parties that run till closing every nite.

More intense living, but killer morning commute (especially with a hangover) but almost no parking spaces for you car at night, would be the Pearl or NW 23rd area. Very different cultural living than the 'burbs west or south of the city.

If you will permit an old retired guy's opinion, move to Portland and live in Beaverton for the 1st year and learn about the larger community. Join a social group; I recommend looking at some of the groups (there are over 200) at meet up dot com and join if this suits you. Then move to a neighborhood where you feel more comfortable plus socially and culturally fit in.

Fucus on your new job. And a Short commute time. Then, learn to use Portland's mass transit to downtown, and visit the east side's (NE, SE) social places like Hawthorne st, Alberta st, etc. City of Portland has many neighborhoods and each offer a different 'vibe'; leaning about the neighborhoods, you lean about Portland and why it is so special to people like myself, even as a newcomer myself.

Welcome to Portland, BTW. You will **only** be young, single, and fresh out of college once in your life-- I envy your potential for enjoying life in the coming, but alas all so brief, few years.

Learn about SAD, and take your vitamins D and C in winter to fend off the mild depression the gray skies cause.

Nimbus09 · 03-16-2011, 10:14 AM

^ That's great advice actually! Thanks for taking the time to put that together. I had my heart set on living in the NW, but you're right in needing to focus on work the first couple of years. Any specific area in Beaverton to look into (it's a little big)? How is the town around the MAX line stops?

Nell Plotts · 03-16-2011, 01:31 PM

You might consider something around Orenco Station. Perhaps others who live in the area could chime in about the neighborhood. The advantage is you are close to your employer and near a MAX station that can take you to town. Another advantage is that the MAX goes to the airport making flights a breeze.

davemess10 · 03-16-2011, 08:29 PM

I think you're kind of in a dilemna. All the places you will want to live (being in your 20's and not knowing anyone here, and wanting things to do) will be a pretty far commute away.

Phil has a good idea about going to Beaverton the first year, it will definitely be cheaper too. Just don't get too bummed out about it, and know you can always move, once you figure out the neighborhood.

I know that we went that route (cheaper housing until we figure out the city more), and I think it is pretty wise. You just need to remember to not get too down on where you live now. We had that problem, as we had pretty high expectations of Portland. I think those hopes will be fulfilled, just not where we are currently living in the SW. So you just need to be patient, and make sure you get out to the other areas of town and check them out. Odds are you'll make a bunch of friends your age who live in the NE and SE, and they'll show you cool places to go there.

Nimbus09 · 03-16-2011, 10:54 PM

Orenco Station was a very nice LOOKING area. Very new and the apartment buildings looked great. Unfortunately, it really had a secluded feel. The way the streets, shops, etc. felt, it gives an impression of isolation.

Yeah, patience is something I'm not great at, lol

Phil also mentioned his envy of my situation and I almost feel obligated to enjoy this period of my life to the fullest because, as he implied and we all know, it won't last. This only makes the decision harder. *sigh*

I'm not the most socially adept person, ironically. I wanted to drop myself in the middle of a more upbeat area so I can force myself to become more social because I know I'll need it when I get there. I tend to let work take over my life and I don't want that to happen in Portland.

davemess10 · 03-17-2011, 09:01 AM

Then live on one of the MAX lines that go out to Hillsboro and deal with the longer commute (the train will be faster than driving during rush hour) of living downtown or the NW or the East side. Lots of people do it because they want to live in these areas even if their commute is a bit rougher.

UrbanAdventurer · 03-17-2011, 04:43 PM

You wouldn't want to get rid of your car anyway working out in Hillsboro. No way. A good compromise for living? Somewhere in between Hillsboro and downtown Portland I guess, with easy access to Hwy 26.

Nimbus09 · 03-17-2011, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

You wouldn't want to get rid of your car anyway working out in Hillsboro. No way. A good compromise for living? Somewhere in between Hillsboro and downtown Portland I guess, with easy access to Hwy 26.

Beaverton then? How is the area around the MAX there?

The Cactus Leaguer · 03-17-2011, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimbus09

Hi guys,
Hoping you can give me some advice on where to live. I'm 25, single, and will be working in Hillsboro. I like going out for a few beers on a regular basis and will probably need to make some friends asap since the people I know where I will be working are a little on the older side. I'm also a big car guy so parting with the ride is out of the question. Suggestions?

If you just want go have a few beers and hang out, there are plenty of good places in Hillsboro, Beaverton, or wherever on the westside, and you won't have any problems with parking. CPR (Cornelius Pass Roadhouse) and Coyote's come to mind in Hillsboro.

I love Orenco Station and the "new urbanism" feel, but if I were younger and didn't have a family I would want the real thing in the city, not the sanitized faux urban version designed for families and empty nesters.

If you want more excitement, can afford a little higher rent, and can tolerate more parking hassle, definitely get a place that's closer to downtown (even inner eastside, but test the commute first). Even though you're a car guy, there will be times when you appreciate the great transit (like when you want more than one or two of the awesome local microbrews). You will have a blast and, being from Chicago, it probably won't seem like a bad commute (and it is a commute, even though it seems like a reverse commute, because Hillsboro is a huge employment center).

Good luck with your decision.