Thiking of moving from Tampa to Portland, Vancouver area. (Salem: real estate, apartments) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

mrcmptr · 09-30-2011, 10:56 AM

I am examining the option of moving from Tampa, Florida to the Portland/Vancouver area. I've visited the area and I liked it.

I enjoy camping and hiking so I think the climate would be a better fit for my tastes than Florida. Hiking and camping is only possible in the winter months here.

Beaches are nice but after 43 years, I've lost interest. I can't sit in the sun anymore because of recurring skin cancers so I try to avoid the beaches as much as possible.

The job market in Tampa is lousy, but that is true for most of the country.

I'm not looking for much because I will probably be retiring in about 10 more years. Family is grown and on their own. One of them lives in the Portland area hence my interest in living there.

Other than the rain, what are some of the negatives of living there? Is there an active 55+ community? How is the pay scale and cost of living? If you don't like it there, why? If you like it there, why? Can one find a decent place to live in a good section of town for a reasonable price, say about 1k a month or less?

I enjoyed the wineries and breweries while I was there. Seems to be a good place for a foodie.

The area seems to be progressive, much more so than Florida. What is your opinion of the politics there?

Thanks in advance for your help.

zdogg · 09-30-2011, 11:43 AM

I don't currently live there (I'm in Seattle) but grew up in the Vancouver area. Lots of places to hike just east of Vancouver. Check out Beacon Rock State Park. There are other places on the Oregon side, too, especially near Mt. Hood. Fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge with waterfalls. There's also Forest Park in Portland...something like 40+ miles of trails but it's not necessarily wilderness, more like an urban park.

My family still lives in the area and I visit frequently. Seems housing prices are pretty reasonable (by Seattle standards) but I'm not sure how the earnings compare. I imagine it's comparable. If you are looking to buy a home, take a look at the Windermere real estate website. They list everything that has an MLS number, regardless of listing agency. Vancouver is much cheaper but it's spread out so walkability takes a hit.

Alberta and Mississippi neighborhoods are bustling and have some pretty darn tasty breweries nearby. Try one of the McMennamin's or Amnesia brewing. Food trucks are everywhere in Alberta so that's kinda fun.

The summers are warm, if not a bit short and the winters are chilly but sounds like that's more of what you want. I can't handle it myself and am considering a move to warmer, dryer climes. Be prepared to wear a rain jacket and or fleece.

hamellr · 09-30-2011, 03:07 PM

Work in Vancouver, live in Vancouver. Work in Portland, Live in Portland.

The commute across the I-5 bridge is only going to get worse, doubly so when the Columbia River Crossing starts getting built. (If it starts getting built.) Then once it's built you'll need to worry about the new toll across it, because Oregon and Washington haven't figured out how to actually fully pay for it yet.

mrcmptr · 10-03-2011, 08:15 AM

@hamellr--Typical government stuff. Same problems exist in Tampa. They are supposed to widen a large section of the interstate going through downtown Tampa. They did a small part of it before the recession hit so there it sits.

mrcmptr · 10-03-2011, 08:22 AM

Is it possible to find a decent 1 bedroom apartment in a fairly quiet neighborhood for less than 1k a month? How are the Portland/Vancouver suburbs?

EnricoV · 10-03-2011, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrcmptr

Is it possible to find a decent 1 bedroom apartment in a fairly quiet neighborhood for less than 1k a month? How are the Portland/Vancouver suburbs?

Sure. Even more so in the suburbs. Pretty much anywhere in the Portland area is acceptable to live. Finding the right place just depends on how convenient it is to what you want to do and where you want to go.

Minervah · 10-03-2011, 01:52 PM

One bedroom apartments in convenient and popular neighborhoods run around $900-$1000 plus. It just depends upon what you are looking for and your needs. The farther out you go the less expensive but you may sacrifice convenience for cost.

howardsgirlfriend · 10-09-2011, 02:03 PM

A big plus: the bugs are smaller and fewer in number.

What kind of work do you do? Some cummutes are much easier than others. I live in south Beaverton, and cummute to Salem to work evening shift. That's a 100-mile round trip, but the traffic is so light that it's pretty painless.

mrcmptr · 10-10-2011, 10:45 AM

Don't want to do long commutes any more.

I work as an IS Field Services technician for a large hospital chain in Tampa/St. Pete.

hamellr · 10-10-2011, 11:14 AM

The Vancouver Clinic was hiring IT guys a year ago. The Vancouver Clinic

Also, OHSU seems to always be hiring people, but from friends who've worked there, it's not the greatest environment for IT people. Plus the parking is non-existent.

I compiled a list of Twitter RSS feeds (http://www.hamell.net/2009/09/job-searching-in-portland/ - broken link) a couple of years ago to help with my own job search. Hopefully some of these might help you out.