I've arrived!! (thanks for all the advice C-D) (Portland: apartment, renter)

[psichick]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Well, welcome to you! It's been quite a journey and I am so glad you made it safely. Now the rest will be easy.

Thanks Minervah! I think once I get unpacked life will fall into place. Hopefully it doesn't take as long as my last move, lol, about 9 months.

Originally Posted by Sondeera

Congrats! Glad things are generally going well despite the movers surprising you by showing up so quickly! We'll be up there in 13 days (our stuff leaves in 10). We'll have to compare notes. Good luck with the job hunt and thanks for reminding me to set up the cable appointment!

What area are you going to be in...or quadrant I guess? Two more weeks for you. Hope all is going well on the packing side. Definitely don't forget the cable appointment.

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Welcome to Portland! Enjoy this phenomenal weather!

I'm trying to, however, it was this type of weather that I was trying to avoid. LOL. But I will enjoy all the vitamin D while I can get it.

Originally Posted by scottinpdx

Welcome to P * O * R * T * L * A * N * D

Thanks!

Originally Posted by JanND

Sorry all about the double post...I just saw that
OP....Here are some links to the suggestions my son has for places you should see when you are rested up.
Here is a list of places he prepared for his step-sister's recent visits. Enjoy....And don't forget to update!!
The real attraction is Multnomah Falls, but the lodge is a restaurant/tourist shop.
The Oregon Zoo is also wonderful. (Second Tuesday of every month is discount admission day.)
Downtown definitely hit Powell's Bookstore. There is also a lot of art to check out downtown. Murals, sculptures, etc. There are daily tours, walking or on Segway

Thanks for all the places to enjoy. I will always remember going to the Oregon Zoolights. I love twinkly lights. And Powell's, OMG, my fave place ever! I may have to hit these places before summer is over. I have a new camera and time to break it in

Originally Posted by oldtintype

You can get free energy saving bulbs from the energy trust....

Good to know. But I was more surprised that apartment complexes don't have them installed already. Supposedly it's a federal law that goes into effect by 2015, I believe. Which also means, they supply them free too, since they replace them. I guess, for once, CA is ahead of the game.

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Welcome home!

Thanks. I guess it really is home now, isn't it?

[JanND]

OP....Yes. My son really enjoys Portland. I hope you will too!!

[Sondeera]

We're going to be in the Southeast, but I'm keeping my car for the kids' doctor appointments and getting to Village Home. We have a friend who lives in the Southwest, near L.O., and my aunt and cousins and their kids are in Gresham, so I imagine I'll be all over the place.

Also, what kind of secretarial job are you looking for?

[NWGirl74]

Welcome! Please keep us posted on how things are going.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by psichick

T

Good to know. But I was more surprised that apartment complexes don't have them installed already. Supposedly it's a federal law that goes into effect by 2015, I believe. Which also means, they supply them free too, since they replace them. I guess, for once, CA is ahead of the game.

If you believe that your landlord is supposed to buy all your light bulbs for you and come in and install them for you, I predict that you are going to have a rocky time as a tenant.

If you want compact fluorescents, head down to the store and buy them, and put them in yourself.

Don't count on your landlord shelling out $1,000 to buy you the newest up-to-date refrigerator, either. Landlords are not required to provide a refrigerator, so you are probably lucky the apartment comes with one, at all.

Since you are using your own refrigerator, make sure the one belonging to the landlord is carefully stored, because you will be charged for any damage you do to it.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by psichick

Good to know. But I was more surprised that apartment complexes don't have them installed already. Supposedly it's a federal law that goes into effect by 2015, I believe. Which also means, they supply them free too, since they replace them. I guess, for once, CA is ahead of the game.

It is, because California doesn't generate much of it's own power. It buys it from the Northwest, where it's generated. So historically, electricity was dirt cheap in the NW, while it was scarce in CA, and they had to implement measures sooner to reduce consumption.

But ... welcome to your new home!

[psichick]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

If you believe that your landlord is supposed to buy all your light bulbs for you and come in and install them for you, I predict that you are going to have a rocky time as a tenant.

If you want compact fluorescents, head down to the store and buy them, and put them in yourself.

Don't count on your landlord shelling out $1,000 to buy you the newest up-to-date refrigerator, either. Landlords are not required to provide a refrigerator, so you are probably lucky the apartment comes with one, at all.

Since you are using your own refrigerator, make sure the one belonging to the landlord is carefully stored, because you will be charged for any damage you do to it.

First, I don't know why you think I'm someone that can't adjust to their surroundings. I won't have a rocky time as a tenant, because I know how to bend with the wind. I was just shocked about the electricity bit and voiced my concern/opinion.

Second, just so anyone who reads this doesn't misunderstand what I wrote. I am not talking about a private rental where my landlord is one person. I am living at an apartment complex, owned by a big management company (who owns more than 5 properties).

Third, maybe this is a CA thing, but all the apt complexes I have lived in will replace light bulbs (as needed), air filters (1-2x year), and smoke detector batteries (every six months). All you have to do is put in a maintenance request. If it is a CA thing and this is not common in OR, then I'll just buy bulbs myself, no big deal. I'm new to OR and all that comes with it. I was shocked to learn that almost all the apartments I looked at don't come with microwaves (but love that they come with w/d).

Fourth, I don't expect landlords to shell out money, but again, maybe it's a CA thing, where they try to keep things more up-to-date. Granted, that also raises the rent. Maybe OR is more about keeping the rent lower than shelling out money to upgrade units. I have no idea. Again, the bit about the appliances was because of the electricity costs.

Lastly, the refrigerator that is in the unit isn't going anywhere. No storage necessary.

[psichick]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

It is, because California doesn't generate much of it's own power. It buys it from the Northwest, where it's generated. So historically, electricity was dirt cheap in the NW, while it was scarce in CA, and they had to implement measures sooner to reduce consumption.

But ... welcome to your new home!

That may be old information. According to this website, CA now generates 71% in-state and only 8% comes from PNW. The rest comes from the Southwest.

I guess they're phasing out incandescent lightbulbs by wattage over the next 5 years. I take it CA is just ahead of the game and are putting in CFLs in all apartment buildings. Heck, I was going to purchase a lamp at Pottery Barn (online) and if it gets shipped to CA, it comes with an CFL. I guess it's a good thing, because I really hated rolling power outages.

[psichick]

Originally Posted by NWGirl74

Welcome! Please keep us posted on how things are going.

I will. I'm sure once I start unpacking, I'll start getting out there more and really get to enjoy the city during the summer. I'm already enjoying all the wonderful fruit.

Originally Posted by JanND

OP....Yes. My son really enjoys Portland. I hope you will too!!

I hope so too!!! Glad your son enjoys it. Seems like everyone I have met who moved here loves it.

Originally Posted by Sondeera

We're going to be in the Southeast, but I'm keeping my car for the kids' doctor appointments and getting to Village Home. We have a friend who lives in the Southwest, near L.O., and my aunt and cousins and their kids are in Gresham, so I imagine I'll be all over the place.

Also, what kind of secretarial job are you looking for?

Oh cool. I'm across the way in L.O. (but near the freeway). My cousin just bought a house in Oregon City. Beautiful area. Hopefully once I get a job, I can figure out where to live a bit more permanently (as I'd love to buy in the next year or two).

ETA: I'm looking for an Executive Assistant (or Senior Admin Assist) position. I'm sure I could thrive in almost any industry. I think the only industry that would be hard for me to break into is the health/medical only because of the terminology/background needed for that. As an EA, I have and can work in any industry, so anything goes. I'll be starting my job search tonight. I have to cut out time for it, otherwise, it'll never get done. I get so distracted by all the boxes, LOL. Thanks for asking. If you hear of anything, point me in their direction.

[Minervah]

Regarding lightbulbs, it's traditional you buy your own so I was surprised that my landlord will supply them. I have reached the age where I am too shaky to climb a ladder to replace the lightbulbs in my ceiling fixtures so the first time I called and asked my landlord if he would please come and do it for me he not only agreed but he brought over light bulbs to put in the fixtures. He always does this. But they are not required to. It's just a nice thing he does.

Every apartment I have lived in while I have been living in Portland it's been the landlord's responsibility to supply smoke detectors.

I know that back East, there are some apartments that do not come with stoves and refrigerators although this is becoming less and less common but I haven't seen that here although I have heard of some house rentals where you have to supply your own. I wouldn't say you were lucky to have a refrigerator in you apartment. I would say you should expect to have one because in Portland, I have never heard of an apartment that didn't come with one. That would be the exception rather than the rule. I have been a renter for the 35 years I have lived here and I have never come across an apartment rental that did not have a stove and a 'frige.

Maybe the newer apartment buildings have the most modern energy efficient appliances because that is what is on the market today. The older buildings don't have them at least none of the ones that I have lived in. And when the ones they have die, the landlords usually replace them with the most inexpensive ones they can find which are not the energy saving models but the older models. At least that has been my experience.

As far as heating goes, new apartment buildings don't always have the most energy efficient systems. There are some brand new apartments just down the street from me. They were completed about two years ago. They have electric baseboard heating which is about the most inefficient and costly type heating there is.