Good places in Portland/area for a cross-country newcomer? (Dallas: apartments, to rent)

[TwistKick]

Hello all!

I'm a recent technical school grad planning to move to Portland or a suburb in mid to late February. I'm actually coming all the way from Texas. Portland ended up at the top of my list when I started looking, and I'm hoping to get some advice. Don't have a job secured yet, but it's most likely to be in Portland or Vancouver. Edit: To clarify, I'm predicting to be moving then. I'm not going to relocate until I have a job already secured, and have 2-3 months' savings set aside for when I do get there.

Also, if anything I say comes off as.. well, silly (or obnoxious, or any such thing), I should say in the interest of full disclosure that I'm coming from a medium-small city. You can get across my hometown in 45 minutes, but I hardly expect to be able to cross a big city like Portland in a similar timeframe. And it's a very conservative, unfriendly place, so my expectations are going to be *very* skewed, sadly.

(Clarified List here for quick reading! Updated)

Looking for:
- A duplex, house or apartment in Portland or suburbs (since I don't have a job yet, it's hard to know what rent I can afford, but at least $1,250 or so per month before utilities)
- Safe! The safer the better
- Near-ish dog parks


First off, let me say my foremost concern is safety. After that is access to desirable locations. I'm more willing to put up with a longer drive if it means not having to worry as much.

I'm looking to rent a townhouse or house, or an apartment (but that's only if necessary). I have my own transportation so public transportation isn't a factor. I'm also bringing along a medium-sized dog and a cat, and am willing to pay a 'pet fee' for them. (hence a place with a yard would be better than an apartment)

Things I'd like to be near, but again, are secondary to safety: dog parks, vegan restaurants (apparently the vegan mall is only 3 stores, oh well), any good LGBTQIA+ friendly areas (including bars/clubs), grocery stores like Whole Foods. Honestly, if I can settle somewhere safe with a dog park within 15 minutes' drive and a Whole Foods within the same distance, I'd be happy.

So my main thing is, where in/around Portland is fairly safe? (I've been informed that Portland, period, is family-friendly. It's not a big issue to me, so I'll cut it from my list.)

From what I've seen a lot of people are saying that it's better to live in Portland, not the suburbs, if at all possible, and that the South Portland neighborhoods are better/safer than North and North-east Portland neighborhoods. But I'd like to get some other opinions.

(Also, if I seem over-focused on safety.. that's thanks again to where I'm from. It's been instilled in my head that big city = super dangerous.. bah.)

Thanks in advance!

PS: If you get the feeling I'm being naive.. chances are I am. Help me get jaded before I get there! Seriously, I'd rather move with a more cynical view and be surprised than relocate wearing rose-colored glasses and end up getting hurt or worse.

[Nell Plotts]

You really need to nail down a job before you move. You will have difficulty renting an apartment/house, particularly with a pet, without employment. Lacking a job you will need substantial savings.

There is nothing wrong with living in the suburbs, you should live where commute to your job will be convenient.

[TwistKick]

Ah, sorry Nell! Let me clarify, I'm working on getting employment now and will not be moving until I've secured it. (It's a long flight for interviews, but.. oh well.) I'm just figuring mid to late February - if it takes until March or April, that's just how it goes.

Any suburbs in particular you'd recommend?

[Yankeemama]

Hi there. First off... Portland is not a big city. The suburbs are quite close to the city limits of Portland. Most suburbs are designed for "families" and therefore are "family friendly". Any neighborhood where you want to rent a townhouse near a Whole Foods is going to be "family friendly". You will be in Portland area where we, breeders, are everywhere. Give some different criteria and I could give you a neighborhood that would suit you and your big dog.

[oldtintype]

There are very few places in Portland not family friendly. Perhaps in Texas family friendly means oppressive and conservative, but not so here.

The "vegan mall" is about 3 stores. There are lots of restaurants and stores that have vegan food in Portland. I really wouldn't plan where I live based on that as it's not that unique.

Whole Foods, and the much better New Seasons, are all over the Portland area so you won't have to look hard to live near one.

All areas are gay friendly so again, that's not an issue either.

You need to give more info about your budget.

I don't know what your definition of "safe" is but there are very few places I would call unsafe in Portland.

There aren't a lot of townhouses in Portland, especially close in. If you're renting you'll be looking at plexes, apartments and/or houses.

Bars are everywhere.

So to sum it up, your criteria of gay friendly, whole foods, young and single and access to dog parks and vegan food equals just about every close in neighborhood in Portland. Which one depends on how much you can pay.

In Texas you might have to restrict yourself to areas specifically for gay alternative young types, in Portland no one cares and saying you need an area that's gay friendly, not full of families and close to the vegan mall just makes you sound obnoxious and irritating, which you probably didn't mean to do.

[TwistKick]

Yankeemama! I've seen you in other threads quite a bit

And, ah well. I don't hate children or families by any means, I'm just more of a homebody/loner and always feel a bit awkward around them. That's entirely my problem, mind, and honestly, moving somewhere there's lots of kids might actually help me get more used to it. Where I'm from there's very, very few families - my home neighborhood is very stagnant, mostly older people or families with grown children.

So, if you ignore the 'away from the family-friendly areas', what places do you suggest?

(also, it's great to know Portland's so.. well, small! If I end up living in the suburbs it's nice to know it won't take an hour and a half to drive into the city!)

----

Oldtintype, you pretty much hit the nail on the head for me. 'Family friendly' around here means people like me are decidedly not welcome.

I'm a bit sad to hear the mall is only 3 stores, but it's good to know there's lots of variety around Portland that's vegan friendly. I also hear there's lots of vegan food carts!

[Nell Plotts]

New Season's Market is a great alternative to Whole Foods. We also have Zupan's Markets whose prices are at least as high as Whole Foods.

[TwistKick]

Oh, good to know, Nell! Honestly, I only threw out Whole Foods' name because I've heard they're very vegan-friendly. Down in Texas, outside of Austin, Dallas and a few other cities, 'vegan' may as well be a swear word :s

[oldtintype]

I added more to my response you might want to read it.

And what she was saying is that there are families all over Portland in every neighborhood. Neighborhoods here aren't specifically "family" or "not family" people just live where they live. So you're going to live with families no matter where you live. And there are lots of kids, and dogs.

[TwistKick]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

So to sum it up, your criteria of gay friendly, whole foods, young and single and access to dog parks and vegan food equals just about every close in neighborhood in Portland. Which one depends on how much you can pay.

In Texas you might have to restrict yourself to areas specifically for gay alternative young types, in Portland no one cares and saying you need an area that's gay friendly, not full of families and close to the vegan mall just makes you sound obnoxious and irritating, which you probably didn't mean to do.

I definitely did not mean to come off as obnoxious or irritating. Very sorry for that. Ignorant, yes, trying to educate myself, certainly! But not trying to be a pest at all.

I guess, then, pretty much anywhere in Portland will meet the secondary critera.

Which means it comes down to, what places are safe?

I wish I could give you specifics on pay, but honestly? Depending on the position and company I could be looking at anywhere from 27k to 45k..I'm in the IT field, with some technical skill spread which means I could apply to both my core field (maintenance and repair) and networking (my secondary skillset).

So, I guess.. what Portland neighborhoods/suburbs are safe, and what would I expect to pay for a duplex or 2-bd, 1-2ba house per month there?

Edit: Yup, just saw it! And good to know there's lots of dogs!