Anyone moved from Phoenix to Portland and loved it? (Eugene: transplants, 2014)

[tigrisgazal]

Anyone from Phoenix, AZ that moved to Portland, OR and loves it? any regrets? I have been in AZ Tucson (8yrs) and Phoenix (8yrs), San Diego (1yr) and I have lived in Sweden and the middle east!!

I have a family of 3 kids and husband and we are looking to move to Oregon. Are there any areas to rent that are family friendly? with good schools? we are looking to rent a 3bd around $1000.

As for jobs I am still a stay at home mom my youngest is 1. I plan on going back to the job market within a year or so in environmental science. My husband works any general labor etc. Recently works as a Security guard. Can he find a job doing anything entry level easily until a better paying job arises? I am worried about being able to rent with no income yet and we plan on moving end of December this year 2014!!

thanks

[Firry]

Hi Tigrisgazal. Yes, we moved to PDX from PHX after trips back and forth. We love it here, and can't imagine anyone not doing so. Forsome perspective, Portland is something like a grown-up version of the formerly great Tempe of the mid 1990s. Remember that remarkably creative, individualistic, sometimes sophisticated, sometimes Bohemian, vibe before Mill Avenue went all corporate?

Generally speaking you'll find rents higher downtown and in inner southeast and northeast. You'd be most likely to find an affordable family-sized place closer to the edges of town. An important criteria to consider is where your workplace is located. Traffic here can be a bear. Think of Arizona's I-10 during rushhour... and imagine that gridlock on the highways AND a lot of the city streets. So being close to work, or close to mass transit, is a great advantage. Pay more in rent and you'll save it in time and quality of life. padmapper dot com and placebee dot com are good resources for rentals. You'll alsofind some on Craigslist, but there are also scammers on there. Try the other two first. When you find an area that you like, check out the address on portlandmaps dot com. That has info on crime in the area, etc.

I would seriously advise either one or both of you to find employment before moving up here. Unemployment up here is higher than the national average, so a job search can take longer than expected. The rental market is tight too, so landlords are less likely to rent to unemployed folks even if they have cash to pay up front. One good source for jobs might be macslist dot org, those postings on there might suit your skills more than your husbands.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

[christiner81]

We lived in phoenix for 7 years before moving here. I love it and feel like we have a better quality of life here. that said, we were relocated here by my husband's employer and if you've read any threads around this forum most people strongly encourage people to secure a job first.

the traffic flow does take some getting used to. i think it's important to live fairly close to where you will work - there are not endless lanes of freeway concrete here the way there is in phoenix. we first moved to SW Portland and both of us were working and i felt like it was a bit rat-race-ish to me. Daycares were difficult to find and you will want to research those options if you plan on re-entering the workforce in the near future. we have since moved further away from portland where i was able to cut my hours way back and have a better balance.

[ManiaCat]

The cost of living is much higher in Portland, so finding a decent 3 bedroom apartment for $1000 will be next to impossible. Food costs are much higher, too. Jobs are difficult to find. Rentals are tight and you may not be able to rent without a job, and jobs are hard to find.

DO have a job before you move.

I moved here from Phoenix and love it, but I grew up on the northern California coast and love the weather. It could be a shock to you.

Good luck!

[acj120811]

We currently live in PHX but are transplants that cant wait to transplant to OR instead.
AZ is too hot, rat race fast paced, crowded, expensive for a regulated monotonous rut like cookie cutter daily routine, not to mention a (R) conservative confederate state but lastly... the education system here is less than desirable, in a nutshell it just rubs us the wrong way.
So, I have had my heart set on OR since I was a child but haven't seemed to make it there yet. I agree that having some sort of employment before making a state to state move these days is a MUST. The outskirts of Portland I feel could serve our lifestyle well. We miss trees (forest) and the coast, nothing beats a nice drive to the beach on a beautiful summer weekend. The farmers markets, fairs, and lax attitude of the people make what could be a good fit for our growing family. I also feel it would be safer for our kids and provide a more diverse type of culture scene that would inspire creativity.
Thanks for all the info everyone gives. These forums really do help readers gain a better understanding.
Any other surrounding city suggestions with mild winter weather?

[bler144]

A year ago I might have said Salem as a more affordable option, but their rental market right now seems tighter than Portland's. You could potentially make that budget work in Eugene/Spr.

But the job market in Eugene will be even a bit tougher. On the bright side, it's a bit closer to the coast for daytripping.