Is Portland a good city? (for rent, insurance, mortgages)

[rzzzz]

To add in on that last point, it's actually not that hard to get an apartment in PDX if you have a good job and can pay the rent. I stayed in The Janey and I was in within a couple days. This is in contrast to a lot of other places I've lived where it's hard to get an apartment even if you can afford it. If you are trying to find a deal it's basically impossible, though.

[pdwpdx]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

To add in on that last point, it's actually not that hard to get an apartment in PDX if you have a good job and can pay the rent. I stayed in The Janey and I was in within a couple days. This is in contrast to a lot of other places I've lived where it's hard to get an apartment even if you can afford it. If you are trying to find a deal it's basically impossible, though.

Can you clarify what you mean by "good job"?

[rzzzz]

Originally Posted by pdwpdx

Can you clarify what you mean by "good job"?

Something that pays $65K or more.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

Something that pays $65K or more.

Meh. I started out making 55 when I initially moved to Portland. If you're willing to get a roommate, don't have a lot of debt and you're good at managing your finances, you can live decently here starting at 45 IMO.

[rzzzz]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

Meh. I started out making 55 when I initially moved to Portland. If you're willing to get a roommate, don't have a lot of debt and you're good at managing your finances, you can live decently here starting at 45 IMO.

Well i just meant if you make that much, you have a pretty good job and can afford to live somewhere like The Janey, so the apartment hunt won't be such a headache.

[pdwpdx]

Okay, so going by the recommended 30% of gross income rule, you're talking about a $1625/month apartment. So based on that, I'd say yes, you're going to have quite a few choices for rentals in Portland.

But for an added angle, the estimated per-capita income for Portland in 2012 was $31,203 (sufficient for a $780/mo. apartment) and the median household income was $52,158 (sufficient for a $1300/mo. apartment)

Only 45% of households in Portland make more than $60,000/yr.

Food for thought!

[rzzzz]

Originally Posted by pdwpdx

Okay, so going by the recommended 30% of gross income rule, you're talking about a $1625/month apartment. So based on that, I'd say yes, you're going to have quite a few choices for rentals in Portland.

But for an added angle, the estimated per-capita income for Portland in 2012 was $31,203 (sufficient for a $780/mo. apartment) and the median household income was $52,158 (sufficient for a $1300/mo. apartment)

Only 45% of households in Portland make more than $60,000/yr.

Food for thought!

Yes. It's pretty clear who whom the apartments in the Pearl are catering.
Unfortunately, I think Portland's yuppie scene is feast or famine. You either make $70K+ or are unemployed.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

Yes. It's pretty clear who whom the apartments in the Pearl are catering.
Unfortunately, I think Portland's yuppie scene is feast or famine. You either make $70K+ or are unemployed.

I am all for those expensive condos in the Pearl, they tend to be very inviting to those from much higher market cities, and it tends to keep them from moving into the lower cost properties in the city.

Most of the people I know in Portland don't make $70K+ and they are not unemployed.

[rzzzz]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

Most of the people I know in Portland don't make $70K+ and they are not unemployed.

I just meant in the high tech "Pearl" jobs like Jive or The Clymb or New Relic or other yuppie jobs like Nike or WK, you either do pretty well or you are looking for work. There's no $40K starter or $50K burn-out jobs at those places. As to who makes $40K in PDX... I personally do not know. But now that you got me thinking about it, everyone I know in Portland actually does make a lot more than $70K or else they are a "freelancer" (code for unemployed).

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

I just meant in the high tech "Pearl" jobs like Jive or The Clymb or New Relic or other yuppie jobs like Nike or WK, you either do pretty well or you are looking for work. There's no $40K starter or $50K burn-out jobs at those places. As to who makes $40K in PDX... I personally do not know. But now that you mention it, everyone I know in Portland either makes $70K+ or is a "freelancer" (code for unemployed).

Does the Clymb really that high of salaries, I know people who are working there and considered a job there--it's fairly average, it's a pretty recent startup company.

$50k isn't really a "burn-out" salary in Portland. "Burnouts" in Portland are making like 20k to 30 k if they're lucky(good chance they're unemployed or very underemployed). Plenty of mid-level positions are paying like 40k to 60k in the Portland area... Salaries are lower here, I think people realize that you'll make more if you go to Seattle in about every field(though pay more for rent or mortgages too). As well there's a ton of contract positions everywhere(Intel, BPA, Nike, etc.)--which can pay okay or even more than permanent but you pay for health insurance, and there's little job security.