Portland vs Seattle vs Bellingham for retired renter (Eugene, Salem: apartments, homes)

[a3hourtour]

Hi,
I'm a retired teacher leaving Cleveland Ohio winters for the pacific coast- So Cal was where I grew up and spent the first half but I never liked the heat and the cost of rent is just too high to consider at this point.

I'll need a 1 bedroom for 1200 or less, will substitute teach to add to my pension and I'm an artist doing pet portraits.

I am looking for a comfortable neighborhood that is walkable, lots to see and do- parks, festivals and farmers markets plus art walks and art fairs. A place safe to walk the dog even at night.

Should I be looking at PDX? Outlying areas like Lake Oswego? Seattle? Or Bellingham?

All suggestions are welcome.

[Metlakatla]

Do yourself a favor and stay out of the high rent areas like Portland, Lake O, and Seattle. You'll have more money to enjoy life if it isn't all going toward rent.

[bler144]

Lake Oswego is mostly upper-middle class single family homes. I'm sure there's one apartment building in there somewhere (Padmapper has 0 studio-1BR listings for Lake O at the moment at any price range), but you can pretty much cross it off your list.

Eugene/Corvallis/Salem all probably worth a look, also perhaps McMinnville. Ashland summer will feel like a slightly milder NorCal - Arcata might be more to your liking though.

But I agree with Metlakatla and I'd skip the PDX metro. It's not just current prices (which your $1200 can meet today), it's the sheer tightness of the rental market and the rate at which rents are rising, particularly in neighborhoods with the amenities you're describing, and that will take a dog.

I like both Bellingham and Olympia in WA, though Bellingham ain't cheap. I haven't priced 1BR apartments there in a long while though. Might even want to at least consider Boise or SLC, even though both have a winter of sorts, they'd both be a bit of a compromise.

[eabcan]

I don't want to put a damper on your plans but have you seriously looked into the possibility of substitute teaching in Oregon? From my understanding it can be difficult to land work if you a) don't have an Oregon teaching licence and b) don't have an established network of teachers willing to call you if they need coverage. Apparently it is quite competitive and the teachers who get offered the jobs are the ones who are already known and have a history with the school and/or district. You may not want to rely on sub work to supplement your pension if you are moving here from out of state and don't have any contacts built up yet.

[Minervah]

While $1200 in Cleveland or the Cleveland area will get you a luxury apartment downtown, anywhere near the lake, Ohio City, Cedar Fairmount or Tremont to name a few neighborhoods. In Portland that amount will maybe get you a studio apartment in a neighborhood in which you would have to travel for your parks, festivals and farmers markets plus art walks and art fairs.

Portland isn't all that large so it's doable to travel to entertainment. Some of the suburbs might have what you want at your price although from what I have read, prices there are on the rise.

Lake Oswego, Seattle and Bellingham are also pretty expensive.

I think the bottom line is you won't find Portland rents at Cleveland prices. If your goal is to move to the PNW, you might want to consider cities that are not quite as popular as the ones at which you are looking.

[Yankeemama]

A friend of mine had a studio in NW Portland in a good area for less than $1100. and that was about two years ago. If you can find a studio in a walkable neighborhood in Portland and don't have to worry about parking then I think that would be ideal. Also not looking for schools is a plus for you. If you can't substitute teach, which I agree with the previous poster, is not going to be a breeze if you don't have your liscense here, then do something else. Living anywhere near downtown will be helpful. Maybe you could find part time work at PSU which is located downtown.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

A friend of mine had a studio in NW Portland in a good area for less than $1100. and that was about two years ago.

So it's probably only about $1500 /mo now?

[harrishawke]

I wouldn't waste my hard earned retirement money to live in Portland. What about some place outside Seattle Proper which would lower rent? People are saying Spokane is cheap too.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by bler144

So it's probably only about $1500 /mo now?

Completely unrenovated and small. Maybe 1300-1350.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by harrishawke

I wouldn't waste my hard earned retirement money to live in Portland. What about some place outside Seattle Proper which would lower rent? People are saying Spokane is cheap too.

Good advice. That's why I relocated from Portland to the Cleveland area after retiring. Soaring rents kept eating away at my retirement money and it was getting pretty troublesome.

Personally, I would rather deal with harsher winters than watch my hard earned retirement money fly out the window on rent and other factors that create a high COL in Portland and the Portland area. When one isn't working, it's pretty difficult to keep up.