Towns South of Portland? (Salem, Corvallis: house, purchase, school)

[cheric03]

We are looking at moving to the Portland area, but I would go to school in Corvallis and my bf would work in Portland and do helicopter training in Newberg. Any ideas on good places to live between there? Do you know if there is any difference in the climate further south of Portland?

I looked at some previous threads but most of what I found was advice on south Portland, and not necessarily towns further south. If there's a thread I'm missing maybe someone could just send me that link?

We would like to purchase a 1200 sq ft + home w/about a quarter acre lot. Our price range would be anywhere below $180k, but we could put work into a fixer-upper.

Thanks!

[bobmulk]

The best place is probably Salem. That's where I live. It's midway between Corvallis, Newberg and Portland. You might have a hard time finding a house that size on a lot that big, but I believe it's doable. Prices have stabilized and even come down a little in this area. Truthfully, Salem is about the only town where you might find what you want in that price range. The closer you get to Portland, the more impossible it becomes. You wouldn't find anything under $200K or $250K.

[cheric03]

Thank you for that information. We will definitely have to check out Salem when we visit the area again. It looks on the map to be a perfect distance for each of us.