Moving to Portland in one year from Richmond, Va

[John Shaft]

UPDATE: I think my $50K figure I gave for a starting RN was somewhat inflated. Mid $40s more likely. You will, however, most likely get a raise fairly early on. Additionally, with the nursing shortage there is ALWAYS the opportunity to work extra shifts, and these often come with shift differentials and/or overtime rates.

[bliss60]

Especially as advertised on Craigs list, there are very few newer constructed apartment buildings. Portland is an older city, without a sales tax to redo battered infrastruture.
Many apartment buildings are cosmetically remodeled so caution here especially with plumbing and electrical outlets. These are way overpriced.
Also, visit apartment buildings after hours, when tenants are home. Sadly, the previously upscale Beaverton area has become an armpit for slumlords who rent to huge families of illegal, noisy residents.
I was told there was not a family living above me and for the first month here, it as been terrible. When I approached management...that is an entire other story of corporate denial and greed..very disappointing. Big corporations (not all from California) have bought and manage larger complexes and if you read the reviews on Apartmentratings.com...very few happy tenants in this area..sad to say.
In Portland, you don't get to choose an adults only building, unless you are over 55. It's against state law. So, if you enjoy peace and quiet, check out the parking lots and listen in the stairwells after 6:00 P.M.
Communicate everything on email with property managers, so you have a backup.
Lots of young women in the front office, trying their best but not able to live up to their sales pitch. They will tell you there is a big rush here and you need to choose their apartment..don't believe it.
Some large management companies are asking for new tenants to help them buy their liability insurance. Don't do it.
Many require a year's lease and if you're not happy, you're stuck. This is for them, not for you..makes their property more valuable when filled with long term leases. Negotiate for a six month lease or month to month..there is beginning to be a higher vacancy factor in the Portland area.
Don't believe too much of the hype. There are some very rough neighborhoods (ask around), sex, taco stands and taverns on every other corner in some neighborhoods.
Quality of life down the toilet, when you don't have a nice place to live.
I was born here and it's getting better but every new citizen needs to take care of themselves....it's the Oregon way.

[gypsydoc]

Good advice re: checking out apartment complexes after hours or when tenants are most likely to be home to try to guage the types of vehicles and the noise levels. Always helps to try to negotiate down lease time, but when you have less of a lease, you end up paying a bit more.. usually.

The truth is, apartment occupancy is up and vacancy rates are going down. Rents are going up (supply and demand) the first time in several years -overall.

As far as bad areas... we don't have the bad areas that you probably experience in Richmond or other large cities. There is no area here that I would be afraid to drive through.. at least in the daylight hours. There are quite a few in other cities that I wouldn't go near.

Portland is an older city compared to the new buildings being built today... but this country's cities began being built on the East coast and then moved west.. so comparatively speaking, we're much newer. Most of the homes here were built in the 40's and 50's onward as opposed to some east coast cities that have thousands of homes built in the 1900's to the 1930's... just an observation... The homes here we call bungalos and old PDX craftsman type and believe are quite rare line the streets in almost countless numbers in neighborhoods in cities like Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Richmond, Nashville, etc...

Older buildings are always being renovated... no matter where you live. Of course, it makes sense to do due diligence. The construction rules here are quite strict as far as getting permits and passing inspections.

Of course corporations manage and sometimes own the multimillion dollar apartment complexes... They're the ones who have the most invested and the most at stake. If they manage well, or have a good management company in place, the tenants will want to stay. If an apartment has a power struggle going on between management and tenants, nobody wins.

Anyway, just keep checking out the areas and this site, the picture will become clearer.

[Nell Plotts]

Were I the OP I would look for an apartment to share initially. When you are interviewing see if they have a board where such notices are posted.