Have You Re-Thought Your Decision To Relocate To Oregon (Portland: condo, job market)

[Leisesturm]

It seems there are quite a number of passionate detractors of Oregon in general and Portland in particular. Many continue to live here while a few have left and many more have never ever been but "hear" of a number of different indicators of a fraught and perilous (not to mention sunless) existence here. Just curious, have you taken Oregon/Portland off your short list because of information you read here or heard around? Inquireing minds want to know.

H

[argo69]

Not at all. Two legitimate issues that I hear brought up constantly on this forum are the weather and the somewhat weak job market. The first is simply a matter of personal preference (yep, some of us really do enjoy cloudy weather) but the second is a more serious concern for anyone moving to Portland.

I find virtually all of the other complaints (too expensive, too crowded, too much traffic, too many hipsters, too many homeless, etc.) are all criticisms that could be lobbed at virtually any other major city in the United States.

[Tesaje]

Nope, it is still on my short list. The weather is an attractant to me. Job situation will not affect me as I will be retired before I move anywhere. The claims of unfriendliness gave me the biggest pause, but now I'm hearing about the great reception newcomers are having who have just moved there. I also recognize many of the complaints apply to every city in the US - increased population is putting pressures on everywhere.

[victorianpunk]

Hearing people talk about the rough job market gave me pause, but I'm still moving next year. I have, however, decided to have Seattle as plan "B" in case the job thing does not work out. Other than that, hearing all these people complain about cloudy skies, hippies/freaks/punks everywhere, tree-huggers, and general anti-organized religion mentality just makes me want to move there more

One man's hell on earth is another man's paradise.

[MtnSurfer]

I have found that there are a lot of people who just like to vent here on CD. Some people would be miserable no matter where they lived. So I take these threads with a grain of salt.

I put much more weight on our visit to Portland which was great! And it was during the same time this Spring when people were complaining about the bad weather. But I found the weather wonderful - a great combo of rain, clouds and sun, sometimes all in one day. And we too prefer more cloudy or mixed weather days to sunny days. Constant sun can be oppresive especially at 6000' where we live now in CS.

The only thing that gives me pause for thought is the job market. But I am finding a number of good jobs there in my profession - software. So if a good opportunity arises I am definately going to consider it. After our visit there I think our family is ready for our next adventure to the PNW.

[Captain545]

I've lived all over the country (Air Force) and the mild climate is definately an attraction. Plus the mass transit, if you're where you can take advantage of it, is something else to think about. A lot of cities offer a lot of different things, so it's what you're looking for.

[MtnSurfer]

Yes, I agree. For some people Phoenix, Palm Springs, etc... is paradise - hot, bright and sunny! And so for them the PNW is not very pleasant. Personally I can't stand that kind of weather. It is a nightmare just thinking about living in it.

I enjoy a cooler, moister climate with cloud cover, adundance of rivers, lakes, waterfalls, coastlines, rain and green trees. So Portland is very appealing. Everyone has there preference and that is fine.

But I guess I don't understand why so many complain about it on this forum more than other forums. Lets face it, no city is perfect. Each one is just a trade off of pros/cons. So instead of spending so much energy and time focused on negatives why not use that energy to go somewhere else more suitable?

[PeacePlease]

We moved to the Portland area about 4 months ago from Austin. Early on, we got a surprise from the weather change. The clouds and rain made it feel that it will never be sunny again. In Austin, when it rains, you stay home. Here you can't. So far, we love it. We love outdoor activities and there is a lot to do. The positives far out weigh the negatives.

Now I don't mean that the weather is bad. The change is what gets you. If you're used to something for so many years and it changes, it will feel strange and you will miss your old habits and old weather.

In time it will become a lot more familiar and so time will tell how we will feel about the PNW long term. We haven't spent an entire winter yet, and next year will be a good test too. In the meantime, we plan to enjoy every sunny or partly sunny day :-) and yes, we love the coast even though the water is cold.

Don't know about the job market. I work for a company that is out of CA, and they don't mind me living up here.

[PeacePlease]

forgot to mention. I learned a new phrase since moving: "partly sunny" instead of "partly cloudy". LOL

[nancy thereader]

Job situation will not affect me as I will be retired before I move anywhere.

Hey, tesaje. Whaddaya doin' out here in Portland ? It was always my first choice , primarily because of the warmish winters and year-round lush greenery. I would hope that I could afford, though, to buy a little condo there . The great transportation system is another plus for me.