Young couple seeking advice with future move to Portland area (Beaverton: appointed, real estate)

[KCrockett]

Let me first say, that I realize that our economy is quickly crumbling and that we do not plan to move until things have somewhat settled and we have jobs nailed down. In the meantime, we are researching all possibilities and would love your help.

Okay, with that out of the way, here are our stats and needs/interests:

We're both in our mid-twenties and are interested in moving from Oklahoma to Oregon (possibly near Portland).
I've lived in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and California, and Oregon is the most talked about state to live in, that I've ever heard. It also seems to be the most compatible with our lifestyles. (I also loved living on the West coast and have been eager to move back for awhile now.)
A place that isn't far from the beach would be nice but isn't necessary. We don't mind driving. We'd rather have plenty of trees, and plenty to do outside, then be beach-front.
It is really important to us that wherever we live be bike-friendly. Living in OKC has been harsh, it's ranked horrible. Everything is too far apart to bike to and the drivers are rudely unaware of pedestrians.
He loves mountain biking, hiking, camping, swimming, and pretty much anything outdoors.
I'm interested in all of those things but am mostly interested in living in a community that offers recreational activities along with a fashion, art, and live music scene. I loved those qualities about Dallas, Texas, but wished it wasn't so 'concrete' and conservative, along with the other Southern states I've lived in.
We're both easy-going, friendly, open-minded, and laid back.
We want to live in a place that feels like a community, but has lots of things to do.
We're both young and still getting our careers going, so our budget will be slim at first.
We're looking to rent, not buy.
If we really love Oregon, we might raise a family there one day and will have an entirely new set of priorities like school systems and home buying, and it would be great of those priorities were also satisfied with the same city or a community nearby.
I'm a designer with an emphasis on apparel and graphics and would love to live near where I work. I've heard that commuting from Washington to Portland isn't a major drive, and I'm open to that.

Thanks in advance for any help and feel free to ask any questions.
Take care!

[Nell Plotts]

I am going to assume you will seek a job at NIKE, Columbia Sportswear, or Adidas. The first two are both located west of Portland.. some would call it Beaverton but it really isn't. [There is a chance that Columbia Sportswear will move somewhere else in the area but who knows when.] Adidas is located on Portland's east side not far from the city center. NIKE and Adidas are accessible by the MAX.

You really need to nail down a job first, then find housing convenient to your job. The 'bike-able' issue you can control (the MAX accommodates bicycles).

The beach is about an hour's drive to the west. You can cut off some of this time by living to the west of your employer.

As a retired HR person who is very familiar with all of your potential employers I recommend building a strong resume. The competition is fierce.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by KCrockett

Let me first say, that I realize that our economy is quickly crumbling and that we do not plan to move until things have somewhat settled and we have jobs nailed down.
Take care!

If you nail down some jobs, then Portland can offer what you want. However my advice is to line up the jobs first and then optimize where to live based on the job(s).

Picking the living location first is the wrong way to do it in this economy. (Unless you're wealthy and will create your own jobs).

[subsound]

Originally Posted by davefr

Picking the living location first is the wrong way to do it in this economy. (Unless you're wealthy and will create your own jobs).

/whole hearted agreement

[Melissa E]

Hey Good luck! I just signed up for this site for advice, as well. My boyfriend and I are thinking of moving to Oregon soon. We want a cozy town with plenty of nature around, but close to many things to do.

[pdxconvert]

Hi there! I've been in Portland for a few years, and I think I can offer some unbiased advice. First, you sound like you'd be a really good match for Portland, if you're prepared for months and months of gray and rain at a time. Coming from the dry midwest, you very well may have a hard time enjoying the positive things I'm about to tell you about Portland, except for a few months out of the year. It's a serious drawback to an otherwise awesome city. okay, to your points:

The coast is close (an hour) but can be cold and rainy. It's a nice getaway, but when it's sunny there, that means it's sunny here, and most people head out to the Columbia Gorge for biking and hiking instead. It is gorgeous, though.

Your dude will love this city. Mountain biking is more limited, as my husband bemoans, but you have forest roads in Forest Park (right in the city proper), Syncline less than an hour away, Mount St Helens for stunning moonscape rides, Hagg Lake for beginners, and Bend less than 3 hours away (mtb mecca). There are more - get a cycling book when you get here. For road riders, Sauvie Island, the Gorge and the West Hills are where it's at. Camping and hiking, I couldn't even begin to list your options -- there are endless choices, whether you like mountaineering or walking in the woods.

Portland is uber-progressive. Our mayor is openly gay and our population is overwhelmingly liberal. This is the main reason I moved here, and so far I have not been disappointed. As for fashion... well, Portland does have a fashion scene (albeit hipster) and a lot of gorgeous people, but they're more likely to be wearing Keens and Gore-Tex, honestly. The Pearl is very fashionable and a lot of Europeans live there. Don't listen to the Pearl trashers, by the way. It can be pretentious, but it's young and fun, too. The art scene in the Pearl is popular - First Thursdays are big, PNCA is there - but there are plenty of of other galleries and outsider art-type movements in other neighborhoods. Live music by the tons, too.

Portland is supposed to be about being "easy-going, friendly, open-minded, and laid back." It usually is, with more people who will smile at you and say hi on the street than anywhere I've ever lived. But occasionally it warps into a herd mentality where everyone who shops at Starbucks is a yuppie and everyone who lives in the West Hills is conservative (neither are true).

In terms of things to do, sometimes when it rains you have to FORCE yourself to go out. If you're active and outdoorsy, you'll always have things to do. There are movie houses & big theaters, bands, coffeeshops, endless great restaurants and bars, a variety of clubs, and shopping, but you may occasionally find yourself sick of the same spots. That's everywhere, though. I suspect there will be more for you to do here than in Oklahoma, but less than in San Fran, for instance.

When looking for a place to live, you have to consider how close-in you want to be. I like to keep it within 30 blocks of the river in all directions, because I don't drive and because the neighborhoods start getting crappy the farther out you go (not a hard and fast rule - most property virgins have to head way out to find anything affordable, and there are plenty of cute niches). Generally speaking, you can rent a small, sleek loft in the Pearl for <$1200, an artsy older apartment in the Northwest quadrant for <$900, and I don't know much about NE and SE but from my recent looking online, it seems that anything close-in is still going to cost you around $600-800/month. Real estate here is not cheap, but it's not outrageous either. There are deals to be had. Pick the area you'll want to live in (NW, SW, N, NE, SE) and remember: Craigslist is your friend.

You'll be stuck in traffic every morning if you move to Vancouver. If you're not buying a house, there is NO REASON to move to Vancouver. No offense to the 'Couverites on here, but it's true.

Okay, well I hope that helped. Listen to the others about getting that job nailed down first. Please feel free to ask any more questions. I like pimping out Portland, but I can also be impartial!