The downsides of Lake Oswego and West Linn please (Portland: for sale, real estate)

[Michael Tryn]

I do not think the administrator will find anything wrong with this question. We want to move to L.O. for the schools and I have NOT read anything much wrong about these places ! My research tells me the central part is centered around hwy 43 and Tryson Park is close. We are nature people and go for walks very much. thanks for the pictures that someone posted.

[EnricoV]

Downside? It's expensive. And just a little too materialistic for my tastes. But it's a very pretty little town. West Linn has less "town" feel to it, and is probably a bit more to my tastes.

[HiggsBoson]

I moved to Lake Oswego a little over a year ago from Phoenix (11 years in AZ, grew up in Wi), and its a wonderful city. Every place has some downsides, but lets talk about some of the upsides first. As you mentioned the schools are top notch, one of the top school districts in the state. I have a 7 year old son who spent 1st grade in Lake Oswego and I have no complaints on the school or teachers. Depending where in Lake Oswego you are it can be as short as 15 min. drive into downtown Portland, so even though it is more suburban, you are still close to the city. The downtown/First Addition area you mentioned is where I live and its very nice. There are a variety of restaurants, stores, coffee shops, etc. within walking distance. The farmers market is in the Millennium park downtown. There are several nice parks within walking distance, we have spent many many hours in George Rogers park, and as you mentioned Tryon Creek State Park is very close as well. One other thing I like is its like living in a forest, lot and lots of big trees.
I would not say its expensive at all, but this is subjective of course. Certainly there are some expensive homes for sale and rent, especially if you are right on the lake, but other than that you can find homes for sale or rent in a wide range of prices. It all depends on what you are looking for, I have seen 3 bedroom apartments for as low as $900 a month and I have seen luxury homes for rent for over $10k a month. I rent a modest 1400sqft 3 bedroom home for $1600/month. A similar home in some of the more desirable neighborhoods in Portland are around that much, and higher, and there are fewer of them to choose from. Average home prices might be higher, but this is probably due to luxury homes driving up the average, and also, the home values may be higher as well, so of course the homes are going to sell for more. Personally I think the current prices people are asking on home sales in L.O. are still to high, but I feel that way about Portland real estate in general.
There is more wealth concentrated in LO, so if you are the kind of person who gets upset about others having more than you then maybe its the wrong place. I have found most of the people to be nice pleasant people, I have never felt like an outsider because I'm not "rich", nor have I felt the majority of people in LO to be overly materialistic. I don't know how this plays out as kids get older, maybe down the road this would be a problem with kids if they can never have the same stuff their friends do, but is it so different in any other city? There is always peer pressure to have whatever is trendy. Maybe kids in LO have a little more, but I don't think the average high schooler in LO gets a new BMW on their 16th birthday.
Quick summarization of LO positives IMO: clean, safe, quite, good schools, lush green park/forest like setting, good family city.

All that being said I am actually about to move out of Lake Oswego and into the Irvington neighborhood in Portland. So what are the downsides of Lake Oswego? Despite the positives of the environment it still feels a little too suburban to me. When I first visited Portland about 7 years ago I fell in love with the beautiful old neighborhoods in the city, the old Victorian, foursquare, craftsman, cottage and bungalow homes on big tree lines streets. It really is a piece of Norman Rockwell-esq Americana. There are some nice homes in LO, in a variety of styles, but I just don't get the same feeling as when I'm in a neighborhood like Irvington. I also wanted to be closer to my work, in LO between school, day care, and my job I spend almost an hour driving each way, and that too much driving for me. There are trade offs, I will get higher crime (statistically speaking, I don't feel like my new home is unsafe at all), possibly lower quality schools (depending on how much weight you put on test scores), higher cost of living (big beautiful old homes in the desirable parts of Portland are not cheap to rent, I'm getting a deal at $2300/month), more noise, and other negatives you get living in a city. As one of my favorite economists says "there are no solutions, only trade offs".
Negatives of LO as I see them: A little too suburban for my tastes, too far away, lacks that "old school" neighborhood feeling, lack of "cultural diversity", and higher incomes means it might not be the right place for people with wealth envy, or prone to "keeping up with the Jones" syndrome.

Hope this helps.

[lemonbutter]

If you're moving just for schools and can afford a place in LO and don't mind that its very suburban, then there aren't really any downsides. I have family in LO and their kids get a great education, they play with their friends in their culdesac, there's tons of parks and seems like every school has a huge playground, and Tryon Creek State Park is great.
It seems like West Linn is a little less pretentious but its also further out.

[Michael Tryn]

Most of what I have read here and on The Oregonian forum board are complaints about some guy named Potter and now some guy named Sam Adams and the usual chatter about the authority or cheap eats. Must be street peole. I will reread your good postings. Tryon Park sounds great.We are going to the woods here now with our rat terrier. I don't want diversity, SO close to My area , I have a family. Coffee houses are welcome.

[John Shaft]

If you ain't white, you better stay away.

[Rainbow08]

Originally Posted by John Shaft

If you ain't white, you better stay away.

Are you being funny & sarcastic or serious?

[Michael Tryn]

My last name has ski at the end so you know my nationality even though I only speak maybe 10 words. My wife is the brains as she has an advanced degree from Moscow, ( not the one in Idaho) ! We believe in no pedaphiles, selling porn on the street, men holding hands in public etc. She wants to park the car and walk, as it is good for health, or ride your Metro. She likes grey cloudy weather and no wind. I want to try sculling and bicycling. Don't worry about money life is too short ! I worked 35 yrs and realize tht now, one's health is more important than some job.

[EnricoV]

Nobody believes in pedophiles. But the exist. Everywhere. Anyone who thinks they don't exist in high-class neighborhoods, or they can insulate themselves from it, is kidding themselves. Nobody sells porn on the street. They sell it in stores. And it's their right to do so. Just as it's your, and my, right not go go there and buy it. Men holding hands in public? I can't say I really notice that happening. Maybe I'm just not aware. What they do is not my business. But you will see gay couples, male and female, everywhere.

If those sorts of things offend you, or you want to live somewhere it doesn't --or shouldn't-- exist, I suggest a cave might suit.

[subsound]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

If those sorts of things offend you, or you want to live somewhere it doesn't --or shouldn't-- exist, I suggest a cave might suit.

I think a cave would be ecologically conscious too, fits perfectly!