I'm just NOT seeing the attraction... (Portland, Dallas: appointed, apartment, houses)

[gorilazgomossad]

Um, well, do houses in Portland collapse unexpectedly like my friends house in DC whre the floors literally collapsed? Portland has newer infrastructure since its a newer city, whereas I had to live in a hotel for about a week since my house had problems that went all the way down to the city's plumbing lines in the street pipes. DC doesnt upgrade its facilities because it doesnt have to - even people who pay to live in the nicer areas like i did have to deal with stupid s&&t.
DC's housing market in the city and surrounding burbs is hyper inflated because you can make your entire career by living there for two years and networking with the right people, and getting the right jobs on your resume. Sad, but true. I dont imagine Portland has the same problems, but you seem to be the experts. Also, Portland attracts a certain persona - laid back, outdoorsy, athletic, conscientious. The reason why I want to attend L&C law school is not just the programs but the fact that they stress cooperation over competition in school - very very different from the schools back east. Trust me on that.

[Nell Plotts]

Life is too short to live in a place that doesn't suit you. Move if you are unhappy... and everyone will be happier.

[gorilazgomossad]

OP I can't help but wonder...have you ever left Portland?

Go live in a city like DC, Philly or Detroit and that will do wonders for your perspective on Portland.

[subsound]

It's always the problem, people talk up an area and have home if they can just make it to X they will be happy...then when they get there it's not all that and a hunk of cheese, so people will find the next thing that will make them happy. The cycle continues till people realize happiness is internal. Portland just happens to be one of those cities that have people starry eyed, there are a number of others.

[Minervah]

Um, well, do houses in Portland collapse unexpectedly like my friends house in DC where the floors literally collapsed?

Actually yes they do. Some of the new houses fall into ravines or roads during our severe floods. My former boss's brand new home slide down a hill a couple of years ago after a heavy rainfall. The older houses you see perched on the sides of steep slopes are secure because they were built with that possibility in mind.

Much new housing doesn't accommodate that. In the frenzy to build more and more houses in upscale areas where there are only slopes on which to build, construction companies have done some really shoddy work.

[gorilazgomossad]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Actually yes they do. Some of the new houses fall into ravines or roads during our severe floods. My former boss's brand new home slide down a hill a couple of years ago after a heavy rainfall. The older houses you see perched on the sides of steep slopes are secure because they were built with that possibility in mind.

Much new housing doesn't accommodate that. In the frenzy to build more and more houses in upscale areas where there are only slopes on which to build, construction companies have done some really shoddy work.

yikes. what a cesspool. just kidding.

that sounds really awful. but...on the flip side, i was looking at homes for sale today and noticed how many of them are LEED certified and energy star certified for efficiency. woot. you dont find that in (many) other cities.

enjoy them before they get washed out. hee hee. i jest.

[gorilazgomossad]

oh yeah, and portland is super dog friendly and i assume the parks have not been turned into encampments with homeless people and their shopping carts (i dont begrudge the poor fellows, but it sucks that we could never really use the parks in DC for this reason...however, i would do the same thing in their position.) DC = 9000 homeless, which is really terrible.

[JayZ750]

I live in Houston, Texas. Here is what attracts me to Portland as a potential place to settle. Keep in mind, that while Houston is my hometown and there are many great things about Houston and Texas, as a whole I would definitely prefer NOT to live here.

I know I want to live somewhere with less people. Houston doesn't typically feel as crowded as a NYC or Chicago or Boston, as we are a huge (geographically) city, but we still have 5+ million in the metro area. While part of me wants to go even farther and move to a city of a couple hundred thousand or less, I think that would be too big of a jump down. To me, and I imagine a lot of transplants coming from California or the East Coast, Portland fits nicely into a size bracket where it's big enough to support a lot of the amenities we're used to, but small enough to really feel different.

I know I want to live somewhere with better climate. I don't like scorching scorching hot summers. I don't like 10000% humidity. I don't like the constant August-Sept. freak out about hurricanes. I don't even like the mild winters - I'd like some seasons, you know. That said, I'm not enormously keen on Chicago style winters either. California weather is better than Portland, sure, but California has the people/crowd problem, among other things. The drizzle in Portland is concerning, but it rains more annually in Houston (in a different way, granted, but potentially a worse way). Portland's climate is intriguing. Not freezing in the winters. Amazing summers. A constant drizzle and light-less-ness that could be a negative but could be a positive - personally, I'd view it as a fresh change from what I have.

I know I want better access to the outdoors. A lot better. Don't get me wrong, I do have access to miles and miles of coastline, which makes for great fishing. But compared to outdoor mecca that is the PNW, well Houston sucks. We're the most air conditioned city in the world for a reason. Just stepping outside right now, if not to jump in a pool, is painful.

I know I want to live somewhere more liberal. Texas isn't quite what the stereotypes imply (Houston has a democrat for mayor, the major urban areas in Texas swing much closer to 50/50 republican/democrat than you'd expect), but overall we are a conservative, republican, religious state. I'm more of a liberal, democrat, non-practicing kind of guy. I don't eat meat. We shop at whole foods. I don't break the bank to be green, but if I can in certain areas, I try. I drive a Toyota Highlander...but it is a hybrid. At a minimum, I'd eat better in Portland.

I like coasts. My wife loves mountains. We are both very low key, laid back people.

I could go on with other reasons. I've spent time in the Northeast. I haven't lived in the Southeast but we have family that do and we've driven through multiple times - just not quite right for us. That leaves the west. So, when looking at the things we like and want to avoid, we have cities like Portland, Denver, Santa Fe/Albuquerque, Seattle.

I have been to all BUT Portland. I am eager to visit. I would never move there without a job. I would never move there without visiting first, and for more than just a few days. I would never move there without seriously researching the pro's and con's of the city relative to others, or to just staying where I am. Schooling would be a concern - no kids yet, but soon. The economy as a whole is definitely a concern, etc.

just some outsider insight for you!

[Nell Plotts]

Jay, you are just the kind of person who would fit in well.

[ftabesh]

I have lived/traveled in/to many cities around the world. I lived in Europe, MidE, California, and here in Portlnad. Portland by far is one of the best cities around. The culture is different here than that one of the southern Cal or the Bay area. It is the NW cutlure, lots of educated people. The city itself is absolutly beautiful in any season, even winter. I guess the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder :-)
In terms of accessabilty, walking, biking, skiing, rafting, ocean....it is by far superior to most of the cities in the nation.. In fact it is known to be the second most bikable city in the world, after Amsterdam!