Looking for affordable places in Portland (Gresham, Beaverton: apartment, rent, house)

[2pdx]

So I just finished getting an associate's degree at a community college here in Southern Cal, and now I just got accepted into Portland State, but looking at the prices of the downtown area makes me go insane. Yes, that might sound crazy coming from someone who lives in SoCal, but I can't afford a lot, in fact I still live with my parents. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest as a child and would love to move back, especially since all my family is up there.
Anyways, I've been looking through some places in Portland, I really like St Johns and several others I'm looking at. I'm a huge fan of the city and I love to go clubbing at tnight, and it seems to be my primary choice, and I am hoping to find a roomate or nearby relative I can split rent with before being on my own. I am also looking at Beaverton and Gresham, and I would love to find a house or flat that is near a train station if I end up moving there.
Right now, I am looking at several jobs, all claiming to pay me around $1500-2000 a month.
If there's anything else I need to know, just say.
Thanks,
Mars

[OregonDaisy]

Originally Posted by 2pdx

So I just finished getting an associate's degree at a community college here in Southern Cal, and now I just got accepted into Portland State, but looking at the prices of the downtown area makes me go insane. Yes, that might sound crazy coming from someone who lives in SoCal, but I can't afford a lot, in fact I still live with my parents. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest as a child and would love to move back, especially since all my family is up there.
Anyways, I've been looking through some places in Portland, I really like St Johns and several others I'm looking at. I'm a huge fan of the city and I love to go clubbing at tnight, and it seems to be my primary choice, and I am hoping to find a roomate or nearby relative I can split rent with before being on my own. I am also looking at Beaverton and Gresham, and I would love to find a house or flat that is near a train station if I end up moving there.
Right now, I am looking at several jobs, all claiming to pay me around $1500-2000 a month.
If there's anything else I need to know, just say.
Thanks,
Mars

You might be interested in our area. We live in a smaller quiet complex in the Glenfaire neighborhood and the rent is very reasonable. We are just a few blocks from the MAX stop at 148th and it's only a 20 minute MAX ride to downtown. It's much more convenient for daily commuting when you take into account the price of gas and the price of downtown parking, if you can find any.

[philwithbeard]

2pdx:

Supply and Demand! Rent prices are very much determined by supply and demand in Portland. Prices near a bus line are higher than an apartment with a 4 or 5 block walk to the nearest bus line.

MAX, the light rail system, is mostly for outer reaches of Portland and suburban communities to get downtown. There are few stops for the Light rail system until it gets to the inner business district. The geography of Portland makes it somewhat car unfriendly. MAX helps cut down on downtown parking problems.

Portland State has almost no student parking nearby the campus area. Thus you are stuck with living close by and paying the prices, or TriMet; I am sure you found the web site for TriMet already. But what few places will inform you, the Willamette River is a working river and the bridges between east and west Portland sometimes get raised for river traffic. Halting MAX and bus traffic for up to 15 minutes (usually much less time, but time gets stretched while you wait in a bus.) Since you might be a college student, being late to class is not a good idea. But yes, both the Yellow line to North Portland, and the Green Line East go directly to PSU. But MAX lines run only run end of swing shift, not bar closing time.

Be sure you have checked out this site for more inexpensive housing options:
HAP - Housing Options Menu (http://www.hapdx.org/about/options.html - broken link)
which you may have found already.

Have you looked at housing down near John's Landing? Or other near SW side places? Down between I-5 and the Willamette River? No light rail, but good bus service.

Phil