What do you like about Portland? Possible Relocation. (Gresham, Hillsboro: crime, houses)

[JennJenn21]

Hello Everyone,

My DF and I are looking to move out of Sacramento, CA in about a year. Sacramento is okay but we are pretty bored with it. Here is what we don't like about it:

-Cost of living is pretty high.
-Schools aren't that great unless you want to live in Sprawlville (which we don't)
-The air quality is horrible.
-For the most part downtown is boring and there isn't a good "central" part of it where there is a concentration of "cool" stuff.
-The housing market is way overpriced.

Anyway, Portland is one of our considerations and we want to know what you think about it. We want to know the good and the bad. Here are some things to consider about us:

-We like good food! We like to go out to eat and we also like to buy organic or locally grown food as much as possible. We also like to grow our own garden.
-We want to own our house. We own our house in Sacramento but it is really small. We don't need something huge but we need something bigger then our current 688 square feet. Preferably 3 bedrooms for under $275,000
-We have two dogs. One thing we like about Sacramento is the abundance of dog parks. We would like to live in a neighborhood that is friendly to dogs.
-We want to live in an older house. We do not want to live in a "master" planned community. We don't have to be right downtown but we also don't want to live in sprawl.
-We appreciate good public transportation and smart city planning.
-Eventually we'll have kids, so good schools would be a plus but not a deal breaker.

Please give any pertinent info! Thank you so much!

Jenn

[Steve97415]

688 sf and two dogs?

You sound like good prospects for Portland. If you want the vibrancy and hippness of a major metro area, you can't do much better than Portland. What I like is that the UGB has prevented sprawl and promoted inner city liveability. Arts and culture are very much alive in Portland. Portland is also close to lots and lots of other good places to explore: coast, gorge, central Oregon, SW Washington. It's also a pretty good airhub with reasonably-priced connections to Hawaii, Mexico and other good places to hang out. Portland has a lot of older Craftsman and post-War houses, but that doesn't mean they're cheap. A lot of people want houses with character these days, so competition is high. You may have to stretch your buying budget a bit.

P.S. I've come to the conclusion that I no longer want to live in a big city and I do a certain amount or light-hearted Portland-bashing...it's not the place it used to be. But for a lateral move from Sacramento, Portland seems like a logical choice. Oh, and our governator is not a craven Hollywood puppet who dances to the tune of his corporate paymasters. He acts in the broad public interest.

[JennJenn21]

Thanks Steve! Well, our 688 sq feet has a big yard that we could fit 2 more of our house into so the dogs have room to run. Can you reccomend any neighborhoods? They don't have to be perfect, we can deal with having to lock our house up and keep an eye out. But, I don't want to worry about getting shot or mugged either.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by JennJenn21

Can you reccomend any neighborhoods?

I'll leave that up to current Rose City residents. I'm sure people will weigh in with their thoughts.

[PDXmom]

All of Portland is VERY dog friendly. We are 2nd in the nation to the number of dog parks per capita (San Fran is #1). Sellwood/ Westmoreland is VERY dog friendly and safe! We also have good schools. In Sellwood, you would have to stretch your housing price to about 300K. There are still a few homes under 300K in this neighborhood, but not tons. Also we have many reastaurants and shops and pubs that you can walk to. Many coffee spots provide water bowls for the dogs outside. OUr neighborhood has 3 public parks where many people exercise their dogs off leash. There is Oaks Bottom Wildlife Area (great for hiking and exploring... dogs, kids, adults all love it!) Also, many people exercise their dogs on the baseball field at the local elementary school, Llewellyn. It's where all the dogs meet for play dates.

Woodstock would be another good choice. You will find more homes in your price range, but the neighborhood is not as nice as Sellwood/Westmoreland. And there are fewer shops. But both of all of these areas have older homes with charming character. Keep in mind the standard city lot is 5000 sq feet so your dogs might not have as much room as before.

Good luck to you!

[diggitydot]

First, let me just preface my post by saying that I absolutely LOVE Portland. Grew up near there and it's always been "home" to me no matter where else I've lived.

Most all sections of Portland have nicer neighborhoods and those not-so-nice neighborhoods. It's a little odd. You find a few very nice houses and the next one over is a total dump. You really have to visit and hang out a little bit in each area before you choose. Personally, I adore the Laurelhurst area and the area near NW 23rd. But it's out of my price range until my husband is out of medical school!

I would recommend hanging out in town for a while to get an idea of which areas fit you and your family best.

[ericandjana]

It is so amazing reading these posts. I just found this site tonight because my wife and 2 pre-school kids are thinking about moving away, like Wyoming. You know, quality of life, getting away from crime and that friggin' meth problem, etc. Then I read about my city, which I have grown up in all my 37 years. I am not moving. Portland is a great place, and without answering all of your questions, you will find everything you seek here, based on your listed requirements. I lived in the Westmoreland area as a kid, and it is wonderful, but for your budget, the kind of home you seek, dog life, public trans., look at the woodstock area. By the way, the two hoods are connected, and are a brisk 10 min. bike ride apart. We just sold our woodstock home, and you can get a great older place with charm within your budget. Thanks for bringing me back to earth posters. Portland is great. I am staying.

[Missing the East-ness]

I lived in Sacto (by the Tower Cafe, Carmichael, & Folsom) - and I have to say, Portland wins hands-down!

THINGS TO KNOW (that I didn't):
1. City is not prepared for bad weather (snow & ice). City basically shuts down. Kind of fun & refreshing. This will be more apparent if you live in the Hills (either NW or SW). I have lived in close-in N & NE and love it. Have never lost power and never get stuck. Doesn't happen often enought to affect a move/no move decision.
2. TAXES: see if you can find a tax calculator, check it out so you are prepared! I lost almost $300 take home per month as a single person when moved from Sacramento to Portland; that hurt, I don't make that much.
3. While the public transit isn't without its faults, is great! you can get pretty much anywhere. (leaps and bounds above the Sac lightrail from E St. to Folsom outlets)
4. The restaurant selection is EPIC!! There is every type of food, either a full on restaurant or a food cart.
5. Summer festivals are never ending! I recommend picking up the free papers around town and marking the events on a calendar.
6. ANIMALS: People are everywhere w/their animals, even at festivals. When my boyfriend first moved here, he felt left out of the animal crowd!
7. HOUSING: As long as you look in PORTLAND, not Hillsboro or Gresham, you'll be sure to find a bungalow or vic for under $275k; people around here think anything over $200k is high.
8. NEIGHBORHOODS: I've been here for 5yrs, and people told us to stay away from close in N, NE or St. Johns (a couple of the neighborhoods) because they are "dangerous"- what a joke! There isn't an are IN Portland that I wldn't walk around in- at any time. (a far cry from Oaks Park cerca 2002).

Good Luck!

[portland1980]

Hi Jenn, I live in Portland, but am planning on moving out for a few years. It's a great city to live in and raise kids in. I live about 15 minutes minutes from dowtown, so close but far enough to have a backyard. I am going to sell my house for $259,000. It's 1,950 sq. ft., 3 bdrm, 2.5 bthrm, 2 story. big backyard, quiet neighborhood. Let me know if you're interested.

[bledsoe3]

Originally Posted by portland1980

Hi Jenn, I live in Portland, but am planning on moving out for a few years. It's a great city to live in and raise kids in. I live about 15 minutes minutes from dowtown, so close but far enough to have a backyard. I am going to sell my house for $259,000. It's 1,950 sq. ft., 3 bdrm, 2.5 bthrm, 2 story. big backyard, quiet neighborhood. Let me know if you're interested.

You realize that Jenn posted that 3 1/2 years ago?