Housing is Disappointing in Vancouver (apartment, to buy, taxes)

[marylee54]

Hope you make it home to Texas! How long have you been up there?Sorry it didn't work out for you! Come back, Texas is waiting!

[stingray427]

Be glad you aren't in the SF bay area your rent will be $2,000 plus and more.

[roxmorg]

Originally Posted by 1BevY1

If I were you, I definitely would NOT move to the Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA area!! Cost of living does NOT match wages whatsoever. There are so many people moving into the Portland / Vancouver area that the housing market is uneasonable OVERPRICED, jobs are scarce - wages lower than a lot of other areas. The economy around here is on a CONSTANT turmoil about every 2-4 years, no matter what he rest of the country is like. We do not get a lot of snow - ice, but do get a LOT of cloudy - rainy - drizzling weather for weeks on end from late Oct. through mid June. The damp - wet climate makes some people sick with flu like symptoms, lung problems. The area long ago was known as "vally of sickness" (meaning for Willamette Valley) I was born & raised in this area, & was a fool to return a few years ago.....AND I am leaving here forever, never to return very soon before I am even worse off financially!

I am with you!. I moved here a year ago...worst mistake of my life!- coming from Salt Lake City. If there is anyone reading this thinking about moving to Portland/Vancouver...please think about it before you jump. I have a beautiful house here where my equity is now zapped, (not a brand new home thankfully). It is a low income area (I would say ALL of Vancouver is). The weather here is MUCH worse than I ever even imagined, and I LIKE rain!! I have talked with many relocating professionals here and they too are wanting to go back home. The quote above mentioned that some people have lung problems here...he is right. I find it very hard to breath with the mold and dampness. There are 2 seasons here: Rain-8 months/ Sunny with no rain at all from July-Sept & 100 degrees. Not pleasant! I cannot and I mean cannot wait to get back to the SLC, and I am not even Mormon : )

[Dignan]

Originally Posted by roxmorg

There are 2 seasons here: Rain-8 months/ Sunny with no rain at all from July-Sept & 100 degrees.

Bit of an exaggeration.

[sykesfamily]

I Strongly agree with Dignan that is a bit of an exaggeration. You haven't been here long enough to really experience the seasons here!

[st33lcas3]

Originally Posted by roxmorg

I am with you!. I moved here a year ago...worst mistake of my life!- coming from Salt Lake City. If there is anyone reading this thinking about moving to Portland/Vancouver...please think about it before you jump. I have a beautiful house here where my equity is now zapped, (not a brand new home thankfully). It is a low income area (I would say ALL of Vancouver is). The weather here is MUCH worse than I ever even imagined, and I LIKE rain!! I have talked with many relocating professionals here and they too are wanting to go back home. The quote above mentioned that some people have lung problems here...he is right. I find it very hard to breath with the mold and dampness. There are 2 seasons here: Rain-8 months/ Sunny with no rain at all from July-Sept & 100 degrees. Not pleasant! I cannot and I mean cannot wait to get back to the SLC, and I am not even Mormon : )

Your high.

Vancouver is NOT all low income. There are many upscale areas of town, you just have to get out and explore some.

The weather is fine if you have the ability to cope. Yes it is cloudy, but we just had three or four days of 100+ degrees. There are long stretches during the summer where it averages 80-90, not bad at all. Judging by the amount of joggers, bicyclists, hikers, roller skaters, skate boarders I'd have to say the lung problems are a huge deal. I moved down here from Spokane, which has a climate similar to SLC, and have not noticed any problems with mold.

The area is great, especially if you like the outdoors. Jobs are decent, but having an education will of course help you get out of the service industry jobs and into higher paying professional fields.

Vancouver has it's problems just like any area, but it's pluses far outweigh it's minuses.

[karelise]

If I'm not mistaken, I think the most livable city was referring to Vancouver, Canada, not to Vancouver, Washington.

[SLCPUNK]

Originally Posted by jamesandveybe

I second your summation on education in troubled times. Nevertheless, hoards will be going back to school in lieu of continuing a failed job search. Those federal student loans are great to live on in an emergency.

That's what my wife and I are doing. Seemed like it was meant to be (She was laid off three months ago and can't land a thing), and the timing could not have been better. She works on her masters and I'm finishing up my business degree. Despite being squeezed for a little bit, we both are incredibly thankful. If you approach life with gratefulness, it will all work itself out.

[whatever]

So what exactly do you live on while you're back in school?

[Cat_Person]

There's that hunk Dignan again (sorry...private joke...hi Dignan)

I have to disagree with Vancouver being as or more expensive than Portland. I found a nice new 2 bdrm apt in Vancouver for $820. Got lots of perks (like a month's free rent) to get me started. I looked at both cities and decided on Vancouver. Not that Portland isn't great...but I'm coming from a small town and the culture shock will be enough living in a city with pop. more than 10,000.
As far as Seasonal Affective Disorder, it usually hits people who ALREADY have mild/moderate depression. This can be alleviated with supplements, hypnosis, etc.
People also get depressed from sitting around too much, regardless of the weather. Now if you really want some weather to complain about check out the midwest, or the south, or....you know...all those places that have a crappy winter AND summer but a few bearable days in spring and fall. Which is most of the United States last time I checked.