Should I move to Long Beach, WA (Ocean Park: apartment, to rent) - City-Data Forum

artichoke63 · 04-02-2007, 04:55 PM

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking hard for a new home to live in. I do all my work over the internet, so all I need is a high-speed connection. I'm looking for an affordable yet nice place to live in order to get my living expenses as low as possible. A friend of mine mentioned Long Beach, Washington. Does anyone know of this place? How do I find an apartment there? I'm ready to pack up and head on over.

Thanks,

Artie

jwb123 · 04-02-2007, 05:04 PM

Noooo you don't want to live in Long Beach! I can barely get cell service there when we go every year. It's a cute, older, quiet town that is nearly extinct outside of the summer months.

artichoke63 · 04-02-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Noooo you don't want to live in Long Beach! I can barely get cell service there when we go every year. It's a cute, older, quiet town that is nearly extinct outside of the summer months.

Sounds perfect. How do I find an apartment to rent? I'm looking for an affordable, nice place to live. I understand it's not too far from Portland.

Artie

jwb123 · 04-02-2007, 06:12 PM

I mentioned the lack of cell service - because I am not sure if you can get high speed internet out there. I know our laptop couldn't pick up a wireless connection, when we were in our cabin.

I don't know about Portland, I've never been. Often though, we would drive down to Seaside, Oregon... and... Astoria, I think. It's very near the Oregon border.

"A nice place to live" is subjective. You can find affordable housing down there, for sure - but some place that I personally would want to live year round? Not me.

Gas and food, obviously, are much more expensive than you will find elsewhere. There are two groceries... one IN Long Beach, and one a few miles down the road in Ocean Park.

It's a nice place to visit for a week at a time - but do you intend on living a hermit lifestyle?

jwb123 · 04-02-2007, 06:16 PM

Here is their paper...

http://www.chinookobserver.info/

Here is a realty site...

http://www.lighthouseproperty.com/

Here is their official town site...

http://www.funbeach.com/

Ponygirl · 04-02-2007, 06:31 PM

It's very isolated over there. I have a house on the bay that's about 40-45 minutes from Long Beach. The 101 is really curvy so it's kind of slow. It's probably a 3 -4 hour drive to Portland. If you are sick of people and don't want places to shop I guess it might be good for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by artichoke63

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking hard for a new home to live in. I do all my work over the internet, so all I need is a high-speed connection. I'm looking for an affordable yet nice place to live in order to get my living expenses as low as possible. A friend of mine mentioned Long Beach, Washington. Does anyone know of this place? How do I find an apartment there? I'm ready to pack up and head on over.

Thanks,

Artie

Ponygirl · 04-02-2007, 06:32 PM

I noticed you are from Los Angeles...if you are like many Los Angelenos & you will hate the weather in Long Beach! If you like tons of rain & dreary skies then maybe you will like it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by artichoke63

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking hard for a new home to live in. I do all my work over the internet, so all I need is a high-speed connection. I'm looking for an affordable yet nice place to live in order to get my living expenses as low as possible. A friend of mine mentioned Long Beach, Washington. Does anyone know of this place? How do I find an apartment there? I'm ready to pack up and head on over.

Thanks,

Artie

jwb123 · 04-02-2007, 07:22 PM

We have been there in late July - and it's rainy, and 50.

Other weeks though, it's gorgeous and 70. Doesn't get much over 70 though, and wind is a constant. There's no telling! Don't expect true seasons. I have been there once, during fall - and it was rainy, drizzly, chilly... I expect that's how it is most months.

The beach isn't a "beachy" beach. Kids play on it, you can walk/run/drive on it - but that's about it for beach activity. People have bonfires on it... no swimming is allowed. period. Too dangerous. VERY windy, very cold @ waterfront.

My mom inherited her fathers home there - and I had thought (for a second) about what it would be like to bring the family down and live there... it's just too isolated for me for any long period of time.

wythors · 04-02-2007, 07:29 PM

Long Beach is a beautiful, though very isolated, place. You are an hour from any kind of major services or health care and it is an incredibly economically depressed area as well. If you're looking for peace and quiet, it is perfect for that eight months out of the year. During the summer months, the population increases ten-fold. I've visited Long Beach almost yearly during my 44 years. As much as I love it there, I wouldn't want to live there.

diggitydot · 04-05-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artichoke63

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking hard for a new home to live in. I do all my work over the internet, so all I need is a high-speed connection. I'm looking for an affordable yet nice place to live in order to get my living expenses as low as possible. A friend of mine mentioned Long Beach, Washington. Does anyone know of this place? How do I find an apartment there? I'm ready to pack up and head on over.

Thanks,

Artie

Hey Artie,

I, for one, would absolutely LOVE to live in Long Beach. It's a pretty quiet, small town...for about 8-9 months out of the year. If you don't mind sharing your cute little hamlet with a LOT of tourists and weekenders during the summer, you'll likely enjoy the area.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't call it a "cheap" area to live. In an area with few grocery stores or gas stations, pricing can seem a bit unreasonable. We have some friends who drive weekly into Portland to do their shopping at Costco to save money. Also, gas prices seem to be higher priced, too.

You're not getting completely accurate information from some of the other posters here. I'm sure it's totally accidental, though. Just to clear up a couple things:

-No, Portland isn't 4 hours away. It's about 2 1/2, depending on traffic.
-Yes, you can swim on the beaches. But most people don't because the water is COLD and there can be a pretty nasty under-tow. If you don't know the area or are maybe not the strongest swimmer, it's best not to swim. Lots of people drown because the under-tow takes them by surprise and they don't know how to get out of it.
-Yes, the weather is cool and wet most of the time. But there are warmer days and it isn't "always" drizzling. But yes, you'll find rain even in the summertime.
-As for phone service, I've never had a problem with my cell, but that will vary from carrier to carrier and if your phone is only digital or is digital/analog. (Mine is digital/analog and I always have a signal, even in the remote areas of the Joshua Tree Forest in AZ.)

You may need to invest in some high-speed satellite internet service. That can be a little cost prohibitive. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to visit the area and talk to some locals about what they utilize. Maybe high-speed cable or DSL is available but not widely utilized? (Our friends who live near Long Beach have satellite internet service.)

I grew up visiting the Long Beach area pretty regularly and have family and friends living nearby. I absolutely love it and would live there in a heartbeat, but it isn't for everyone. If you're accustomed to and prefer warm beaches, this may not be the right place for you. If you love storms, unpredictable weather, the smell of the salt air, enjoy small towns, and prefer a slower pace, then you'll probably find it an oasis in a hectic world.

Good luck!