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At this point it seems to be a pipe dream. I currently live near Tampa Florida and I have been looking to move out west for years. I have prayed about it and asked God to open a door but nothing yet. I will get an income tax check in Jan so I will have some money. I currently work in sprinklers here in Florida and have four daughters and a wife. Schools are definitely important.
I'm drawn to the pines and mountains in Bend. I am also looking in Boise, and northern Idaho, but Bend looks like it has what I'm looking for. The problem is we have a large family and I get SSI every month to help provide for us, but I would need to find a general labor job in Bend. I would also need a place big enough for my family for $700 a month or less.
Moderator cut: snip I have been looking online through Craigslist and the typical rental sites and I see some okay deals but nothing that I could jump on.
I would be willing to take just about any job if I could find a nice property for me and my family in Bend. Bible study in the area would be a plus too.
Last edited by Kimballette; 10-22-2012 at 03:14 PM..
Reason: Not appropriate for City-Data forums.
I want to add also that I don't think anyplace is paradise on Earth so it doesn't have to be perfect. I'm 32 years old and I have lived in the city, suburbs, and country and I kind of prefer the country. We are a very laid back family no drugs or alcohol either. I smoke cigars but not inside. I'm a big Buckeyes fan as we are from Ohio.
I really like the Bend area because it reminds me of Ohio with the BEAUTIFUL green grass, the pines, but with mountains. I don't need a lot to do. Except I would have to have cable and internet to keep up with things. I enjoy the small things in life and try to be happy and positive with what we have. I don't mind cloudy weather either or rain, because I am flat out tired of the brutally hot summers here in Florida. Its nice here unless you have to work in that heat and humidity all day when its a hundred degrees out.
I have always liked hills and mountains more than the ocean and we aren't that big on the beach here. The water gets so hot it burns your face. I like wildlife too. My daughters love animals and have helped out at their friends farm here in Florida.
Well, I hate to sound completely negative, but the economy here in Bend is pretty bad. Unemployment rates continue to hover around 11-12%. The hardest hit jobs are exactly what you are seeking. General laborers are a dime a dozen here and many, many of them scrape by. Couple that with a high cost of living (a quick google search shows that Bend is about 10% above the national average while Tampa is 20% below the national average) and you can see why people struggle here. Finding a home in your price range in Bend itself is going to be a challenge. Most places lower than about $900/month are going to be apt. or small 1-2 bedroom homes. Utilities, cable and Internet are all very expensive as there is little competition. Bend is a small city, that is relatively remote compared with the east coast. Travel back and forth to visit friends and family is very expensive.
Also, Bend is in the high desert of Oregon, and really nothing like Ohio, which you mention fond memories of. The green grass is only in areas that are watered. Outside of golf courses, city parks, and neighborhood lawns, there is a vast desert of sagebrush and juniper.
While I understand the dream of moving to a better location for you and your family, I would strongly caution you from doing so without solid work (and perhaps you already are thinking about this). There are many other places with a much lower cost of living that would fit what you are looking for. Perhaps you should look into places a little closer to where you are. The mountains of N. Carolina are beautiful and lush, and the cost of living is much lower than Bend.
For $700 a month, it is going to be very difficult to find a place for a large family. That will get you a small apartment or maybe an older mobile home. Median price for a home is over $200,000 so nobody can pay that much for a house and turn around and rent it out for $700 a month.
Sprinkler systems are not generally used because of so much time with the ground frozen. Only places like shopping malls and parks have sprinkler systems. Unless maybe you have experience with the big irrigation equipment used on the farms?
If you love Ohio, it is a lot cheaper place to live. Perhaps you should consider Ohio? I hate to think of your children living in your car because you can't find cheap rent and can't get a job.
Well, I hate to sound completely negative, but the economy here in Bend is pretty bad. Unemployment rates continue to hover around 11-12%. The hardest hit jobs are exactly what you are seeking. General laborers are a dime a dozen here and many, many of them scrape by. Couple that with a high cost of living (a quick google search shows that Bend is about 10% above the national average while Tampa is 20% below the national average) and you can see why people struggle here. Finding a home in your price range in Bend itself is going to be a challenge. Most places lower than about $900/month are going to be apt. or small 1-2 bedroom homes. Utilities, cable and Internet are all very expensive as there is little competition. Bend is a small city, that is relatively remote compared with the east coast. Travel back and forth to visit friends and family is very expensive.
While I understand the dream of moving to a better location for you and your family, I would strongly caution you from doing so without solid work (and perhaps you already are thinking about this). There are many other places with a much lower cost of living that would fit what you are looking for. Perhaps you should look into places a little closer to where you are. The mountains of N. Carolina are beautiful and lush, and the cost of living is much lower than Bend.
I'm gonna have to agree with Delta and woodsmoke. I don't know about woodsmoke, but Delta and I are normally pretty positive about people picking up everything and moving, but not always and I think this may be one of those cases.
A couple things to be blunt: Your budget is low for Bend. You have a full family to think about so the idea of moving here without a very stable income seems daunting to say the least. The skills you posses are saturated here since the housing bubble burst a few years back. Construction is VERY competitive, although my contractor says this is getting better and better by the day, apparently.
That allll said, if you can find a stable job you should do it. Bend is an amazing place to live and an even better place, imho, to raise kids.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke
Sprinkler systems are not generally used because of so much time with the ground frozen. Only places like shopping malls and parks have sprinkler systems. Unless maybe you have experience with the big irrigation equipment used on the farms?
I live in town and there isn't one person on my block that doesn't have a sprinkler system. Not saying you need one, but it's pretty damn normal in town from my vantage point.
That said, the watering period in Bend is only 4 months long at best while in Florida it's year round so I guess that's your point. Still there work for seasonal sprinkler workers in Bend, imho, not to say there's a lot of jobs, though.
For $700 a month, it is going to be very difficult to find a place for a large family. That will get you a small apartment or maybe an older mobile home. Median price for a home is over $200,000 so nobody can pay that much for a house and turn around and rent it out for $700 a month.
The above information is partially incorrect. I am not a sales agent, just don't want you to be mislead on what 700 a month can get you in Bend. Median home prices were $234K in June(Per Bratton Appraisal Group), but that is irrelevant for your concerns.
Of course, assuming you can get a job, which you should secure before officially renting or buying anything here in Bend and assuming you can then qualify for a current 3.5-4.0 loan and are willing to buy an REO(Bank Owned) or short sale, it is possible to buy an SFR in the city of Bend for 100K. If you can qualify for a FHA 203K, that would be even better but I don't know the specifics as I have never used it. It will not necessarily be easy as demand exceeds current supply for the low end market. That said, just for example, there is a current pending 1629 sf 4 Bed, 2.5 Bath, 2-Gar, 2-Story that needs a little work but allows FHA 203K in a good location for 90K. Also, look at Redmond, 15 miles north on the freeway, is slightly cheaper and I would actually prefer to live there as I like the newer SFRs and all major shopping close by.
If you have to rent, you will rarely find a house better than a 1200 sf, 2 bed in Bend or Redmond for 700.
With regard to unemployment, if you really want to work hard to find a job, you will find one. Many of the 11.4%(Per BLM) unemployed here have been on the dole for years and don't even bother looking for work. Some even just sit on the streets begging for money as they know they can make a decent living doing that being there are plenty of well off peeps in Bend. New home construction is on the rise in Bend & Redmond so that is potentially good work as they will be needing lots of new homes to make up for the pent up demand over the last few years along with the many displaced due to buying homes they could not afford a few years back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke
Sprinkler systems are not generally used because of so much time with the ground frozen. Only places like shopping malls and parks have sprinkler systems. Unless maybe you have experience with the big irrigation equipment used on the farms?
This is simply incorrect. Many many of the SFRs in the Bend & Redmond area have grass on the properties and many if not all I have ever seen, have sprinkler systems. Just had a guy on my property today blowing out the system as we are expected to freeze with a chance of snow tonight. That's good work for you right there. That is also an option if you want to be independent and own your own lawn biz.
My point is, if you are willing to work hard, you will find a job here in central Oregon.
Be smart, but don't let the negative posts scare you away and be sure to verify any data provided for you wherever you are looking to move to. Good Luck.
BlueSkyBoy is right - it's not as expensive as woodsmoke makes it out to be, for sure. And the sprinkler system thing is pretty off the mark.
Also, if you work hard you can find a job anywhere in this country so you should definitely move where you want. That said, context matters. Having kids to take care of changes the situation a GREAT deal. I think any reasonable person given the situation would advise any parent to make sure they have secured employment and/or in the least have enough money to survive on before a relocation no matter the economic situation of ANY city. But then again, maybe I take raising kids too seriously (probably why I don't plan on having them - what a liability )
I moved to Bend 2 years ago when the economy was worse than it is now and I'm doing pretty well. I didn't know a sole, didn't have a job lined up, etc...same with both my roommates, but, again, we didn't have kids to take care of or any other financial variable.
I moved to Bend 2 years ago when the economy was worse than it is now and I'm doing pretty well. I didn't know a sole, didn't have a job lined up, etc...same with both my roommates, but, again, we didn't have kids to take care of or any other financial variable.
It is definitely easier with minimal financial responsibilities. That's basically the exact same way it was for me. I am single with no kids and I came here almost two years ago (01/11) not knowing if I could get my real estate biz off the ground. It fortunately has worked out very well, but I don't know if I would have made the move if I had family involved in the move considering the market at the time.
Bend is an amazing place to live and raise a family. Schools have been excellent for our kids.
Finding a job will be the greatest challenge and rent that low is extremely hard to find. The things you see on Craigslist is a pretty good indicator of prices. In fact, buying is usually cheaper than renting, but the inventory is low and many people do not have the credit or down payment to buy
I would say start the process to look for a job, pray, and see what happens.
[[[[.......it is possible to buy an SFR in the city of Bend for 100K. ....]]]]]]
That aroused my curiosity. I wondered what you know that I don't know, so I opened up the multiple listings and $100,000 and less in Bend, there are 71 listings.
The majority of them are fractional ownership. Many of those listings are for mobile homes in parks (not financable). There are a few small condos that might be financable, but they are small for a large family. There are a couple of old mobile homes on their own land. The banks won't finance those.
And there are two small fixer-upper cottages in Bend that the banks might possibly finance. Small for a family, but they are frame built.
There was one frame built house in M&B (mets and bounds, ie not in any named area or town) and I suspect it is in South Bend, which is a long way from Bend.
I did find a beat to poop old mobile on land for $19,800 in DRW. There is some reason for that. meth house, septic failed, some reason for it. Maybe it is a typo. At any rate, that one looks like it might possibly be worth looking into, except the banks won't finance it.
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