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Not Pointless. There are not enough posts like this. By the time some people drink the Kool-Aid it is too late. I think the OP did a great job of saying it like it is. Not how a Real-estate agent pushing high desert land would want it, but truthful.
Sounds like you should have done better research before moving there?
(You are not alone in that, one of the major "whiners" about Bend on this forum got "hyped" about the weather many years ago and is still there whining about it)
Housing costs and taxes are relative to where someone is coming from, no doubt Bend housing costs have been inflated by the "wealthy" moving there and making it very hard on many working there with a low wage job.
The first moment we began researching Bend "lack of jobs" "poverty with a view" were commonly heard.
What is wrong with people enjoying well worn trails and finding pleasure/adventure in that? Certainly not competitive athletes but far better than being a couch potato living somewhere that doesn't have all the close outdoor options that Bend offers.
Again it is pretty basic research that Bend is a better fit for families and retired folks than young singles.
(as you said OSU campus may change that?)
Your last statement makes is appear the key to being happy in Bend is being wealthy, so Bend is not the problem as much as the lack of money?
How could anyone considering Bend not realize it is far from any major city? That one always blows my mind when people post "wish someone had told me how isolated Bend is" visiting Bend one time you know that!
Doesn't sound like propaganda was the issue, sounds like you got swept away in the "dating phase" and got "married to Bend" before you knew what you were getting into... sounds like a bigger City is calling you?
I also sympathize with how hard it is to move from a place your don't like. Try being married with 4 kids and it is even more challenging.
Good luck in your searching.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
When I got a job in Central Oregon 2 years ago, I believed a lot of the hype about this place.
What I've found is that it was mostly propaganda.
1) Breweries - the craft brewery movement is spreading nationwide and Deschutes beer is getting to be a national brand, at least west of the Mississippi. So it's not all that special anymore, and most good pubs, especially in the PNW, have the good beer selections available.
They're fun the first time, but after that they blend together.
2) Festivals - it seems to be the same two festivals with a different name held at various times of the year. I will say that BendFilm is pretty cool for a town this size.
3) The Lifestyle - a lot of people are athletic poseurs or define "adventure" as hiking a well-worn trail.
4) The social life - there is none. This is a place for families and retired people. If you don't already have a family, dating is damn hard, mostly because there are very limited dating options. When there is someone with potential - they are going to move to find a better job... that leads me to:
5) Jobs - there are few. I got one here but it was a lucky break and sometimes I wish I hadn't, because now I feel trapped.
6) Cultural life - there is little of it.
7) Isolated - 3 hours to Portland. Most everything closes down early at night except the usual suspects.
8) Housing costs - they are insane. I don't know how a working person can afford a house here, but I sure can't, and I'm in a financially stable position. The best I can do is *bid* on a double wide, there's no guarantee I'll win the bidding on these foreclosures and short sales. Other than manufactured homes and places that need tens of thousands worth of work, I can't afford crap. One townhome that I was interested in had 18 offers in less than 2 weeks.
This is not a great place to live at all, unless you're already wealthy. The hype was all bull****.
Sounds like you should have done better research before moving there?
(You are not alone in that, one of the major "whiners" about Bend on this forum got "hyped" about the weather many years ago and is still there whining about it)
Housing costs and taxes are relative to where someone is coming from, no doubt Bend housing costs have been inflated by the "wealthy" moving there and making it very hard on many working there with a low wage job.
The first moment we began researching Bend "lack of jobs" "poverty with a view" were commonly heard.
What is wrong with people enjoying well worn trails and finding pleasure/adventure in that? Certainly not competitive athletes but far better than being a couch potato living somewhere that doesn't have all the close outdoor options that Bend offers.
Again it is pretty basic research that Bend is a better fit for families and retired folks than young singles.
(as you said OSU campus may change that?)
Your last statement makes is appear the key to being happy in Bend is being wealthy, so Bend is not the problem as much as the lack of money?
How could anyone considering Bend not realize it is far from any major city? That one always blows my mind when people post "wish someone had told me how isolated Bend is" visiting Bend one time you know that!
Doesn't sound like propaganda was the issue, sounds like you got swept away in the "dating phase" and got "married to Bend" before you knew what you were getting into... sounds like a bigger City is calling you?
I also sympathize with how hard it is to move from a place your don't like. Try being married with 4 kids and it is even more challenging.
Good luck in your searching.
Well said for someone who has never lived there. Bend is a nice town, but it isn't Seattle. But the kids perspective is a little more accurate.
Sounds like you should have done better research before moving there?
(You are not alone in that, one of the major "whiners" about Bend on this forum got "hyped" about the weather many years ago and is still there whining about it)
Housing costs and taxes are relative to where someone is coming from, no doubt Bend housing costs have been inflated by the "wealthy" moving there and making it very hard on many working there with a low wage job.
The first moment we began researching Bend "lack of jobs" "poverty with a view" were commonly heard.
What is wrong with people enjoying well worn trails and finding pleasure/adventure in that? Certainly not competitive athletes but far better than being a couch potato living somewhere that doesn't have all the close outdoor options that Bend offers.
Again it is pretty basic research that Bend is a better fit for families and retired folks than young singles.
(as you said OSU campus may change that?)
Your last statement makes is appear the key to being happy in Bend is being wealthy, so Bend is not the problem as much as the lack of money?
How could anyone considering Bend not realize it is far from any major city? That one always blows my mind when people post "wish someone had told me how isolated Bend is" visiting Bend one time you know that!
Doesn't sound like propaganda was the issue, sounds like you got swept away in the "dating phase" and got "married to Bend" before you knew what you were getting into... sounds like a bigger City is calling you?
I also sympathize with how hard it is to move from a place your don't like. Try being married with 4 kids and it is even more challenging.
Good luck in your searching.
Yeah....while I do think this thread is important and people moving here need to realize it is NOT an utopia, I'm going to go ahead and agree with you in your overall points.
Do your research. You really have no one to blame but yourself. There are way too many people that feel the wool has been pulled over their eyes regarding ANY move. Well, the fact of the matter is it hasn't. You took that wool provided and you placed it over your eyes. Same can and will be said when a deal feels too good to be true. Well, if it is, it's likely NOT true.
Here's a bit more of my German heritage harsh East Coast critique of the OP. I still stand by my original statements, but I always like to clarify ;p and please, OP try not to take what I'm saying too personally.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
1) Breweries - the craft brewery movement is spreading nationwide and Deschutes beer is getting to be a national brand, at least west of the Mississippi. So it's not all that special anymore, and most good pubs, especially in the PNW, have the good beer selections available.
They're fun the first time, but after that they blend together.
This is half true. My first few months here I started to realize most 'artisan' beer around the country is basically the same. We have A LOT OF THEM, actually more per capita than anywhere in the country. It's part of our culture and while you can get good beer in most of Oregon and other hip areas of the country this is still special to us regardless of how 'normal' they've become.
Do you go to the standard 10 breweries in town? Do you go to the Bend Beer Festival at the Amphitheater? Because...quite frankly that's the tourist, easy and normal beer scene here. People who actually take a liking to beer in this town likely avoid the Bend Beer Festival and skip to the Little Woody Festival where they serve all local and barrell aged beer. Also, if you want the best and most unique beer in town go to the tap rooms of Bone Yard and Deschutes. Both often have amazingly select beer on tap that you truly can not get anywhere in the country BUT directly at their counter - aged, high alcohol content, pretentious beer.
Another option since I agree that most of the breweries flagship 8 beers are all similar no matter where you go anymore?.....The Ale Apothecary. This brewery is WITHOUT A DOUBT one of the most unique and truly artisan breweries in the country. The guy is an old master brewer from Deschutes (created Red Chair/Dissident) where he got tired of the stainless steal production nonsense. He makes truly artisan 'Belgium/french' old world style beers. He brews in totally wood barrels from the begging to the end. It is extremely time intensive and EXTREMELY unique in this country.
So, really, do you not like our beer scene because you don't know much about beer nor actually care? ...Because if you did as I explain, we have an AMAZING and extremely unique beer scene here....if you get past the standard 10 brewery's flagship 8 beers.
Basically, learn to dig if you really like something. Realize that most people like the easy and normal. If you truly like something, research it. Do you really think that a town with this many breweries just has them for ****s and giggles. You never thought to check the underbelly of this giant scene and find the true beer snobs?
Subcultures my friend. As someone who moved from a larger place I'd think you'd be the FIRST to realize this. Sheep congregate in the same places, at the same times with the same exact people. If you don't like that, then you need to realize that you actually don't like the majority of society and you need to dig DIG dig for people who share your passions. I'm getting philosophical here now, but seriously wake up and take an active role in your life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
2) Festivals - it seems to be the same two festivals with a different name held at various times of the year. I will say that BendFilm is pretty cool for a town this size.
Right. I figured this out during my 2 week visit here. The festival are fun, but their purpose to to bring business to the downtown/Old Mill district. They're all fairly similar. If you had kids I'm sure you'd enjoy them more, but, like me, you don't. I never go to these....why would I? I'd rather be out hiking, camping or climbing a mountain over the weekend?
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
3) The Lifestyle - a lot of people are athletic poseurs or define "adventure" as hiking a well-worn trail.
Or you're a poser. We have MANY world class athletes in this town. Per capita, in fact, we have some of the most. So.....maybe you need to try a little harder and find the real deal BC skiers, mountain climbers, XC skiers-bikers-mountain bikers, climbers, etc...because the honest truth is we have LITERALLY some of the top athletes in the country (some are world class athletes even) in these disciples living RIGHT here.
This is one is actually the most comical to me....if you choose to hang out with people who are family oriented and stick to the standard trails, that's on you, but don't blame the town or its people because you're not resourceful enough to find the people who are actually hard core....because seriously...think about this for two seconds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
4) The social life - there is none. This is a place for families and retired people. If you don't already have a family, dating is damn hard, mostly because there are very limited dating options. When there is someone with potential - they are going to move to find a better job... that leads me to:
You moved to a town of 80k without a metro. What type of social life were you hoping for? There's no real college here....most people in their mid 20's that have anything going for them move to start their career and then move back to Bend once they've made it.
Think about it next time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
5) Jobs - there are few. I got one here but it was a lucky break and sometimes I wish I hadn't, because now I feel trapped.
Yeah, there are few of them. This is WIDELY known. Our unemployment rate is higher than the US average and this is a small town without a diversified economy. Literally 5mins of internet research yields this information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
6) Cultural life - there is little of it.
Really? A town of 80k in the middle of nowhere doesn't have a ton of different cultural offerings? Wow....how surprising.....what Bend does offer is a very STRONG PNW meets Mountain culture filled with food carts, artisan beer, artisan breads, meats and coffee roasters. THAT IS CULTURE. It may not be comparable to a major metros offerings with diversity IN culture, but seriously. WHY WOULD IT. It's Bend OREGON. Portland OREGON isn't even that diversified and it's BY FAR THE LARGEST CITY IN THIS STATE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
7) Isolated - 3 hours to Portland. Most everything closes down early at night except the usual suspects.
Right....and how you didn't know this before moving here doesn't just baffle me......entering Bend into google maps shows you how isolated it within seconds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
8) Housing costs - they are insane. I don't know how a working person can afford a house here, but I sure can't, and I'm in a financially stable position. The best I can do is *bid* on a double wide, there's no guarantee I'll win the bidding on these foreclosures and short sales. Other than manufactured homes and places that need tens of thousands worth of work, I can't afford crap. One townhome that I was interested in had 18 offers in less than 2 weeks.
Bend really isn't that expensive. Oregon and Oregon's largest cities are expensive. Much much much more expensive than Texas. A lot of this can be attributed to Oregons UGB laws. I personally like them A LOT. It's very cultural to me, but it, without out a doubt, inflates housing costs as it doesn't allows tons and tons of stock housing builds like...Texas. It is different here....and to be honest, I am very happy Oregon is nothing like Texas in this way.
Bend is a highly desirable mountain town. If you want a house in the 'cool' part of town you're going to pay top dollar for it.... now. If you want a house in a less desirable area the prices really are not that high....you can get a home for 150-200k here. That's high compared to wages, but this is one of the most desired towns in the country to move to. When you apply for jobs you're literally competing with the entire country like you would be in NYC/SF making this place highly competitive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redguard57
is not a great place to live at all, unless you're already wealthy. The hype was all bull****.
Like Snownut said, it's not really about this town, it's about you not being able to afford and make it here. You really should have known what you were getting into before you moved here. All this information is READILY available and posters like me and Delta who live here try our best to mix our love of the town with its shortcomings. No place is perfect and Bend certainly isn't, but be reasonable in your complaints and know what you're getting into before you get into it next time.
What do you want in life? A well paid career and a house? If that's what you expect in life Bend might not be the best place for you given your age and lack of 'success'. People with those types of goals rarely ever move here in their 20's. People who want to get away from that type of rat race mentality move here in their 20s. People who have already been successful with the whole career/house thing choose to move here ONCE they've established their success or take a pay cut to make it happen because they value and define 'success' differently.
You really and truly need to figure out what YOU want in life and put yourself in the best possible positions, location, etc for that life. Obviously Bend is not the best place for you given your goals.
Also, you're not stuck here. As another poster commented. You're never stuck. You live in the USA where you have the freedom to move anywhere you want at any time you wish. Stop holding yourself back. You're young, without kids, a wife or many, if any, responsibilities. As you get more responsibilities (wife, kids, house) then you might could complain as BendLocal/Snownut can, but what do you really have to complain about? Go be somebody and stop making excuses.
Last edited by kapetrich; 03-22-2014 at 01:41 PM..
Really? A town of 80k in the middle of nowhere doesn't have a ton of different cultural offerings? Wow....how surprising.....what Bend does offer is a very STRONG PNW meets Mountain culture filled with food carts, artisan beer, artisan breads, meats and coffee roasters. THAT IS CULTURE.
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