Possibly Moving To Bend - Pros and Cons? And Where Are The Best Places To Live? (Portland: apartments)

[scottcolby]

Hi there!

I currently live in Denver, Colorado and I'm considering moving to Bend next month, in part, to find a less crowded, more affordable place to live. I realize affordability is relative. In downtown Denver a small 1 bedroom apartment goes for about $1600 - $1900

I'm single, in my 40s, love the outdoors. I've never been to Bend, so a visit is in order. I've been to the Oregon coast, Portland and Eugene and I do like the state. I'm considering Bend due to the size (looking for a smaller community), outdoor activities and relatively sunny weather (from what I hear).

I run my own online business, and work from home and coffee shops. I do enjoy being able to walk to places (coffee shops, restaurants) and also enjoy being close to trails and water (lakes, rivers).

What are some of the pros and cons of living in Bend itself and where are the best areas of Bend to live? I am looking to rent. How is the downtown scene? Is there an energy to it? Is it hard to find a place to rent as far as apartments go?

Thank you!

Scott

P.S. I don't ski or board so are the winters so long and brutal that I won't enjoy it?

[Coniferian]

We moved here from Denver (actually Conifer) almost 4 years ago. After 30 years of deep snow, we wanted less. We were fortunate to arrive here while house prices were relatively low, but starting to recover. We found that the median price for a home was $100k less 15 miles north in Redmond, so bought here. Bend is a great city and you still have snow-covered peaks to the west. Other members here will tell you that the vacancy rate for apartments in Bend hovers around 1% and prices are rising.

We thought last winter was rather nasty, but still far less than we experienced in Conifer, where we averages 134" of snow a season. We just broke out of weeks of 90+ degree heat. Lots of haze from many wildfires this summer too. Old timers are complaining about the increase of traffic from recent arrivals and tourists. Also be aware that, unlike Denver, there are not two interstates running through it and only a small regional airport in Redmond. It's a lot of driving on two lane roads to get in and out of the area.

Not to discourage you - it's a beautiful state and the Pacific coast is only 4 - 5 hours away. We've found the people to be friendly and if you like craft beer, it's heaven. If you work from home, finding a place to rent will be your only obstacle.

[Olim2005]

Originally Posted by scottcolby

Hi there!

I currently live in Denver, Colorado and I'm considering moving to Bend next month, in part, to find a less crowded, more affordable place to live. I realize affordability is relative. In downtown Denver a small 1 bedroom apartment goes for about $1600 - $1900

I'm single, in my 40s, love the outdoors. I've never been to Bend, so a visit is in order. I've been to the Oregon coast, Portland and Eugene and I do like the state. I'm considering Bend due to the size (looking for a smaller community), outdoor activities and relatively sunny weather (from what I hear).

I run my own online business, and work from home and coffee shops. I do enjoy being able to walk to places (coffee shops, restaurants) and also enjoy being close to trails and water (lakes, rivers).

What are some of the pros and cons of living in Bend itself and where are the best areas of Bend to live? I am looking to rent. How is the downtown scene? Is there an energy to it? Is it hard to find a place to rent as far as apartments go?

Thank you!

Scott

P.S. I don't ski or board so are the winters so long and brutal that I won't enjoy it?

Hi Scott,

I moved here from Colorado two years ago. Bend is a beautiful town and there is a lot to love about it, but I feel like I was mislead so I am chiming in here.

Bend is great place to raise outdoor kids. The schools are nice and there are so many parks. Although the mountains are not as big as the Rockies, Oregon has some of the most beautiful water I have ever seen. Oregon also has lots of beautiful fish. It is really easy to hike or backpack around here, so many trails. I love the trail running here, very little rocks so safe.

Depending on your cycling expertise, Bend is not the cycling mecca that we though it would be. The MTB trails are not technical. The road cycling is a little boring and not much of a shoulder.

Some things I wish I knew before hand:
1) The winters are not as cold as Colorado, but you don't have the nice warm winter day breaks like in Colorado. Once you are in a pattern, it stays there. I don't think I saw the sun for months, the snow never melted and the town is horrible with snow removal. People who tell you its abnormal have already forgotten the winter before last was the same. The people who are from here say it's normal. You will need to at least cross country ski if you want to be outdoors and you will need 4x4 to get around town.
2) The summers are beautiful, sunny EVERY DAY. It never rains! So it gets dry and dusty.
3) Tourists are out of control. The community survives on tourism, so mostly service industry.
4) Isolation. Yes, it's nice in many ways, but annoying when the town sells out of snow shovels and trucks can't get into town to deliver more goods. The transportation system is horrible, not major interstates coming in and out of town. The highways are significantly smaller then Hwy 287 for example.

Maybe some of these things don't matter to you, but things to consider. I still think Bend is great for most people, especially when you come from places like California. It all depends on what you have had before. Colorado is pretty great, so the bar was set pretty high for us.

We do plan on leaving Bend.

[redguard57]

Originally Posted by scottcolby

Hi there!

I currently live in Denver, Colorado and I'm considering moving to Bend next month, in part, to find a less crowded, more affordable place to live. I realize affordability is relative. In downtown Denver a small 1 bedroom apartment goes for about $1600 - $1900

I'm single, in my 40s, love the outdoors. I've never been to Bend, so a visit is in order. I've been to the Oregon coast, Portland and Eugene and I do like the state. I'm considering Bend due to the size (looking for a smaller community), outdoor activities and relatively sunny weather (from what I hear).

I run my own online business, and work from home and coffee shops. I do enjoy being able to walk to places (coffee shops, restaurants) and also enjoy being close to trails and water (lakes, rivers).

What are some of the pros and cons of living in Bend itself and where are the best areas of Bend to live? I am looking to rent. How is the downtown scene? Is there an energy to it? Is it hard to find a place to rent as far as apartments go?

Thank you!

Scott

P.S. I don't ski or board so are the winters so long and brutal that I won't enjoy it?

1br's in Bend with that walk-ability factor you're looking for will have lengthy waiting lists, although with a budget of 1600-1900 that would rent you an 1 or 2br apartment pretty much anywhere in town or a house in the less nice half. Also would rent you a townhome or duplex... those can be had in average areas for around 1350, so you might actually save a couple hundred month over what you're paying now.
Houses in the hip trendy walkable area are going to run ~2500 and up.

Are you married or partnered? If you're not... from my own experience and those in my age group, you won't be too happy with the dating & social options if that's something you care about.... related to the isolation factor others have mentioned.

[darnselfly]

If you love be the outdoors but don't ski or snowboard, consider snowshoeing. There are beaucoup trails and it's quiet and free except for a yearly snow park pass.

We moved 15 minutes outside of Redmond last year. I thought we'd be going into Bend for everything but Redmond is really great. Only Target and Trader Joe's get us into Bend, unless there is a special restaurant we want to go to.

Last winter was quite challenging, but if you don't have to commute to a job, I think it's manageable (Bend streets were AWFUL, I agree, Redmond's were slightly better). Locals say that last winter was highly unusual, the worst for 20 or 25 years. With changing climate and weather patterns, who knows how things will trend.

The outdoor opportunities are unmatched, I think. We hike and snowshoe, and enjoy a very quiet lifestyle. We are not the sort to enjoy a "downtown scene", so we like living outside of town. I can be on BLM trails right out my front door.

Good luck in your ventures!

[Biz901]

Some say we're heading into the next little ice age

[Coffeetomycream]

While I am a recent transplant to La Pine and not Bend (I know, I'm sorry), I do already understand the feeling of isolation. It has nothing to do with the fact that I live in La Pine, I work in Bend, and I am in Bend almost every weekend. But there is NOTHING outside of the Bend/Redmond area, this is it. That works for me, I've lived in big metros and I'm done with it but it does hit me sometimes. We have 1 Target in Bend, 1 Walmart, 1 Trader Joe's. I am certainly glad to have all those within a 30ish min drive but it depends on what you are used it. I was used to having my choice of what Target I wanted to go or even what Walmart I wanted to go. Now, I think I have gone to Target once in 3 months. I don't miss it, but it is something to think about. I didn't understand it before I lived here, now that I do, I get it, I really do. I like to isolation but if I wanted to make friends, I think it would be hard. It's all stuff to keep in mind.