Two of my best friends live by Portland !!! How funny.
Well, as far as skiing - many many many areas to ski yes to that cross country and downhill
As far as beaches and lakes another BIG
thumbs up. Not only locally but we are 20 minutes from Canada which has many beaches to swim as well.
Is the city safe? Is any city safe? There is the good the bad and the ugly in every city. As long as you know where you are going you will be fine. Many posters on this forum live in the city and will tell you of the many benefits.
There are a lot of option as Buffalo is not just Buffalo, but Western New York, so yes you can get some land if you like with your home and still be within reasonable driving distance into the city.
Hmmm, I could name a lot of areas - Alden, Wheatfield, Clarence, Akron to name a few.
Once you've narrowed it down, you can then begin looking as you don't want to overburden yourself running around from one home to another 70 miles apart.
Why not come for a weekend visit? See what it's all about.
How is the market for selling your home in Portland? I was talking to my friend about property he had up for sale for some time, thankfully it just sold this past week.
You will find this forum a wealth of knowledge, ask any question you like and I am sure many will be happy to help.