So tell me about Eugene (mortgage, home, buying)

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by joejitsu

I am not planning on moving there, but just am curious. My hippy friends love it, but always end up moving away from it for some reason. That tells you alot about it. I have also heard alot of bad things about it. That it seems great at first, but after you get to know it it kinda sucks. So natives give me the real deal.

Getting back on-topic.... did you know that Eugene has the largest slip-n-slide in Oregon? Every year they bring it out for the Whiteaker neighborhood party.... FUN!!! A good way to cool off...

Your hippie friends might have moved away for maybe one or two reasons... 1. Eugene is more than just a little hippie town now (the reputation it earned back in the 60's and 70's just won't die...) and they probably became disgusted with the California yuppies or angry rednecks that have been taking over the place in some areas, and 2. unless they were educated and skilled for careers in medicine or teaching, they probably had a hard time finding a job unless they are the kind of personality who doesn't mind living on or near minimum wage. Eugene is a great place to live for lots of reasons (despite the yuppies and rednecks), but it's not the ideal hippie mecca that so many would like to dream of it as being. No place is perfect.

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by Mr Eugenified

Would be great if you guys would setup an ongoing "smart growth debate" thread instead of repeating these arguments in every thread. We got the point now. Tom is anti smart growth, and everyone else is for it.

Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting topic, but it needs its own thread.

Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT against the principles behind the "smart growth movement" (i.e. reducing foreign oil imports; increasing the walkability of neighborhoods).

What I am against is the current model of smart growth, that caused the foreclosure crisis, national unemployment, and international monetary crisis ... along with high rents and impact fees.

We need urban planners who understand the problems that blue collar working families are facing, due to increased rents and increased unemployment.

If someone wants to start a second thread, we might discuss some alternatives to high impact fees and restrictions on density that drive up the cost of living for working families and college students -- especially in vulnerable small towns where the cost of living has gone up, such as Eugene, Boulder, and Flagstaff.

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

What I am against is the current model of smart growth, that caused the foreclosure crisis, national unemployment, and international monetary crisis ... along with high rents and impact fees.

I'm sorry but, Smart Growth planning / communities DID NOT CAUSE the foreclosure "crisis", national unemployment et al.

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by Greatday

I'm sorry but, Smart Growth planning / communities DID NOT CAUSE the foreclosure "crisis", national unemployment et al.

Hallelujah!

(People over-spending and banks over-lending did, (IMO)!)

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by haggardhouseelf

Hallelujah!

(People over-spending and banks over-lending did, (IMO)!)

Edzachary! Americans really need to learn to live within their means.

[Cornerguy1]

Interesting opinions, folks, but let's save the discussions on national issues for the Politics forum.

[jlprice1]

My son and I want to move to the Eugene area in March 2010. Can I get some feedback on what a nice (safe) area is to live in (apartment). I keep reading that if you don't have the education you won't get a good job. I have been an Administrative Assistant or Executive Assistant for 32 years, but I don't have a degree. Will it be impossible for me to find a good paying job? My son has an IT degree, he shouldn't have any problems, I hope. Also, are there nice mobile home parks there?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by jlprice1

My son and I want to move to the Eugene area in March 2010. Can I get some feedback on what a nice (safe) area is to live in (apartment). I keep reading that if you don't have the education you won't get a good job. I have been an Administrative Assistant or Executive Assistant for 32 years, but I don't have a degree. Will it be impossible for me to find a good paying job? My son has an IT degree, he shouldn't have any problems, I hope. Also, are there nice mobile home parks there?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Being a college town, there are tons of apartments and rentals here. When you visit, you'll quickly get an idea of the neighborhoods you're most comfortable in. Eugene isn't that big a town.

We live in a nice apartment community in the northeastern part of Eugene near the intersection of Coburg Rd and Crescent/Green Acres. (Crescent turns into Green Acres). This area is very low-crime, with everything you need, good schools, good grocery stores, etc. It's not as fun and eclectic-feeling as other neighborhoods in Eugene, but it's safe, clean, and we've found it to be affordable. We like it OK. It's right off the bike trail which is really nice! As soon as our kids are done with these schools, though, we're most likely going to move to a more colorful neighborhoods because we like a more "artsy" ecclectic kind of vibe. Either that or the coast!

As far as jobs - don't move here without lining up a job first. The job situation here is bleak. It's really bad. And for a town the size of Eugene, a lot of the time finding a job is more of a knowing the right person kind of thing. Friends help friends get their feet in the doors and that sort of thing. It's a VERY difficult place to just come here and start fresh without knowing anyone. I definitely would NOT relocate here without having a job first. In Eugene businesses are closing left and right. Every day in the paper there's another story of another place closing it's doors, or relocating it's manufacturing someplace else, or companies having to lay off staff, and other sad stories. It's tough right now.

[sarahkate_m]

[quote=kbell18001;9946313]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

Thanks for this advice. That's the best post I've ever read on city-data and I'm not kidding. Why? I've learned the hard way in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Flagstaff, and I wish someone like you had posted this advice before moving to these places.

You need to have a job in advance in Boulder, Durango, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Flagstaff, AZ. -- these are college / arts / outdoors towns where college students usually get all the jobs first, even if somebody older is more qualified. I will be starting my own business soon and then I can move anywhere.[/quote]

That's exactly what I'm considering. We're waiting for a buyer of our home in OC, Calif. We have had our sights on Austin, TX. But since June it has been hovering 100 degrees everyday in Austin. I have little desire to become an indoor person for at least 3 months of summer. Been in So Cal since 77 and raised in Long Island. So I remember rain, snow, humidity and other foul weather. I am now a biker and wish for riding weather at least most of the year. So while we wait for a buyer I often question my decision to head to the heat of Austin.

Our plan is start a coffee house business. Although Starbucks has been closing some 600 locations I feel our coffee house business can work. Making it more of a destination than a place for coffee on the way to work.

What has been an attraction to the Austin area was the economy and unemployment scene seems stronger than in many other regions. I like the reputation of being the "live music capital". It seems like there is a lot of nice homes to be had for under $200,000 so that after buying a home we'd still have money to start a business with a small nut every month.

I have been searching for that nirvana of decent weather and still good economy. Portland seems a little too wet for me. Austin too hot. Medford or Grants Pass, seems like a bigger window of dryer weather. But my worry is whether or not the economies are strong enogh for people to support a coffee house with a relaxed cool atmosphere with good coffee/espresso drinks, muffins and great pies.

My wife will be enrolled where ever we go to get her cosmetology license with hopes to land something in that. Later we love to open a salon ideally next to the coffee house with, again ideally, a pass through between them.

Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated. Areas of interest would be somewhere between Eugene to the north to Medford to the south. Are there decent homes under $200k close enough to commerce to start and build a coffee house business??? The suburbs is fine with less than a 30 minute commute.
Ken

Hey Ken, do you mean a coffee house that's like a drive through??? We have tons of those in Oregon. Okay, I'm in Eugene & we have tons of them here... Sounds like a great cash cow... It's cooler here than TX & probably... maybe a little friendlier??? We have a LOT of bike paths!

I have a good friend who has a lot of inside knowledge about the local coffee industry... More info forthcoming if you're interested.

Kate

[kbell18001]

[quote=sarahkate_m;10363015]

Originally Posted by kbell18001

Hey Ken, do you mean a coffee house that's like a drive through??? We have tons of those in Oregon. Okay, I'm in Eugene & we have tons of them here... Sounds like a great cash cow... It's cooler here than TX & probably... maybe a little friendlier??? We have a LOT of bike paths!

I have a good friend who has a lot of inside knowledge about the local coffee industry... More info forthcoming if you're interested.

Kate

No not a drive through. In case that's what you thought I meant by...

Later we'd love to open a salon ideally next to the coffee house with, again ideally, a pass through between them.

What I really meant was two stores connected where a doorway can be built so that customers can go from the coffee house straight through the door and be in the hair salon. Each business can compliment the other. I might still have a drive-up window depending on the location, area and orientation of the place.

My most recent ideas revolve around bikes, hot rods and muscle cars as a theme decor, yet still tasteful for families. If it is cool enough and the coffee drinks, pies and sweets are delicious.....they will come. If they have a job!!

I would love to hear more about your friends inside knowledge of the local coffee biz and I am interested!
Thanks
Ken