Portland vs Camas (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego: sales, renting, new home)

[lilmisstata]

Hi -

My husband and I are relocating this upcoming year.

I LOVE Portland. Been there a few times and I love the vibe. We are from CA and I know most people in the area seem to gripe but I feel that I belong there as opposed to Southern California, where I can't take the heat and we make a lot of money to live less than middle class lifestyles.

I love the walkability and history of the Portland neighborhoods. They charm me and I love the hippy, weird, community vibe.

We have a 4 year old as well as an older 17 year old who will be done with high school by the time we move there and will be looking into Community Colleges, so I am concerned with crime, safety and schools.

Coming from an LA suburb, I have been considering Camas for their school districts and beautiful area and homes, but I'm weary of moving back to a suburb since CA suburbs are so worn down and overrun. I also hear taxes in WA are unpredictable.


Does anyone have any pros and cons they would like to share about living in each area?

Are the Camas suburbs a better bet or should I stick to the more Urban Portland?

[texasdiver]

If you're going to work in Portland you'll want to live closer. The commute to central Portland from Camas would be insane.

[bler144]

What's your budget for buying/renting housing?

Camas is not worn down or overrun, though it has gone from rural mill town to 'upscale suburb' in just a few decades. But the commute to downtown is not inconsiderable, particularly the return trip in the afternoon.

Camas is really not 'walkable' at all, though walking around the lake for pleasure is quite nice. A few of the other suburbs are at least more walkable - sections of Beaverton/Hillsboro, e.g. and would also offer better public transit for commuting.

In terms of K-12, that varies a great deal. In terms of community college, both Clark (WA) and the CCs on the Oregon side (Mt. Hood, PCC, Clackamas) all are generally good, with perhaps some variance in specific programs.

[patches403]

If your jobs will be in Oregon, live in Oregon. If your jobs will be in Washington or the main wage earner telecommutes or you're retired, live in Washington. Camas is a nice suburb, not run down at all, but as others have said a crappy commute to where most of the Oregon jobs are located.

There are lots of good school districts in Oregon, including but not limited to Lake Oswego, West Linn, Southwest Portland, Happy Valley, Sherwood, Beaverton's East, North, and Southern edges, and NW Portland, from the West Hills all the way West to the Bethany area.

[bzone]

Granda Hills! Grew up there, then moved to Santa Clarita, then to Happy Valley about 8 months ago. We were tired of the heat, and fires and lack of seasons as well. Saw more rain in the first six months here than I had seen in the previous six years in SoCal.

I too looked at Camas, but it really is far away from Portland and work. There were some very nice homes, but again the commute seemed way too much.

We really fell in love with Happy Valley - think Porter Ranch but not as pricey - yet. Great schools, trails, community park, plus they're building new home communities there so seem to be very pro-growth. Close to Clackamas Town center mall, cool community events and park, stuff like that. Although its not like you walk to the local shops.

Lots of quirky older neighborhoods, between the 5 and 205, but so many are like downtown Reseda, like Tampa and Sherman Way. High Density, and a stone's throw away from not so nice areas.

Don't worry about the perception about people griping about Californians. I've yet to encounter anything hostile.

[dirt _farmer]

I'm not sure about Washingtonians, but Oregonians sure hate Californians!

[Nell Plotts]

Not true, although whiners from where-ever get short shrift.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Not true, although whiners from where-ever get short shrift.

Whiners or braggarts, I would say.

If you insist on telling everyone you used your million dollars in equity that you built because you timed the L.A./Bay market perfectly and used it to completely overpay for a house here (in cash) because everything is just sooooo cheap here, that may rub some folks the wrong way too.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by bler144

Whiners or braggarts, I would say. ..........

Plus the people who left California because they could no longer stand it and then immediately go on a crusade to turn Oregon into California

[lilmisstata]

Originally Posted by bzone

Granda Hills! Grew up there, then moved to Santa Clarita, then to Happy Valley about 8 months ago. We were tired of the heat, and fires and lack of seasons as well. Saw more rain in the first six months here than I had seen in the previous six years in SoCal.

I too looked at Camas, but it really is far away from Portland and work. There were some very nice homes, but again the commute seemed way too much.

We really fell in love with Happy Valley - think Porter Ranch but not as pricey - yet. Great schools, trails, community park, plus they're building new home communities there so seem to be very pro-growth. Close to Clackamas Town center mall, cool community events and park, stuff like that. Although its not like you walk to the local shops.

Lots of quirky older neighborhoods, between the 5 and 205, but so many are like downtown Reseda, like Tampa and Sherman Way. High Density, and a stone's throw away from not so nice areas.

Don't worry about the perception about people griping about Californians. I've yet to encounter anything hostile.

Thank you!!! Sorry it took so long for me to come back to this site. Porter Ranch has grown a lot here too and is probably one of the last nice suburbs in the Valley.

I will look into Happy Valley. I telecommute to work, but recently found out there is a chance that I might have to go into the office, closest office is Downtown PDX. My husband is a Sales Distribution Rep and is accepting the Portland, OR position but will most likely have to drive all over Oregon for his work.