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Good morning, Oregonians (and any others who may respond)!
My husband and I are married (15+ years!) without children thirty-somethings, thinking of making a big move within the next few (2-5) years. We are being very methodical and slow moving because our desire to move is not motivated by hating the place we currently are (and have been for most of our lives) but rather by a simple want of something different for our future (a bit of an adventure, you know?); therefore, we feel that we can be slow moving and yes, even "picky". ;-)
To give a bit of background, we've both grown up and lived in the rural deep south (northwestern Georgia, to be exact) and are no strangers to small town life. We both enjoy nature - light hiking, non-primitive camping (call me a sissy, but I need running water! ), and most of all, the beach! We LOVE the idea of living somewhere that would give us easier access to not only the forest/mountain activities we enjoy together, but also the beach; currently, the nearest beach to us (Gulf of Mexico) is about 6+ hours away. For those reasons, Oregon seems to be a good fit, geographically.
Work/economically speaking, we are both currently gainfully employed by a municipal utility provider (water, electric, sewer, gas, fiber-technologies [fiber-optic-cable, fiber-optic-internet & fiber-optic-telecommunications]); he's an electrical lineman with over 10 years experience in that as well as experience with raising cattle (he is a p/t hobby farmer) and other technical/vocational ablities gained through previous employment as well as life experience; I am bi-vocational as (full-time) a Human Resources Specialist (over 14 years experience) and part-time artist (painting), which I sell via Etsy.com (I've been pleasantly surprised with my success thus far in that venture!). We have been VERY lucky to avoid job loss as the area we live in is one of the hardest hit areas, economically, in Georgia (and I would even venture to say the whole of the US since it's economy was based on the carpet industry primarily and that has gone down with the construction industry, obviously). We are very grateful, indeed, to still have jobs with good pay and benefits - MANY others in this area have not been so lucky! Anyway, we have a hope that our experience and job skills and talents will serve us well wherever we chose to move - especially since it will be carefully timed. ;-)
Personally, we would both describe ourselves as very spiritual but not religious ("Christian-Mystic" would be a fair descriptor, though I am wary of labels), laid-back as far as the kinds of things we enjoy doing (our idea of nightlife is either a movie or sitting around a campfire [hopefully on a beach! ] or just hanging out with friends or family). We're both animal lovers and dote to high heaven on our pets - a dog, two cats and a bird. We have always each enjoyed a certain amount of social ease and not had any problem fitting in with pretty much any crowd...but all of our experience has been HERE, where we know what to expect, what subjects to avoid (it's hard being democrats in a sea of republicans and "spiritual" in a sea of "evangelicals"! ) and what the social/cultural expectations are; not sure how well that will translate in another area of the country. Both of us genuinely do like people, so hopefully that will go a long way in aiding us in making new friends.
We realize that we might be in for a bit of a shock, climate-wise. Although the area of Northwest Georgia we come from usually has a fair amount of rain (mostly in the fall/winter months - about 45-75 inches annually - according to the web) and we do have four distinct seasons, we expect that the winters in the Pacific Northwest will be something of, well, something to get used to. We LOVE the idea of a bit of snow now and again, though!
I've been looking (just browsing at this point, mind!) at homes for sale and have zeroed in on a few in the Lincoln City area that seem VERY reasonable (especially considering that a few of them had either a bay or ocean view - or both, in one case!). The homes I've found so far have been in the 3-4 bedroom range on a regular sized lot and have been between $169,500 - $235,00 in price. Is that WAY down from what I might expect when the economy picks up again or are homes in that area pretty much always a lot of home for the money? If they are pretty much always cheap...what's the catch? Is it just due to the remoteness? With the thought of remoteness in mind, how is driving in Oregon? We are accustomed to driving everywhere we go, pretty much as everything is very spread out here. 30 - 45 minutes to work is pretty standard. How does that compare with there?
Anyways, I've rambled on and on without asking many specific questions. I guess what I'm wanting is just ANY thoughts or advice you all can offer in regards to our thought of moving to Oregon. Anything at all, really.
Thanks for reading!
Last edited by thisbloominglife; 11-12-2009 at 08:06 AM..
Reason: edited to fix typos
We realize that we might be in for a bit of a shock, climate-wise. Although the area of Northwest Georgia we come from usually has a fair amount of rain (mostly in the fall/winter months - about 45-75 inches annually - according to the web) and we do have four distinct seasons, we expect that the winters in the Pacific Northwest will be something of, well, something to get used to. We LOVE the idea of a bit of snow now and again, though!
Along the coast, it will probably be summer, more than winter that would take some getting used to. Are you ready for high temperatures in the 50's during June, July and August? Winter is only slightly cooler than summer. If you love the idea of a bit of snow now and again, the Oregon coast is the wrong place to look. Even a frost is rare there.
Presumably you know that retirement is the main economic mainstay of the coast and most of the residents are over 60. A lot of younger people with starfish in their eyes are attracted to the romantic ideal of living at the coast. After a few months, that typically wears off and they move to the valley for the better economic opportunities and the culture of their peers. Eugene and Portland offer a much better quality of life for those who are working and the coast is an easy jaunt of an hour or two. The coast is a double whammy economically speaking: the cost of living is much more expensive, yet wages are much lower than in the valley. Plus you will have real summers on the lee side of the coast range. Believe me, the year round chill at the coast does get to you after a while.
The market is soft on coastal homes at the moment because many of them are second homes that are being shed by their owners due to the economy. They can be a good deal for a retiree who knows that the coast is what he wants, but the lack of jobs at the coast is a good part of what represses their value.
I think you would be better off living in the Portland area...maybe Hillsboro, Forest Grove-ish which puts you closer to the coast than you are now.
I completely agree with the other two posters. People tend to have a romantic notion of life on our coasts, then reality sets in. The Oregon coast is STUNNING, but there are many retirees there AND employment is a problem...which is why there are so many retirees there.
The Oregon coast primarily offers minimum wage and part time seasonal jobs. However that's in the best of times. Right now there are no jobs so you're doing the right thing by going slow.
There are two types of homes on the coast. Very expensive beach and oceanfront homes. However several miles inland prices drop significantly.
The coast is not for everybody. It's one of those places that's beautiful and seems ideal but after a while that wears off and boredom and foul weather take their tole.
IMHO you need to visit and see if it's for you. I would also not be so narrow in your list of places to live because employment will be the problem. Cast a wider net because you can't be picky.
A good start is the article posted by TerryJ. Please take seriously where the author describes the cloud cover as constant in the wintertime.
The beaches in Oregon are not like the beaches you seem to be used to. Again, it will be chilly even in summer time, and a jacket is almost always warranted - IMO. Rocky, cold, windy - that's an Oregon beach. And beautiful. Lincoln City's kite festival is held in June or July, I believe, which should give you some indication of how windy it is that time of year.
If you need to work to live, think hard about your ability to find jobs on the coast. If you do find jobs, they will not pay well.
There will be no economic resurgence on the coast. Nearly all of the towns had an economy based solely on lumber. As long as I can remember, the coast has always been in a economic slump.
It seems that you'd 'click well' living in Oregon. Tons of campgrounds with running water. Christian-mystic? - check. Animal-lovers? - check. Snow? Yes, in the mountain passes, but very rarely on the coast.
I don't know much about the housing situation on the coast. You may be able to pick up something relatively inexpensively. Think about a home with an ocean view...there must be underlying reasons as to why it remains on the market for months on end.
May I suggest you also look at towns closer to Portland, or those in both Washington and Oregon along the Columbia? You'd still be only a few hours from the beaches, but not nearly so isolated. My .02 cents.
Thanks so much to everyone who's given feedback so far! As I mentioned in my original post, this is DEFINITELY not something we are rushing in to (likely somewhere in the neighborhood of at least 2 and maybe even 5 years before we begin SERIOUSLY thinking of moving). I like to be well researched. ;-)
Steve97415 said: Along the coast, it will probably be summer, more than winter that would take some getting used to. Are you ready for high temperatures in the 50's during June, July and August? Winter is only slightly cooler than summer. If you love the idea of a bit of snow now and again, the Oregon coast is the wrong place to look. Even a frost is rare there.
Oh, wow! That is VERY cool for summer (and not in the "cool" 8-) kind of way!). I have just begun exploring this idea and have looked at some stuff regarding the climate in Oregon, but I'm learning (more and more - and very quickly, thanks to this forum!) that the weather very much depends WHERE in Oregon you are (quite like Georgia, in that respect, actually). Thank you for enlightening me; that may sound good to me while in the midst of a Georgia summer heat and humidity wave, but I suspect that there would be a very big part of me that would miss the oven like effect when going out a door! I will definitely take this into consideration.
Presumably you know that retirement is the main economic mainstay of the coast and most of the residents are over 60. A lot of younger people with starfish in their eyes are attracted to the romantic ideal of living at the coast. After a few months, that typically wears off and they move to the valley for the better economic opportunities and the culture of their peers. Eugene and Portland offer a much better quality of life for those who are working and the coast is an easy jaunt of an hour or two. The coast is a double whammy economically speaking: the cost of living is much more expensive, yet wages are much lower than in the valley. Plus you will have real summers on the lee side of the coast range. Believe me, the year round chill at the coast does get to you after a while.
I had suspected as much (about the retirees) and actually didn't mind the idea of being surrounded by seniors (I pretty much am now and don't mind them at all); however, I did have hopes that getting around Oregon was feasible enough to make frequent trips to other, more diverse society a real possibility as well as commuting to work in another city. It's funny you mention Eugene because that was one of the number one suggestions to me when I took the little, "Where should you live" quiz. It really does sound like my cup of tea and would still put me much closer to the sea side than I currently am. How does the weather in Portland compare to Eugene? Is there much difference? Thank you again for your input.
Seashelly said:
Emphasis on "lack of jobs at the coast". Just being realistic here.
YES - and thank you for that! REALISM is very much to be desired when contemplating major life changes such as this one would be. I love to dream, but some times you gotta realize that dreams don't always stand up to the light of day. Thanks for your input.
Silverfall said: I think you would be better off living in the Portland area...maybe Hillsboro, Forest Grove-ish which puts you closer to the coast than you are now.
For my general edification, what makes you say the Portland area over other areas in Oregon?
I completely agree with the other two posters. People tend to have a romantic notion of life on our coasts, then reality sets in. The Oregon coast is STUNNING, but there are many retirees there AND employment is a problem...which is why there are so many retirees there.
Hehe - yes, I think I definitely have a few starfish in my eyes at the moment (but Oregon and I are still on our honeymoon! LOL! ;-p) .
Come visit and see what you think.
That is a definite on our list of things to do. Likely SEVERAL trips at different times of the year and to different areas would be in order before deciding to load up the u-haul. Thank you for your input! :-)
Davefr said:
The Oregon coast primarily offers minimum wage and part time seasonal jobs. However that's in the best of times. Right now there are no jobs so you're doing the right thing by going slow.
There are two types of homes on the coast. Very expensive beach and oceanfront homes. However several miles inland prices drop significantly.
The coast is not for everybody. It's one of those places that's beautiful and seems ideal but after a while that wears off and boredom and foul weather take their tole.
Yes, the more I'm reading and learning, the more I'm getting the impression that perhaps the coast is somewhere to spend long weekends, but not the majority of one's life.
IMHO you need to visit and see if it's for you. I would also not be so narrow in your list of places to live because employment will be the problem. Cast a wider net because you can't be picky.
Oh, Oregon isn't the only place we've considered/are considering - it's just at the top of the short list at the moment. Believe me, before we move ANYwhere, there will be MUCH more research and planning, planning, planning. We are generally happy where we are - just looking for something different and a bit of an adventure...so we are taking our time and exploring a lot. Good advice! Thanks for your input.
Wicked Felina said:
A good start is the article posted by TerryJ. Please take seriously where the author describes the cloud cover as constant in the wintertime.
Is the cloud cover thing true for ALL of Oregon - or mostly the coast? I will look that article up and have a look.
If you need to work to live, think hard about your ability to find jobs on the coast. If you do find jobs, they will not pay well.
There will be no economic resurgence on the coast. Nearly all of the towns had an economy based solely on lumber. As long as I can remember, the coast has always been in a economic slump.
Yep, we do need to work to live (at least ONE of us full time ... thankfully we currently have no debt except our mortgage - very simple lifestyles, but life always costs money!). I'm beginning to realize that perhaps the Oregon coast is better for enjoying on long weekends and less as a day in, day out existence.
It seems that you'd 'click well' living in Oregon. Tons of campgrounds with running water. Christian-mystic? - check. Animal-lovers? - check. Snow? Yes, in the mountain passes, but very rarely on the coast.
Yea! At least we have that going for us! Where would you suggest for snow-y but not, snowed under all winter?
I don't know much about the housing situation on the coast. You may be able to pick up something relatively inexpensively. Think about a home with an ocean view...there must be underlying reasons as to why it remains on the market for months on end.
Yeah, the ones I found (online) were VERY inexpensive, in my opinion, as compared to both their sizes and locations! Similar houses near ME in Nowhere, Georgia with NO COAST FOR HOURS would be VERY difficult to find in such a price range. One was particularly impressive with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths - for just $235k! LOL - I wondered if maybe they were haunted or something!
May I suggest you also look at towns closer to Portland, or those in both Washington and Oregon along the Columbia? You'd still be only a few hours from the beaches, but not nearly so isolated. My .02 cents.
Those sound like good suggestions! Portland keeps coming up as a suggestion; I had recently relegated it to "probably not" but can't quite remember exactly why now. I will look into it more closely. I'm also looking at Eugene as a possibility - any thoughts on that? Thank you so much for your input.
Y'all are so nice! <3
Last edited by thisbloominglife; 11-12-2009 at 02:32 PM..
Reason: edited to make it more easily read and to fix typos
Location: where the moss is taking over the villages
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There are no jobs in Eugene unless you're highly degreed in the medical profession or willing to compete for an abysmally low paying job.
Oregon is a wonderful place to live, especially Eugene (I only know what it's like in Eugene - no offense to any other citizenry!). However, it's a terrible place to move - if you're looking for work. It's just the wrong time in the history of the economy. Low cost of living doesn't equate into job opportunity in this case.
I've been out of work for over a year. 3 call backs in that time. It's extremely competitive even for the lowest paying jobs, unless you want to pump gas, maybe. If I could pay my way out of my debts as a gas attendant, I'd gladly do it! I'm strongly considering the vandwellers philosophy....
There are no jobs in [Oregon] unless you're highly degreed in the medical profession or willing to compete for an abysmally low paying job. I've been out of work for over a year. 3 call backs in that time. If I could pay my way out of my debts as a gas attendant, I'd gladly do it! I'm strongly considering the vandwellers philosophy....
I looked up vandwellers before I read through your entire post. And the mere thought of it does not make me think "aw, heck no!"
Perhaps the reason the OP got so many positive responses, is that she is very cognizant of the lay of the land, and is not hell-bent on moving here immediately because it's just so darn purdy.
OP - I can't tell you about Eugene. Places I would look into are: Hood River, all the towns along the Columbia Gorge..White Salmon, Stevenson, Mosier, The Dalles.
If you download google earth you can take a 'trip' through the Columbia Gorge. For me, the winters wouldn't be an issue because the spectacular beauty of the Gorge more than makes up for it. You'll get more ice and wind than snow.
Look into the Olympia, Washington area, specifically the westside. I really like the south Puget Sound area. As an aside, they recently opened a Trader Joe's grocery store in west Olympia. They had people lining up to put in applications. Think my friend told me they received over 1200 apps for 300 positions. Not trying to bum you out...it'll be a few years before things pick up, as you know.
You sound like you would fit in pretty much anywhere in Oregon. The bad news is we still have a high unemployment rate of 12.7%.
Google - public data (http://tinyurl.com/mc47cg - broken link)
You and your husband have admirable skills but other that your successful Esty.com business you may have a problem. The jobs you listed are by and large either not available of when they do come on the market there is tremendous competition. Google the State of Oregon and it will give you some ideas of what is out there.
I am doing what you are doing and that is posting on various forums to ask questions about various places I may like to move. I also am spending my vacation time visiting other cities so I can at least observe what I may like and/or dislike about them.
Good luck in your search. I hope you find the best place for you.
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), and most of all, the beach! We LOVE the idea of living somewhere that would give us easier access to not only the forest/mountain activities we enjoy together, but also the beach; currently, the nearest beach to us (Gulf of Mexico) is about 6+ hours away. For those reasons, Oregon seems to be a good fit, geographically.
) and what the social/cultural expectations are; not sure how well that will translate in another area of the country. Both of us genuinely do like people, so hopefully that will go a long way in aiding us in making new friends.
Lincoln City's kite festival is held in June or July, I believe, which should give you some indication of how windy it is that time of year. 
