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Old 02-13-2011, 01:04 PM
 
5 posts, read 6,244 times
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Hello!
I've been searching this forum for nearly a year now and have gotten lots of great tips and advice to get the ball rolling with research. This has been almost exclusively from reading other people's threads, though, so I'd love to get some answers to more specific questions!

My family (myself, husband and 2.5 year old) will be moving to Portland from Chicago in the summer. We've decided on late June - early July in an effort to avoid the college rush. I came to visit Portland last fall with my son and we had a great time but unfortunately visiting with a toddler by myself didn't lend itself to very in-depth research! Sooo...

1. Are there better resources for apartment hunting than craigslist? Do people post in neighborhood newspapers, for example? Is Portland a place where you have good luck using a real estate agent for rentals (with is true in Boston, for example)? We are far more interested in renting from "real" people in a small building (two-flat or small duplex) than a huge apartment complex and it seems the mega-plexes are all that's available on craigslist.

2. Neighborhoods... oh boy! When I visited I really liked Sellwood. I also like Hillsdale on paper, although I didn't get the chance to see it when we were there. I'm a little intimidated by NE Portland because the quality of the neighborhoods seems to be block-by-block, at least in my superficial drive-bys last fall. We're looking for something that's walkable (library, groceries, schools, restaurants, park) and commutable to OSHU where my husband will most likely be working. We are from Chicago so our parameters for "commutable" are more flexible than most, but we're moving to portland for a reason and would like to be on a single bus route, or 30 minute bike ride distance. We have a car but are considering not moving it with us. Are there other neighborhoods that fit this description? Anything I should be looking at in NE Portland?

The good news: we will be staying with family in the Seattle area until we find a place. We'll do day trips down for recon missions, scouting, and interviews. We are NOT going to rent a place on impulse or via internet.

Thanks for any tips or advice you may have and are willing to offer!
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Old 02-13-2011, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,988 posts, read 20,512,261 times
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The most recent thread addressing working at OHSU is //www.city-data.com/forum/portl...-job-ohsu.html

Note that Bus Route 8 is the one that goes to the hospital. OHSU does have some offices in the South Waterfront area, they are connected to the hospital by a tram. Confirm with the Department your husband's work site and hours.

If your husband can use the tram biking to the tram from a residence in the South Waterfront, John's Landing neighborhoods, or Riverplace is easy. There is a Street Car that terminates at the tram, living along that route is also an option. There is/was a bus to "Pill Hill" that runs about every half hour from Portland State. Confirm this with the OHSU parking & transportation office.

There are no 'rental agents' in Portland. There are some property managers with websites that list their vacancies. Be sure to map the property to confirm that it is conveniently located to transportation.
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Old 02-13-2011, 04:44 PM
 
5 posts, read 6,244 times
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Thanks for the ideas and link to the other thread. Good to know there are no rental agents in portland, too.

When we visited we stayed somewhere near the south waterfront, john's landing, etc; near the Zupan's on Macadam to be more specific. It all seems lovely, very nice homes/townhomes, but not much there that's kid friendly and walkable except the park and market.

My husband doesn't have a job offer yet and he could very well be working at a different hospital so we're more concerned about finding a livable neighborhood than the commute. He's pushing hard for OHSU which is why I think that's where he'll end up. Of course, we'd like to find a place that has everything but when it comes down to compromise, we want a good neighborhood/community over an easy commute.
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Old 02-13-2011, 08:13 PM
 
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I'm in a similar predicament. I have decided to ove to the PNW and very open to areas to move to, but finding it very hard to find comprehensive rental information. I prefer to rent a little (cheap) house because I have 2 larger dogs that apartments don't want to rent to. After checking every rental place I can find, including CL with all it's scams, it looks like there are literally about 10 houses in Oregon for under $900 a month. Is this accurate? I'm not looking to be in downtown Portland.

I can live almost anywhere, just don't want too far east and don't really care for the high desert. I want trees and internet...that's pretty much it.

Are there any central places to look for rentals?
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Old 02-13-2011, 09:28 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,988 posts, read 20,512,261 times
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No, nothing central.

If you don't need to be in Portland then you should consider former woods products communities in the coast range or foothills of the Cascades. The kind of places that post 'For Rent' notes in the grocery store. To do that you need to come out in advance and meet people face to face.
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Old 02-14-2011, 03:01 PM
 
Location: Desert SW
121 posts, read 219,290 times
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I came across this site today and thought it might be helpful to you.

Portland Neighborhoods: Information about Portland, Oregon
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Old 02-16-2011, 06:29 AM
 
5 posts, read 6,244 times
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can'tstandtheheat:
Thanks, I think I've been to that site before. It is a good resource, it's got great info there. Unfortunately lots of neighborhoods aren't listed/reviewed.

Does anyone know anything about Brooklyn? I don't remember it from our visit, but it seems intriguing. Geographically it's in a good spot close to downtown, close to sellwood, but a little cheaper. Is it family-friendly? Walkable? Thoughts?
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Old 02-16-2011, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,988 posts, read 20,512,261 times
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Portland has a number of very active neighborhood associations. As you consider various neighborhoods you may want to look at their activities. Many have websites but the best place to start is this link at the City of Portland: Neighborhood Involvement. Look for the section "My Neighborhood". There is a lot of information here.

I don't know anything about the Brooklyn neighborhood but I think the adjacent Hossford-Abernathy area would be a better choice.
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Old 02-16-2011, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,379,702 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by looking_west View Post
can'tstandtheheat:
Thanks, I think I've been to that site before. It is a good resource, it's got great info there. Unfortunately lots of neighborhoods aren't listed/reviewed.

Does anyone know anything about Brooklyn? I don't remember it from our visit, but it seems intriguing. Geographically it's in a good spot close to downtown, close to sellwood, but a little cheaper. Is it family-friendly? Walkable? Thoughts?
Brooklyn is sort of teetering on becoming a bit more gentrified but it's kind of seedy in many places. It wouldn't be my choice. The Buckman or Hosford/Abernathy neighborhoods would be a better bet.

You can google both to learn about them.
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Old 02-16-2011, 10:11 PM
 
132 posts, read 340,834 times
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We almost bought in Brooklyn. (I used to live in the one in NYC so I felt an affinity to it.) We ended up getting a smaller place in Westmoreland/Sellwood instead. I really like Bklyn, but agree with the previous posters that you kind of need to check the area out first. We noticed lots of artsy looking folks w/kids in the neigborhood, but when we talked to a few locals, found out that the house across from the one we were interested in had a reputation as a "party house." Areas of Bklyn are *gorgeous* with tree-lined streets and big old Arts and Crafts and Victorians. Other areas are kinda ugh. I really know nothing about the elementary school, though. There's a wonderful place for pizza and Montreal-style bagels -- Tastebuds, a nice old theater that has music shows (Aladdin) and an old school pharmacy, where we frequent.
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