Anyone Relocate to Portland from Los Angeles or NYC? (Beaverton: transplants, for sale)

[suncat]

Originally Posted by JinLA

Hi JoJo,
on weekends, throw in yard work and errands at Target and Trader Joe's. It's just knowing that we HAVE the option to go try a new Tapas restaurant, or sushi, or hit some new wine bar, or go hiking in the mountains, or swing by the beach for an afternoon drive or can take a day trip to wineries... These are the things I know I'll miss.

Except for the beach being two hours away, if it's any consolation, you can do all those things in Portland. There is a lot to do, if you don't mind doing it in (usually) worse weather.

[JinLA]

Suncat...That's true and sounds good. I do miss the rain, having grown up on the east coast, (I haven't had to look at the weather report in 15 years living here in SoCA). The thing is, I can't quite wrap my head around the perpetual cloudy days. I don't mind a thunderstorm now and then or a drizzly day, occasionally... BUT cloudy days most of the year? That scares me, because I think my moods are very much tied to the weather. So, should I be nervous about this possible relocation? (Yes, I know the saying, "Advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but wish you didn't) ... I fear: Heightened Depression!!!! If you are from SoCa originally and relocated to Portland, do you find yourself more prone to depressoin (and I don't mean that as a stereotype, or an ignorant assumption about the PNW -- that depression is more commonplace... I'm just concerned about the constant cloudiness and the possible impact on mood. Is that a valid fear?

[oldtintype]

Well, judging by your price--$1800 for a 1-2 bedroom, you could pretty much live anywhere you wanted. Live some place more upscale and you'll probably enjoy yourself. NW 23rd is within your price range, as is the Pearl, or any suburb you want. Or, like some people have said, live some place like Beaverton or Tualatin, which are very suburban. Tualatin and others remind me of Irvine in terms of immaculate and new. It would drive ME nuts to live there but....

I can't imagine having kids in Los Angeles. At least here, there are absolutely TONS and TONS of activities for kids, suburbs or not as there are great park and rec programs, etc. that LA hasn't seen the likes of since the 1970s or at least you'll have to drive in traffic for 2 hours to get there if they still exist. I lived in LA until I was 12 and then we moved to San Francisco and I lived there until I was an adult. I, for one, can't ever imagine living in CA again. It may rain more here but in terms of quality of life....I regularly visit family in the Los Angeles area (Long Beach, Buena Park, Irvine, Hollywood), and friends/family in the Bay Area (SF, Daly City, Martinez, Oakland) and quite frankly, I can't ever imagine going back. Things are too hard there--simple things even like going to the DMV which was like setting yourself up for 2 hours of abuse and standing in lines, only to be screamed at by someone and sent to a new line, are actually do-able here. And in terms of cleanliness....you may think you saw grunge in the heart of downtown, but compare it to downtown LA--I remember driving near the greyhound station and watching hordes of people huddling around bonfires--that just doesn't exist here.

Anyway, you shouldn't move here unless you really think you'd like it but that would also probably require a weekend with a rental car and specific destinations (neighborhoods/suburbs) to really look at to get a feel for the region itself. Just like the suburbs aren't for everyone either is living in the actual city.

And you really have to take all of these postings with a grain of salt--mine included probably.

[jojo4]

I went to school in Northridge, Granada Hills, Thousand Oaks, went to UCSB for college and then moved up to Portland for a work.
The gray sky and short days were a doozie the first few years, but now I know what to expect. You just have to go out and find fun things to do. Take up a snow sport - snowboarding/snow shoeing. You can get timer to turn on lamps in the morning to help with the circadian rhythms and get a sun lamp if you need. Physicians do not hesitate to dispense anti-depressant pills if it gets really bad.

gotta go, i'll write more later.

[suncat]

Many get used to the climate, but for me it's been the opposite. Each year it gets harder to deal with. Sometimes you can go a whole month without seeing the sun at all.

It does affect my mood, but mostly it's the physical discomfort of being cold all the time from October to April. It's a damp bonechilling cold that I just can't get rid of, and I'm planning to move away because of it.

[Lillietta]

I do think weather will play an important part on mood. Trust your instincts rather than be miserable. I, myself, hate the humidity of the summers in the midwest (it affects me physically and mentally) accompanied by the sun's garish light, which is a big reason I am relocating to Portland. Portland has many faces, and the beauty just outside and beyond the city is gorgeous, as are some lovely areas in the city. I consider it a city of great variety, where you can pick and choose your places. Your income will allow you to live well here and in a nice area.

[Lillietta]

Want to add that it's mainly in winter that you get all that rain and gray. Summer is gorgeous; you can see the brown lawns because of no rain! Sorry that you hit a rare day when you were here and, yes, definitely don't judge the city by where you stayed during the short time you were here. I once stayed near the Tenderloin area of San Francisco which certainly doesn't represent that beautiful city.

[JinLA]

Thanks - Lilli/Suncat. I know the tenderloin area... yeah, you wouldn't want to base a perception of SF on that alone. I think the main concern is the weather. As I said previously, I don't mind it on occassion, but that constant gloom... urgh. But, with our goal of getting out of debt, having an opportunity to live in an area we we may actually be able to live comfortably, and be able to send our kids to public school... that's our goal.
We'll likely be looking for a house in the $325 - $450K range. That said...here is another question about Portland areas and suburbs of Portland:

What are ideal areas surrounding Portland that offer cost of living/cost of real estate comparable to our price range, sense of community, walkable neighborhood, safety, proximity to shopping, good schools?

What are your impressions of these neighborhoods (relative to the above criteria):

West Linn --
Laurelhurst --
Tigard --
Lake Oswego --

Any other suggestions?

Thanks, Folks!

[oldtintype]

Laurelhurst is part of Portland, the others are suburbs. Laurelhurst is probably out of your range.

Check out Tualatin and Wilsonville too.

[suncat]

What are your impressions of these neighborhoods (relative to the above criteria):

West Linn --
Laurelhurst --
Tigard --
Lake Oswego --

Any other suggestions?
[/quote]

Of those four, Laurelhurst is my favorite. There are some beautiful old homes of varying sizes, with pockets of commercial activity scattered about. It's definitely the most walkable area you mentioned. Also, Laurelhurst is a neighborhood within Portland; the other three are incorporated cities around it.

I don't care for West Linn. It's got some pretty views, but in the past 10 years it's become an upscale new-money enclave. Lake Oswego is also upscale, but it's a little more established, and you can find a variety of neighborhoods. LO has an excellent public school system. The downside is a reputation for being snobby, but I don't think it's any worse than in places like Forest Heights.

Tigard is okay, depending on where you are. There seems to be a lot of infill and tear-down development within it. You'll see small subdivisions planted behind older houses a lot. Tigard also has the Bull Mountain area, which has lots and lots of new McMansions.