best neighborhoods for newlywed urban couple (Portland, Burns: homes, good schools, living in)

[katedoll]

hi there!

we have been living in San Francisco - and though we love it - we can't afford it and we are looking for a smaller city that still has an urban vibe & great community. through our research - portland looks like it fits our needs (we're going to check it out this weekend). would love some advice as to some great neighborhoods that we should check out.
here are out stats/wants:
- close to downtown - we are not ready to go suburban yet!
- lots of character - yet sophisticated & affordable (nice homes)
- able to walk to some restaurants, cafes, shops, etc.
- good place to raise a family - good schools, community (we are pregnant with our first!)
- FYI - we are in our mid-30's


thanks for your advice and suggestions!

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by katedoll

hi there!

we have been living in San Francisco - and though we love it - we can't afford it and we are looking for a smaller city that still has an urban vibe & great community. through our research - portland looks like it fits our needs (we're going to check it out this weekend). would love some advice as to some great neighborhoods that we should check out.
here are out stats/wants:
- close to downtown - we are not ready to go suburban yet!
- lots of character - yet sophisticated & affordable (nice homes)
- able to walk to some restaurants, cafes, shops, etc.
- good place to raise a family - good schools, community (we are pregnant with our first!)
- FYI - we are in our mid-30's


thanks for your advice and suggestions!

You'll probaby like the Sellwood area. Good family environment for young couples as well as single parents in your age group. Goose Hollow is also a good community just not as "family oriented" per se' and it's close to downtown. I live in CA and have been researching Portland for some time so I'm learning more about the city and its neighborhoods. San Francisco was much better a few decades ago, time sure changed the city for the worst, econonic and many other reasons. Good luck in Portland.

[JinLA]

My husband and I live in LA and we're in our mid-thirties and may very well be relocating to Portland if my hubby get's offered this job. We should know this week! We went up this weekend to check it out, but we really didn't have enough time to see all the places we wanted to. Sellwood seems like it might fit the bill... also Laurelhurst area. Very nice bungalows and homes with character. The Pearl District and NW 23rd areas of the city might be of interest to you too, if you like that city vibe with shops and restaurants. Just my two cents! Congrats on the impending baby! My hubby and I are looking to relocate so we can afford to adopt our first!

[oldtintype]

What areas of SF do you like for reference?

[katedoll]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

What areas of SF do you like for reference?

great question!

we live in Cole Valley and really like the neighborhood - in walking distance to the necessities (pizza, sushi, Zazie's, movie rental, hardware, coffee, mani/pedi, etc) - a little more neighborhood-ish.

otherwise - one of the things we are looking foward to is less buildings and more green! that's rare in SF. we thought about moving to Sausalito as well.

[oldtintype]

If you can afford to live in Sausalito I'd say go for it!

Otherwise I'd check out Sellwood, Westmoreland, Laurelhurst, Alameda, Irvington, Multnomah Village, the area around Chapman Elementary (Inner NW Portland but above NW 23rd), Ladd's Addition, etc. There are tons of really nice areas that are even more full of stores and things than Cole Valley--a lot warmer too

[ashleyd]

Irvington. Definitely. It's immensely walkable, bikeable, especially liberal (even for Portland!), easy to get to the Max, and yet it retains a very community feel. A little older, denser, and trendier than Sellwood, and much closer to downtown.

[lucero32]

I want to second Irvington! I live in an adjacent neighborhood (Grant Park) and love the area. Your bio sounds exactly like that of my wife and I when we first moved to Portland. In this area of NE Portland we found friendly neighbors and lots of programs and recreational opportunities for families. Plus, there are numerous shopping options within walking distance, or a very short drive. From the shops on Broadway, to Beaumont Village and Fremont, Hollywood, heck...even Alberta and Mississippi are only five minutes away! Plus, Broadway, the main street through the area, leads directly into the Pearl and all it has to offer. The local schools are all solid too.

The area is rather pricey by Portland standards, but compared to San Francisco, will be a relative bargain. Check out everything from Irvington, Grant Park, Alameda, Beaumont and Wilshire. A lot of people also like Laurelhurst too. It is a beautiful area, but it doesn't have the close walkable shopping that Irvington does, depending on how close you are to 28th and Burnside.

If these areas are a little out of your price range, then my next choice would be West Moreland in the SE. It is a small, but quaint area with close proximity to shopping. It has a great park and a nice golf course is nearby too.

There is a great website, [urlmodaerator cut/[/url] which really has a lot of great information regarding neighborhoods. Plus, you can search specific neighborhoods for available housing.

Good luck...