Leaving the Army looking for a new home (Portland, Salem: cheap apartment, for rent)

[SoldierInTransit]

Hi, I have researched several different cities and I believe I am settling on Portland. I am leaving the army and looking to use my G.I. Bill to go to college. With the new G.I. Bill I will receive 1200 dollars a month (after my school is paid) for basic living. Along with this I will be able to draw an unemployment check until I can find a job. I was a Sergeant in the Army so I assume I should be able to find a low level supervisor position while I attend school.

I also had a bad accident where an up-armored vehicle crashed with me inside it causing me permanent damages (my hand was crushed and I almost lost my fingers I barely have mobility now). I will be collecting a disability check as well but I wouldn't want to factor that into my income just yet.

My question is this, I have searched everywhere and mostly what I have found is that people are not renting houses closer to the Portland area; you have to go farther out to Salem to find a decent house for rent. That's an hour drive to school. I want something 30 minutes away tops, with sort of a country feel to it maybe 1-2 bedroom for around 700 dollars rent. Would this be unheard of?


Sorry for the long post, please help. This is crucial to me that I get this right as I do not know anyone in OR, I need to find a decent city to live in though because I am from TN and the closest thing to my family and friends for a big city is Memphis.......and I'm not going to live in Memphis.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Well, you could always try N. Carolina, plenty of Universities and community colleges, mild climate, never too far from the Atlantic for really good fishin', or the Mountains for ski-ing or trout fishing, friendly people, might I suggest Greensboro, nice town with several good universities wherein, the male/female ratio works in the male favor.

[SoldierInTransit]

I think the fishing would be better in OR, with the Salmon and the humongous striped bass. I really don't know much about fishing in NC but if its prodominatly fly fishing you can count me out. With my hand the way it is, it can be a real pain to mess with that kind of set-up. Also the rates for how much I get paid to live vary depending where I live, Greensboro pays about 300 dollars less to live and I can't see the price of living being that huge of a differnce to make up for that. I also met quite a few people from NC I didn't get along with due to the nature of racism, going both ways, racisit blacks and whites.

[Nell Plotts]

The Veteran's hospital in Portland is excellent, it is affiliated with the Oregon Health Sciences University.

There are houses to rent in Portland, much depends on what you want to spend. Where do you intend to go to school?

Odds are there is a group that assists disabled veterans in Portland metro that could help you find a place to live reasonably convenient to the public college you want to attend, in fact there may be a resource at the school. Please, please, tell me that you aren't enrolling in a for-profit school. In Portland metro the least expensive route in Portland would be a community college for the first two years, then Portland State University or Oregon Technical Institute (they may have changed their name).

Educationally you could so the same type of program with the goal of attending U of OR or OR State U.

[SoldierInTransit]

I was planning on attending PSU for a business degree in marketing. I may settle for a cheap apartment close to school untill I can find a small house a little ways away and pay a decent price. I was just wondering if what I was asking for was likely to happen or should I plan on spending more than 700 for a 1 bedroom house 15 minutes away from the school.

P.S. That's great news about the Vetern's hospital, thank you.

[Nell Plotts]

You will be lucky to find a 1 bedroom apartment for $700/mo within 15 minutes of PSU let alone a house. Contact PSU about housing, there is a limited number of student apartments under their management. You may have priority as a disabled vet. Car parking may be an issue too (this is a down town school).

[SoldierInTransit]

Thanks, do you know if I look for a place to live in Vancouver, WA if the commute would be a bit of a drive? It's listed on mapquest as being 8 miles away but im not too sure how long that would be with the traffic.

P.S. I have been finding plenty of nice apartments around 700-800 within 15 minutes of the school.
P.P.S. I'm not sure if im clear about the 15 minutes, I mean a 15 minute drive or 15 mile radius not get in my car and im at school in 15 minutes. Maybe that was causing some confusion?

[Nell Plotts]

If you live in Vancouver you will not get in-state tuition. Also if you live in Vancouver you will be subject to substantial traffic congestion on the I-5 interstate bridge. I would not recommend it to my worst enemy.

Finding a parking spot around PSU is a competitive sport, it takes time and you can't "feed the meeter" so you will be in a parking structure. You will be much happier finding an apartment on a transit route that passes close to PSU. Honest. The Portland Streetcar that travels from the south waterfront neighborhood to NW Portland would be my first transit choice, the line that runs on SW Broadway/SW 6th my second choice.

There are a lot of apartments within walking distance of PSU.

You have a better chance in finding an apartment with a parking space if you look in the 'Goose Hollow' neighborhood to the west of PSU north & south of Jefferson Street They are likely cheaper than those in the 'Pearl' or popular streets in NW District. DO NOT rent an apartment in Old Town, IMHO.

[SoldierInTransit]

I thought about the out of state thing being bad right after I hit the reply button. I still wanted to know about the traffic and thank you very much for clearing that up for me. I believe you are right about the apartment situation as well. I think I was trying to do too much, I have a car but if the parking is as you say it is I am going to look for somewhere with transit to the college. I will be keeping some miles off of my car as well.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by SoldierInTransit

I think the fishing would be better in OR, with the Salmon and the humongous striped bass. I really don't know much about fishing in NC but if its prodominatly fly fishing you can count me out. With my hand the way it is, it can be a real pain to mess with that kind of set-up. Also the rates for how much I get paid to live vary depending where I live, Greensboro pays about 300 dollars less to live and I can't see the price of living being that huge of a differnce to make up for that. I also met quite a few people from NC I didn't get along with due to the nature of racism, going both ways, racisit blacks and whites.

Oh wow!! I've never even heard of anyone flyfishing for Tuna, not bluefin, not yellowfin, and not albacore. An 80 pounder would tire out all six fishermen on the boat, a 300 pounder would turn all arms to jello. I did land a six pound largemouth bass on a flyrod, ahhhhhh, that was fun.