help about portland oregon! (Gresham, Beaverton: sales, 2013, apartments)

[turquoise1]

Am I hallucinating or something? I don't think the weather is that bad. Again, I will reiterate that I once lived where the average high during the winter is 8 degrees and it regularly gets to minus 30 or minus 40 with the windchill. I never want to see five feet of snow EVER AGAIN.

[HarleyKittenn]

I would like to see how you guys like Portland and if you move there! My fiance and I are considering moving there as well from AZ and we are 21 and 23

[Cinebar]

Originally Posted by tomthefrog51

as bad as it sounds we here in oregon do not want californians here. they are not welcome and we just plain dont want you to move here. we have tried to make that clear in the last 45 years or so but californians just dont get it or don't believe it. please don't move to oregon, washington, or idaho. the northwest dosent want you here!

Well, that's kind of rude, dontcha' think? I'm in Washington (did live in Portland some years back for a couple of years) and I would never say that to someone.

I can't speak for how the cosmetology business is in Portland, but as far as housing, it used to be the case that you could buy/rent a place cheaper "across the (Columbia) river" in Clark County. At one time, property taxes were also a lot lower in Clark County. I don't know if this still applies.

Also, keep in mind that if you work in Oregon but live in Washington, you still pay Oregon income tax. Washington has sale's tax (no income tax) but if you're living in Washington but working in Portland, you could still do most of your shopping in Oregon (no sale's tax). Of course, don't mention that fact to anyone working for the Washington State Department of Revenue because they don't like it when people do that.

And if you have to commute from Washington to Oregon (or vice versa), you will be at the mercy of rush hour traffic on one of the two bridges (the Glen Jackson Bridge isn't nearly as bad as the I-5 bridge). If you work hours that are a little "off," such as you go in later in the morning and come home later in the evening than "traditional" work hours, it wouldn't be quite as bad (as long as there's no accident on the bridge).

As for the climate? What can I say? I've lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life and I still get pretty unhappy about what can seem at times like endless rainy days. That hasn't been the case this winter, though. We're having another beautiful, sunny, blue sky day!

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I can't speak for how the cosmetology business is in Portland, but as far as housing, it used to be the case that you could buy/rent a place cheaper "across the (Columbia) river" in Clark County. At one time, property taxes were also a lot lower in Clark County. I don't know if this still applies.

Anymore, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is cheaper once you get out of Multnomah County.

No wonder Portland's population growth has reached a null point.
Portland calls itself the "City that Works".
Well guess what, weird ain't workin' no more.

My wife and I will soon be "empty nesters", and I have run some rough calculations on the expenses of living outside of Portland and Multnomah County.

In every single scenario, I'm much better off (financially) living outside Portland city limits.
For example, I get a bigger lot and nicer house on a street with no potholes, utilities and taxes are less, I get to have plastic bags at the store, and my garbage gets picked up every week!

It's a very hard decision for me to move out of my beloved Portland, but it's a no brainer.
It just isn't worth it anymore.
I have pretty much lived here all my life, and I have family here that goes back generations.
But for me it's turning into a nice place to visit, but I really don't want to live here anymore.
I won't leave Oregon, but somebody put a bird on Portland, then pickled it.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

In every single scenario, I'm much better off (financially) living outside Portland city limits.
For example, I get a bigger lot and nicer house on a street with no potholes, utilities and taxes are less, I get to have plastic bags at the store, and my garbage gets picked up every week!

The ONLY way that I disagree with you is that being in Portland would mean I'd be eating out a lot more often and trying a lot more restaurants. We have decent eating out here in the burbs, but Portland has it going on food wise.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by tomthefrog51

as bad as it sounds we here in oregon do not want californians here. they are not welcome and we just plain dont want you to move here. we have tried to make that clear in the last 45 years or so but californians just dont get it or don't believe it. please don't move to oregon, washington, or idaho. the northwest dosent want you here!

Who elected you spokesman for the entire Northwest?

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Anymore, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is cheaper once you get out of Multnomah County.

No wonder Portland's population growth has reached a null point.
Portland calls itself the "City that Works".
Well guess what, weird ain't workin' no more.

My wife and I will soon be "empty nesters", and I have run some rough calculations on the expenses of living outside of Portland and Multnomah County.

In every single scenario, I'm much better off (financially) living outside Portland city limits.
For example, I get a bigger lot and nicer house on a street with no potholes, utilities and taxes are less, I get to have plastic bags at the store, and my garbage gets picked up every week!

It's a very hard decision for me to move out of my beloved Portland, but it's a no brainer.
It just isn't worth it anymore.
I have pretty much lived here all my life, and I have family here that goes back generations.
But for me it's turning into a nice place to visit, but I really don't want to live here anymore.
I won't leave Oregon, but somebody put a bird on Portland, then pickled it.

I am pretty much in the same boat. I cannot afford to live here for very much longer. I like Portland well enough but I know I can't stay.

[ramedud]

pdxMIKEpdx and Minervah: I'm so sorry to hear that. Portland is such a great place and I hate to see it spoiled by escalating prices for everything in general.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Well, to be honest, the cost of Portland isn't what's driving me out. I can easily afford to live wherever I want.
It's the expense of living in Portland.

I predict that Portland's "Glory Days" are in decline, and in a few years it will become a financial cesspool the way the City's finances have been played with for the last 10 years.
And if they don't do something quick to curtail the rising crime rate, it's going to become a real krappity-hole.( <<<<< Hey Jayuso, look, I'm giving you a free soapbox to stand on!)

What bothers me the most is that the cost of living in Portland doesn't balance out with the return any longer.
I am a skinflint when it comes to my money. I've worked hard for it, and I am not just going to give it away.


I can save a substantial amount of cash just moving 20 minutes away from where I live now and the quality of life (at least from my perspective) will vastly improve.
Plus I won't lose any "benifit" of living in Portland.
If I want to visit someone and/or patronize a Portland business, I'll just jump in my car and make an quick outing of it.
No worries.

[ramedud]

I don't know if it makes you feel any better, but the Bay Area is already in that cesspool. If you want a potential snapshot, look no further. It's just too darn expensive to live here, it's simply not worth it. The big difference between the two is Portland is tiny and friendly in comparison, and will likely stay that way for a while. Crime comes and goes, along with bad economic times and politicians. We're in the biggest economic dip since the Great Depression- yes, everyone's hurting badly but it can't last forever. The Bay is a big mess and its tailspin continues down the abyss of mediocrity. It has no room for improvement, but Portland still has a chance.

You can always come back to Portland when things get better, but like you said visiting may be a better option. I'm also exploring the option of living in one of the suburbs.