Any nice master planned communities in the area? Great areas for young families? (Portland: rentals, HOA)

[jgolden804]

Hey all. I have done research, just wanted to get some personal advice. Am considering moving to Portland - have been thinking about it for several years and our job situation finally allows it.

Would like to be in a nice area that has young families - we are in our 20s and have a 3 year old. We really want to be somewhere our child can have plenty of friends to play with. We have been looking at a neighborhood here in Florida that has private pools, sports fields, scheduled children's activities and things like that. Just wondering if the Portland area has anything comparable. If not, where is your best suggestion?

We'd like to rent for up to 2-3 years while we get a better feel for the area and figure out where we'd like to live long term (so schools are not an issue yet). We are not opposed to being outside of town, but would like to be somewhat close. If you can think of anywhere - please do suggest it even if there aren't ordinarily rentals available in the area as we may be able to consider them when we are ready to purchase.

Any advice is welcome. We'd like to be in at least a 3 bedroom, rent could be 2-4k or so. We are self employed and will work from home or at some point lease an office, so location is not an issue as far as work goes. Thanks.

[hamellr]

I can't think of much of what you're looking for. Oregon doesn't tend towards planned communities anymore. Neighborhoods like Lent's Addition is technically a planned neighborhood, but that was over 100 years ago.

We do have neighborhoods with HOAs, but again none quite like what you're looking for. I'm not aware of any specific neighborhoods filled with young couples and kids, most of the ones I'm familiar with are mixed all over the age range.

You'll probably have better luck getting the kids signed up directly with sports, or go through something like the Portland Parks Recreation services.

[EnricoV]

Villebois, down in Wilsonville is the only thing I've heard of in that area. Don't know much about it, though.

Wilsonville is a very good school district.

[turquoise1]

Oswego Pointe in Lake Oswego is a really large townhouse/apt complex. There are a lot of amenities and family-friendly activities in the area.

[mullenium]

Mount park in lake oswego is master planned hoa community with a nice rec center and indoor pool for kids, you can definately find what your looking for there

[PNW-type-gal]

Between the urban growth boundaries and the efforts to keep farm land from being converted into housing, we don't have those massive chunks of land available for development the way Florida does. Toll Brothers, Pulte Homes, D.R. Horton and the like don't build developments here. I think Lennar builds in Portland, but they aren't the developer as well.

[Nell Plotts]

I agree, Mountain Park is probably what you are looking for. If you need directions ask.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Murray Hill in Beaverton has a nice master planned community with amenities, and so does Orenco Station in Hillsboro.

There are plenty of good sized, newer housing developments with HOA's in the suburbs. Very few of them are of the massive, master-planned variety where you get all of the amenities including pool, tennis, athletic fields, etc. (other than maybe some condo developments). Frankly it's not that critical if you live within, for example, the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District (there are other good ones too but THPRD is the first that comes to mind). There are very few private athletic fields, mostly they are run by the schools or the local park and rec districts (which IMHO are pretty good, much better than what you might find in a lot of the sprawl-ish areas in Florida, Arizona, etc.)

[jgolden804]

I appreciate all of the replies. I definitely don't require a place filled with amenities. One of the most appealing things about the community down here is all of the kids activities - craft days, movie nights, things like that. It is 'the' neighborhood to live in if you have young children. Some of the places mentioned sound great - I will look into them. Thanks again.

[christiner81]

Originally Posted by jgolden804

I appreciate all of the replies. I definitely don't require a place filled with amenities. One of the most appealing things about the community down here is all of the kids activities - craft days, movie nights, things like that. It is 'the' neighborhood to live in if you have young children. Some of the places mentioned sound great - I will look into them. Thanks again.

for some other options consider living near a community rec center. ours is fabulous, it has lots of activities and classes for all ages. Some of the rec centers have pools and libraries. I really like the offerings we have in our district area ->Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District If our rec center doesn't have what i'm looking for, it's just a short drive to one nearby that does.