Moved from PDX to Houston Several Years Back...My thoughts... (Portland: crime, lawyer)

[sezzam]

Originally Posted by mc0624

Our tentative plan would be to live in WA and drive to Portland as needed. I work from home and hubby would have a shop somewhere. I have research the taxes situation and think this might be our best bet. However we still have lots to consider
...

Good luck.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by mc0624

Our tentative plan would be to live in WA and drive to Portland as needed. I work from home and hubby would have a shop somewhere. I have research the taxes situation and think this might be our best bet. However we still have lots to consider

There is no way we would move to Texas - way too hot for our taste. I lived in Dallas for a little over a year and that was enough for me. We also visited Houston and I thought I was going to die from the oppressive heat and humidity - LOL.

We shall see what happens. I do like reading everyone's views. Obviously we will make our own mind but the various insights are helpful

I know plenty of people that live up in Vancouver, Wa and like it. The major downside is when you need to cross the river and traffic is backed up.

[psichick]

I am sitting here reading this and thinking to myself.....you wrote, for "anyone thinking of moving to PDX".....I think this only applies to people who come from similar areas where you're at. Your diatribe is great, for someone who left PDX for Houston. It fails on almost all accounts for someone wanting to move to PDX from a crappy state like CA (where I live), or heck, even Hawaii. Maybe NY. You know, big big big cities with lots more major issues than PDX.

I guess PDX is my Houston. Better place to live, not as crime ridden. Pretty as heck. WAY better housing prices. Salary is close to the same, but OR's cost of living is WAY lower. I dunno. Me moving up there, I'd have more opportunities to enjoy my life, versus working to live. I can't comment on the career part as I haven't lived in PDX nor Houston. I also think it would depend on your career path. I mean, if you were an actor, you surely wouldn't want to leave PDX for Houston. And you probably shouldn't move to PDX either. Maybe I can make more here in CA working for a huge corp, but who wants to be on-call 24/7? Not me.

So, here's my SoCal rebuff to your points.

1. I recall how the lawyer who fought Roe v Wade, said back then, it was Republicans who supported her/abortion. And now it's them who don't want it. Remember, the only constant in life is change.

2. No clue. Not a business owner nor do I know anything about small businesses in CA. But I'm sure they're suffering a lot.

3. Income taxes. It's close enough to CA's that it's not going to make a difference. For state income taxes, from what I'm reading, CA is 0.3% higher than OR this year. So I say good-bye to about 30+% of my gross pay here or there. But at least in OR, I can afford the $900 rent versus the $1500 I'm paying.

4. All I know is that OR housing is way more affordable. What you have in TX, doesn't exist in certain parts of SoCal. And if it does, it's out in BFE. If you can even find it within the main areas, you're probably looking at....what, a few million? Maybe up to $5M or more? So, even if I can find that in OR for say, $1M or less, I'm still coming out better. I don't know the areas, but I did see a few 2,000 sqft homes (older homes though) on 1/4 acre lots for about $350k. That's a bargain IMHO. You can't even find a 2,000 foot home for $350k within probably a two hour drive from me.

5. It's LA, 'nuff said.

6. At least there's public transport, which from what I'm told by ppl that live there, it's pretty good. Do we even have that in LA? I'm sure we do, but everyone drives. Anyone I know in S. CA that takes public transportation, it's because they have no car. And most ppl that don't have cars, moved here from out of state (I know that can't be across the board, but it's what I have experienced, weird).

This thread makes me want to move just so I can buy a house.

[Sondeera]

Originally Posted by psichick

This thread makes me want to move just so I can buy a house.

Haha, me too. As a SoCal resident who is moving to PDX in early August, with my family of five, the OP's post made me roll my eyes. Of course, I suppose it could be argued that we are some of those horrible Californians who are coming up to "hippy-fy" Oregon.

Again, I chuckle whenever anyone tries to say that house prices anywhere in Portland are similar to those down here. Not. Even. Close. Comparing price point to price point, you get so much more for your money in PDX. As far as yards are concerned, with few exceptions (a house we looked at in Buckman, per se) the yards are quite spacious, especially compared to those new construction areas in So Cal.

I've been to Houston in the summer, and you can keep it. I'll take a Portland winter over a Houston summer any day. Not to mention the choking smog, boring cityscape, and countless strip malls. Austin is a fantastic city, but again chokingly hot in the summer (and not for those who have a cockroach aversion, like myself).

And, as far as taxes are concerned, as the PP stated, OR taxes are slightly lower than CA, and at least you feel like you are getting something for them. Even if the schools are struggling, they're doing better than CA, there's decent public transit, etc.

Houston sounds like a great fit for you, OP. I'm glad you found somewhere that feels like home. Just because Portland didn't, it doesn't mean it's not a great city for the people looking for those things it has to offer, because it does have a lot to offer.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

I've moved hundreds of jobs from the SF Bay Area to the Portland area. Good, high paying, high tech jobs.

Rationale was, better labor force, lower costs of doing business (especially 'lectricity) and, believe it or not, a lower regulatory burden.

It's all relative folks.

[Discovery1]

The Op is corrected. Another look at unemployment among Oregon's young workers | OregonLive.com

There is 1 thing you folks from California ignored to compare is that there are and always will be more opportunities in California than Oregon.

[skiffrace]

Of course, I suppose it could be argued that we are some of those horrible Californians who are coming up to "hippy-fy" Oregon

No, not really. Follow behavior of the majority of the people who live there, and we'll accept you just as you are - you will become an Oregonian in no time at all.
(We're talking PDX here, not the eastern Oregon which is very different)

-Recycle, ride your bike where you can, sell your SUV (in CA), buy Civic (good), Prius (better) or Tesla (best - for the lucky few who can afford it). Jetta Diesel wagon is OK if you have kids to drive around.

-Buy a small house with beautiful garden, instead of large house with a fake lawn (aka Houston)

-Go hiking in the Columbia Gorge on the weekends (way better than anything CA has to offer)

-On the other weekend, go to Seattle (our sister city, just as great as Portland but in a different way), and enjoy the culture, or the Puget Sound (if you are the outdoorsy type)

OK, this should get you started

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Or you could just try being yourself instead of trying to be one of the herd.

That goes a long way in Oregon too..........East and West..

[Sondeera]

Originally Posted by Discovery1

There is 1 thing you folks from California ignored to compare is that there are and always will be more opportunities in California than Oregon.

Opportunities for WHAT? I can tell you this much, our prospects in Portland are already 100X better than what we have here in SoCal, minus the non-summer weather (I hate the heat).

[Sondeera]

Originally Posted by skiffrace

No, not really. Follow behavior of the majority of the people who live there, and we'll accept you just as you are - you will become an Oregonian in no time at all.
(We're talking PDX here, not the eastern Oregon which is very different)

-Recycle, ride your bike where you can, sell your SUV (in CA), buy Civic (good), Prius (better) or Tesla (best - for the lucky few who can afford it). Jetta Diesel wagon is OK if you have kids to drive around.

-Buy a small house with beautiful garden, instead of large house with a fake lawn (aka Houston)

-Go hiking in the Columbia Gorge on the weekends (way better than anything CA has to offer)

-On the other weekend, go to Seattle (our sister city, just as great as Portland but in a different way), and enjoy the culture, or the Puget Sound (if you are the outdoorsy type)

OK, this should get you started

Haha, we already do a lot of those things (recycle, hike, bike, garden, live minimally), although the SUV isn't going anywhere. We need it for our camping gear and bikes. And we already have our first Seattle day trip planned, to visit with friends. My family in Portland jokes that we are more PDX than they are.