General information on moving to Portland (Salem: apartment, rental, car registration)

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by payaza2000

How much money would one realistically need to keep themselves going for a few months (getting licensed, finding work) in a moderate to low income area of Portland where I could expect to get mugged but not murdered.

About $2000. But then the only part of town you can "expect" to get mugged is MAYBE ChinaTown. And you're likely not low income enough to live there.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by hamellr

About $2000. But then the only part of town you can "expect" to get mugged is MAYBE ChinaTown. And you're likely not low income enough to live there.

Agree on the mugging, though think you're a bit low on the money. Even renting a room you're talking about $400-600 a month, and then add food, car, etc. on that. I'd only come that far with that little if the OP were willing to couch surf and had connections to do so.

Personally I'd say at least 5k to give yourself a 3-4 month cushion.

[roadtrippn]

Originally Posted by payaza2000

How much money would one realistically need to keep themselves going for a few months (getting licensed, finding work) in a moderate to low income area of Portland where I could expect to get mugged but not murdered.

Where are the moderate areas? I'm moving to Portland in a couple of months from LA, and so far everything I've seen costs a couple of hundred dollars more than what I pay for rent here. It has me all kinds of frustrated.

[payaza2000]

I was wondering if some local residents of Portland could shed light on another issue. I have heard and read that Portland is undergoing a lot of gentrification, read an article about Trader Joe's pulling out of a neighborhood because residents opposed it for fears of gentrification.

Now I have no problem with rejuvenating a neighborhood, block, or city by attracting wealthier residents or businesses.

But living in DC area I can attest to the ills of gentrification. You can't live in the city unless your working for a lobbying firm or a higher paying position with federal government, or risk your life living in SE. And we have all heard horror stories of NYC, Manhattan is a playground for the ultra-rich and much of the rest of the city is unaffordable.

Is gentrification a problem that people see as ongoing in Portland ? Will it be a Mini-NYC in a few years, $1,700 for a 700 square ft studio? Or is there opposition to growth, that will price current and prospective residents out of the area ? I know this is bit ironic, you know since I said am interested in Real Estate, and lower home prices lead to bad commissions.

Regards,
Shawn.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by bler144

Agree on the mugging, though think you're a bit low on the money. Even renting a room you're talking about $400-600 a month, and then add food, car, etc. on that. I'd only come that far with that little if the OP were willing to couch surf and had connections to do so.

Personally I'd say at least 5k to give yourself a 3-4 month cushion.

I was meaning $2000 for just living in Chinatown. You could do it, but I wouldn't want to unless I was used to sleeping through anything and didn't mind a high chance of bed bugs or extra needles under the bed.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by payaza2000

Is gentrification a problem that people see as ongoing in Portland ?

"Gentrification" is happening everywhere, not just Portland. It's a problem if you're affected by it, but it's a good thing if you're benefiting from it.

Personally I believe it's just another symptom of the growing wealth disparity in the United States. But really, the biggest problem with it is how do you stop it if is a problem? It's a natural economic situation and a byproduct of capitalism. Short of making rich people live next to poor people so that the neighborhood's income is averaged out, how can I, normal joe off the street stop it? Should I refuse to shop, live, eat in those neighborhoods being affected by it? Will that even make a difference? Are we better off having high segregated modern ghettos based on economy instead of race?

[Nell Plotts]

Only Old Town, where there is no housing for all practical purposes, is a place where I would fear mugging. In the metro area murders are basically family or workplace shootings and on occasion what is evidently gang members evening a score - if there is peace in your home and you aren't involved in a gang your odds of being murdered are very, very, small.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by payaza2000

I was wondering if some local residents of Portland could shed light on another issue. I have heard and read that Portland is undergoing a lot of gentrification, read an article about Trader Joe's pulling out of a neighborhood because residents opposed it for fears of gentrification.

If only there were an active thread on this very topic.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by roadtrippn

Where are the moderate areas? I'm moving to Portland in a couple of months from LA, and so far everything I've seen costs a couple of hundred dollars more than what I pay for rent here. It has me all kinds of frustrated.

I was looking at rents in both places a few months back, and was surprised at how relatively small the difference was.

That said, unless you're comparing outlying areas of L.A. to the most expensive parts of Pdx, I'm surprised that you're seeing higher prices here.

The thing to remember is that Pdx is on a much smaller scale. What's your price range (also, what BR/BA) and where will you be working or otherwise occupied?

[roadtrippn]

Originally Posted by bler144

I was looking at rents in both places a few months back, and was surprised at how relatively small the difference was.

That said, unless you're comparing outlying areas of L.A. to the most expensive parts of Pdx, I'm surprised that you're seeing higher prices here.

The thing to remember is that Pdx is on a much smaller scale. What's your price range (also, what BR/BA) and where will you be working or otherwise occupied?

I currently live in a one bedroom in the Hollywood Hills and am paying less than $1100/mo. I was hoping to be paying less than this in a walkable area close to downtown, as Portland is a smaller city. The size of the city was a major factor in my decision to move. I'm mostly seeing Portland prices around $1200+. The difference may seem small, but it's a lot when you're transitioning, and a lot in general when you're talking about moving to a smaller city.