(Another) Moving to Portland post (Eugene: apartment, rent, mover)

[matt newton]

Hi Tulippsy

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately we will have to move our furniture. It's not Florida style at all and way to expensive to replace. I priced out shipping and it should be around $4000 or so. It would be worth it.

Did you ever consider Seattle? We defiantly want a complete opposite of Fort Lauderdale.

I will check out eastern Washington county. Than ks

[cyberous]

Hi Matt,

Have you considered Vancouver Wa?, or anything in that area? Moving from FL to OR you will have to start paying income tax, WA is a state like FL where you do not have to pay state income tax.

Vancouver is very suburban, but a short 5 minute drive gets you across the bridge (off peak hours) to get you to fantastic dining and duty free shopping. It has been the perfect match for me as I don't care to live in a big city but enjoy what they have to offer when needed.

Good luck, as stated the market is very hot right now.

D

[Leisesturm]

That would have to be some AMAZING furniture for $4K to be worth it. And that is an estimate. You don't really know how much you have to fork over until the last milk crate of Classic Rock vinyl is on the truck and the lift gate is locked. You will still have plenty to move without the furniture. Been there. Take our advice. Forget furniture, forget appliances, your keepsakes, clothing and electronics will cost the better part of 3K to move cross country. And that's if you do it yourself.

It's none of my business but I really hope you have thought this through, o.p. We moved from a city with a COL of 216 to one with a COL of 107. We rent IN Portland and pay less than 1400 for 2BR with 1 and 1.5 B. There are a couple of Sushi places in walking distance but I haven't Yelp'ed them. I have to really be in the mood for sushi. We used to live in Hillsboro which is why I say we live IN Portland now.

For us, everything is an improvement over NYC. Everything. I don't think you will be able to say the same. You are going to find things on the expensive side even though you live in a higher end part of FL. Our first rental was a house and after our lease was up we moved out. It sat for two years before being sold. A neighbors house went unsold for longer than that. Fantastic houses get sold. Average ones sit for ages. Sub-par houses never move. I wouldn't want to be in Real Estate in Portland.

[CanuckInPortland]

Originally Posted by matt newton

Hello,

I know I know...another moving to Portland question...sorry.

My wife and I are interested in moving early next year. We live in Fort Lauderdale and want a change. We are 44 years old, no kids, 1 dog, and not rich. We want a big lifestyle change. We both work in the real estate field and do Uber on the side.

We are looking for a lifestyle that will bring us closer to nature. Fort Lauderdale is hot, flat and suburban. Schools are not important. Big social seen is not important. Farmers markets are important. Hiking is important. Good food is important.

I have been to Seattle a few times but never Portland. Looking for suggestions on places to live. Safe by our standards is probably different then NW standards. My wife is from Queens and I am from DC. We don't want to be in the ghetto but we are not afraid of a little diversity.

thanks for any help

Matt

If you want to be close to nature and still be close to the rest of the metro you might consider checking out Camas, Washington just over the river(or the Washougal area). Really close to the Silver Star Mountain area(nice for hiking) and the start of the Columbia Gorge is just down the road(and the highway on the Washington side is more scenic)--and there's a farmer's market there. As long as one didn't have to commute at peak hours to Portland(which it doesn't sound like you have to--that's a nice area for being closer to nature.

Another location is Troutdale--there's a decent little downtown that's sort of coming along and improving and it's right on the edge of the mountains--though not that far to get to the Eastside of Portland. Really good access to the woods and hills though and you're on the fast track to Mt Hood from there.

If you're not interested in sort of small town living, you might enjoy Washington County which is more diverse and suburban, though probably the most sort of cosmopolitan suburban area of Portland suburbs.

Also though, it's not that hard to get out in to nature here, considering Forest Park starts just north of downtown Portland and you can get to the first good trails in the Gorge in like 30 minutes(Angel's Rest is right down I-84). But I'd look outside Portland itself to save money since it's so easy to get places here on the weekends. Unless one is working specifically in Portland or young and looking for action, the suburbs are a better bargain here.

[Nell Plotts]

I second the do not ship furniture advice. There are lots of resale and consignment shops, estate sales, and if you are into antiques O'Gallerie: Fine Arts, Antiques and Estate Auctions . And yes, we have IKEA.

[matt newton]

Thanks for the furniture advise...but I like my furniture and to me it is worth shipping.

I have moved across country three times and know how much it costs.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by matt newton

Thanks for the furniture advise...but I like my furniture and to me it is worth shipping.

I have moved across country three times and know how much it costs.

I used PODS for one container five years ago and the distance was 3000 miles. My husband and I thought it was reasonably priced and brought our special pieces. Our bedroom furniture alone is quite special and would cost over 5k to replace. Some of us actually like our furniture. There are many transplants that ship their furniture, OP. You are not alone.

[Tulippsy]

If you can move a one bedroom's worth of furniture for 4k and have it look as good on the other end, do it! That's really inexpensive. Our estimate was $20,000, but things would've had to be crated, etc. Instead we had an auction and made enough to buy all new furniture with some left over.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

Considering traffic, Portland is at least an hour from nice nature areas. It's good schools and social life aren't important to you if you're considering Portland. Food in Portland is OK but nothing special, I actually think Eugene and Corvallis have better food. It's not terrible though I find dishes in Portland tend to be quite bland and flavorless much of the time, especially the Chinese and Mexican food.

I'm not a huge fan of the Portland burbs but Beaverton and Tigard seem decent if you want a suburban lifestyle. I'm not too familiar with Hillsboro and Forest Grove only been out that way a couple of times.

Not true. Forest Park is amazing. Lower Macleay Park is amazing....There are lots of hiking areas in the city that make you feel like you're miles away from civilization.


Bland and flavorless, huh? You must eat in some interesting places because there is lots of amazing food here (and I'm originally from a long time "famous for the food" city).

OP, I think you need to come back on here when you have an idea of what suburb your wife may be working in. That will make a big difference.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

Bland and flavorless, huh? You must eat in some interesting places because there is lots of amazing food here (and I'm originally from a long time "famous for the food" city).

I like Eugene, but yeah, the claim that it has better food than Portland is...interesting. Of course taste is purely a matter of opinion, but just picking on Thai, I can get a high quality meal at any number of places in Portland for $12 with tip, vs. an okay meal in Eugene for $14.

Eugene has also never really been known for authentic Chinese, though there are a few newer places popping up the past 2-3 years. But most of the positive reviews for Asian dining are Americanized tastes - "great General Tso's chicken/pad thai!" And because that's what people order, sure, maybe Eugene really does Americanized Asian "better" than Portland.

But I suspect part of the difference Mini is pointing to is that in Eugene less of your budget will get eaten up by housing, so you can splurge for relatively more expensive restaurants, and more often. But if you have $15 to spend in Portland or Eugene anywhere you chose, you'd definitely get more for your money in Portland imo.