Another "Moving to Portland" Thread (Eugene, Salem: real estate, sublet)

[MurrayOlive]

Originally Posted by Tulippsy

Congratulations on leaving Florida. I also lived in San Francisco before moving to Florida and I couldn't wait to get back to the west coast.

My suggestion to you is to register with a temp agency as soon as you get here. I did some temping this summer and I could have worked every day if I wanted. The pay was $12-13 dollars an hour for entry level work - receptionist, etc. They also do placement for long term and permanent positions. If you want more info, pm me.

As far as rent, Zillow says the median rent is around $1750 or $1.50 per square foot. My neighbor is renting his one bedroom condo out and is asking $1400. Affordable housing will be a challenge.

You do not need a car to live here. But you will have to choose your location wisely so you don't have to walk a mile to the bus stop or max station. I live along a bus line and it's just fine. Just slow, but if you lived in SF you know what that's like.

Good luck with the move! Don't listen to the trolls.

Thank you Tulippsy - I also cannot wait to get back to the West Coast!! I feel like a fish out of water here in Florida. I have lived here for 6 years without a car and the public transportation is THE PITS - so Portland's busses just cannot be worse than this. I understand the challenges of moving to Portland, but as long as I can find work that does not crush my soul, I think I will be OK - thanks for the encouragement!!!

I will definitely PM you soon for more information!!

[bler144]

Originally Posted by MurrayOlive

What about something like this? I find many like this on CL every day; is this a "bad" neighborhood?

So, that link highlights a couple things.

1) It's $915/mo for a complex that's pretty far out from downtown (117th) and directly on a busy street (Division), which has been carefully framed out of the photos. It's also in an 'elevated' crime area. Not "fear for your life" unsafe, but...definitely don't leave anything in your car. If you had one.

Is it a bad neighborhood? Well, it probably wasn't anyone's first choice, but I've seen much worse [and for the record, I drive through there, but haven't walked alone at night or anything]. Per google maps, the complex sits between a Cigarette store and a model train store. Which sounds about right.

2) It's going to be about 50-60 minutes into downtown by public transit from there. But there will be some options in east Portland nearish-by for service sector employment, shopping etc. But you're definitely out into the area where Portland's "famous" public transport is at best utilitarian. You have the #4 bus going east-west on Division, and the 71 going N/S on 122nd. If you're trying to go diagonally transit either doesn't exist or requires transfers, which adds time, assuming schedules are even synced.

3) Portland's rental market is incredibly tight. And note that this one, in a complex that's ok but not exactly desirable says "Last one!" highlights that competition is stiff. So yes, you see a few posts like that every day. But there are a lot of 'yous' seeing posts like that each day, and arguably there are more 'yous' than openings.

Could you be one of the ones who secures one of these spots? Sure. But that's far from guaranteed.

[norman_w]

I suggest going somewhere else as well. See the NYTimes article on Portland. There's too many 20-somethings moving to Portland, there's not enough jobs for the huge numbers moving in, they have graduate degrees, and they're living in sleeping bags on the sidewalk in front of the shelters. Why do you want to go to Portland anyway. There's other cities that are up and coming that the 20 year olds are moving to

[dots45]

That apartment is in East Portland, and probably not what most people have in mind when
they think of Portland and what it has to offer. For that complex I've seen openings for pretty consistently over the years. I'm familiar with the surrounding areas having lived in this part of town most my life before my more recent moves.

Division is a VERY busy street and you also have a bar and mobile home park of some sort across the street and down a block. 122nd is also very busy. Division/122nd intersection backs up several blocks every day during rush hour. There are worse parts of town in terms of safety, but I wouldn't label this general location as safe. It might not be conveinent either in terms of your work. Public transport can be pretty spotty especially as you get further out.

I don't think you'll be able to find what you want on your budget, in a "good neighborhood". You could find something in east Portland with better access to the Max, but it won't be in a safe neighborhood. Rental market is so tight and with a pet, that makes it even harder. I also don't know of any Admin positions that go in that salary range with benefits. Its good you are thinking ahead, though.

[Minervah]

Aim for the hip and trendy neighborhoods. You may think you do not need them but they are going to be the safest for a single woman if that is a concern. Also they will be the ones that will be more willing to accept your dogs and where the people will be more of the kind of which you are seeking to find.

The area in which you are finding the apartments you are finding apartments are not convenient to good public transportation time wise. I used to take that bus and it can take forever. On weekends service narrows down to a crawl. You might feel a bit stranded living that far out and you seem to be a very sociable person. I don't believe it is walking distance to a supermarket. You also wouldn't want to be walking your dogs at night if you find a place that allows them unless they are big, scary Chihuahuas.

I would suggest you increase your savings of $10,000. Even with a temp job, that won't go very far.

Practicality aside, if you land in the right neighborhood you will find like minded people and will probably be very happy. Where you are looking is not where the the things you are looking for will be but if you are willing to settle for what you can afford and build up to it, you might be able to make it work for you if you are determined. It will all depend upon your obtaining a well-paying job.

[MurrayOlive]

Originally Posted by norman_w

I suggest going somewhere else as well. See the NYTimes article on Portland. There's too many 20-somethings moving to Portland, there's not enough jobs for the huge numbers moving in, they have graduate degrees, and they're living in sleeping bags on the sidewalk in front of the shelters. Why do you want to go to Portland anyway. There's other cities that are up and coming that the 20 year olds are moving to

Why do I want to move to Portland? Well, I think I described why in my original post, but I will reiterate:

* I live car-less and need to live in a town/city with great public transportation, which is also bike-able/walkable.
* I have been vegan for most of my life and want to live in a place where that is acceptable, common and where I can find plentiful food options.
* I enjoy the outdoors and want to live in a place that does NOT have extreme weather - where I live now, I have endured 6 years of HORRIBLY hot/humid weather 7 months out of the year and that is pure misery for me. I was also born in NY and live all over the state until I was 25 - including Albany, NY - where the winters were brutal, snowy and miserable - I do not want to do that again. I know that Portland is grey and drizzly for a good portion of the year - I am thrilled by the prospect!!
* I am an artist and want to live in a place where I can befriend/become part of a community with other artists/like-minded people.
* I am a huge animal welfare proponent and I want to live in a place where this is acceptable - heck, even "normal". Here in the south, this is ABSOLUTELY NOT the case...and I don't want to get into an Animal Welfare discussion here, so that's all I'll say about that.
* I am an Atheist - nuff' said there too!!

Also, I am not a "20 something" coming to Portland with a duffle bag and a dream of becoming famous.

I am 45 years old and looking for a place that I love in which to settle. I have been sober (no drugs/no alcohol) for the past 10 years, have much work/life experience/education, the drive and tenacity to make things happen in my own life (meaning I will take a job in retail/a restaurant/temping/etc. if necessary, if that's what pays the bills until I find what I am looking for).

Does that answer your question?

[borntorun1180]

Originally Posted by norman_w

I suggest going somewhere else as well. See the NYTimes article on Portland. There's too many 20-somethings moving to Portland, there's not enough jobs for the huge numbers moving in, they have graduate degrees, and they're living in sleeping bags on the sidewalk in front of the shelters. Why do you want to go to Portland anyway. There's other cities that are up and coming that the 20 year olds are moving to

That is so true, Portland is such a dump. Why would anyone want to move here just to end up sleeping on the sidewalk or living so far out that you aren't even in Portland anymore.

[MurrayOlive]

Originally Posted by borntorun1180

That is so true, Portland is such a dump. Why would anyone want to move here just to end up sleeping on the sidewalk or living so far out that you aren't even in Portland anymore.

borntorun1180 - I just read a bunch of your other posts and you sound as if you absolutely detest living in Portland - why are you there?

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Minervah

I don't believe it is walking distance to a supermarket.

It's actually good there - there's a Grocery Outlet at 122nd and Division (which I have shopped at many times) and a Safeway at 122nd and Powell, which is within walking distance.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by MurrayOlive

* I live car-less and need to live in a town/city with great public transportation, which is also bike-able/walkable.
* I have been vegan for most of my life and want to live in a place where that is acceptable, common and where I can find plentiful food options.

The trouble is that stretch of East Portland in particular doesn't really meet either of those criteria. It's 4 lane roads with giant intersections and strip malls.

As dots said "That apartment is in East Portland, and probably not what most people have in mind when
they think of Portland and what it has to offer."

Can one bike on 122nd or Division? Yes, they have bike lanes. Should you? Eh...it's risky. Is it a "nice" area to bike? It is absolutely not. Most of the people I do see biking there (and I drive there a lot) are, and I'm trying not to be judgmental here, are riding junkers. A mix of teenagers with no alternate transport and homeless towing a trailer full of their earthly possessions.

There's a number of reasons east Portland does fairly poorly in terms of pedestrians being hit, which has to do with a lack of sidewalks and crosswalks, but some of it, frankly has to do with the drivers and the congestion. And you have to cross quite a bit of "not nice biking area" to get to any "decent to nice" biking area.

Will grocery outlet / safeway have some vegan options? Some, sure. Restaurants? Well, you're looking at going farther afield for that, which is possible, but not exactly convenient.

From your description I'd actually point you towards Eugene instead, though would caution that the job market there is as tough if not tougher. But as a community it's more of what you're describing, at least in your price range. And a $900 will go further there, though of course that's partly because the job market is a bit weaker.