Family of four moving to Portland area (Salem, Beaverton: apartment, rentals)

[VelouriaPDX]

Unfortunately even attached apartments with good schools are usually $1500+ minimally here. Single family homes are going to be at least $2000ish.

I'm somewhat familiar with housing costs in S Jersey; you are going to be shocked by the costs you find here. My husband and I are casually contemplating a move to the Philly suburbs to be closer to family so I've been researching housing there. Schools in the Philly burbs we've looked at are some of the best public schools in the country and there are nice 3 bedroom homes with yards , garages, and safe neighborhoods for $300,000 or even less--that scenario does not exist here.

[rumi79]

Originally Posted by VelouriaPDX

Unfortunately even attached apartments with good schools are usually $1500+ minimally here. Single family homes are going to be at least $2000ish.

I'm somewhat familiar with housing costs in S Jersey; you are going to be shocked by the costs you find here. My husband and I are casually contemplating a move to the Philly suburbs to be closer to family so I've been researching housing there. Schools in the Philly burbs we've looked at are some of the best public schools in the country and there are nice 3 bedroom homes with yards , garages, and safe neighborhoods for $300,000 or even less--that scenario does not exist here.

oh yes, the house market in South Jersey is still pretty depressed. The closer you get to the shore, the cheaper the houses due to the large amount of foreclosures and shortsales after the casino closures and hurricane Sandy. Our house is good $50,000 down from what we bought it for back in 2007, that's why we are planning to rent it out so we don't have to deal with shortsale or foreclosure.

[VelouriaPDX]

Originally Posted by rumi79

oh yes, the house market in South Jersey is still pretty depressed. The closer you get to the shore, the cheaper the houses due to the large amount of foreclosures and shortsales after the casino closures and hurricane Sandy. Our house is good $50,000 down from what we bought it for back in 2007, that's why we are planning to rent it out so we don't have to deal with shortsale or foreclosure.

Sorry to hear that. I'm curious why you've targeted just Oregon and Washington for your move. Have you visited?

Have you considered Montgomery or Bucks counties in Pennsylvania? Lots of colleges and universities, safe and affordable housing, excellent public schools. In Bucks you could have some land and great schools for the same price you'll pay in Portland for a nice condo. I ask because it's less than an hour from where you currently live.

[rumi79]

Originally Posted by VelouriaPDX

Sorry to hear that. I'm curious why you've targeted just Oregon and Washington for your move. Have you visited?

Have you considered Montgomery or Bucks counties in Pennsylvania? Lots of colleges and universities, safe and affordable housing, excellent public schools. In Bucks you could have some land and great schools for the same price you'll pay in Portland for a nice condo. I ask because it's less than an hour from where you currently live.

Haha, we get that question a lot. We want to experience the West coast lifestyle and my husband is a mountain type of guy, I like the ocean (even though I know it is not like the beaches here). We are more liberal in our world views than most of our friends on the East coast, so we decided to see how the life is on the other side. I really want to show the kids the country, that's why we immigrated initially - to meet new cultures and experience different than Eastern European lifestyle. I don't think that this move will be our last one but who knows, we might just love it there and stay forever.

[Leisesturm]

Portland does not have any mountains and the beaches are more than an hours drive to the West. That said, I have met three Bulgarian women in the last three months all working in various departments at OHSU. There must be some kind of network you could join. Some of your notions of the West Coast are romanticized. Some aspects of your plan are unwise. You need to talk this through with people like yourself that are actually doing it.

[rumi79]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Portland does not have any mountains and the beaches are more than an hours drive to the West. That said, I have met three Bulgarian women in the last three months all working in various departments at OHSU. There must be some kind of network you could join. Some of your notions of the West Coast are romanticized. Some aspects of your plan are unwise. You need to talk this through with people like yourself that are actually doing it.

hmm, from looking at the map and pictures it is definitely more curvy than South Jersey where all we have is fields.
What do you mean when you say that some aspects of the plan are unwise? I am going to a job with an average income. I see that the real estate is really high right now and we are not planning to buy in the next 2-3 years. I am confused.

[VelouriaPDX]

Originally Posted by rumi79

Haha, we get that question a lot. We want to experience the West coast lifestyle and my husband is a mountain type of guy, I like the ocean (even though I know it is not like the beaches here). We are more liberal in our world views than most of our friends on the East coast, so we decided to see how the life is on the other side. I really want to show the kids the country, that's why we immigrated initially - to meet new cultures and experience different than Eastern European lifestyle. I don't think that this move will be our last one but who knows, we might just love it there and stay forever.

I say with concern and sincerity that I am worried this move will bring hardship to your family based on this thread and other posts in your post history.

[rumi79]

Originally Posted by VelouriaPDX

I say with concern and sincerity that I am worried this move will bring hardship to your family based on this thread and other posts in your post history.

Do you refer to the finances that we will have on hand or that we won't feel at home in Portland and metro area? Thank you for being honest and caring!

[VelouriaPDX]

Originally Posted by rumi79

Do you refer to the finances that we will have on hand or that we won't feel at home in Portland and metro area? Thank you for being honest and caring!

I am speaking from a financial standpoint. You've stated the position you are being considered for at PSU offers "average salary." I'm not sure what you mean by that. Let's say $65,000? That is not enough to support a family here with housing and childcare costs what they are. The schools here are very hit or miss and I am assuming you care about schools. You will need to spend a minimum of $2,000/month on rent for a two bedroom attached apartment for an acceptable school. Food and toiletries will be about $600. Gas and parking? Probably $300/mo if you commute downtown. Utilities can be pricey here, especially water. Let's say at least another $300/mo assuming you need internet, phones, electric, water, garbage, and heat. After-school or summer care for your children--last I checked Oregon had the highest costs of childcare relative to income in the country. I'm not even including healthcare because last I heard PSU pays 100% of the cost of insurance but if that is not true anymore you will also be saddled with the cost of health insurance.

Property taxes here are lower than Jersey but we have a very high income tax and medium property taxes relative to other states.

If you were single or it were just you and your husband (and you would be happy in a studio or one bedroom, schools were not an issue, etc) I would say absolutely go for it. But that's not you.

In other posts on here you've described yourselves as working class, lower middle class, with a house buying budget of $180,000 at most. You are under water on your present home. I'm not trying to be mean, I'm trying to save you from living in a sad neighborhood here with terrible schools that (based on your post) will not even be close to the kind of house your husband is hoping for.

Presumably you have built a community for yourself where you are? You have friends? Your children know people and are comfortable in their schools? And you don't know a soul here?

You could stay where you are and make the same salary and have expenses 50% less and come to the west coast for a fun vacation.

[Minervah]

One hardship I can foresee is leaving your children in NJ. How long are you willing to leave them while trying to find your two bedroom house for only $1600 in the area you desire? Because it will take a long, long time if it's to be found at all.

Remember, there will be many others ahead of you in line for that elusive house. They will have with higher than your average income, better credit and cash in hand. Portland has a very competitive rental market. Scarcity of the type of housing you want means long waits and strong competition. You mentioned you were depressed after "more than a week" of looking online. Imagine how you would feel after weeks or months or searching in person and still not finding what you wanted.

Also your husband putting restrictions on your housing search of not wanting to deal with townhouses and associations doesn't help. I hate to say this so bluntly but the old saying "beggars can't be choosers" applies here. I don't mean to offend but the truth is you want to live in a very highly desirable city with a very high cost of living in an area with excellent schools for very little money. That's about the gist of it. There has to be compromises an example of which would be housing in the more distant suburban areas but the restrictions on the type of housing your husband is applying might have to go. The desire to live in the Metro area would not be feasible at least not until your income was sufficient. The cat might be a problem as well since many landlords do not allow pets.

If you are determined to move to the PNW, there are have to be other cities more in your price range.

You asked for advice on housing in Portland and I think people are giving you good, straightforward answers. No one can tell you there is an easy way around your difficulties in finding housing because there isn't. Not for you, not for anyone with your limited income.

It's of course up to you as to whether or not you want to take that advice. But at least you are aware of some of the problems you could be running into if you decide to go ahead with your plans at this point.