Would I jive well with Portland? (Gresham: fit in, 2015, rental)

[Karmest]

I have a potential job offer with a company in downtown Portland. I've never even been to the state of Oregon before in my life, so all I really know about the place is based on things like popular culture, what you guys talk about here, and perusing the city with Google Maps.

I somewhat fear that my preferences may pretty much clash with the city already, but I would at least like to get some opinions. I mean, who knows, I could be wrong in my assumptions.

So in no particular order, here is my list of things:

1. Not a fan of cold, snowy weather. I don't mind rain on occasion but would prefer to be dry and sunny.
2. Politically I'm conservative/libertarian. Wouldn't really call myself a Republican because I don't care for religion, am pro-abortion, pro-stem-cell-research, pro-MJ-legalization. That being said, I detest gun control, ethanol mandates, EPA pollution regulations, single payer health care, and high taxes.
3. Would prefer to keep rent/mortgage at around $1500/mo for a 3/2/2 type of home.
4. Not a fan of traffic congestion or "famously long" commute times.
5. Not a beer drinker (since I know breweries are a big thing there).
6. Kind of a fan of the outdoors. I wouldn't mind having access to scenic hikes, but I doubt I'd make it a weekly thing.
7. Ride a motorcycle so it would be nice to have access to some curvy roads. (this is also where sunny weather helps)
8. Would probably call myself a foodie. Enjoy trying new restaurants.

Guess I'm really just a home body type of person. I enjoy yard work, restoring classic cars, etc.

[Leisesturm]

Good thing you asked before committing yourself. #7, got you covered... but so does nearly every other state except maybe Nevada and Kansas. #8, ditto. Portland completely fails the rest of your tests. Sorry.

[NWGirl74]

#5 - I don't drink at all and still manage to have a very active social life in which I am not shunned because of it.

#6 - I have lived here for 18 of the last 20 years and can't tell you the last time I went hiking without really having to think about it. Again, not shunned because of it.

#3 will be difficult unless you look out into the suburbs, which will conflict with #4. Scenario: my friend has a house in Gresham. His commute was 10-minutes. They recently moved his office downtown. His commute is now an hour each way on MAX. However, he gets to work from home a few days a week so he feels MAX is a better option for him than paying for parking downtown. OP - if your potential employer doesn't offer a parking permit, you will need to factor that into your budget as well.

#1 - It rarely snows here. It does rain a lot though. Summers are beautiful but tend to not start until about 7/5. In good years, Indian summer goes through mid-October.

#2 - Again, I've been here for almost 20 years and I'm pretty sure if you put 5 of my friends in a room and asked them where I stood on the issues you mention, you'd likely get 5 different answers. The only thing they'd all likely be able to tell you is I became an ordained minister specifically to perform the same sex wedding of two of my good friends so I'm obviously pro-gay marriage. Not one really cares about where you stand politically.

[Phrogg]

1. You would like summer, but other than summer, the Portland area is typically rainy and grey. Some years it doesn't snow; many years it snows just a little bit. Higher elevations snow a little more. It never gets cold in the sense of Northeast/Midwest cold.

2. As a libertarian you would have a love/hate relationship with the general, extremely liberal political mood of Portland. That's not to say you couldn't find any like-minded friends of course, but you might like Portland's suburbs better politically as they are notably more conservative.

5. No big deal, there's a lot to do besides beer.

6. Lots of scenic trails in the Portland area. If you like forests, you will really like the scenery. You don't have to hike, but the opportunity is there if you want it.

8. Lots of restaurants too.

[MountainHi]

I never once had a conversation about any of the issues you mention while living in Portland. It's not like people sit around debating at work, in bars, or around friends. Politics really didn't come up hardly at all. It's your own personal business. Aside from your preference for sunny weather, and your rental budget, you're good to go. You'll fit in fine. I wasn't into the bar or club scene, either, but it didn't matter. It's irrelevant, IMO. Hiking is popular, so you'll enjoy that. You can avoid the hassle of commuting by taking public transit, which is well-developed in the area.

I don't see a problem here, except possibly the affordability issue. How much are they offering you? Try to negotiate for more, if $1500 is all you can afford. Or downsize your expectations--3/2 for a single guy? If it's worth it to you to be in Portland, 2/2 should be enough. Or 2/2 + office. Some 2/2 listings are actually 3/2 when you take a closer look, but they're priced closer to 2/2.

[bler144]

As the prior poster noted, #3 is your big problem. That's a very tall ask rent-wise. Especially without the trade-off of very long commutes. Even in Vancouver that's much harder to get now.

Could do it on a mortgage if you've got 60k+ to put down on a deposit or you're willing to go with a real fixer.

#7/8 definitely.

[Minervah]

Portland would be okay for you with the exception of your rent expectations. The other items on your list you could compromise a bit and it could work. But truthfully, given your list, I would imagine there would be other cities that would be a better fit.

[boulder2015]

Uh did the last two posters read #1? "Dry and sunny" are the antithesis of portland. Op, try another state. You eliminated portland before getting to #2.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Uh did the last two posters read #1? "Dry and sunny" are the antithesis of portland. Op, try another state. You eliminated portland before getting to #2.

I didn't feel the need to respond to every point. It's dry and sunny 7-8 or so months of the year. Very much not 4-5 others. Is the glass 60% full or 40% empty? I still think rent is his biggest poor fit.

As Minervah said, there are probably better fits for him out there overall in any case.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by boulder2015

Uh did the last two posters read #1? "Dry and sunny" are the antithesis of portland. Op, try another state. You eliminated portland before getting to #2.

Yes, that's why I said he would need to compromise on some items. The "dry and sunny" thing would be one of those. Portland is dry and sunny in the summertime. At least that is pretty much the norm. But he would have to deal with the cloudy, wetter weather the rest of the year. It might be worth it to him though, it just depends upon how much he would want to choose to live in Portland.