Don't judge me. Possibly relocating from Texas. (Portland, Beaverton: lease, insurance)

[Nell Plotts]

You could visit NW, particularly 23rd street, coffee at St. Honore, lunch at the Stepping Stone (all have websites). Washington Park is almost a must see but be aware that there is a huge project to remediate two reservoirs so parking could be a challenge. Getting Here | Explore Washington Park .

NW Portland near Forest Park USED to middle, even low, income. Because of its proximity to the city center (my Mother used to walk to downtown) housing is really expensive. If you will be working in Hillsboro or Beaverton you could look along Skyline Road (which is for all practical purposes the west edge of Forest Park).

There are many nice neighborhoods on the east side but as I am a NW district person others can comment specifically.

[tothewolves1099]

Hi again everyone, I hope you're all well and excited for Portlands amazing summer that is coming up. My Wife and I will be flying into town in mid December and plan to check out the Hillsboro area. There's about a 90% chance I'll be working on the west side of town so we plan on checking out Hillsboro and Beaverton. Looknig to rent for about $1600 a month as I mentioned before. Do you guys think that would be a tolerable commute every day? Should I rent elsewhere?

Our goal for moving to the Portland area is not so much to enjoy downtown Portland as much as it is to enjoy the Pacific Northwest in general. There's just something about the outdoors in the PNW area that is like an addiction and I just want to be around it. Coming from Houston we get a lot of rain but its nothing like Portland so it will take some getting used to. I will be quite honest, Houston is miserable for me. There is nothing here for me, nada, zip, squat. I'll sacrifice hot humid and torcherous year round heat for consistent rain.

Anyways, I'm always open to suggestions, thanks again!

[Yankeemama]

Check out new apartments at Cedar Mills right near the Market Of Choice. You should easily find anew apartment well within your price range.

[Nor'wet]

Originally Posted by tothewolves1099

...I'll sacrifice hot humid and torcherous year round heat for consistent rain.

Anyways, I'm always open to suggestions, thanks again!

I thought that way once...

I was wrong!

[tothewolves1099]

Originally Posted by Nor'wet

I thought that way once...

I was wrong!

Well I'll never know until I try. I also wont be in Portland 365 days a year..will be doing some traveling for work as well.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by tothewolves1099

Hi again everyone, I hope you're all well and excited for Portlands amazing summer that is coming up. My Wife and I will be flying into town in mid December and plan to check out the Hillsboro area. There's about a 90% chance I'll be working on the west side of town so we plan on checking out Hillsboro and Beaverton. Looknig to rent for about $1600 a month as I mentioned before. Do you guys think that would be a tolerable commute every day? Should I rent elsewhere?

Hillsboro and Beaverton are very suburby suburbs. In between them is Aloha (uh-LO-uh, if you don't want to sound too green), if there technically were an Aloha, which there is not technically. In Beaverton (I live in what I call Aloverton, with a Beaverton mailing address but just west of the city limits), a lot depends on where you live. In my part, there is nothing commercial within walking distance. If we had a neighborhood tavern and small grocery store, I would walk to them and I would be happier. If you simply do not need walking-distance commercial areas, then it may all matter less.

Any commute that involves US 26 eastbound toward Portland in the morning, and the same way back in the evening, has a good chance to be congested. Then again, my definition of congestion differs from most locals. To me, it doesn't stop being congested until one gets out toward Cornelius.

Oh, and they won't be excited for the amazing summer. When it gets to be a real summer--as in 90 and up, and it will--everyone will bleat nonstop, without letup, about how horribly hot it is and how they are suffering. Don't tell them about Texas summers. Okay, I admit that I will make cracks about how I used to wait to mow my lawn in eastern Washington (hot and dry) until it got up to about 108, but I really ought not to do that. But since you'll be visiting, wait to heckle them until you've put in a year here, so you have at least seen what winter looks like.

[tothewolves1099]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

Hillsboro and Beaverton are very suburby suburbs. In between them is Aloha (uh-LO-uh, if you don't want to sound too green), if there technically were an Aloha, which there is not technically. In Beaverton (I live in what I call Aloverton, with a Beaverton mailing address but just west of the city limits), a lot depends on where you live. In my part, there is nothing commercial within walking distance. If we had a neighborhood tavern and small grocery store, I would walk to them and I would be happier. If you simply do not need walking-distance commercial areas, then it may all matter less.

Any commute that involves US 26 eastbound toward Portland in the morning, and the same way back in the evening, has a good chance to be congested. Then again, my definition of congestion differs from most locals. To me, it doesn't stop being congested until one gets out toward Cornelius.

Oh, and they won't be excited for the amazing summer. When it gets to be a real summer--as in 90 and up, and it will--everyone will bleat nonstop, without letup, about how horribly hot it is and how they are suffering. Don't tell them about Texas summers. Okay, I admit that I will make cracks about how I used to wait to mow my lawn in eastern Washington (hot and dry) until it got up to about 108, but I really ought not to do that. But since you'll be visiting, wait to heckle them until you've put in a year here, so you have at least seen what winter looks like.

Yeah walking distance commercial area is not a huge deal. Are there any areas you can recommend that might be just as nice that aren't near a bunch of schools? We don't have kids so a great school district is not a factor for us.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by tothewolves1099

Yeah walking distance commercial area is not a huge deal. Are there any areas you can recommend that might be just as nice that aren't near a bunch of schools? We don't have kids so a great school district is not a factor for us.

Well, if it were me at this point, I'd live way the hell out in Forest Grove. But I do not fundamentally like cities. We're here for my wife's work, and I'm making the best of it.

Most of Beaverton/Aloha/Hillsboro is okay, but if you will be renting, I don't know much about that except that rents are exorbitant and becoming more so. All housing and utilities are very expensive. What I'd do is explore both Beaverton and Hillsboro, and see if you can tell any difference, and which you like more. If you can arrange your commute so it doesn't have to use 26 or OR-217, that's a big plus. It's nice to be near a Max station so you can go to Powell's without having to drive.

Hillsboro's sort of odd because the main drag curves north, then bends west in midtown. If they were designing it today, I doubt they'd set it up that way.

You're really going to miss decent Mexican food. I came here from Tri-Cities via Boise and was naive enough to assume that since there was as large a Hispanic population in Washington County as there had been in the TC, and since the dining scene in the TC was so generally substandard to begin with, there must surely be plenty of good Mexican places. Nah. The two we go back to are in Beaverton. Those two could survive in Pasco; most here could not.

[tothewolves1099]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

Well, if it were me at this point, I'd live way the hell out in Forest Grove. But I do not fundamentally like cities. We're here for my wife's work, and I'm making the best of it.

Most of Beaverton/Aloha/Hillsboro is okay, but if you will be renting, I don't know much about that except that rents are exorbitant and becoming more so. All housing and utilities are very expensive. What I'd do is explore both Beaverton and Hillsboro, and see if you can tell any difference, and which you like more. If you can arrange your commute so it doesn't have to use 26 or OR-217, that's a big plus. It's nice to be near a Max station so you can go to Powell's without having to drive.

Hillsboro's sort of odd because the main drag curves north, then bends west in midtown. If they were designing it today, I doubt they'd set it up that way.

You're really going to miss decent Mexican food. I came here from Tri-Cities via Boise and was naive enough to assume that since there was as large a Hispanic population in Washington County as there had been in the TC, and since the dining scene in the TC was so generally substandard to begin with, there must surely be plenty of good Mexican places. Nah. The two we go back to are in Beaverton. Those two could survive in Pasco; most here could not.

Thanks for tips. I'm not much of a foodie and rarely eat Mexican food now. I used to, don't get me wrong, but now I eat a lot of healthy foods and try to maintain a healthy weight.

[ryan_ninenine]

The anti-transplant vibe that some people give off online is honestly embarassing for me as someone from the area. Absolutely hate to see it. I hope you feel welcome in Portland!