Best Overall County for Real Estate, Schools and Taxes? (Portland: renting, house)

[harrishawke]

I've been renting in Washington County, but what tends to be the favorite to live long term among Washington, Multnomah, or Clackamas? Concerns would be property taxes, quality of school district and crime. Multnomah being Portland city Proper seems like it would be like most major cities where the taxes and highest and city services spread out the thinnest.

[StealthRabbit]

Long term investment focus ... (for business, community, real estate, schools) is likely most secure in Washington County.

1) Intellectual populace (They are less likely to let their community self destruct)
2) Existing HUGE financial commitment from business, community, individuals (Lots of substantial wealth in Wash. County)
3) Forward looking infrastructure and growth management plan
4) Engaged community and citizens (In benefiting the community, not in special interest groups and protectionism)
5) Becoming more self sufficient rather than co-dependent.
6) Could potentially exist APART from Mult county.
7) More beneficial 'diversity' in Washington County (Including some GREAT community focused Christian churches)

My investment dollars and time investment would go to Washington County. (for future security / returns. )

YMMV

[harrishawke]

Should I also consider Clackamas if I'm employed the other side of town?

[StealthRabbit]

Parts of Clackamas are fine, it just doesn't have the industry wealth (leading high tech jobs), and has not spent / planned on significant forward looking infrastructure. (It gets VERY expensive to add, if delayed / lagging), Thus, WA County will be easiest place to GROW / thrive in the future (of the 3 you mentioned).

For a simple nice place to live (invest in community)...(if rural is OK). I prefer Corbett. The CGNSA will keep it nice. (no new growth allowed)
Near Mt Hood CC would be fine as well.

Personally..., I am not metro centric so I like the Columbia Gorge for preference, (living and business) tho I own businesses that need metro services and supplies.

[JonathanLB]

I’ve lived in both several times between Multnomah and Washington and I definitely find it hilarious how Washington County is so much better yet my property taxes are only 60% of what they were in Portland. The roads are also meticulously maintained here in Beaverton, they really are nice, whereas they’re just in tatters and constant disrepair in Portland like it’s a third world country. Skyline is full of potholes, trees have ruined sidewalks all over Portland, it’s just ghetto for such high taxes. There’s nothing nice about it. I don’t know where they’re spending the money but it doesn’t benefit regular citizens whatsoever!

My neighbors are diverse in all of the best ways - not diversity for diversity’s sake - which means Indian, Hispanic, Asian, etc. and working at Nike, Intel, Adidas, and other local businesses. It’s really beautiful to see, just great people, everyone focused on their work and their families, and no homeless people around anywhere to be seen. The “suburbs” get a lot of flak for not being “cool,” but I’ll take boring Beaverton over homeless infested Portland any day! Especially with those tax savings.

PS: Even every single employee at the Beaverton post office branch is extremely nice and friendly I can say. I’ve been there roughly 15 times this year as I’ve sold a bunch of stuff before a move and I’ve had the chance to visit with all 4 regulars and another few too, they’ve gone out of their way to help me and give advice. It’s amazing, I’ve never seen happy, friendly people at any post office anywhere I’ve been... until I lived in Beaverton.

[Nell Plotts]

One of Washington County's advantages is that its construction is relatively new. Roads, sewer lines and other basic resources haven't had the time to wear out.

Like many long term residents of Portland, I am disgusted with the homeless problem which in my opinion is the result of the failure of the State to provide mental health services and drug abuse. This is a relatively (15 year) development. Setting aside this social problem...

Portland had combined storm and sewer lines dating back to the day when sewer treatment didn't exist and the attitude common in that era that the solution to pollution is dilution. The city fought the Feds for years over whether or not our reservoirs need to be covered (what's a little bird poop now in then). Water and sewer charges have skyrocketed - not to mention that one of the City Commissioners threw in a couple of boondoggles.

Many of our streets are in bad need of repair, so much so that potholes are getting to be inverse speed bumps. Add that to the fact that much of the construction that involved tapping sewer and stormwater lines resulted in poorly installed asphalt repair. I would love to see the City's plan for road repair. The City grew by annexing surrounding communities east of the Willamette. The City will not maintain a road that was not built to standard and some of those neighborhoods had just gravel roads. Each property must pay their share to build a road and the residents have refused to do that... but they are demanding that the City build them a decent road. Oh, the drama...

The differences in the performance of each of the Portland Public Schools is in large part a reflection of the aspirations of the parents of the students. PPS has also had to absorb a huge increase in its student population and also has a high % of special needs students as the City has a number of social and medical services for those kids. Add all of that to the fact that almost all of the school buildings are well beyond their design life and need significant repair/replacement.

Basically, the City of Portland is an old lady, communities to the west are in the bloom of their life.

[texasdiver]

Yes, this...^^

Portland has massive legacy infrastructure costs and a political system that seems incapable of making rational decisions when it comes to things like spending priorities.

On the other hand, most of Portland was developed pre-WW2 and so didn't make a lot of the same mistakes that the sprawling suburbs have made in terms of low-density car-dependent sprawl that will be much harder to maintain and service in the future. So I expect Portland to age better long-term than the more sprawling car-centric suburbs.

It's also hard to generalize by county. I think a lot of people would be surprised to learn that Clackamas County is the wealthiest county in OR per-capita: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...-capita_income because it is easy to forget it includes Lake Oswego and West Linn. We tend to think of Clackamas County as that vague area of sprawl out by the Clackamas Mall on 205 and then running out to the rural towns like Estacada and Canby.

For best quality of life, live near where you work regardless of county.

[psichick]

I'd stay out of Multnomah County. In the 6 years I've been here, I've heard of 3 bonds that passed to increase their property taxes, some included Clackamas and Washington. And yes, the residents keep voting it in. Looks like the last one in 2018 was for low-income housing in the 3 counties.

Originally Posted by texasdiver

For best quality of life, live near where you work regardless of county.

This ^^

I know people who live in Beaverton and work in Hillsboro. 10 miles. 20-40 min commute with all the new construction and construction in general. A couple of others cross the river (20 miles) and their commute is 60-90 mins.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by psichick

I'd stay out of Multnomah County. In the 6 years I've been here, I've heard of 3 bonds that passed to increase their property taxes, some included Clackamas and Washington. And yes, the residents keep voting it in. Looks like the last one in 2018 was for low-income housing in the 3 counties.



This ^^

I know people who live in Beaverton and work in Hillsboro. 10 miles. 20-40 min commute with all the new construction and construction in general. A couple of others cross the river (20 miles) and their commute is 60-90 mins.

Yes, I have a handful of neighbors here in Camas who commute daily to tech jobs in the Beaverton-Hillsboro area. Insane and soul-sucking. Just buy a house in Beaverton and get your life back.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I once calculated that if I moved 1/16 of a mile south to Clackamas County, I would save over 800 bucks a year in taxes and utility costs.


That was ten years ago............................