Considering moving here (Portland, Eugene, Salem: fit in, apartments, house)

[SquadDriver]

Hello all. I've been considering making a move to Portland within a year or so. I currently reside in northwest Arkansas, in a small city of about 20,000. I've never been real happy with life here. It's a little too small and smack dab in the middle of the Bible belt. There are some endearing qualities about the redneck culture but I just don't quite fit in here. I'm much more liberal than most here and I love riding bicycles.

I've had a couple of failed life plans within the past year and am looking at starting all over. Pushing the "reset button" if you will. I really want to get away and experience a big city.

I've read that Portland has quite possibly the best bicycle infrastructure and culture in the US. Is this true? I would love to be somewhere where biking is the norm. I've read up on Pacific NW weather and SAD and feel like I could cope with the right tools and practices. I'd be looking at taking a very basic, possibly minimum wage (full time) job to begin. Would possibly pick up a second part time. My plan would be to eventually get hired by whatever EMS agency resides in Portland.

Does anybody know of any cheap but livable apartments? I've looked at rent.com and apartments.com and it seems the cheapest is Rock Creek apartments. Does anybody know anything about these? I wouldn't need anything more than a tiny studio apartment to begin with. I won't be bringing much more than a bicycle and some clothes to start out. I'd like to live close to downtown but would be happy with a place a little farther away with access to a bus route if possible. Anyways, what are your suggestions on where to live? Think I would like it in Portland?

[davefr]

Yes, this is a very bike friendly area in terms of infrastructure. However weather will modulate that.

We have a very high minimum wage. That means avail. of jobs is very low. The bottom line is that you need to secure the job before you move here unless you have a big safety net for unemployment.

Cost of living is very high here.

Your best bet is to scope it out first. If you can make it work then great!! Just don't assume it will.

[davefr]

Duplicate response

[philwithbeard]

Craigslist for a good idea for apartment costs.

Aside: On Craigslist, Portland City is in Multnomah county. Clark county is north in Washington State, Clackamas County is to the East and south, and Washington County is West of Portland City.

Google map Portland and click on the 'terrain' feature. Willamette river divides Portland east and west. Burnside street divides Portland North and South.

Cheapest housing is where it was cheap to build a house; the flats on the SE side of Portland and that section that lies due north of Willamette river as it passes to the East of downtown Portland. Portland area geology has a lot of really, REALLY, old volcanoes, like Mt. Tabor. Costs extra to build house foundation on old lava flow hills. Several more old volcanoes on West side of Portland. BTW: old as in Millions of years old. Mt Hood, is NOT that old, Nor is Mt. St. Helen. (Wikipedia: Boring Lava Field; Boring is just the name, not an editorial of the topic.)

Now, with you Google map still on "Terrain" zoom out to get a feel for I-5 corridor down the Willamette Central Oregon Valley. Salem is state Capital, and further south is Eugene, OR. Eugene is also very bike friendly, as it is home to U of Oregon, Future Winners of Rose Bowl, Jan 2010.

Until the overall economy across the USA gets a big boost, Portland like so many other places has hard times. Do not expect to find a job by just showing up. Trust me, there are lots and lots of young people your age with same idea. And you will just be joining in at the back of the line for the few jobs that are open. Same with cheap housing. Next Fall, who knows; could be lots better. Things are better now than a year ago, so maybe in another year things will be better still. Who knows?

Please, re-read Davefr's post.

Phil

[pdxMIKEpdx]

You know, sometimes it seems like the majority of posts answering somebody wanting to move to Portland are full of dire warnings and negativity.
Sometimes if you wait too long for the conditions to be perfect, you miss out on a grand adventure.
Hell if you're young, want to turn your life in another direction, crave adventure and change, and can get by with little money, and have no stings or responsibilities, I'd say go for it.
If you crash and fall, it only affects you, and not a whole family.
One of the best advantages of youth is you get to do things on a whim and have some fun.
You may not have the wisdom of the aged, but you can make up for it with attitude and energy.
Oregon was settled by people taking huge chances.

On the other hand, decent jobs are hard to find (not impossible) and it's hard to get a fresh start in a town thats on the other side of the country and full of strangers.
So I will advise, build up a nest egg, live frugally, make intelligent decisions, and at least put aside enough for a bus ticket home if things don't work out.

Sounds like you got the beginnings of a plan, flesh it out, paint your wagon, and take a chance.

Welcome to Oregon!

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

You know, sometimes it seems like the majority of posts answering somebody wanting to move to Portland are full of dire warnings and negativity.
Sometimes if you wait too long for the conditions to be perfect, you miss out on a grand adventure.
Hell if you're young, want to turn your life in another direction, crave adventure and change, and can get by with little money, and have no stings or responsibilities, I'd say go for it.
If you crash and fall, it only affects you, and not a whole family.
One of the best advantages of youth is you get to do things on a whim and have some fun.
You may not have the wisdom of the aged, but you can make up for it with attitude and energy.
Oregon was settled by people taking huge chances.

On the other hand, decent jobs are hard to find (not impossible) and it's hard to get a fresh start in a town thats on the other side of the country and full of strangers.
So I will advise, build up a nest egg, live frugally, make intelligent decisions, and at least put aside enough for a bus ticket home if things don't work out.

Sounds like you got the beginnings of a plan, flesh it out, paint your wagon, and take a chance.

Welcome to Oregon!

Excellent post.

The OP may also want to check out Davis, CA. It been considered the most bike friendly city for a few years. No rain either.

What Makes A City Bike Friendly? Ask Davis, California | Autopia | Wired.com

[SquadDriver]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I understand jobs are hard to come by. I would be sure to make a long visit and see if I could pin down a job before actually moving. I have some savings, but I don't want to waste it away looking for a job. Finding a job has always been easy for me but this economy might make that otherwise. We'll see how things work out. I have heard plenty about Davis and would probably enjoy living there. However, I really want a piece of the big. Don't know why, just do.