Moving to Portland - So many questions! (Gresham, Beaverton: best neighborhoods, sales)

[lolipopfailure]

My husband and I are looking at being relocated to Portland from Kentucky around March. We are going to have to look for apartments online as we will not have a chance to fly out before hand. Some advice on where to look would be so very appreciated!

A little about what we are looking for...

We are 26 and have a 7 month old baby. My husband makes decent money (70k) and I stay at home. We need 3 bedrooms and are would like to keep rent below $1350 (lower is obviously better, but that's the high end of my budget). I'd love to rent a house, but I'm willing to do a complex if its a nice complex with amenities (pool, fitness, playground, etc). We'll have a car, but walking distance to public transport is really desired. We would love to be in an area where there's a neighborhood feel and we can easily walk to shops, dining, etc. I also want to be in a close proximity to grocery, target, etc. A safe neighborhood is a must.

Neighborhood suggestions or complex suggestions would be great! Any idea of what I should expect would be a plus too!

Thanks in advance!

[philwithbeard]

From the information you posted, I am hesitant to recommend any specific neighborhood. A lot depends on where your husband's work is located. When you first move to Portland, it is a bad idea to have to cross any river in the Portland area during your commute to work. Later, when you are more knowledgeable about rush hour traffic, then you can make an informed decision about your commuter route.

But a couple of links that you might find useful:
Mass Transit: TriMet: Public Transportation for the Portland, Oregon, Metro Area

Maps of Portland City neighborhoods:
Neighborhood Maps and Boundaries

Real basic rental on the inexpensive side database by a public housing:
Housing Connections
this link will give you a idea as to the "floor" of the housing market, you can go up in prices, but hard to go more economical.

I presume you have done a Google search for: Moving to Porland, OR
There are a couple of web sites that give briefings on Portland Neighborhoods.

Please understand, Portland is a large city, NOT HUGE but large. There will be crime, mostly property type crimes, and domestic disputes. The point is the crime rate is significantly lower in Portland than Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and other HUGE cities. Portland, while not crime free, is regarded as being safe.

Portland is unique, and maybe not for everybody. But if you have done your research, and think you will be able to handle the winters, the high unemployment, the reduced wages, and the liberal politics of the PNW, then you will fully enjoy moving here. Best of luck.

Phil

[philwithbeard]

Sorry, I forgot to add:

The best neighborhoods to live in that meet all of your requirements are, as you expect, highly desirable. Competition for housing raises the prices, of course. Some neighborhoods, there is little turn over of housing, and all the landlord has to do is post a sign, and the place will get rented. No need for any posting on the Web. Other neighborhoods, a bit less desirable perhaps for a young married couple with a child soon to start school, always have rental listings on Craigslist.com. Make a mark on a map of rental offerings from Portland area, and use the Multmomah county tab on the Craigslist site. The other tabs are for suburban counties and across the Columbia river into Washington state.

[lolipopfailure]

Thanks for the replies. As far as my husbands work, he will work from home, and occasionally go into the office, but he will be able to determine his own schedule. We have lived in a relatively large city (Louisville) for several years, so that doesn't deter me, and the liberal politics are perfect for us

I hate having to search for an apartment online without ever even visiting the city. I've been scouring for every bit of information I can get ahold of. Thanks for your input.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by lolipopfailure

Thanks for the replies. As far as my husbands work, he will work from home

For someone that can work from home, wants low crime, and good value then I'd stay outside of Portland.

You really need to look the area over before you make a commitment.

I think the Orenco area of Hillsboro sounds about right for you.

[philwithbeard]

I think I may have to mildly agree with DaveFR. I seldom recommend to anyone they should consider living in the 'burbs around Portland.

I think just west of Portland city may be your best choice, provided you live somewhat near the Light Rail mass transit line. Parking Downtown is not pleasant. Park & Rides on the Red and Blue line are known to be filled early. (The Green Line along I-205 on the east side has large unfilled Park & Ride lots, but that is another story.) Current rumor has it the rush hour Red and Blue lines are just plain jam-packed on the western side of Portland city.

If your husband works from home a lot, then he might want the new Internet connections FiOS (fiber optic home connection for the non-techies reading this thread.) FiOS appears to be more common on the West side of Portland out to Beaverton and Hillsboro. There are more high technology types out that way due to large employment of such out west of Portland city. I live on the South East side of town and have noticed a much bigger push for the city wide mobile broadband service (Clear.com WiMAX?) than any push for FiOS service to the home.

HTH

[Yoni777]

Avoid Outer SE & NE Portland and West side of Gresham. Anything from 82nd ave and beyond is really going downhill. I lived in Portland almost 8 years (and Oregon for 17-18 years) and have lived in almost every neighborhood in the city. I like to move around a lot. LOL. I think you will be happy if you live in Hillsboro, although there are some ghettoes rising up ther as well, just stay clear of the few sketchy neighborhoods. Beaverton, is nice for the most part. East Gresham is rather nice and is more of suburbia, like the west side of Portland and Beaverton. The area around Oregon CIty, Wilsonville, Damascus is all nice if you can handle the long traffic ridden commute.

I had my car stolen at 52nd & Powell and I will tell you the neighborhood was bad about 10 years ago and is even worse today. They don't call it "FELONY FLATS" for nothing. I lived at 72nd near Flavel and Duke. All the money in Portland is going into the west side of town and inner SE and the outer parts of Portland are going to hell. Don't believe the hype of Portland being a progressive , liberal treehugger city. Most of the city is littered, full of crime and drug abuse. Its just that most of the tourists and "progressive" live in the inner SE and west side and will forget the outer east side (which takes up like 50% of city area) doesn't exist.

There has been serious increase in gang violence and crime in these areas. However, people in Portland live in denial and will never admit the detriment that is happening. Seattle went downhill the same way.

If $1350 is your budget, consider moving to Vancouver and you can have a nice size house.. HOuses are much cheaper in Vancouver and for that price you can live in good area. I paid that amount and got a 2300sq ft house in upscale neighborhood, but YMMV. Hillsboro, Tigard, Sherwood are all places you can get a large condo or moderate size house for $1350. That is the burbs and expect a rather sterile California style of living. Your neighbors won't be so friendly and smiley like in Kentucky, but at least nobody will bother you and you will be in a safe neighborhood. I lived in Tigard for a year and never met a single neighbor. I kind of liked that in a way.. If you want friendly, smily small town feel go to Forest Grove or small towns outside Gresham. East Gresham and Troutdale you can also get a good house in safe area for the price you are quoting.

Best suggestions of where to live:
1. Outer Vancouver, Salmon Creek, Hazel Dell (No Income Tax if working in Washington, No Sales Tax in Oregon)
2. West Hillsboro
3. Forest Grove (Quite far, small friendly blue-collarish Oregon town, the real Oregon! 45 min-1 hour to downtown p-town without traffic, amazing oak trees throughout town)
4. East Gresham
5. Lake Oswego/West Linn (If you got mucho money and want to be close to the city)
6. Wilsonville (Long commute with traffic, but good area, also cost more)
7. Oregon City, Damascus, etc (Long commute, but nice area and lower cost)
8. SE Hawthorne, Belmont, Division (Hippie/yuppie district, expensive, in the heart of the city, but good area, sitll lot of property crime)
9. Inner NW Side of Portland (Expensive, Crowded, High Amount of Property Crimes; Pay More, Get Less, Why Bother??)
10. SW Portland (Hillsdale specifically, spendy, trendy, hip, convenient)
11. Outer NW Side of Portland (Easier to breathe, still expensive, but more rural feel and city convenience, check out Rock Creek)
12. Sandy, Oregon (Small Conservative Oregon town, but so beauitful.. Prices are much lower, Long commute (50 min) to Downtown P-town, but worth it!, Awesome views of Mt Hood and close to mountains.)
13. Troutdate (Great small town, prices are lower, right at the entrance of gorge. Commute to downtown Portland is like 30 min without traffic, borders East Gresham)
14. Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood (Tough commute to Downtown Portland in traffic, Not far, but crappy portland roads. Oregon's California aka Suburbia. )

[kkompan]

We're web-feet moving to Atlanta (not because we want to). We're also young and starting a family. My husband is born and raised here in Oregon. I'm from Hawaii / Cal, been in Portland 8 years.

I read so many horrible things about ATL crime, I thought i'd check to see what people say about Portland.

My 2 cents: Yes, Portland is not for everyone. But that is 99% because of the rain.

Otherwise, Portland is pristine in terms of city crime. Do we have some bad areas? Yep. But they're easy to spot and even easier to avoid. i never drive threw them, don't need to. they're not inermixed with anywhere i want to go (unlike ATL or Florida say).

Downtown is amuck with panhandlers. Usually very young, and polite. Not homeless, runaways enjoying the city scene. It's a great metropolitan area, clean, safe and funky. Yes, parking sucks.

People in Oregon are THE BEST! I will miss them so much. You've never met such friendly, good-hearted people.

i have to say, most the areas suggested i don't agree with for you at all. And i know all of them , have lived in several. You described the Hawthorn perfectly. It's a walking to funky shops, great breakfast places, young hipster family's kind of place. And you can afford it.

I also agree with West Lynn and Lake Oswego for you. They're not as foot friendly, but very nice. Much more yuppie and much more homoginized than Hawthorne. Not so "neighborhood" feeling. Some would say prissy, but i liked Lake O.

Don't worry the crossing rivers in commute thing, you'll go crazy. A river runs through it.

Enjoy this awesome state. I wish i was moving TO instead of FROM.

PS: VERY HARD TO FIND WORK

[DisplacedBadger]

I agree with kkompan. Strongly recommend Lake Oswego. I work downtown Portland; no problems with the "panhandlers." Also as of late, Portland Police and private security have a strong presence downtown.

[philwithbeard]

LO is suburbia to the maximum. You will be tied to your car for everything.
It will be the land of social status and economic isolation.
If you want 'burbs, go for it.
If you want convenient and short ride Mass Trans, NOT!

Phil