Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Oregon > Portland
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-25-2010, 06:53 PM
 
47 posts, read 111,404 times
Reputation: 30

Advertisements

Hello all!
I just got offered a position out in the Portland area and plan to move within 2 months. I need help! This is where you all come in. A little about me: single, female, black, would like to stay in a nice area--trendy, art filled, shops--both coffee and books, etc. The job is in Southeast area of Portland. How is the commute/traffic?
I plan to visit to tour some areas next month. This is time sensitive and I didn't know it was going to happen so fast! whew. Thanks alot guys in advance.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-25-2010, 07:40 PM
 
Location: SE PDX
569 posts, read 1,813,661 times
Reputation: 126
First let me say congratulations on securing a job. Second there are plenty of places that have what you are looking for all around Portland, particularly in the SE section of the city. Now is your employer located IN Portland or outside of Portland?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-25-2010, 07:45 PM
 
47 posts, read 111,404 times
Reputation: 30
Thanks sharky!!! Yes, it is IN SE Portland. I am wondering what hotel to stay when I fly out and rent a car to look at various places? I am trying to narrow down some places to see next month. My budget will probably be $700 or less?....or maybe $800. lol. oh lord help me
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-25-2010, 07:52 PM
 
Location: SE PDX
569 posts, read 1,813,661 times
Reputation: 126
You can find a studio or 1 bedroom apt in most of the desirable 'hoods in SE (and most of Portland) for $700-800, but be prepared to sacrifice sq ft for location.

These two links helped me when I was in your position...

http://www.portlandbridges.com/portland-neighborhoods/
http://www.portlandneighborhood.com/...hborhoods.html
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-25-2010, 10:58 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,657 posts, read 4,467,953 times
Reputation: 907
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramsey View Post
Thanks sharky!!! Yes, it is IN SE Portland. I am wondering what hotel to stay when I fly out and rent a car to look at various places? I am trying to narrow down some places to see next month. My budget will probably be $700 or less?....or maybe $800. lol. oh lord help me
The easiest motels to find will be near I-205 and the SE Stark / SE Washington street exits. Near the Mall205 (that really is a joke, the mall isn't much at all.)The Motels on SE Stark and SE Washington offer discounts on various sites.

Downtown hotels are great, but renting a car and driving downtown can be a pain. Many other great hotels, but for a price. A few out by the airport.

When you live here, do you expect to be using our Great bus system, or are you going to want to drive you own car for commuting? This will help narrow down your options. BTW: for a one bed apt, you budget is on the high side for what the market will bear. $800 plus utilities, will get you a medium sized 2 bedroom apartment in most parts of SE Portland city.

If you are not going to use the TriMet system, from what you have told us, I recommend looking along SE Stark West of Mt. Tabor, maybe near Laurelhurst Park, but between SE 60th and SE 28th or so.

TriMet web site with system map:
TriMet: Public Transportation for the Portland, Oregon, Metro Area
If you are thinking about using the Mass transit system, look up where your job is, and check the nearest bus line. Look for apartments along that bus line, as transfers will just eat up your commute time something awful.

Be sure to ask you HR contact about employee parking. Very important in some cases as parking can be a problem in the very close in SE Portland near the Willamette River.

Few last points:
Portland is very safe compared to other cities of similar size. Everywhere in the city of Portland. Crime tends to be theft and vandalism plus family stuff.

If your job is out around SE 122nd street, which is more suburban than any real feel as Portland city goes, there are some real apartment bargains our that way right now. Over built in the last few years, and quite a few vacancies. You might be able to get a 2 bedroom Townhouse for your budget. Walking distance to a MAX light Rail stop along the Blue line, or down south along the Green line following I-205

Depending on your job location and your tolerance for commuting, you should be aware that due to property taxes and other reasons, the southern suburbs in Clackamas County have lower rent. Significantly lower rent. Say down near Clackamas Town Center Mall at the end of the line for the Green Line MAX light rail.

But my recommendations is to stick with SE Belmont, and SE Stark between SE 60th and SE 28th for the best mix of urban and quiet neighborhoods. Maybe extend north to E. Burnside. (note: E Burnside is the dividing line between North and South Portland and the Willamette River is the dividing line between East and West.)

I wish you the best of luck.

Phil

PS: You might want to avoid apartments out SE Powell and SE Foster Road say 50th and outward beyond SE 82nd. Let's just call that area more for an experienced Portland person who knows what he/she is doing in the rental market. More for the bargain rental crowd and country music fan renters. Not that it isn't safe, it is safe, it's more that you wouldn't want your co-workers to know you live there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-26-2010, 10:20 AM
 
47 posts, read 111,404 times
Reputation: 30
Oh Phil! lol. you are a trip. Thanks so much. Yes, my job is in SE Belmont area and I will be using a car for work. And yes, I did ask about parking and I should be good. As far as rentals: I like old character/charm apartments--wood floors,etc. And I thought PDX is much more than a lot less, but I guess I stand corrected. I am fine with paying lower rent for a 1 -2 bedroom. Yippee. I just want to be in a relatively safe area with shops and boutiques, restaurants, book stores, easy access to high-way if necessary. I looked at some of the links and it appears/or states that EVERY AREA in Portland has that. So, I guess I just have to narrow it down. I must say that Ladds Addition---whoa.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-26-2010, 06:39 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,096 times
Reputation: 11
I was thinking of moving to either Austin or Portland. After 10 years in Las Vegas, I cannot see myself spending one more year in this hellhole! Plus the economy sucks to the point that I really think it's the end of the road for this mirage!
Portland is my plan A. I love public transportation, I work in the restaurant/hotel business. Please help me guys by offering some true advice/insight!
Thank you.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-26-2010, 07:42 PM
 
7,934 posts, read 8,552,405 times
Reputation: 5889
They do have some income controlled buildings in the Pearl District if that was your thing. Pearl Court comes to mind. Depends on how much you're making obviously. SE and NE Portland is very bohemian while NW is more yuppie and SW is downtown/business district.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-26-2010, 08:03 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,657 posts, read 4,467,953 times
Reputation: 907
Quote:
Originally Posted by manenbleu View Post
I was thinking of moving to either Austin or Portland. After 10 years in Las Vegas, I cannot see myself spending one more year in this hellhole! Plus the economy sucks to the point that I really think it's the end of the road for this mirage!
Portland is my plan A. I love public transportation, I work in the restaurant/hotel business. Please help me guys by offering some true advice/insight!
Thank you.
IMHO, Portland does have some upscale hotels, but I don't think the tourist trade is very large for most of the year due to the overcast sky and rain. Some tourist trade in the July to October.

There are a lot of restaurants in Portland, mostly from my experience they are Independents, and not chain operations until you get out to the 'burbs. Some really great places, I might add. But you will find a lot of competition here because the economy is not good; unemployment is quite high, like so many other cities.

I do see the occasional motel manager opening on Craigslist.com (read as: night desk check-in / laundry person / lobby mop and bucket...) which you may be overqualified for.

But, have you any desire to go for a 'concierge' position for a retirement home or assisted living place? I have seen in the local newspaper's web site the rare concierge position through two of the several HUGE hospitals in Portland (think not of hospital, more of overgrown Health services assembly line factories on steroids.)
Oregon and Portland Local Jobs - OregonLive.com

Oh, and BTW, food service industry pays lower wages in the Portland area than most other places, supply and demand and all that.

Phil

Last edited by philwithbeard; 02-26-2010 at 08:23 PM.. Reason: grammer.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-20-2010, 10:03 AM
 
1 posts, read 1,450 times
Reputation: 11
Great info about neighborhoods - very helpful for my own future move! Thanks!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Oregon > Portland
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top