Portland Friendly? (Burns, Durham: chapel, living, airplane)

[kelcat]

a little perspective:

(employment statistics from **PORTLAND OREGON EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION**)

National unemployment rate: 4.5% (MAR 2007)
Oregon's unemployment rate: 5.8% (MAR 2007)
PORTLAND's unemployment rate: 5.6% (FEB 2007)

(population statistics from this site //www.city-data.com/city/Portland-Oregon.html)

Portland Population: approximately 550,000

5.6% of 550,000 = 3,080
4.5% of 550,000 = 2,475

a difference of 605 people if Portland had the same unemployment figures as the national average.

(housing prices statistics: from this site Home Prices - Real Estate News from CNNMoney - Aug. 15, 2006)

% of change of housing prices over the last year:
US Average: 3.7%
Northeast Average : 6.3%
Midwest Average : -2.0%
South AVerage: 4.1%
West Average: 3.6%

Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton: 19.1% (fifth highest on the list cited)

My assumption is that housing market strength is a market indicator of demand to live in a particular area. Perhaps you do not think this assumption is correct. Unfortunately my assumption is based only on my personal common sense and I cannot cite any particular economic study. Perhaps you could?

I hope this clears up my remark. Thanks...

[Supernova7]

That's the whole point. As per my last post, Housing market has no relationship with the economy, they are are two separate entities. People are not relocating solely on the basis of work. If they were, then they wouldn't head to a city with a 5.6 unemployment rate in Feb and 6.0 in June, putting Portland's unemployment figure at 1.5% above the national average. That is VERY HIGH. People are coming to Portland because of the "hype" and popularity of what they have heard about it. I'm consider relocating there, so I'm not negating the city by any means, just stating the obvious. Someone hears a buzz and it spreads, most people don't think rationally before they move. Moving to a city because it has lush greenery is a big mistake if you can't find work. No one's going to take care of you in this life. Again, housing demand and the economy are not tied in together, at least not for this city.

[kelcat]

My personal experience of finding a job in Portland is that I am having NO problem finding one. I just think depending on anecdotal evidence of a "tough" job market might lead one to a misunderstanding of what is really going on and a closer look at one's personal circumstances might lead one to different conclusions than what might be discussed in forums like this.

Also my point had NOTHING to do with tying the housing market to the robustness of the local economy but that Supernova's statement saying that "more people are moving out of the city than moving in" can be at least debated by looking at the strength of the housing market. Please read the posts... We might be having two different conversations here...

Over and Out...

Perhaps the thread could go back to the original topic? sorry about the detour...

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by nchopefull

I grew up in the south where everyone is practically your best friend and for the most part people are very nice and respectful. Just wondering if people in portland tend to mind their own buisness or are pretty friendly, you just have to strike up converstation.

Portlanders keep to themselves. Maybe depressed about all the overcast skys....South is very different. I lived in Texas and everyone is more socialable. I actually did not like it. It was like when you are getting your hair cut, you men know what Im talking about, why the heck can the cosmotologist just cut my hair with out the conversation. Shut up for god sakes. Portalnd would be like being in a salon where no ones alowed to talk.
Just keep quite and enjoy the trees.

[EricaInNJ]

I guess it all depends on where you are coming from. We came to Portland for a visit recently from NJ (12 miles west of NYC). We found people to be very nice and friendly when we talked with them. In fact we had some waitresses who looked like they were genuinely happy to see us, like we were old friends or something! People were also happy to tell us about Portland and we made a point of talking to a lot of random people.

As for me, I like having the option of anonymity when I'm not in the mood to be social. I think I would find it irritating to have to make polite conversation all the time with everyone, as I hear it's like in the south.

People in Portland may not be as friendly as they are in the south, but they seem so much kinder and friendlier than here!

Another thing- it took me three days of staying in downtown PDX to realize that nobody beeps at eachother! I didn't hear a single car horn while I was there. People here beep a lot- if you get in their way, if you're going too slow, if the light turns green and you don't go right away, or just to show displeasure if you're driving badly! Portlanders certainly seem more relaxed and friendly than Jersey drivers, anyway.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by EricaInNJ

I guess it all depends on where you are coming from. We came to Portland for a visit recently from NJ (12 miles west of NYC). We found people to be very nice and friendly when we talked with them. In fact we had some waitresses who looked like they were genuinely happy to see us, like we were old friends or something! People were also happy to tell us about Portland and we made a point of talking to a lot of random people.

As for me, I like having the option of anonymity when I'm not in the mood to be social. I think I would find it irritating to have to make polite conversation all the time with everyone, as I hear it's like in the south.

People in Portland may not be as friendly as they are in the south, but they seem so much kinder and friendlier than here!

Another thing- it took me three days of staying in downtown PDX to realize that nobody beeps at eachother! I didn't hear a single car horn while I was there. People here beep a lot- if you get in their way, if you're going too slow, if the light turns green and you don't go right away, or just to show displeasure if you're driving badly! Portlanders certainly seem more relaxed and friendly than Jersey drivers, anyway.

I guess your right. If fact your very right about that. I have moved to Austin (and I am moving away from there too). I have heard the honks and beeps that I never heard in portland. Im one of those "don't go right away when the light changes kinda people. They let me have it here. I never honk out of irritation, no one does in Oregon or Wa. Here in Texas, people do start conversations when you least expect it. I hate small talk. I know what the weather is like, I don't give a crap about what you have to say about it. That sounds kinda crabby, but there must be other people like me out there.....maybe not alot but darn it, doesnt anyone just want to be left alone in public?

[Three Act Tragedy]

I had a similar impression of Portland as EricaInNJ did when I visited. Most of the people I talked to were eager to talk, especially about the city itself. I was really surprised by the friendliness of some of the waiters and shop owners well. Where I come from, many of the small business clerks just don't take the time to even say hello to you, let alone spend a half an hour answering your questions about the area or just talking. I also got the feeling that most of these people really love this city (although you'd never guess having ready some of the other threads on this forum). That doesn't mean that everyone I met was wonderful but it was a far cry from cold and distant. I could be wrong, maybe they were just playing it up for the tourist.

And sberdrow, I totally get where you are coming from. Aside from a friendly 'How are you?', I generally don't want to talk to the people at the salon unless its about my hair. Small talk just comes off as being phony to me.

[kelcat]

I find it interesting that so many people have posted that Portlanders are unfriendly. When we were scoping out moving to Portland we looked at Seattle before coming to Portland and decided before we got to Portland that Seattle had gotten too big and impersonal and generally too busy to bother with anonymous visitors. When we got to Portland it was like night and day. Everyone we had any kind of interaction with were incredibly open and helpful and very freindly. No one came up to us unsolicited and showered us with gifts or anything like that but were really open if we approached them. Were all these people actually employees of the local chamber of commerce? Were they planted throughout the city like the kissing couples in Paris to enhance the cities reputation? Or was it merely that it was in the beautiful month of July with all worries washed away with the sunlight?

Well all I can say is that it worked and we will be moving to Portland in September... (it'll be interesting to see if my impressions change substantially when the clouds come in for the winter)

[Supernova7]

I will make up my mind IF I decide to relocate to Portland. I'm sure it's a great city with a lot to offer. In my case, it proclaims to have the social and political atmosphere I seek. That to me is most important. It's simple really, if I don't feel comfortable with the attitudes and people's demeanor in a community then I won't be happy and I'm certainly not going to live where I will be unhappy. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone for life is too short.

It all comes down to what you like. Good for you may be bad for the next person and so on. I'm not one for small talk either and I don't care for superficial people. However, I base people on merit/based on their actions, and if a city gets a reputation where you always have to be the one to start conversations, struggle to get to know others and where people generally care only about themselves, then yes, that is a cause for concern. While some may feel otherwise, please understand that other locals don't feel like you. My goal is to better understand WHY so many people have found Portland to not live up to its expectations. I think it's a fair question and one worth exploring.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Supernova7

The strength of the real estate market? What evidence do you have to support this? Apparently most people here and other forums feel otherwise. The "LOCALS" are the one's who are stating that the economy is very poor. I researched this as well and according to experts the unemployment rate is quite high in Portland. The "real-estate" market has nothing to do with this. Just because people are moving to Portland doesn't substantiate a "strong economy." I'm sure it's a wonderful city with strengths and weaknesses but we need to look at this honestly. You're right, I'm sure "some" people are happy there but from what I've seen, and read, more appear to be unhappy for their own personal reasons. Anyhow, it's good to hear different views from everyone.

You can't base your opinions about Portland on what you read here. You can gain some information but you can't believe everything you read, especially since most people on here seem to be leaving Portland or just complaining about the weather. I hardly think this forum is a true sample of Portland. Almost everyone I know is employed, and as I work in a job where I encounter newcomers to Portland regularly, I can assure you people are MOVING to Portland and loving it.

Again, this forum seems to be mostly comprised of people who just moved her or no longer live here yet still post for some reason about Portland, though they left because they didn't like it. Hardly a true representation of the city.

I think you need to actually come spend time in Portland and less time analyzing details you read which may or may not be accurate. I don't say that rudely just that you can't base what you think is reality on reading postings or basic internet research. Not everything you read on the internet is true, up to date or correct.