Moving to Salem area in a few weeks (Corvallis: rental, loan)

[texasdiver]

I have a cousin who commutes from South Eugene to Corvallis for a medical job. She quit a job in Eugene for a better one in Corvallis but chose to stay in Eugene where she owns her house with her partner. She doesn't seem to mind it. Bought a Tesla for the drive. That said, if you can't afford Corvallis then you can't afford Eugene either. They are similarly priced.

Your best bet on a budget is probably to live in Albany. I think it has a bad reputation among long-term Oregon residents because of the International Paper Plant that used to be there right along I-5. I grew up in Eugene and we would frequently drive up to Salem on weeekends to see grandparents and family. As a kid in the 70s we always knew to roll up our windows and hold our breaths when passing by the "stink factory" in Albany. But that plant has been shut down for years.

Just looking at the school ratings on Niche it looks like the top rated schools in Albany are all on the west side which makes sense as that area is getting the spillover from people who can't afford Corvallis.


https://www.niche.com/k12/d/greater-...l-district-or/

Otherwise there are nice areas in South Salem. Whatever you do, don't look at places in West Salem across the river. The one bridge across the river in dowtown Salem is the biggest commuting bottleneck in the area. You definitely don't want to have to deal with that every day if you don't have to, especially for a commute to Tangent. South Salem would be the best bet for the Salem area because you'd get the least amount of competition from Portland-bound commuters.

[Metlakatla]

My comments had nothing to do with either the paper plant or WaChang.

I grew up in Albany and have a little bit more experience with it than driving by it on I-5. It was embarrassing to see so many of my former classmates at South Albany High crying a river last year when the school decided to drop its Rebel mascot. The Stars and Bars were flying high on the social media page they made to "defend their school's heritage." The broken English peppered with obcenties was another colossal embarrassment. Anyone who could got out and didn't look back after high school (and still does), leaving the worst behind.

Again, I'd advise the OP to stay on the northwest side of the river. ETA Albany does have a cute little downtown that is easily accessible to North Albany. ETA my father, who taught in Albany for decades, has the same recommendations as I do about the schools.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by mywayhome

Hello! I am relocating to Oregon for a job. I only have a few weeks to figure things out.

I'm moving from ND, but I lived in Eugene and Portland during college. I am really excited to be coming back!

The position is in Tangent. I've been looking hard at Albany. Things have changed for me significantly since I lived in Portland. I am married with two small children. What's most important to me now is availability of daycare. A good school system. Neighborhood safety. Not much more than a 30 min commute to Tangent.

Budget is $250K. Ideal would be a 3/2. Tough, I know.

I would appreciate any guidance you may have to offer on Salem, Albany, even Junction City... Wherever you think is our best bet for a kid friendly/family oriented community for my kids to grow up in.

Thanks in advance!

So I live in south Salem and my husband used to work in a tech firm in Tangent. It was about a 30-35 minute commute from South Salem.

$250,000 will be tough down south, but you could probably get a small 3/2 (like 1200 sq feet small) in Skyline Village which feeds into Schirle, Crossler and Sprague which are all good schools. There are also some smaller homes around Pringle that would fall into that price point as well.

Salem isn't a commuter city to Portland, but we do have quite a few commuters in Keizer.

I don't know enough about Albany to know anything about the schools and areas and be helpful.

[mywayhome]

Originally Posted by leastprime

Get a RE agent.
and use something like Zillow 97389 (tangent). Apparently Tangent is in the Albany school district. I'd try to stay in the larger school districts such as Albany, Eugene, Salem. But not as large as Portland's. Lebanon or SweetHome may be on the very good options for you.

Thanks. I am working with a real estate agent. I'm getting conflicting information on school districts. We're looking everywhere within a 30 minute commute from Tangent. On paper, Albany's school district seems good. But people think Albany is horrible.

I've been looking in North, north Eugene and the commute only seems to be about 45 minutes. I lived in Eugene before. I liked it. I think my kids would like it. Basically scared that Albany is some podunk town where my kids will have nothing to do but get in trouble once they're teenagers. I don't want to move once they've started school.

[mywayhome]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

So I live in south Salem and my husband used to work in a tech firm in Tangent. It was about a 30-35 minute commute from South Salem.

$250,000 will be tough down south, but you could probably get a small 3/2 (like 1200 sq feet small) in Skyline Village which feeds into Schirle, Crossler and Sprague which are all good schools. There are also some smaller homes around Pringle that would fall into that price point as well.

Salem isn't a commuter city to Portland, but we do have quite a few commuters in Keizer.

I don't know enough about Albany to know anything about the schools and areas and be helpful.

Thank you!

[DKM]

You can do south salem, but it will either be a townhouse or a dump. But you can even get brand new construction if a townhouse, the ones off Joynak for example. Schools aren't bad at all in most of South Salem. Sunnyside and Commercial both feed easily into I-5 and your commute would be 30 minutes.

My friend lives off Clover Ridge in NE Albany and is fine with it. Sends his kids to schools there...You could probably find a smaller place in that area. Albany overall isn't as bad as it once was. You won't find anything in your price north/west of the river. I would suggest staying out of the Calapooia middle school serving area of town.

Don't bother with Lebanon, its no better than Albany. Ditto for Jefferson and Brownsville.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by mywayhome

Thanks. I am working with a real estate agent. I'm getting conflicting information on school districts. We're looking everywhere within a 30 minute commute from Tangent. On paper, Albany's school district seems good. But people think Albany is horrible.

I've been looking in North, north Eugene and the commute only seems to be about 45 minutes. I lived in Eugene before. I liked it. I think my kids would like it. Basically scared that Albany is some podunk town where my kids will have nothing to do but get in trouble once they're teenagers. I don't want to move once they've started school.

I don't think I would call Albany podunk or horrible, but it is a transitioning city. It was a very working class city with the mills and metal fabrication in Millersburg. So it is a city in process. I think it was a lot like Salem was 25-30 years ago when the mushroom plant and Boise Cascade plants were here. They were doing a lot of work to the downtown a couple of months ago when I was there as it was in need of beautification. I think good things are happening there, but it will be a long slow process for improving the city. If you move there you just have to go into it planning to be part of the improvement process for the city. Get involved, attend festivals, support local businesses, etc.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by DKM

You can do south salem, but it will either be a townhouse or a dump. But you can even get brand new construction if a townhouse, the ones off Joynak for example. Schools aren't bad at all in most of South Salem. Sunnyside and Commercial both feed easily into I-5 and your commute would be 30 minutes.

Skyline Village isn't a dump and the homes in there are in the OP's price point. They are just small. The OP could afford Candy Flower, Skyline Village, Lakewood Park, and the areas around Pringle and Faye Wright that have some smaller homes. They would just be 1100-1200 sq feet. I'd personally go for Skyline Village since it is good schools, and the OP could head down Davis to Liberty to Hylo and miss the morning Kuebler traffic.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

I don't think I would call Albany podunk or horrible, but it is a transitioning city. It was a very working class city with the mills and metal fabrication in Millersburg. So it is a city in process. I think it was a lot like Salem was 25-30 years ago when the mushroom plant and Boise Cascade plants were here.

The difference is that Salem was always much more than Boise Cascade and that small mushroom plant. Everyone was connected to the mills in some way in Albany, even the small professional class, but that's never been true in Salem. Most of those who grew up in Albany and wanted to make something of themselves left, but high school/college graduates have always had more options in Salem if they wanted to stay. I think the OP's kids would have a better peer group in Salem for that reason.

Idk, OP, I'm watch the Eugene evening news most nights, and it seems the homeless problem has really exploded in North Eugene recently. I'd seriously look at South Salem if North Albany isn't doable. Someone mentioned the Clover Ridge area, and it's not bad, but I think the kids there go to South Albany High.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

The difference is that Salem was always much more than Boise Cascade and that small mushroom plant. Everyone was connected to the mills in some way in Albany, even the small professional class, but that's never been true in Salem. Most of those who grew up in Albany and wanted to make something of themselves left, but high school/college graduates have always had more options in Salem if they wanted to stay. I think the OP's kids would have a better peer group in Salem for that reason.

Idk, OP, I'm watch the Eugene evening news most nights, and it seems the homeless problem has really exploded in North Eugene recently. I'd seriously look at South Salem if North Albany isn't doable. Someone mentioned the Clover Ridge area, and it's not bad, but I think the kids there go to South Albany High.

True. Albany has to figure out how to diversify its economy which is part of its problem. Salem always had the state jobs.