Moving to portland any pointers?

[flyboyx]

Prepare to nail girls with 70s bush, wear birkenstocks, and be bored out of your mind while drinking coffee with 14 words in it.

well, i guess the advantage is that you can floss your teeth while you are licking it. god i love multi tasking.

[ST1G]

^ Only 50% true.

But that 50% is what makes it so funny.

The west side isn't too bad. We're living in the Cedar Hills area, easy access to MAX, cost of living isn't too ridiculous. The political/taxation structure here is incredibly fucked up. That said, I could deal with it and stay if we didn't have young kids and no family nearby. So next year it's back to Denver.

That's why I don't think I could ever live there. Taxes.

[CorvallisBMW]

Taxes here aren't bad at all. No sales tax, so the price on the sticker is the price you actually pay. If you own a house in Multnomah country property taxes can be a bit high, but other counties are no higher than the national average. And the income tax is designed to be at the same level as what you would pay if there was a sales tax (Oregonians have this weird aversion to sales taxes...). Just be aware that if you live in WA but work in OR, you still have to pay OR income tax. Same goes if you live in OR but work in WA. The only way you'll get out of it is to live and work in WA, but then you pay sales tax... really, it all evens out.

OP: If you're looking at $600 or less per month, you're going to have a very, very hard time finding anything that isn't a complete shithole. Housing prices here are generally higher than most places except NY or CA because everyone wants to move here. High demand = high prices. Even areas that used to be affordable, like North Portland, are quickly becoming gentrified and pricey. Gresham (east 'burbs) may have the lowest rent prices, but it also has some of the crappiest neighborhoods and highest crime rates. As other areas of Portland have gentrified, many low-income residents have moved there, along with some of their social ills. The west side 'burbs (Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin, etc) are all nicer but I doubt you'll find anything in your price range. Vancouver would be a good bet, as long as you don't have to work in Portland during normal business hours (the rush hour traffic on I-5 and I-205 is HORRENDOUS because of everyone who does just that). You could also look in Clackamas or Oregon City, both SE of Portland by 20-30min. They are mostly very nice and fairly affordable.

If you're really interested in living in Portland proper, focus on North, outer NE or outer SE. Pretty much anything in SW or NW will be out of your price range, unless you are willing to share an apt with roommates.

[ajhostetter]

Taxes here aren't bad at all...

False. Taxes here are rapacious compared to when I lived in Denver.

[wannaBMthree]

You could also look in Clackamas or Oregon City, both SE of Portland by 20-30min. They are mostly very nice and fairly affordable.

This. Not to mention Hords of Car Dealerships in that area. (Milwaukie or Gladstone as well)




P.S. STAY THE FUCK AWAY, IT SUCKS HERE, RAINS 24/7, DEPRESSION GUARANTEED.

[brutus87]

Be ready for the rain.

[Van Westervelt]

Dont do it man. Not worth it. Stay where you are.

[Turf1600]

Good luck! I moved here just over 2 years ago. No regrets - except for 1.5 years of $1500 rent for 550 sq ft.

[mbonder]

So you're going to Portland, where 20 year olds go to retire…

My best childhood friend lives there and I went to visit him earlier in the summer and was amazed at the number of young people that apparently live there and do nothing at all during the weekdays but sip coffee and smoke cigarettes. Truly amazing. But they get away with it because they'll live 6 to an apartment so that the $1500/mo rent is down to $300/mo including utilities.

The only way you'll find somewhere to live in the city is if you have a roommate(s), which should be easy to find as there are plenty of people who can't afford to live on their own. Otherwise head out of the city and live in the portland suburbs or even Vancouver, but be prepared for rush hour traffic.

Good luck, was a fun city to be in, great microbrews and plenty of hot women.

[DuxNW]

Dont do it man. Not worth it. Stay where you are.

this.

I'm starting wonder if I'm the last person actually born here who lives in this town.

[e30austin]

Born and raised. Don't really mind it here, but I don't know any different.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Be ready for the rain.

+1

I always THOUGHT I liked rain while living on the prairies, now I realize it sucks the life outta you. When the sun comes out, everyone acts like a bunch of crazies who just got their fix

My gf and I noticed that while living downtown, you can hear more sirens when the sun comes out, as opposed to when its cloudy and rainy. Sun makes ppl. do crazy shiznit

[Jand3rson]

+1

I always THOUGHT I liked rain while living on the prairies, now I realize it sucks the life outta you. When the sun comes out, everyone acts like a bunch of crazies who just got their fix

My gf and I noticed that while living downtown, you can hear more sirens when the sun comes out, as opposed to when its cloudy and rainy. Sun makes ppl. do crazy shiznit

Portland isn't usually higher than 10th or so in most rainiest cities countdowns.