[Kornphlake]

I've had a few interviews and may be offered a job with a company in Clackamas OR. I'm actually not too concerned about ridding because I've rode the worst possible trails for so long growing up everything else seems really fun.

I am wondering about housing, we'll rent to start, with plans to buy within about 6 months. I don't really know the area that well, except for what I've seen on mapquest and Google maps, I was hoping that somebody could give me a quick rundown of the Portland area, all I need for the next several months is a 2 br apartment in a neighborhood where I won't need bars on my windows. If I'm working in Clackamas I'd like to be as close to work as possible without living next to the truck stop, I can afford to spend as much as $1000 on rent but would prefer to pay less $700-800 would be ideal. I heared somewhere that you can live in Vancouver WA and work in Portland and avoid income taxes and sales taxes, is this really feasable? Where can I find the best tacos? Besides the weather are there downsides to living in the area that aren't obvious to the outsider? What freeways back up? What rail lines are the most useful for commuting? Is Safeway really different than Vons? Who's going to volunteer to show me the local trails then leave me lost in the woods because I'm polluting the state with my surfer dude vibes?

 

[Toshi]

for riding try posting/resurrecting the "portland thread". there's lots of good stuff within 1.5 hours.

as for housing i can't offer any good advice, as i lived in pearl district of portland proper. you don't want to live there if you are working in clackamas, as traffic around portland is actually pretty hellish at times. live as close as you can to work.

 

[oly]

i can answer the taco question....

Find an El Burrito Loco...

http://portland.citysearch.com/search?x=0&y=0&search_select=on&init_search=1&context=restaurants&miles=50&pre_geo_id2=&request_market_only=&query=el burrito loco&constrained=on&cslink=cs_topbar_search&pre_csz=&pre_geo_id1=&store_where_for_comparison=Portland, OR&hotelAttraction=&started=1).

Carne Asada Burrito with sour creme.... ink: ink:

Rivals Tacos Guaymas up here.....

 

[Kornphlake]

for riding try posting/resurrecting the "portland thread". there's lots of good stuff within 1.5 hours.

as for housing i can't offer any good advice, as i lived in pearl district of portland proper. you don't want to live there if you are working in clackamas, as traffic around portland is actually pretty hellish at times. live as close as you can to work.

What is hellish traffic in portland? Keep in mind I'm comming from SoCal where a 15 mile commute regularly takes 30 minutes or longer depending on the time of day. Is there a particular area that is exceptionally bad? I'm guessing that downtown is not the best place to be as with any large city.

I just got a call and the company want's me to fly up for an interview next week, I'm guessing I'll have time to cruise through Clackamas and size up the area but if there's an adjacent suburb that is a whole lot nicer I'd like to know, that way I could maybe look at a couple of apartments while I'm up there next week.

 

[trailhacker]

What is hellish traffic in portland? Keep in mind I'm comming from SoCal where a 15 mile commute regularly takes 30 minutes or longer depending on the time of day.

30 minutes, that's IT?!?!
We've been through the Portland area unfortuneatly at just about 5pm and it was bumper to bumper crawling until just about where all the bridges over the river are (coming from the south). Was told that was pretty normal.

 

[Toshi]

let's just say that i never drove during commute times if i had even a hint of a choice. did all my grocery shopping at 10 pm, etc. then again i was in downtown -- things do clear up once you get out of town.

on the upside the public transit is quite good. the MAX runs to the airport for something like $2.80, and it's free to ride within downtown.

 

[Kornphlake]

Well that's good to know, are east-west commutes as bad as the north-south commutes?

Any ideas about what neighborhoods to avoid in the area?

 

[oly]

unlike this crappy area, portland has plenty of straight city streets that you can take instead of sitting on the freeway.... the exception is if you worked in beaverton or west of there...

 

[bikegrrl]

What is hellish traffic in portland? Keep in mind I'm comming from SoCal where a 15 mile commute regularly takes 30 minutes or longer depending on the time of day. Is there a particular area that is exceptionally bad? I'm guessing that downtown is not the best place to be as with any large city.

You consider PDX a large city? Ha! Not even.
I lived downtown (in the Pearl, like Toshi) and it's incredibly safe.
Anyway, you would be lucky to travel 15 miles in 30 minutes. Even in an hour, during rush hour. Portland has crappy traffic considering its size. But good mass transit.
I don't especially like the Clackamas area, but the bright side of that area is that if you like DJing, the dirt jumps at Meldrum Bar are right there (in the adjacent suburb Oregon City). PM me if you want more details.
I am definitely an inner-city girl, but if I had to live in Portland suburbs, I would live on the eastside, as you have easier access to Meldrum Bar (southeast of downtown) as well as Post Canyon (Hood River) and other fun riding in the Hood area. Again, PM me if you want details, as some areas of the eastside are way sketchier than others.

 

[bikegrrl]

I heared somewhere that you can live in Vancouver WA and work in Portland and avoid income taxes and sales taxes, is this really feasable? Where can I find the best tacos? Besides the weather are there downsides to living in the area that aren't obvious to the outsider? What freeways back up? What rail lines are the most useful for commuting? Is Safeway really different than Vons? Who's going to volunteer to show me the local trails then leave me lost in the woods because I'm polluting the state with my surfer dude vibes?

No, if you live in Vancouver but work in Oregon, they will still take out Oregon income tax. Sales tax is a Washington thing, so living in Vancouver would actually make things worse in terms of sales tax - some Vancouver stores (car dealerships and furniture stores - higher-end items) will actually not charge sales tax to Oregon residents.
Downsides? Crappy economy. One of the primary reasons I moved back to Seattle. I think I'll stop there.
26 (westside) is especially bad but the Banfield (eastside) isn't a whole lot better. I haven't commuted on 205.
MAX is the only rail line, you can go from Gresham to Hillsboro east-west, plus there's a line that goes from downtown to the airport.
Safeway is kinda like Vons (which don't exist in PDX). I like Trader Joes and Whole Foods a lot better than Safeway. For cheap(er) groceries than those two stores (but less organic/vegan/vegetarian/healthy options), Fred Meyer is a good choice.

 

[elRey]

During rush hour it can take you two hours to go twelve miles. If you don't want congestion, and don't want to be hated, don't live in Vancouver.

 

[h22ekhatch]

I consider Portland a large city...it has all the same BS as any other large city, including bad traffic. Actually, the westside commute is what jaded me...the east side of the river isn't so bad.

My favorite tacos are at Don Pedro's (but I am kinda ghetto like that). It's always fun ordering in my kindergarten level spanish because nobody speaks any sort of english whatsoever...

Vancouver = the jersey of new york, or maybe the valley of LA...you dont want to be from there (or at least admit it in public)

 

[Kornphlake]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. It sounds like living and working on the east side of the city is ideal and Vancouver shouldn't be an option.

Bikegrrl, what do you mean the economy is the downside? One of the things we are trying to escape is the Paris Hilton mentality in Southern California, a slightly weaker economy is actually a plus. I'm hoping for a larger middle class where I'll fit in comfortably, unlike where I am now, despite making a healthy salry I live alot more like a college student than a working professional. Lower property values are a huge factor in the decision to move to Portland, even if I can't get 5% return on a home over 30 years I don't really care, at least I'll be able to afford something I can call my own.

 

[luvz2ridez]

One of the things we are trying to escape is the Paris Hilton mentality in Southern California, a slightly weaker economy is actually a plus. I'm hoping for a larger middle class where I'll fit in comfortably, unlike where I am now, despite making a healthy salry I live alot more like a college student than a working professional. Lower property values are a huge factor in the decision to move to Portland, even if I can't get 5% return on a home over 30 years I don't really care, at least I'll be able to afford something I can call my own.

Sound exactly why we moved out to Seattle from Boston. The average middle class person in Boston can't afford to own a house! I believe Portland to be a lot like Seattle in that respect.

 

[h22ekhatch]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. It sounds like living and working on the east side of the city is ideal and Vancouver shouldn't be an option.

Bikegrrl, what do you mean the economy is the downside? One of the things we are trying to escape is the Paris Hilton mentality in Southern California, a slightly weaker economy is actually a plus. I'm hoping for a larger middle class where I'll fit in comfortably, unlike where I am now, despite making a healthy salry I live alot more like a college student than a working professional. Lower property values are a huge factor in the decision to move to Portland, even if I can't get 5% return on a home over 30 years I don't really care, at least I'll be able to afford something I can call my own.

I don't know if I would worry about appreciation or not...my parents house went from 195K to 370k in just over 5 years, and it's definitely not a nice neighborhood or anything.

As for me, I am a lifetime renter no matter what the market so I just live wherever

 

[elRey]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. It sounds like living and working on the east side of the city is ideal and Vancouver shouldn't be an option.

Bikegrrl, what do you mean the economy is the downside? One of the things we are trying to escape is the Paris Hilton mentality in Southern California, a slightly weaker economy is actually a plus. I'm hoping for a larger middle class where I'll fit in comfortably, unlike where I am now, despite making a healthy salry I live alot more like a college student than a working professional. Lower property values are a huge factor in the decision to move to Portland, even if I can't get 5% return on a home over 30 years I don't really care, at least I'll be able to afford something I can call my own.

You'll love Portland if you are looking for a large middle class as you describe.

I don't think traffic on the westside is any worse than on the eastside, at least as far as freeways are concerned.

Don't admit your from Cali if you do move up here. That's as bad as living in Vancouver.

 

[Str8OutaBallard]

Sound exactly why we moved out to Seattle from Boston. The average middle class person in Boston can't afford to own a house!

so are you saying that peeps that move from Boston to Sea can afford a house in Seattle?...
most middle class peeps can't afford a house in Sea either way... 500k houses in Ballard, w/pealing paint and all...

 

[Str8OutaBallard]

What is hellish traffic in portland? Keep in mind I'm comming from SoCal where a 15 mile commute regularly takes 30 minutes or longer depending on the time of day.

it usually takes me longer than that to drive to Cap hill from Ballard... I thought 15mi in Socal is more like an hour...
anyways...

 

[Kornphlake]

so are you saying that peeps that move from Boston to Sea can afford a house in Seattle?...
most middle class peeps can't afford a house in Sea either way... 500k houses in Ballard, w/pealing paint and all...

I don't really think that Portland is comparable to Seattle as far as housing is concerned.

Here's a heat map from Zillow.com of the average price per square foot in Portland, red indicates over $1000 per square foot, grey is less than $100/sqft:

Compare that to the map of Seattle:

There's definately a lot more light blue in Oregon than in Washington. Now take a look at Boston and San Diego:

If you can move from Boston or San Diego and keep your income the same a whole new world of housing options arises. It looks like Ballard is more expensive than the majority of the Seattle area, the same is true of the downtown area of any city. At least in Seattle or Portland the suburbs look a lot more affordable than the area surrounding San Diego.