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Portland.... should I?

SentrySentry Registered User regular
edited September 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
So on Friday I will be interviewing for a job in Portland, OR. I'm currently making 40k a year in Phoenix, AZ and would be making the exact same amount at the job in Portland. This is a completely lateral move, no upward advancement, altough with Oregon's higher income tax my net income will decline. This all screams bad idea to me... BUT...

It's PORTLAND... a place I have always wanted to live. I don't mind living in Phoenix, I have friends here and even some family, but I have really always wanted to live in Oregon, and I think Portland could be awesome. So, I seek advice H/A, what do you think? And, since there are so many Portlandites on these boards, perhaps even some specific advice on where to live and how to live on 40k (pre-tax) in Portland if I do make the leap...

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
wrote:
When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
Sentry on
«13

Posts

  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Are you looking to buy a house? Rent?

    The weather is going to be night and day for you as well.

    Culturally, it's leaps and bounds past Phoenix as well.

    Esh on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    Are you looking to buy a house? Rent?

    The weather is going to be night and day for you as well.

    Culturally, it's leaps and bounds past Phoenix as well.

    I would be looking to rent. I figure it will also be easier to get a different (higher paying) job if I already live in the state. Also, for more information, I work in education which is always the first thing cut in Arizona. Also, I love the rain, so I think I would do well there.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    Are you looking to buy a house? Rent?

    The weather is going to be night and day for you as well.

    Culturally, it's leaps and bounds past Phoenix as well.

    I would be looking to rent. I figure it will also be easier to get a different (higher paying) job if I already live in the state. Also, for more information, I work in education which is always the first thing cut in Arizona. Also, I love the rain, so I think I would do well there.

    Let's put it this way. I'm in school right now and I make about...18k a year working at a little café. Granted, I have no debt or a car (which is completely unnecessary here) and I live pretty well. I also live right in the middle of a "happening" district (Hawthorne) and am a 5 minute bus ride from downtown. My rent is $415 for my half of a large two bedroom in a 4-plex. Granted, we got a deal, but it's generally not much more than that normally.

    If you have a job lined up, move. You're also very close to Seattle, SF, and B.C. which is great for mini vacations.

    Esh on
  • ZenitramZenitram Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Might as well do it if you've been wanting to for a while. I can't really think of any negative reasons why you shouldn't, since income tax is somewhat offset by lack of sales tax. And you don't have to pump your own gas either!

    Finding a job is the biggest hurdle in Oregon, but you already have that lined up, so go for it.

    Zenitram on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Not gonna lie Esh, I was thinking of just PMing this thread to you, since I knew you'd have so much advice on it. I think you are right though, this is a great opportunity. Do you have any advice on where I should be looking to live?

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    Not gonna lie Esh, I was thinking of just PMing this thread to you, since I knew you'd have so much advice on it. I think you are right though, this is a great opportunity. Do you have any advice on where I should be looking to live?

    I'm a big fan of SE and NW. SE no further south than Powell and no further east than 48th or so. Otherwise you're going to end up in some meh areas. And by meh, I just mean "blah". Portland doesn't really have "bad" areas. There are some more rundown than others, but nothing terrible.

    The city is divided into SE, NE, SW, and NW. The river cuts the east and west side in half and Burnside St. cuts north and south. NE is the area that's still developing the most.

    Esh on
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    While I won't call Esh a liar, I will say that your need for a car does depend on where you live in Portland. While true, the vast majority of the city is easily traversable by public transportation, there are pockets in which it would be easier to drive to a park and ride instead of waiting for a bus.

    And move. It's fantastic (even if I now live two hours south :()

    DoctorArch on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    If you want to have access to stuff IN Portland, without the hassles that come from living in Portland (older buildings in most neighborhoods, massive gentrification in other neighborhoods, hipsters, lousy parking, narrow streets and more panhandlers-per-acre than anywhere outside of Eugene), consider living in Tualatin or Tigard near a WES station. We have a great public transit system that will get you into Portland proper for work or play and then get you back out again when you're done.

    That said, I'm usually the Anti-Esh when it comes to talking about the city; we both love Oregon but in very different ways.

    I think he'll probably agree with me on one thing, anyway: Don't live in Vancouver for any reason. :)

    baudattitude on
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Yeah, living and working in Portland, or working in Portland and living in a suburb is a distinction, and one that you should think about.

    DoctorArch on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    If you want to have access to stuff IN Portland, without the hassles that come from living in Portland (older buildings in most neighborhoods, massive gentrification in other neighborhoods, hipsters, lousy parking, narrow streets and more panhandlers-per-acre than anywhere outside of Eugene), consider living in Tualatin or Tigard near a WES station. We have a great public transit system that will get you into Portland proper for work or play and then get you back out again when you're done.

    That said, I'm usually the Anti-Esh when it comes to talking about the city; we both love Oregon but in very different ways.

    I think he'll probably agree with me on one thing, anyway: Don't live in Vancouver for any reason. :)

    o_O

    You don't need a car so the parking is a non-issue (and my friends who drive to my house never have issues). There's nothing wrong with old buildings. The gentrification has cleaned up and revitalized some seriously run down neighborhoods (Alberta and Mississippi). Who cares about hipsters .Narrow streets? What?. And ignore the panhandlers. There aren't even that many.

    If you think suburb life and shiny stale living situations are for you, then by all means, live in Tualitin or Tigard. Hell, if you're going to do that, don't even bother leaving Phoenix.

    Esh on
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Just to be contrary, I HATE Portland. Hate it. Part of it is the rather singular culture. It's a place with a lot of culture, but all of it is white, hippy kid culture. I also hate the weather there, and I wasn't a fan of the downtown compared with DC. The only thing Portland has going for it is Mount Hood. Granted, year round snowboarding is a pretty awesome thing going for it. And the beer, I guess.

    Darkewolfe on
    What is this I don't even.
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Just to be contrary, I HATE Portland. Hate it. Part of it is the rather singular culture. It's a place with a lot of culture, but all of it is white, hippy kid culture. I also hate the weather there, and I wasn't a fan of the downtown compared with DC. The only thing Portland has going for it is Mount Hood. Granted, year round snowboarding is a pretty awesome thing going for it. And the beer, I guess.

    Uhm. No. Come again.

    EDIT: While it is a very...white city, there's a ton of culture which doesn't circle around that. A TON.

    EDIT2: It's also quite a bit more racially diverse than Phoenix according to current census.

    Esh on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Yeah, I think I would want to live in the city. I will have a car, but only because I have a friend in Beaverton I would want to go see on occassion. And honestly, Phoenix is so devoid of culture that I would take anything at this point.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    Yeah, I think I would want to live in the city. I will have a car, but only because I have a friend in Beaverton I would want to go see on occassion. And honestly, Phoenix is so devoid of culture that I would take anything at this point.

    Understandable if you're used to a car that you might want to hold onto it. You might see over time that you'll need it less and less. I encourage trying to use the mass transit (which is amazing, and yes, there's an app for it) as much as possible.

    Esh on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    My goal is actually to use a bike and public transportation pretty much exclusively. The urban sprawl here in Phoenix is insane. Anyway, is there anything else I should know to start preparing for this? I feel pretty good about the job, so I'm not worried there.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • LykouraghLykouragh Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Buy a raincoat. Or two.

    Lykouragh on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Lykouragh wrote: »
    Buy a raincoat. Or two.

    Pssssh. Raincoats and umbrellas are for tourists.

    Esh on
  • scrivenerjonesscrivenerjones Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Just to be contrary, I HATE Portland. Hate it. Part of it is the rather singular culture. It's a place with a lot of culture, but all of it is white, hippy kid culture.

    I wouldn't say "all" but you are mostly basically right. some people don't mind this but many really do, so the OP should be prepared for that if he ends up here.

    esh phoenix is not more diverse than portland. are you high or something.

    scrivenerjones on
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    Lykouragh wrote: »
    Buy a raincoat. Or two.

    Pssssh. Raincoats and umbrellas are for tourists.

    Raincoat = Tourist? Yes. Gore-tex waterproof ski jacket? You're a local. Buy a Subaru and you've gone absolutely native.

    DoctorArch on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-6732-9515-9697
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Just to be contrary, I HATE Portland. Hate it. Part of it is the rather singular culture. It's a place with a lot of culture, but all of it is white, hippy kid culture.

    I wouldn't say "all" but you are mostly basically right. some people don't mind this but many really do, so the OP should be prepared for that if he ends up here.

    esh phoenix is not more diverse than portland. are you high or something.

    I said that opposite of that, Jones. :P

    Esh on
  • scrivenerjonesscrivenerjones Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    I said it backwards!!

    scrivenerjones on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    I said it backwards!!

    Now I'm confused.

    Esh on
  • scrivenerjonesscrivenerjones Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    your claim: "[Portland]'s also quite a bit more racially diverse than Phoenix according to current census."

    my counterclaim: "what? no"

    scrivenerjones on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    your claim: "[Portland]'s also quite a bit more racially diverse than Phoenix according to current census."

    my counterclaim: "what? no"

    There's a giant latino population in Phoenix, but I think overall, Portland is more diverse.

    Esh on
  • FatsFats Corvallis, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    1.5% black people instead of 1%.

    Fats on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    If you've got a job lined up for sure, moving to Portland would be a good move says I. I had a brief stay there, but man, the city is really great and the weather is pretty sweet (except that one week we were burning at over 100 degrees). The income tax may be higher, but consider there's no sales tax, so that might go a long way for you. I also really dug the public trans system in the city and the area around it.

    Henroid on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Henroid wrote: »
    If you've got a job lined up for sure, moving to Portland would be a good move says I. I had a brief stay there, but man, the city is really great and the weather is pretty sweet (except that one week we were burning at over 100 degrees). The income tax may be higher, but consider there's no sales tax, so that might go a long way for you. I also really dug the public trans system in the city and the area around it.

    That was a fluke by the way. Usually there's one week in the summer where it hits the mid 90s, but that's it.

    Esh on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    How easy is it to meet people/make friends? Like I said, I have a friend in Beaverton but otherwise I'll be pretty much flying solo.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    How easy is it to meet people/make friends? Like I said, I have a friend in Beaverton but otherwise I'll be pretty much flying solo.

    Easy. People are really friendly here. What extra-curricular activities are you into?

    Esh on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    There's a ton of forumers here that live in Portland. One of them took a job I had interviewed for. So in that regard there's actually some folks you have a pretty easy bridge to build with. :D

    Henroid on
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Esh wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    How easy is it to meet people/make friends? Like I said, I have a friend in Beaverton but otherwise I'll be pretty much flying solo.

    Easy. People are really friendly here. What extra-curricular activities are you into?

    Well, I'm starting to get into a lot of physical activity. Biking and running are two. But also photography, games, etc.

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    Sentry wrote: »
    How easy is it to meet people/make friends? Like I said, I have a friend in Beaverton but otherwise I'll be pretty much flying solo.

    Easy. People are really friendly here. What extra-curricular activities are you into?

    Well, I'm starting to get into a lot of physical activity. Biking and running are two. But also photography, games, etc.

    If you like parks, Forest Park is one of Portland's best features, with a ton of running paths and some that are mountain bike friendly (they're marked appropriately, bikes allowed / not allowed). The usual line is that it's the biggest "urban forest" in the US, all I know is that it's huge and you can either take crowded trails if you're in a sociable mood or more strenuous trails if you want to run / hike without seeing too many people.

    baudattitude on
  • EskimoDaveEskimoDave Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Portland is great for beer.

    EskimoDave on
  • baudattitudebaudattitude Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    My goal is actually to use a bike and public transportation pretty much exclusively. The urban sprawl here in Phoenix is insane. Anyway, is there anything else I should know to start preparing for this? I feel pretty good about the job, so I'm not worried there.

    Portland is quite bike friendly, though we have a few notorious intersections. Ride a proper bike, with real brakes, wear a helmet, and bike VERY defensively, especially if you're passing on the right at a corner. We had a couple of high-profile cases a couple years ago where people found out that "but I had the right of way" is a LOUSY epitaph

    baudattitude on
  • kaliyamakaliyama Left to find less-moderated fora Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Sentry wrote: »
    My goal is actually to use a bike and public transportation pretty much exclusively. The urban sprawl here in Phoenix is insane. Anyway, is there anything else I should know to start preparing for this? I feel pretty good about the job, so I'm not worried there.

    Portland is quite bike friendly, though we have a few notorious intersections. Ride a proper bike, with real brakes, wear a helmet, and bike VERY defensively, especially if you're passing on the right at a corner. We had a couple of high-profile cases a couple years ago where people found out that "but I had the right of way" is a LOUSY epitaph

    Make sure to buy a fixie.

    kaliyama on
    fwKS7.png?1
  • ZenitramZenitram Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Where is the job located? Rush hour can be a huge factor in where you want to live, some areas are terrible any time close to rush hour (Oregon-Washington bridges, I-84 junction, Highway 26 junction, etc.). Another factor is how much you want to pay for rent. I can recommend many great neighborhoods but some can be expensive.

    A car is a good way to go. Mass transit is nice for getting around, but if you can afford a car there's no reason not to have one, especially if you ever want to go to the beach or mountains. I use mass transit mainly for when I want to hang out downtown but don't want to pay for parking.

    Portland has a lot of great neighborhoods in all four quadrants, I will try my best to describe them:

    NE: I personally find it to have the most personality to it. Typical old neighborhoods with large lots and big trees, and amazing parks. I would say it's the most "residential" area but I have no facts to back that up. Recommended neighborhoods are Hollywood, Concordia, Grant Park, Laurelhurst ($), Alameda ($) and if far enough away from certain streets, Rose City and Irvington. North Portland is its own animal but you can look into places near U of P or St. Johns.

    SE: It's a lot like NE but it has more of an urban feel with a little less greenery. It will still be a jungle compared to Phoenix though. Lots of hipster neighborhoods, but they are all good places to live (Hawthorne, Brooklyn, or near Reed College). Westmoreland/Eastmoreland is frickin' awesome, so is Woodstock and Sellwood. Anywhere on the east side I would recommend staying west of 72nd avenue if possible.

    SW: This is the Downtown district, but there are a lot more areas in SW Portland. Living downtown is expensive and parking can be a bitch, I enjoyed it though. Your call. This quadrant has the most greenery, the fewest streets, and is less likely to be on a grid than the rest of Portland. The Multnomah, Burlingame, and Raleigh Hills areas are beautiful, John's Landing is nice but I'm not sure what the living experience is. Someone else can probably chime in about SW, I don't know much about it.

    NW: This area has gone through some crazy gentrification since the 70s. It used to be the industrial district (and still is, to an extent), but it's now the Pearl District and all the old warehouses have been turned into apartments and condos for the rich. Garden parks on every block, baristas and art dealers galore, etc. As you go further north you get away from that and start getting more into the industrial areas (but the Montgomery Park neighborhood is still beautiful). The Pearl will be expensive but it only encompasses a part of NW. This sector isn't as big as the others because it get squeezed between the river, the hills and Forest Park.

    You will find great places to eat all over the place. Bars on the east side have more of a pub feel, bars on the downtown side are more modern. Microbreweries galore.

    My suggestions:

    -Don't live farther east than 72nd Ave (82nd has great restaurants but it run-down and is notorious for petty crime).
    -Use CrimeMapper to see what an area is like before you commit to a place. Violent crime is very low in Portland, but that won't make you feel better when your car window is busted out and your stereo gone.
    -Stay away from MLK Blvd.
    -Keep us updated on what you're looking for and what locations you have in mind.

    Sorry if this is all jumbled up, it was sort of stream-of-conciousness :)

    Zenitram on
  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    I'm currently just about in the same situation, except I'm already here (albeit out in Hillsboro, which is Farmville for Portland)! I have no friends, aside from my girlfriend, and I have a job, but no living situation!

    Currently looking in the SW, namely the Goose Hollow area, as that's going to be very close to my work, and much of the SE, as that's close to the girl's work. I've heard: Sellwood, Woodstock, Hawthorne, Division are nice. The Pearl is a hellacious money-sink.

    I do not plan on taking my car downtown, even if I have a parking garage. Any time I've come downtown, I've either walked or taken the MAX pretty much everywhere, including all the way to the airport.

    If you want to grab a beer or something, maybe we could organize a Portland PAX, as it is as you mentioned, many Portlandians on the PA boards.

    EDIT: I have also found that padmapper.com is a great resource for mapping the apartments/townhouses/houses for rent on a variety of sites.

    Aphostile on
    Nothing. Matters.
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Zenitram wrote: »
    My suggestions:

    -Don't live farther east than 72nd Ave (82nd has great restaurants but it run-down and is notorious for petty crime).
    -Use CrimeMapper to see what an area is like before you commit to a place. Violent crime is very low in Portland, but that won't make you feel better when your car window is busted out and your stereo gone.
    -Stay away from MLK Blvd.
    -Keep us updated on what you're looking for and what locations you have in mind.

    Sorry if this is all jumbled up, it was sort of stream-of-conciousness :)

    Shallow MLK isn't bad at all. Near the Wonder Ballroom and what not. Past say...Fremont I wouldn't live though.

    Esh on
  • SliderSlider Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Housing is cheaper in Arizona. Plus, Oregon isn't all that great.

    Slider on
  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    edited September 2010
    Yes, but then you're living in Arizona.

    Aphostile on
    Nothing. Matters.
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