So you're thinking of moving to Portland Oregon?
First, check this out - Another limited Portland deal: Living Social (11/16/2011)
Annual subscription to Portland Montly Swag-tastic magazine for only $8 - $15 for 2 years! Get your $8.00 subscription to Portland Monthly today! If you live here, or are thinking of moving to Portland, you should definitely check out Portland Monthly. This offer is probably good for few days.
More about moving to Portland, Oregon
I did it. Sight Unseen. Loaded up the car and drove from the Midwest 10 years ago. There is only so much I can tell you. Please do a lot of research before coming out here. I suggest reading the Moon Handbooks Guide to Oregon. Moon Handbooks now has a Portland Guide, too. Portland changes constantly. Books give you a good overview with maps, and highlight things about the city that stay constant.
Much new social media has evolved surrounding Portland. Subscribe to a fave neighborhood on Everyblock Portland and get weekly updates on police calls, crime, real estate listings, and Yelp reviews. Also check out Portland Yelp if you want to ask specific questions. Yelpers may be a bit snarky, but they'll give you honest and varied answers.
Neighborhoods/Areas
Portland is divided into five quadrants - North, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest. The Willamette river sets the East/West boundary, and Burnside the North/South.
My personal favorite part of town is SE Portland- South of Burnside, East of the Willamette, West of Gresham, and North of Foster Road. The southeast is split up into different neighborhoods, like Buckman, Mt. Scott, Arleta, Sellwood, Brooklyn etc. Add to that new monikers, such as Inner SE Industrial district (close to the Willamette), 'outer SE' including Lents, East County which is that no-hipster land where the line between Portland and Gresham blurs, Felony Flats (includes a several block radius east and west of 82nd street).
The SE, including Felony Flats, is working on changing as more younger families with children want to stay within bike/MAX distance of Portland, and also want small single homes with yards. New businesses are popping up including coffee shops and bakeries. Lents Park has a new master plan. Bike paths, community gardens, and much more are working their way in. Portland Neighborhood Notes maintains up to date info on all of Portland.
Best options: Anything east of 60th. Look into Woodstock, Sellwood, Brooklyn, Clinton Street. If you are looking for a good potential place to buy a house, check into Lents, east of 82nd street. Lents now has a sparkingly new light rail MAX line. Lots of the SE is home to immigrant populations including Vietnamese, Korean, Eastern Europeans, etc. If you are jonesing for international experiences, shop at the Food 4 Less on 82nd and Powell, or the 82nd and Foster road Fred Meyers. Oh and the new Fubon (Sorry, it's Fubonn) Asian shopping mall/supermarket between Powell and Division on 82nd
N/NE Portland - I'm not much of an expert on this area, but here's what I know. It's been the the grand hoo-ha of gentrification over the past 5 years. Alberta street and the surrounding has been transformed. Mississippi Avenue of all places is changing daily with restaurants, and twee shops. Housing and rent prices are rising daily.
SW Portland includes Downtown Portland and areas to the west. Very nice area, less urban. If I had kids and stuff I'd try to get a house in Hillsdale, or near Multnomah Village. SW gets higher in the hills for lovely views of the valley. Public transit is still good, but a little less accessible than living on the grid in downtown or SE/NE
NW Portland Babbaloo baby you've hit the big time when you can live in the West Hills/Portland Heights. Actually, affordable apartments can be found in the chi-chi Nob Hill area. NW is serious yuppie town with all the good-bad points that go with it.
Portland Maps maps all data for the PdX Metro area, including aerial photos, crime statistics, property values, etc. Just plug in a address and click to your heart's content. It even has Google maps for sex offenders complete with address and pictures (yipes).
A word about crime: Many new transplants are surprised to learn that gang activity is alive and well in N/NE Portland - sushi bars AND nightly gunfire. However, I believe crime is much more rampant
in outer SE Portland near 82nd street and west into Lents, etc. Crime in the PDX area is mainly property crime - breaking into homes, stealing bikes, stealing mail for identity/check theft, car break-ins and theft. Car break-ins are #1 REGARDLESS of where you live. So please, just hide your crap in your car. Don't brag about your awesome stereo system and put a bunch of status-stickers on your windows. Keep your car insurance up-to-date. And if you have an easily-stolen car, invest in a CLUB thingy that locks your steering wheel.
Personal crime/ street crime - like assaults and robbery - is relatively rare but it does happen.
The 'Burbs and surrounding areas in reasonable commuting distance
Surrounding the Portland Metro area are the suburbs of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Aloha. To the south..sort of..is Clackamas county, including Lake Oswego and West Linn. To the north is Vancouver, Washington. North and west, there's Linnton and Sauvie Island (still in Oregon).
Some Pet Friendly Rental Listings
- The Ellington Apts - NE 66th and Halsey (503) 254-6571
Disclaimer: yep, I live here. I had a heck of a time finding ANYPLACE that would take a dog over 35 lbs. These apts are nice and basic. Built around 1947, they have thick walls, hardwood floors, huge closets, and lots of windows for cross-ventilation. The property and the buildings are really well maintained. They may look frumpy, but the location is excellent!
- Bristol Equities Properties - Their Sandycrest property takes large dogs, and some other apt buildings as well. Their properties are wicked charming, if you like old-old school vintage.
- Oregon Humane Society Pet Friendly Rentals - Great listings for the entire metro area. Looks recently updated!
more to come:
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