New guy looking to relocate to the NW

1904 · Nov 11, 2011

Hey guys,

My names wes, I was referred to the site by a fellow member. Ive been currently living in nevada working at the naval air station out here, and recently got laid off. I spent some time in oregon in washington when i was younger, and theres nothing here for me now so ive decided to put the house up for sale and go for it! Im looking somewhere outside of portland where i find a place to rent for me and my 3 dogs. Im working on a few job leads right now, but trying to make some more contacts, I am in the property management/maintenance field, but im willing to do just about any job to get established up there. I thought maybe some like minded people here could offer some suggestions or info. Thanks in advance.

Wes

eriknemily · Nov 11, 2011

Hi Wes. No advice here other than avoid the coast right now. Things are coming to a screeching halt almost out here. Looking to be a slow winter. Welcome to NWFA and good luck on the move and job search.

1904 · Nov 11, 2011

Thanks for the welcome!

Working 4 U · Nov 11, 2011

Hi Wes

I moved from Wichita Kansas in 2006 to Eugene, 2 hours south of Portland. My suggestion is be careful about coming here without a job as you know its tough throughout the nation, but I feel it is worse in the Pacific Northwest. The house I had in Kansas was almost 1500 sq ft with 4/5 finished basement, bought for 106k in 99 sold it for 130k in 06. I cannot touch a house like that out here under 250k for roughly same house. The housing market here (eugeneish area) I believe is about 50 to 60% over-inflated even with the last 2 1/2 years of down economy. I hear economy predictors say there needs to be another 20% drop in the housing prices for things to turn around and they are predicting 2013 should be the bottom. I don't mean to be a downer, but I moved out here with 1 school bill that was it I figured with only 1 bill I can pay that off easy, well with minimial work and elevated cost of living I still have that bill.

You can't be afraid of the rain, just put on your raincoat and go. My mother-in-law kind fo gets down from lack of sun during the winter usually from November to April May time frame. So if your affected by that you might think twice.

I assume since you on this web site your for the 2nd Amendment, if your not move to Kalifornia ok. :s0114:

Portland is awesome for the city lots to do, lots of small towns close by. Beaverton, Tigard, Troutdale (which I love with Mt Hood so close) Vancouver just across the Columbia river in Washington. So the 2 main rivers the Willamette that runs from Eugene to Portland then dumps into the Columbia and then heads to the ocean, so if you like to fish thats pretty good. The coast is only 1/1/2 hours away depending where your at in Portland. The people of Portland are very liberal, I don't know your politics, but just to let you know their Mayor is a outspoken gay man that has had a relationship with an underage boy 17 at the time, but that was not found out till later. So you may fit in or you may not but that is just a fact.

Oregon does not have a sales tax and I think we pride ourselves on that, past governors have tried to do a sales tax but the people said no. Oh you cant pump your own gas here "its against the law" and so is topping off your tank.

But for all of its faults it is one of the prettiest states there is. I hope you find this helpful, I don't mean to be a downer, I'm the hunter, fisher, hiker and rafter so this is outstanding for that. Good luck. :s0155:

1904 · Nov 12, 2011

thanks for the info. Right now im in nevada, where i think the unemployment is some of the highest in the country, so i dont have much to lose!

eriknemily · Nov 12, 2011

Nevada eh. I sold a rig last year to a guy from NV. He moved his family out here to the coast and would drive back to NV for two weeks to work and then comes back here for two weeks or something crazy like that. His wife found a steady job here on the coast so they decided this was the best alternative. It's crazy what people are having to do to make things work right now.

1904 · Nov 12, 2011

tough times,, I spent the last 5 years working for a large company that manages military housing properties. I managed the maintenance department for a 230 home property here in nevada, but lots of changes this year, and "restructuring" eliminated my position. So now trying to figure out what to do. im open to anything at this point

97321 · Nov 12, 2011

Rental property management isn't a bad idea these days, just tough to find an "in". With the last 2.5 years being what they are, lots of folks are avoiding home ownership and going to rent. Portland/Metro is probably the best bet in Oregon. Seattle may be an alternative consideration as well. Either way, welcome and good luck.

19 Adam · Nov 20, 2011

Welcome to the best firearms site in the Northwest. I enjoy hours of reading, and shopping, here and have made several good friends along the way.

oasis618 · Nov 20, 2011

Welcome to the forum!

joken · Nov 20, 2011

Good luck finding a rental when you have three dogs. Welcome. Ken

PaulZ · Nov 20, 2011

Helped a guy research N. Dakota where they are hiring like mad. Housing ? 400 a wk and don't believe you will have
room for three dogs.

gscott · Mar 21, 2013

Hi Wes. I may not be a good spokesperson for this area, I've lived here in W. WA my whole life and am tired of it. I am considering moving to southern Nevada in a few years.

You know our summer is about 10 weeks here? Seriously, maybe 12? All the rest is various stages of wet, cold and damp. It is beautiful country, the mountains and the sea and the green trees. And moss. Everything is pretty expensive here. I think historically there are a lot of high paying jobs, driving up the cost of everything. Housing, cars, boats, motorcycles, land, gasoline, even guns, cost more here than many places across the US. (the internet is great for revealing those sorts of things) Here in WA there is no State income tax, so they make up for it in real estate taxes and sales tax that is minimum near 8% and approaches 10% in some areas. Booze, tobacco, and gas are taxed pretty high. No tax on groceries. Oregon has no sales tax but instead an income tax. I believe pretty high property taxes too, but I can't speak to particulars. We don't have gambling taxes supporting our government here so they get it other ways. The liberals are running the show here; these are Blue States we're talking about. And getting more so. Not only do people vote for Democrats, the people in Oregun are even too stupid to pump their own gas, so they had to make it illegal! (just kidding, it's some kind of make work project). Eastern WA, Eastern OR and Idaho are more "right minded", and it's drier and sunnier over there. And generally less expensive. And they have all four seasons.

I haven't seen a lot of turn around in the economy here yet. Although we may have fared better than some. I dunno, I think there's at least three strikes in there. But I've been called a curmudgeon before, so my opinion may be worth less than what it cost ya. Good luck to you.

coop44 · Mar 21, 2013

All I can say it's a hell of an improvement over California,

EVERYTHING is cheaper! Still can't get used to it after 3 years. my last electricity bill was $43, water for 2 months was $45, gasoline is a little bit cheaper, bought a nice house for $174k, property taxes are 3k a year cheaper than CA.

I guess it all depends on your perspective.

I guess if you come from a shack in arkansas prices here are outrageous, but for me this is paradise.