Portland area TB'ers

[casualmadness]

So I've applied for a job in Portland and it's looking pretty good. I've lived in western Washington and California and I've driven through Oregon a few times but never spent any time there. Anyone in Portland wanna chime in with some Portland info? Do you like it? Does it suck? Cost of living? Congestion? Traffic? Economy? Any info is welcome and appreciated.

[onemorebass]

some info for ya.

[casualmadness]

Thanks for the email. I was starting to think no one was in Portland.
I don't know if it's going to come through or not. I was taking a job overseas but I pulled out at the last minute because I realized the employer was hiding some stuff that was pretty important. So hopefully this will work out. I'm really just trying to get off the east coast.

[brothernewt]

I hope you like the rain!

[MJ5150]

I always enjoy my visits to Portland. I like the light rail system. I think it is called MAX. They always seem to have lots of road work going on, so traffic isn't the greatest when I have been there.

I'm quite sure it is cheaper overall than the DC area, but you'll lose all that savings as soon as you get hooked on the $5 mocha's.

I don't know what you do for work, but there appears to be IT jobs available everytime I check out craigslist. I know the construction industry is doing alright down there, but not as strong as it was 7-10 years ago.

-Mike

[casualmadness]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I always enjoy my visits to Portland. I like the light rail system. I think it is called MAX. They always seem to have lots of road work going on, so traffic isn't the greatest when I have been there.

I'm quite sure it is cheaper overall than the DC area, but you'll lose all that savings as soon as you get hooked on the $5 mocha's.

I don't know what you do for work, but there appears to be IT jobs available everytime I check out craigslist. I know the construction industry is doing alright down there, but not as strong as it was 7-10 years ago.

-Mike

$5 mochas aren't an issure for me. When I lived in Seattle, I managed to resist all of the trendy coffee and drink mine at home.
The job I'm hoping for is with a company that's actually based in Denmark but they have some stuff going on in Portland.

[brothernewt]

is that the wind power company Mccain was here touting last week? If so, sounds like a good gig.

[casualmadness]

Originally Posted by brothernewt

is that the wind power company Mccain was here touting last week? If so, sounds like a good gig.

yep

[bongomania]

FWIW my gf and I moved here to Portland about 10 months ago. We came here for the housing market and quality of life, having purchased a house here before the move. However we did not have jobs waiting for us here, we just figured that with our good resumes and skillsets we would have no trouble finding good jobs. It took me seven months to land a halfway decent job in my field, and my gf -who has professional qualifications out the wazoo- has still not found a job. Every job she's seen, applied for, or even interviewed for has turned out to be under-paid, not quite in her field or at her level, and eventually filled by someone else who was willing to do scut work for pennies. (Incidentally that includes a position at that windpower company.) Even my job, which I'm grateful for, I took a severe pay cut from my previous job doing the same work in San Francisco.

IOW if you are offered the job, great- take it. But don't come here without a job signed, sealed, and delivered.

Aside from that, the quality of life here is excellent.

[casualmadness]

Originally Posted by bongomania

FWIW my gf and I moved here to Portland about 10 months ago. We came here for the housing market and quality of life, having purchased a house here before the move. However we did not have jobs waiting for us here, we just figured that with our good resumes and skillsets we would have no trouble finding good jobs. It took me seven months to land a halfway decent job in my field, and my gf -who has professional qualifications out the wazoo- has still not found a job. Every job she's seen, applied for, or even interviewed for has turned out to be under-paid, not quite in her field or at her level, and eventually filled by someone else who was willing to do scut work for pennies. (Incidentally that includes a position at that windpower company.) Even my job, which I'm grateful for, I took a severe pay cut from my previous job doing the same work in San Francisco.

IOW if you are offered the job, great- take it. But don't come here without a job signed, sealed, and delivered.

Aside from that, the quality of life here is excellent.

Yeah I think that's happening everywhere-sign of the times. I'm a government contractor and before I signed on to my current contract, I literally had three contract companies fighting over me. I went with what I thought as the best one. But now I"m looking to jump ship again. And I can't even get an interview in this town. I've never had trouble like this. But I keep hearing the same thing from friends of mine all over the country. The economy is in the toilet and I guess it's affecting every aspect of our lives.

I have considered pulling up anchor and striking out to either sink or swim. But I doubt I'll do that. I've done it a couple of times in the past (when the economy was much stronger) and I've always landed on my feet. But I was a lot younger and more resilient then too...so I have to consider that.
Plus, with shaky economy, I might not swim this time around. So I imagine I will stay put until I have something in concrete.

I'm really, really hoping for the current interest/discussion stage to lead to an offer stage. But we just aren't there yet.

As for cost of living; can anyone compare it to Seattle? I moved out here from Seattle so I'm still pretty familiar with the cost of living there. Is it comparable to Seattle? More? Less? etc?

Thanks for the info so far, everyone. I don't know if I'll make it out there or not but I like to educate myself as much as possible just in case.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by casualmadness

So I've applied for a job in Portland and it's looking pretty good. I've lived in western Washington and California and I've driven through Oregon a few times but never spent any time there. Anyone in Portland wanna chime in with some Portland info?

I lived in Hillsboro (west side Potland 'burb) for six years before moving back to Michigan.

Originally Posted by casualmadness

Do you like it? Does it suck?

Loved it... but no family and two kids convinced us to move.

Originally Posted by casualmadness

Cost of living?

Relatively high. Nowhere near Bay Area or LA levels, but pretty crazy compared to the midwest.

Originally Posted by casualmadness

Congestion? Traffic?

Weird traffic. It isn't as bad for rush hour jams and such as the Bay Area, but in the Bay Area you don't get random traffic jams during non-rush hour times generally. It's real easy to get around most of downtown and east and west sides using MAX and the bus system though.

Originally Posted by casualmadness

Economy? Any info is welcome and appreciated.

Great food, great beer.

Drizzles continuously from end of October until beginning of June, and then is sunny/75-80/no humidity for the other three months.

An hour from the coast, and hour from Mt. Hood, and an hour from Mt. St. Helens - plus the Columbia River Gorge is right there.

[warwick.hoy]

I've been to Portland on occasion and have always loved that town. I'd eventually like to move there or to Eugene. I'm sure there is a sandwich shop I could get a job at.

Great shopping. Powells Bookstore you can get lost in. I found two used Lake Trout (obscure Baltimore band) albums at EDM that I thought I was going to have to buy over the Internet. The downtown area has a few homeless people, but that is the case in Spokane. All you have to do is say no to the panhandlers (or yes if your generous).

Progressive town. If you convert your car to electric you can get free parking and those spots have a plug so that you can recharge your batteries for free.

All the characters names in the Simpson's come from prominent historical figures in local Portland history. When you get there check out the street names and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Lake Oswego is a beautiful area too.

If you can I'd suggest making a trip out there, before you decide ultimately.

I transplanted form VA. Beach/Norfolk to Spokane and find the cost of living to be about half. Portland is a little higher than here but not near as much as back east. I do hear that Oregon has high property taxes, but I think there is no sales tax, Not sure if there is a state income tax either.

[rfclef]

Hey... just saw this thread. I used to live about an hour West of DC in the eastern panhandle of WV... across the river from Hagerstown.

I love Oregon, especially the geography (I love the mtns, the coast...). As a relatively conservative typea guy, the politics here and especially in Portland drive me nuts. But, whatchagonnado? Oregon has the best coast anywhere.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

I do hear that Oregon has high property taxes, but I think there is no sales tax, Not sure if there is a state income tax either.

Property taxes aren't that bad, no sales tax, but state income tax is 8.4%

[ryco]

Portland absolutely rocks!!

GREAT music scene! Very varied in ALL styles and some liller players! Mt Hood CC is an awesome music school!
The Columbia gorge is awesome with many cool hikes and waterfalls etc
The natural scenery is outrageous! Columbia River, Cascade Mountains, a couple of volcanoes on the horizon!
The ocean is an hour west, the desert is an hour east.
Compact city, easy to get around. Funky little neighborhoods with a lot of character.

Never lived there, but if I had to pick a west coast city it'd be Portland!

[MakiSupaStar]

I hooked up with a chick on the wooden decks of Mt. Hood college, does that count?