Moving questions. Tell me your thoughts of Oregon.

[Rot Box]

My wife and I are seriously considering moving somewhere in the PNW/coastal Oregon. The thought of leaving the job I've been with (great job-fully vested ESOP etc.) for over ten years and leaving the house we've been in for nearly that long is giving me some anxiety. Have any of you with a mortgage and/or kids, good job etc. ever pulled the plug and moved somewhere else? Why did you do it? Do you regret it?

Just browsing the job boards it seems finding industrial maintenance work won't be too difficult depending on the location. Selling my house might be a pain especially if my sh$$ty neighbors are around to scare off potential buyers. What's the best way to go about it? Sell the house- rent- then land a job- move or land a job then try to sell the house? I have dogs which doesn't make things any easier. My wife is a stay at home mom for the time being which would be nice if she needs to stay with the house until it sells.

So tell me about Oregon. We've been there enough to know we LOVE the climate, recreation, geography etc. I don't know much about their economy, housing/job market, schools etc on the western side. other than what I've browsed though on the inter webs. I love where I live here in Utah but I've been here my entire live and I'm ready for a change. My wife grew up in Pennsylvania and never liked Utah much anyway

A lot of this is just me talking out loud but I'd love to hear some comments or ideas. Thanks,

Andrew

 

[frieed]

Where to start....

Since my wife and I have been married we've lived in Mckinney TX, Petaluma CA, Sebastopol CA, Georgetown TX, and now here, Hauling our 2 girls with us each time.
Regrets: none really, We've really enjoyed specific aspects of each place we've lived, and each time we've moved we felt it was the best thing to do at the time.
Advice: Downsize to as little stuff as you can. Take serious stock of your collected junk and part ways with all but what you really use.
Things I'll never do again: Have two mortgage payments. It took a while to sell the Georgetown property after we bought one here. If I ever move again, I will not move until I have sold the current house.

 

[Rottenbelly]

We just pulled the plug and moved from Mississippi to Utah last year.
Made it easier that we both kept our same jobs but was hard to leave family and friends behind.
Not to mention my commute to work is 1752 miles one way. But I wouldnt have changed a thing. Love it out here and so does the wife and kids. Alot better weather in the summer for sure.

 

[smartass_kid]

it'll be 3 years in December since I moved from TN and it was worth it. still have the house there but am renting it out since our small town home appreciation value are silly. not sure if renting is an option for you because I recall you live pretty far out? selling might be your best bet and I would prefer to sell mine if I could. I think a job would best to have first and maybe a starter place with short lease.

and purge!! sell off stuff you don't need, give away stuff you can't sell and scrap what you can't give away. if you need it again, you'll get another one.

 

[Kevin B.]

My advice would be to stay out of the Willamette Valley. It's getting overbuilt, and the politics most valley residents play at is annoying. I grew up in Eugene, spent several years in Portland and a couple in Corvallis - I love the climate but the people drive me nuts.

Medford/Klamath Falls is great. Bend area is decent, but it's Oregon's version of Park City and you might have trouble affording land. Up and down the coast is ok, but most of the folks living along the Oregon coast are a lot like Moabites - just weird, in a way you can't quite quantify and that is sometimes really cool and sometimes makes you wonder if they're aliens in disguise and sometimes makes your skin crawl. I think it's an isolation thing, and the Oregon coast is definitely isolated from the rest of the state, culturally. Portland/Tricities is horrible - miserable freeways, miserable drivers, everybody is on a mission to be holier than though. They have to be greener than you, they have to be more progressive than you, they have to be kinder than you, it's oppressive. Stay away. Half of Portland fled to Eugene several years ago and now it's just as bad. Salem/Keizer/Albany/Corvallis are getting there. If you have to live in the valley, try to stay in a farming area or in the foothills and commute to your industrial job. Veneta outside of Eugene is nice, so is Marcola and Blue River on the other side. Dallas and Rickreall outside of Salem are nice. Oakridge is a great little town, but not much industry up there. Cottage Grove and Creswell at the south end of the valley are hick towns - I don't know what Lewiston is like, maybe you're used to that.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

If you aren't stuck on Oregon then Washington is pretty nice as well, my sister in law moved up there 3 years ago with her family and they love it, jobs are pretty plentiful and the climate is about perfect.

 

[flexyfool]

most of the folks living along the Oregon coast are a lot like Moabites - just weird, in a way you can't quite quantify and that is sometimes really cool and sometimes makes you wonder if they're aliens in disguise and sometimes makes your skin crawl.

X2. I see lots of transplants from Washington and Oregon in Boise. More often than not, indefinite weirdness describes them well.

Housing will be very expensive anywhere west of the Cascades.

Generally, you want to line up a job, rent for 6 months to a year, then buy.

 

[flexyfool]

For what it's worth, 4x4 stuff goes for a whole lot more money as soon as you cross the Idaho/Oregon border. Ford Dana 60 HP's go for $800 in Boise and $1200 soon as you step over the border. I never buy any 4x4 stuff out of Oregon.

 

[jackjoh]

Ocean, mountains, and desert - what more could you want.

 

[Unimog]

Ocean is nice, but I really don't like the climate as much as UT. Too many overcast/foggy days.

 

[Rot Box]

You guys are great thanks a bunch

Where to start.... Moabites haha that paints a great picture. Weird I can handle for the most part. Mostly because the northernmost part of Utah is pretty isolated and I'm a recluse/hermit/keep to myself anyway.. unless I'm online then I don't shut up lol. I lived in Kansas for awhile and that type of weird I can't handle.... It was like living in an episode of the twilight zone Growing up here and visiting my in-laws often (OH, upstate NY, PA) I love the farm community and rural lifestyle with a somewhat large city within reasonable driving distance. That's probably what I'd shoot for something similar to what I have now. No suburbs, downtown or big city for me I don't think I would last a week.

I've been de-junking for nearly three weeks now. I can't believe how much 'crap' I've accumulated over the years. I still have a ways to go but so far it feels great to trim all the fat.

Selling the house first is probably a smart idea. I think the only chance I have of bailing on this place is selling it to a local farmers daughter or son. It's a decent house with nearly two acres of land but it's a half hour drive from Logan which isn't all that appealing for the majority of people. Anyway it could sell within a week or several months----hard to say in this case.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

You guys are great thanks a bunch

Where to start.... Moabites haha that paints a great picture. Weird I can handle for the most part. Mostly because the northernmost part of Utah is pretty isolated and I'm a recluse/hermit/keep to myself anyway.. unless I'm online then I don't shut up lol. I lived in Kansas for awhile and that type of weird I can't handle.... It was like living in an episode of the twilight zone Growing up here and visiting my in-laws often (OH, upstate NY, PA) I love the farm community and rural lifestyle with a somewhat large city within reasonable driving distance. That's probably what I'd shoot for something similar to what I have now. No suburbs, downtown or big city for me I don't think I would last a week.

I've been de-junking for nearly three weeks now. I can't believe how much 'crap' I've accumulated over the years. I still have a ways to go but so far it feels great to trim all the fat.

Selling the house first is probably a smart idea. I think the only chance I have of bailing on this place is selling it to a local farmers daughter or son. It's a decent house with nearly two acres of land but it's a half hour drive from Logan which isn't all that appealing for the majority of people. Anyway it could sell within a week or several months----hard to say in this case.

2 acres you say, how bad does the inversion get where you live? Any pictures of the house and property?

 

[Caleb]

The area you're in is a cool area, like you said I could see your place moving quickly if you get the right eyes on it.

As for Oregon, if I move from Utah, I'm going to Oregon, Hawaii, or Out of Country. The downside to my job is most companies that need my expertise are going to be right near large cities. I love Oregon though, the overcast and rain doesn't bother me, the lack of snow would be a huge plus We rented a house up in Bend one year and I don't care for that area. It reminded me a lot of living in the desert. Cedar trees and sage brush...not what I'm going to Oregon for. Get a bit closer to the coast (or on the coast) and you get the nice, lush, green, thick vegetation. My wife lived up in Oregon for a few years growing up so we have friends and family up in the area. If the right job came along, I'd be gone tomorrow. I've been debating what I would do with my house. I'm leaning towards renting it. Keep us posted as to what you decide to do, I'm curious.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I understand the itch to move on and try something new.

Personally, I could never do Oregon but I could do Northern California or Colorado. I'm one of those weird guys who loves Utah though. It's tough to find another state with as much BLM land available to explore as Utah.

That being said, everything is a compromise. All the western states have a lot of cool elements, bundled with some undesirable attributes. If there were a perfect place with awesome weather, great people, low cost of living, and tons of jobs, it'd be so croweded that the cost of living would go up. One thing I will say is that Oregon people are FAR different than Utah people. Oh, and get used to having someone else pump your gas for you.

You're smart to do your research though.

 

[airmanwilliams]

I grew up in Tillamook Oregon and miss the beauty and all there is to do up there. I have been in utah for about 6 years now and absolutely hate the snow in the winter and hate the heat of the sun in the summer. I am not sure I would move back to Tillamook due to the size and nearly knowing everyone there but would really like to live nearby again so I can take advantage of all of the fishing in the various rivers that pass through there, go crabbing of the Coast Guard pear(sp?) just north of the cheese factory, and hit all the trails up in the tillamook forest and around the great Browns Camp.

You might check out many of the logging outfits or even the Cheese Factory there in tillamook to see about large maintenance jobs. I will see if I can ask a few contacts in those areas this week to see if they know of some good job opportunities in the area.

 

[Rot Box]

Ocean, mountains, and desert - what more could you want.

Oregons high desert has been near the top of my places to see list for awhile. So remote and interesting

2 acres you say, how bad does the inversion get where you live? Any pictures of the house and property?

The inversions are dreadful at times--they last for weeks. No pics to speak of when/if I get farther along I'll be sure to post some up.

I love Oregon though, the overcast and rain doesn't bother me, the lack of snow would be a huge plus Keep us posted as to what you decide to do, I'm curious.

Call me crazy but I love rain and overcast. Maybe it's because I could count on both hands how many times it's rained here this year lol.

 

[Rot Box]

I'm one of those weird guys who loves Utah though. It's tough to find another state with as much BLM land available to explore as Utah.

I'm still obsessed with Utah there's no doubt about it. The amount of land and places to explore is endless it seems. Just ready for a change I think..

I grew up in Tillamook Oregon and miss the beauty and all there is to do up there.

or even the Cheese Factory there in tillamook to see about large maintenance jobs. I will see if I can ask a few contacts in those areas this week to see if they know of some good job opportunities in the area.

Tillamook and Tillamook Cheese has come to mind a few times. I love the area.. It's a pretty awesome place if you ask me. I noticed they post maintenance jobs every so often. I do maintenance for Schreiber Foods and we make a LOT of cheese too... Might work to my advantage hehe.

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks again everyone

That being said, everything is a compromise. All the western states have a lot of cool elements, bundled with some undesirable attributes. If there were a perfect place with awesome weather, great people, low cost of living, and tons of jobs, it'd be so croweded that the cost of living would go up.

Isn't that the truth. Even back east.. there are some parts of Pennsylvania I've really fallen in love with. Most of my wife's family lives in PA or within reasonable driving distance which is why I would consider moving there. The no public land and 'off road parks' thing is a deal breaker for me though :-\

Other than needing a change CV is a pretty neat place. I love SE Idaho and because I enjoy the outdoors there's plenty to do out here. One undesirable attribute is over 100ºF heat in the summer and -30ºF in the winter :sick:

 

[nnnnnate]

I have dreamed of moving to the NW for a few years now. Like you though, I feel lost when I think about how to go about it. My wife just finished school and got a job that she'll start next month. I have loved going on vacations in Oregon and dream about getting back there. My sister in law is going to Oregon State and she married a local last summer, she said she isn't coming back to Utah but by her being there it helps the chances of my wife being willing to move. The big thing for me is the job. I have a counter part in Portland who is probably five or so years from retirement, I would love to take his job when he retires.

When airmanwilliams posted up the pics of his parents place in Tillamook a while back I was drooling over those too. I want to trade in the desert for the forest.

 

[flexyfool]

Oregon desert? Boring boring boring

Oregon coastal weather? Some might characterize it as a year long inversion.

PA wheeling? One of the best states east of the Rockies. (Which isn't saying much but still...) The defunct Paragon Park was awesome. I wheeled it a few times in the 90's. Rausch Creek is down the road a ways now. If Ultra4 racing goes on there, it must be good wheeling. I drove through central PA a couple years ago and was surprised at all the lifted Jeeps and trucks. There must be a lot going on somewhere. I think it is all on private property, non-maintained roads during the winter, and rock bouncer-type stuff.