My company is planning to move people up to the Vancouver/Portland area (from the San Francisco Bay Area). Many of us are excited (especially the ones with young families), because of the whole no-state-income-tax-and-1/3-the-housing-cost-and-I-can-finally-buy-a-house thing. For alot of us, living/renting in CA is a major, major pain, and we're happy to move. Any insider tips on where to move? The office will be located in Vancouver, WA......how's the commute/traffic from downtown Portland? How's the weather....I'm tired of listening to experts who have "read in a magazine" that it rains 300 days a year. For home-hunters, any areas to avoid? Any areas to focus on? I've heard some good things about Lake Oswego. Is the Pearl District worth it, or is it another inflated area with outrageous real estate prices? Any diversity in the area?

Recommendations would be great!

Thanks,
Warren

1994 SC400
1995 Nissan 300zx
1996 Toyota Landcruiser

 

The rain isn't too incredibly bad. People always complain about how much it rains here, but it really doesn't rain all the time, in my opinion. I really dig the fact that we get four noticeable seasons here and that's one of the most beautiful things about the Pacific Northwest. I live in San Jose for about 8 years and I don't think i'll ever go back.

The people in vancouver are generally really nice. In my opinion, vancouver isn't really a small town, but it definitely has a very small town feel to it. The commute over to portland isn't too bad at all. I've got friends who live in vancouver and go to portland all the time to shop and have a good time. http://www.ci.vancouver.wa.us/

As far as real estate and property, if you can, I would by a big piece of property somewhere in or around vancouver. Nothing too big, you know, a couple acres maybe. Having the extra space is really nice + you're looking at some major return on investment if you play your cards right (and it isn't hard to play your cards right around here in regards to property).

If you can, you really ought to take a drive up here. from san fran to the couv, i think it's about 9 or 10 hours.

 

You can also contact the local Chamber of Commerce;

http://www.portlandalliance.com/abou...ting_here.html

http://www.vancouverusa.com/chamber-services.htm

 

Thanks for your messages guys....it's a big help. I'm really excited to be able to own a house, and more excited that we're talking acres here, instead of living in a small apartment in the Bay Area. "Nothing too big, you know, a couple acres maybe"....hilarious. There's probably one listing in my area with more than 2 acres, and it's $6 million.

I checked out some lofts/condos in the Pearl District in Portland...those seem very overpriced to me (reminds me of the SOMA district right now in San Fran). The "couv" seems much more reasonable. I'll be looking forward to the move....

 

Washington is growing quite rapidly. The real estate market is climbing fairly quickly depending the on the area. Having acre, especially in an area in and around a place like vancouver can be very valuable. If you've got some money to spend from your house in san fran, I'd say buy plenty of land and put some grazing livestock on it and provide them with water. That way, you can score an ag exempt so the taxes won't break your back. The value of that land will go up, up and a way in no time.

From living in San Jose, I know that the cost of living in the bay area is pretty high up there. a little 1500 sq ft rambler on maybe a quarter of an acre can easily break 750, again depending on the area. Up here, for 750, you can find a VERY pleasing house + property for that price. Check out some of the listings on some real estate sites and you'll see exactly what im talking about.

 

Warren,

It will be a great transition moving from Bay area to PacNW. Myself had the opportunity to move to the bay area (Company Merger) but just couldn't bare the expenses. Anyway, I currently live in Vancouver area (near Mall). Here some info.

1. Commute to Portland downtown is approx. 15-20 but rushhour 45 to 1 hour.

2. Rain is diminishing every year and also getting warmer.

3. The average new homes here ranges 250K to 300K w/ small lots. Woogie mention to get 2 acres but that in rural area maybe in Battle Ground, WA. I recommend Fishers Landing or Camas.

4. Personally I like Lake Oswego but they're kinda expensive and you need to consider commute and higher property tax (almost double).

 

The move seems inevitable now, so my co-workers and I are surfing realtor.com every day. Thanks for your tips skpark....good stuff. Our office will be located in Vancouver, and many people at my firm familiar with the area are looking at Camas. Some are considering the Pearl District in Portland, but they're a bit hesitant, since they won't be able to take advantage of WA's lack of state income tax. Considering the the large majority of my co-workers are paying anywhere from $1400-$1800/month for 1-bedroom apartments in the Bay Area, we're all excited for the move!

 

just wanted to chime in and say that there is a state tax, but no sales tax.

and i'm ready to move the hell out of here. if you like the outdoors this is the place, but if you like to do things in the city, definately not the place.

 

Thanks for your message Vinny. My understanding is that there is no state income tax in WA, and there is no sales tax in Oregon. I know it might be tough for some kids at the firm to transition from San Francisco city living to the Portland social scene, but for me, all I want is a home to call my own, perhaps a 2 car garage, and more than 0.10 acre to my name.

One last question....how's the diversity there? I have plenty of asian friends, indian friends, hispanic friends, etc in the Bay Area......I'm not expecting the United Nations, but is it essentially all-caucasian in the area?

 

it depends on where you are talking about in portland. from sw and lake o beaverton and pearl, yhou mostly have white then north is gonna be more black, west of beaverton is gonna be hispanic, vancouver is big in hispanics and russians... all depends on where.

that is also correct, oregon does have a state income tax but no sales tax, where as washington has no income tax but sales tax. If you plan to live in vancouver and work in portland, then you get charged the state tax plus some other tax that's like 8% if i remember corretly, but you get everything back at tax season.

 

I was born in the bay area and when i was five i moved up to LO. As i am about to leave Lake Oswego I realize it is a great place to raise a family, but diversity and cheap housing is not LO's strong suit. LO is not cheap (2400 sqft and .4 acre is about 430,000 (my house)) but it is a steal compared to the bay area and your absurd prices. The commute from LO would be long, but going from PDX to vancouver is faster than vice versa. Personally I love the Pearl, but the housing prices are rediculous and not worth the price. Our culture is in a word alternative with a stong indie sense. Mt. Hood which is perfect for skiing/snowboarding is only an hour away, and the ocean is about an hour and a a half away. Our food scene is wonderful with great restaurants of all cuisines. Personally I prefer the Portland area to Vancouver, but SW has very cheap housing/land prices plus the advantage of no property tax. If you have time take a few days to come up and scope out the area and see the sites and sounds.

Welcome to the NW.

PS if you have time go east on I-84 and go travel through the Columbia River Gorge, its breathtaking.

 

Here’s the skinny.

Live in Vancouver and work in Vancouver. Avoid Portland. My commute to our Portland office takes about 30+ minutes longer then my commute to our Vancouver office. They are 7 miles apart.

Living in Vancouver no income tax. If you want to buy big things, you travel across the bridge and get them without tax (all the big stores are right across the river for this convenience).

Vancouver is paradise compared to Portland, you don’t want to live there. Their schools are some of the worst in the country and Vancouver has some of the best.

Housing has gone nuts here. I bough my house 1.5 years ago for $310K and they are selling next to me for $415K right now.

 

94lex83457,

I know it's going to be tough to move from the Bay Area to the Vancouver/Portland area, but we're all excited about the housing and living costs. Some of my co-workers are looking at Lake Oswego...it seems $650-$750k could buy a nice home over there (and the same amount would get you an average 2 bed townhouse down here). I've heard alot about the area....nice environment, nice school system, etc. The ones looking in the area are management-types, have couple kids, a couple cars, etc.

The younger guys in my firm are looking at the Pearl district, but they're a bit turned off by the high prices.....$500-$600k for a loft.....that's almost like San Francisco costs. I think many of them still want the big-city-living type feel that they have in San Francisco, so they're definitely drawn to the Pearl.

Thanks for your advice!


y2ks2k,

Many of my co-workers are looking at the Vancouver/Camas area. There's a bit of confusion about living near the river/along the route to Camas vs living in North Vancouver. I'm sure they'll get a good sense of the area when they visit. Any areas you would recommend in Vancouver? Any places to avoid, like across the airport? It looks like Camas is a pretty small town, but there's tons of homes for sale in the area.....how's the area?

Thanks again!

 

In Vancouver you would be looking in Washougal (little further out then Camas) or salmon creek. I would have to say the Salmon Creek area is the best if you are looking for schools and such. High school is only a few years old and considered on of the best in Washington if not the nation. A lot of people are moving a lot further North where you can get a $500K house with 3000+ SQF way up on the hills over looking the Columbia river b Longview.

Theres a house 2 down from me with a $415,000 sticker on it. Its my model. It is a 2 story with daylight basement. 3200 SQF. Total craftsman package with every standard upgrade there is around here (might not be saying much compared to Cali). Standard 7000ish foot lot (any new houses are less then 5000 now). But my house is about 10 minutes from downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver is truthfully a huge suburb of Portland. Its mostly suburbs. It is currently the 3rd largest city in Washington and very close to being the 2nd now. The downtown are has undergone huge improvements and is revitalized but its still small. Tons of high rise condos now. I work in downtown and its great, lots of places to eat (not exactly gourmet). Vancouver is just a huge sprawling suburb.

I will be honest and Portland guys don’t like to hear it but I find Portland pretty disgusting all around. To get a good house (you wouldn’t have a problem with your equity change)... you have to go way out. My network admin just bought a $300,000 house in Mallala... 43 miles from our Vancouver office. All you have to do is look at the roads. Washington pays for roads. Drive I5 from Washington into Oregon and compare the 2, that alone gives you an idea about eh condition in general of all roads. I work for a Civil engineering firm and most guys here say that Portland city road planners are on meth (there is a lot of meth here).

Portland and Oregon in general have huge issues with tax's and getting things paid. They are closing highs schools right now. Most of the people who could have moved into Vancouver.