Posted on 06/03/2012 9:38:51 PM PDT by ChocChipCookie
Mount Bachelor is great, eh? P.S. Central Oregon tends to have much milder winters than much of Idaho. Pacific influence vs. Arctic influence.
East of the Cascades has little Pacific influence. It’s basically high desert, very dry and can get extremely cold/snow etc.
I've lived east of the Cascades for 58 years, worked as a scientist in an atmospherics and geophysics lab here, and yes we do have considerable Pacific influence in weather -- including right at this moment when we're having drops of Pacific ocean water dropped on us at the rate of 0.05 inch/hour. If you've ever looked at a wave cloud on top of Mt. Rainier you're looking at Pacific influence go right over the tops of the Cascades. In addition, many of our storms come up through the Columbia Gorge and then spread over the flatlands. The only time we're lacking Pacific influence is during an Arctic incursion in the winter -- but Idaho gets it much worse.
It’s basically high desert
I'm east of the Cascades and the elevation at my house is 387 feet MSL.
Sold a home in Grants Pass, bought a home in Boise. Property taxes are much higher in Boise (Ada County)
Overlooking the politics, and the economy - both of which are "not good".
I am presently in New Mexico, but I keep a house in Oregon (rented to family). Living off of the mini oil boom in SE NM, it is not a place I expect to stay but it pays the bills. Texas would be much better.
But Oregon is still home!
About 15 years ago, my wife and I were considering moving to SW Oregon if I got early retirement.
Our older son was in Oregone in charge of a heavy duty construction job.
He warned me about the politics and how the state was veering towards bankruptcy. He told me to take the Oregonian Newspaper for 6 months to a half year to see where the state was headed.
It took less than 3 months.
That son’s company went broke as they put too much effort in trying secure the heavy duty construction in Oregon. He is back in California, and he has kept his company from bidding on any governmental bidding from any level. That has kept his company in business.
The younger son was a chef in Portland and wanted to go to the Bend area. Fortunately for him some fellow chefs moved to Bend and got caught in the current financial downfall which started years ago in Oregone. He thought that he was an environmentalist until he saw what the econazi terrorists were doing to Oregone on a regular basis.
He has been back home in the wine business for 5 years. Most of his friends in Portland lost their restaurants or the restaurants they worked for went broke. The survivors are children and grandchildren of very rich people, and they survive because they are trust fund babies. The red tape required to expand a restaurant or even to just improve on the site, drives many owners out or out of money.
I’m late to the thread, but yes, at least where I am property taxes are high. Benton County used to have the 2nd highest in the nation. Now a few others beat us out for that ‘honor’.
An amusing story for you to consider: Some years ago OSU hired a new VP from Phoenix. His wife came, stayed for one week & then headed back to AZ. He followed three months later. She couldn’t take the weather - overcast & raining for at least 6 months of the year. If you need lots of sunshine, be careful where you decide to move. :-)
Jobs are tight out here. I live in Klamath Falls which is South from Bend - pretty much at the CA border. This area is VERY conservative. Weather similar to Bend. I got a job before I moved here. Coming here to be a freelance contractor would be risky these days. I like this area just fine. I live well outside of town and drive in for work. There is no traffic here to speak of.
Areas to avoid for me would be all larger cities... Especially Portland, though that is where most of the work is. I like the looks of Yamhill County: McMinnville and surrounding areas. Traffic around Portland is terrible. Commuting in from Yamhill County would be a nice way to go, but one would spend much time driving slowly.
Oregon is all about outdoor activities. Boating/fishing/hiking. I have a small farm where we raise hay for our many critters.
Look me up if you ever come this far South.
I live in Calif in the bay area just east of SF.
I have much too much sun where I live which depresses me,but I live close enough to the bay where I do get foggy days
Yeah ,I’m one of those opposites that enjoys the gloom of fog and rain.Being from the mid-west ,I loved the snow and summer rains.
I would not be a suitable candidate to live anywhere in the southwest.
Oregon is California without multiculturalism (but we do have Indians, oops, Native Americans). Moving to Oregon 9 years ago was the worst mistake of my life. It’s gorgeous and I still hate it. I have never met so many stupid people. At least in California, the leftists have an education and you can have a nice hearty argument. Everyone is on welfare, drugs or both.
I have also never seen such bad drivers as in Oregon. (Although it is nice having your gas pumped by an attendant. It’s illegal to pump your own and this way the state mandates 20,000 jobs per year.)
Have visited Idaho and know people there. Whole different atmosphere. You won’t find the “sophistication” of Portland, but in EVERY other way Idaho is the superior state. Doesn’t sound like you are considering Portland area anyway.
Best of luck to you. Call at least 3 realtors from each major metro area you’re considering, in both states, and ask for info packet and sample of housing prices. Don’t go by online casual conversations to get financial data. Actually the websites and Chambers for those cities will have much more solid material on housing and prices than you will get asking on FR.
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