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Moving to Oregon
Hi! My kiddos and I are moving to Oregon (just south of Portland) from Texas in February or March. My boyfriend is moving back next Monday so we're following. I have 2 boys, ages 2 years old and 3 months old. What are some areas to look at for apartments? What are some areas to avoid? I want to be close to Newberg. Also, what are some clothing essentials to make sure to get the kids? What are the general time frames for each season and when do they run? What's the best kind of car to have up there? Thank you so much!
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Re: Moving to Oregon
Hi! I moved from Texas to Oregon about 5 years ago. I love it here, but here are a few thing I wish I knew.
1. Be prepared for all 3 seasons. Your first winter will be a bit of a shock. Buy your first "real" winter coats, gloves, and hats. Not many apartments here come with central air/heat. Fall is basically like a Texas winter. Summer is perfect, here in Portland we've had 5 days this entire year that temps reached above 90 (seriously). Spring is rain. Actually, 80% of the year is rain. As a matter of fact add Rain as it's own season. So buy rain boots and umbrellas.
2. Vehicle. I would suggest something that is a 4 wheel drive. There are times in winter where either chains are required or 4 wheel drive to be on the roads. If you don't have a 4 wheel drive, don't worry about it. The public transportation system is really easy here. This is a "green" state, so ride sharing is a priority with everyone. My husband and I survived as a one car family for 3 years,and now that we have a second car we use it maybe 3 times a month.
3. The cost of living tends to be higher here than in some areas of Texas (at least here in Portland). I would do some research on the web to try to find local stats for jobs, pay and rent. The job market was a bust when I moved here, but is picking back up. Don't be discouraged if you don't find a job that has exactly what you currently make. I took about a 15k pay cut when I moved here, but there isn't much change in my lifestyle.
4. There is no sales tax. You'll pay state tax, but it's not that bad.
5. You never have to pump your own gas.
That's all I can think of. It really is WONDERFUL here. It feels like vacation every day and I would never move back to Texas. Feel free to PM me if you need any other questions answered.