Places to live?

[sedition88]

So my fiance and I have been thinking of moving in the next few years, and I wanted to get your input on our arears of interest. Any and all info would be a great help, like cost of living, employment, weather, good schools, crime, and whatever else you can add. Pros and cons. We were looking at areas like Santa Rosa and Sacramento Cali, and the Eugene, Corvallis, Albany, Salem, and Portland areas.

[DAW]

That is an excellent question, one of the best.

 

Not enough input, though. Recreational needs/access; value to being at an ocean (or small lakes, Great Lake, etc); value in being at the mountains (skiing); value of access to racetracks (road race/drag race/autocross/track day); clear weather days (flying); number of heating/cooling days...those are critically important criteria, and there are a lot more. But you are asking the right question.

[datzenmike]

Nearness to vintage wrecking yards a plus.

[sedition88]

Recreation isnt really a factor for me, ill find something anywhere. Yearly temperature swing, lack of snow a plus, etc.

[datrod]

Recreation isnt really a factor for me, ill find something anywhere. Yearly temperature swing, lack of snow a plus, etc.

 

I would say So Cal. But it seems like most Ratsners don't like So Cal much. :(

[Hardwyre]

Depending on what career experience you have, Vancouver (just north of Portland) is nice if you don't want to live in a state that over charges you on housing prices and rapes your paycheck with state income tax.

[Guest kamakazi620]

Recreation isnt really a factor for me, ill find something anywhere. Yearly temperature swing, lack of snow a plus, etc.

Portland For sure!!!!!!!!

[Dirk Diggler]

You need to live in northern Oregon but work in southern Washington. No income tax and no sales tax.

[yello620]

You need to live in northern Oregon but work in southern Washington. No income tax and no sales tax.

 

OH you still pay the Oregon tax, it just isnt withheld from your check. You still owe it though.

 

Want to avoid the taxes, you have to live in Washington and do all your shopping in Oregon.

[Jennifer]

Sacramento is.. i think its pretty small... weather in the summer ..can get as hot as 105.. or around there and cold as 60's during the day... Lots of cheap houses right now due to foreclosures and stuff like that. Jobs are there, just got to look .. i like living here. cost of living I think pretty cheap.. all about money management ;) .. crime.. not much but there is crime. .. some good schools... depends what good means to you tho. :D

[yellowdatsun]

Read up on all the anti-car stuff before you think about California.

 

I totally agree with the comment about living in Washington, and shopping in Portland. I live in Phoenix, and if I were to move anywhere it would be near the Portland area. Awesome part of the country, and I've seen a lot of it too.

[Hardwyre]

Now if only our Falls and Winters weren't so shitty.

[RedBanner]

BOISE WHEREDAHOE!

If I ever get my shit widled down im going load all my guns/tools/guitars into my 710, and tow that batch down to nampa and set up shop.

Min wage is horrible, but there are skilled labor jobs that pay well, cost of living is low, you can travle by bike or board if you want, cool music scene, eye candy, and you can run away in any direction and find something to do.

And its not that far of a move.

[datto510]

I lived on the Washington side of the Columbia River entrance and always went to Astoria to go shopping. Worked out pretty well....

[Guest kamakazi620]

Now if only our Falls and Winters weren't so shitty.

What???? You mean 2-3 months Of COLD rain???? and maybe a day or two of a couple inches of snow??? whats SO shitty??? :lol:

[Z-train]

Read up on all the anti-car stuff before you think about California.

 

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS :o

[510T]

Santa Rosa (Sonoma Co.) is great. It is far enough from the bay area but close to the coast, the redwoods, and about 3.5 hours from Tahoe. Don't tell anyone ;) , but there are zip codes in Sonoma County where the only smog check you need is for title transfer. Most of the neighborhoods are decent and there are plenty of nice schools. Also there is the beautiful Infineon Raceway a.k.a Sears Point.

[freekwonder]

I grew up in Cali and miss it everyday, but I will probably never move back. To expensive, to many people, car nazis, and don't agree with the politics. Oregon is very beautiful state, I just can't live in a state where I can't pump my own gas. Probably biggest factor would be what your profession is and what the market is in the cities you are looking at.

[sedition88]

Yeah doesn't really want to go to Cali, so probably more NW Oregon into southern WA. Currently I live in Utah where we have hundred degree temperature swings from winter to summer and a shit ton of snow in the winter. I hate the snow, I grew up in NW Washington. I've worked mostly in automotive as a service writer. Thanks for all the input, anything else you guys can add will be great.

[freekwonder]

As someone who grew up in Cali, visits Washington quite a bit and has lived in the midwest for the past 14 years. I can't wait to get the f**k out of the midwest. Luckily I only HAVE to live here another 6 months, then I can move up to University Place where my wife and son already live.

[nismo dr]

just checked the gauge, and hate to break this to you, but Oregon is full

 

 

 

 

:P

[sedition88]

just checked the gauge, and hate to break this to you, but Oregon is full

 

 

 

 

:P

 

Haha, thanks. I'm going to move next door to you then

[wayno]

I have lived in vancouver wa. all my life, it was a great place to grow up, but if I have the chance, I will move out of the city limits.

[bonvo]

in would steer clear of sac i used to live in that area and its just a pain in the ass im really starting to like things here in LaPine small town kinda place everyone knows your name crime rates are low pros is cost of living is dirt you have a full time minimum wage job and you can own land here cons if you want anything resembling civilization you have to drive 30 miles

[dennis]

What about TX? We get snow but very little. No state income tax but high property tax. If you are renting no biggie. Car restrictions? What is that? Plenty of jobs, plenty of inexpensive homes. Hell my house would be a couple million in CA. Plenty of things to do out here.