TimFountain

I have been with the same company for 22 years, but today I handed in my notice and will be heading to Portland to start a new job just after Thanksgiving. I am super excited about the new job, and the opportunity to live in a very beautiful part of the world that actually has seasons, but at the same time sad to be leaving a company that has become part work and part family. I'll also be sad to give up my share in the Cessna 182 and to leave the home where our two kids were born and raised and where we said goodbye to my dog and one of our cats.

It is not the best time to be trying to sell a house, even if it is in super condition and priced to sell, and of course we'll be giving up a lower cost larger house for a more expensive smaller house.

The family (wife + 2 kids) will stay on in Austin until the house is sold, and I'll be living in an apartment until we can all be reunited, so it is going to be a tough few months.

Any Portlanders on the forum please chime in.... We are looking around the Beaverton area, within 8 miles. I believe I have to take a written part of the driving license again, grr…. Is a 4WD car/truck nice to have or a necessity?

- Tim

PS - I am a USC BTW, before anyone wants to get into the “what visa?” question.

fatbrit

You should probably remove the Dixie flag and gun rack off of your current vehicle before transporting it.

Burn1911

Congratulations -This solves all your Neighbour issues!!! Welcome to the PNW..........!!!

meauxna

lol, that was my first thought too!
(that will show THAT guy!)


Hey Tim, happy to help. If you don't want to post your new employer location, you could PM me. "Beaverton" + 8 miles isn't really specific enough if you have *other* wants.
School district will be of interest, I'm sure. Beaverton is probably the best of the bunch right now.
Length & type of commute (bike? lol)
House, apartment, land? City center, McMansion subdivision, charming bungalow?

Broad brush advice would be to avoid anything that will require using Hwy 217 daily.
I've never had 4 wheel drive, but it's all about elevation. If you've got some, get some. I get by fine with front wheel drive.

There's a lovely little airport at Hillsboro and I'm sure you won't have any shortage of opportunities to fly up here.

avanutria

Hi Tim, welcome. I'm a couple of hours south of Portland. Don't be scared of the Oregon written driving exam, it's a cakewalk. Just be sure to pick up one of the free driving test manuals at the DMV once you're here, and review it a couple of times before you take the test. There are two practice tests in the manual and those were harder than the actual one that I took.

(They also stop the test early once you hit the required number of correct answers!)

As for 4wd I doubt there's much need for it in Portland, but if you want to go into the mountains regularly in winter then who knows, it might be worth considering. I imagine the routes to the ski resorts are kept relatively clear but I haven't tried them yet myself.

lansbury

Mo says avoid 217 and I'll add 26 if going towards Portland in the morning commute. 4WD is nice to have especially if you pick somewhere to live that is hilly and there can be some quite step ones around. But also remember the coast is over a mountain range and if you head that way in winter 4WD is very nice and chains are required to be carried. Both our vehicles are 4WD and if only once or twice a year its comes in handy.

The written drive test don't worry. They only make you take it to check you haven't picked up any good habits in Texas, and to make sure you know the rules so as to ignore them.

TimFountain

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful and humerous.... I'll be around SW Hocken Ave (that gives it away to the locals). I want to be closer to work than the 13 miles I am now. Looking up to $500k for 4 beds with 3 car garage and some land (>0.3 acres). Understood on the 217 and 26 traffic, although when I was there it didn't see too bad at 7:00AM.

Thanks

- Tim

meauxna

Well you should have some very nice choices in that radius. And you won't be dependant on the long run of the 217, so it should not be a big influence on that location + distance.

If I were me, I'd instinctively head north from there, toward Cedar Hills and up into the Portland West Hills. But that is just my reflexive preference to be tied more to Portland than Out There.
There are some beautiful neighborhoods to the west/SW of there, south of Farmington. Those are small foothills, and I see lots of green spaces on the map and there's newer construction that should meet your size. Go further out and the lots sizes quickly get bigger.
Can't tell you much about the driving, but I don't think it's bad on the back roads (Gassner etc)?

Rete

Karma'd you, Tim.

What a wonderfully exciting adventure you are going to be having. Takes a lot to up and leave an employer that you have been with for so long. We all need a change now and then. Understand Portland is a great area and your close proximity to Mo and Lansbury is a definite plus.

Neko128

I think the most interesting thing about this thread is that when I read the subject I assumed "Portland, Maine", but that's obviously not the Portland in question here. I guess that's what you get for being a New Englander.

lansbury

Oh right that place, the guy who payrolls the Ducks. Oh well sorry I can't be of any more help but Mo is a Duck lover so you're in good company.

meauxna

lol, I came to a very different conclusion!
God only knows where we are sending Tim off to work...

lansbury

Well I did think Beaverton Honda or LA Fitness but thought it was a long way from Texas for that. He did say around SW Hocken and not on so.................