Most desireable neighborhood in Portland proper?

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Translation: I only want to live around white people. :MARIS61:

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Translation: I only want to live around white people. :MARIS61:

If that's what it is, that's what it is. They're the nicest suburbs in the Metro area. LO and West Linn are the most expensive suburbs in the area. If you have the money to buy in those areas and want to live in the 'burbs, why wouldn't you live in those areas? Why would I go to Beaverton where I'd be far from work and traffic sucks?

The problem with me wanting to live only near white people is I share a roof and bed with a Japanese woman.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

asians count as whites.

 

[Eastoff]

asians count as whites.

It's true. they're like whiteA

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

It's true. they're like whiteA

Wouldn't they be more like whiteB.

I'm not racist - my best friend is black! :MARIS61:

This was meant as a joke - it's what every whitey says. But this time, it's actually true.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I'm on board with you blazinggiants. I've lived in an apartment in West Linn for awhile before I bought my first house. I could walk around and be a jackass at 3am and felt the most safe I have ever felt in my entire life.

Having lived in Portland, Gresham and Corvallis, I can't necessarily say that about any of those places (well, maybe Corvallis, but definitely not even close to as safe as West Linn).

I'm actually in the process of saving up to buy my second house in West Linn, Happy Valley, Troutdale or Tualatin depending on if i get a promotion soon and where I'd have to commute to.

I'd rather spend less getting a much larger (and in most cases, newer) home than buy a smaller home in the city where I'm close to a million people.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I hear you JFR. As I've said a few times, to each his own. We all have different things that float our boats.

My house and locale isn't for everyone, but I wouldn't trade it (unless I were trading for a bigger house in the same area). But barring unforeseen circumstances, I could live in this house another 20 years.

 

[maxiep]

Sure, I may be from Lake Oswego and have kept a home there for the past two decades, but part of me laughs when I hear about inner city Portland being dangerous or crime-ridden. The worst parts of Portland would be considered middle class in most other cities.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Sure, I may be from Lake Oswego and have kept a home there for the past two decades, but part of me laughs when I hear about inner city Portland being dangerous or crime-ridden. The worst parts of Portland would be considered middle class in most other cities.

I don't think anyone here called Portland crime-ridden. Portland is one of the safer metro areas. It's also one of the smaller big metro areas, which I'm assuming plays a part. But that doesn't mean there aren't safer areas within the metro area.

 

[maxiep]

I don't think anyone here called Portland crime-ridden. Portland is one of the safer metro areas. It's also one of the smaller big metro areas, which I'm assuming plays a part. But that doesn't mean there aren't safer areas within the metro area.

You can go to smaller cities, and most have areas worse than the worst part of Portland.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Like where? Or are you talking outside of Portland metro?

 

[maxiep]

Like where? Or are you talking outside of Portland metro?

Baltimore, Kansas City, Cincinnati, San Antonio, New Orleans, Flint, Milwaukee, Albany, etc. I could go on and on and on and on. My point is that people in Portland have no idea what a really bad area looks like.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Oh, yeah. For sure. I've traveled enough to know Portland is one of the safer metro areas. That doesn't mean I'd prefer to live in inner-Portland.

How much time to do you spend in LO? Do you maintain a bigger house here, or just something more small and cozy? Doesn't matter really. Just wondering, since it's a second home out of state from you.

 

[maxiep]

Oh, yeah. For sure. I've traveled enough to know Portland is one of the safer metro areas. That doesn't mean I'd prefer to live in inner-Portland.

How much time to do you spend in LO? Do you maintain a bigger house here, or just something more small and cozy? Doesn't matter really. Just wondering, since it's a second home out of state from you.

I was making more fun of those who live in "inner" Portland who are patting themselves on the back for living in the "hood". Please. They live in Mayberry with 2.2 million people.

I spend less and less time in LO, and I'm not happy about it. It used to be half the year, then it became a few months a year. Last year it was 2 1/2 weeks. My place in LO is bigger than my place in Denver, but I bought it years ago, in a different market. However, I won't sell my LO place unless I'm going bankrupt. Some days, knowing it's there and that I can move my family tomorrow is what gets me through the day.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Denver seems like a rad place (I've only been for a day - I was traveling and made a 24-hour "layover" so I could check it out). I'd like to get back and spend some days scoping the area. Of all the places I've been, can't say there's anywhere I'd rather live than Oregon. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do for work, the family, etc. That's cool the LO house is there - it's an asset you can always fall back on if needed. I assume you have someone taking care of maintenance while you're away?

 

[MickZagger]

Belmont area is starting to grow on me.

 

[MickZagger]

When we were growing up in the burbs, NE was always the ghetto.

North Portland was the slum/public housing areas.

only reason to go there was to go to the nike outlet. :MARIS61:

Funny part about that is that there is parts of NE that is some of the more upscale neighborhoods in Portland.

 

[MickZagger]

And us kids who grew up in NEP liked that you thought that way. I never felt unsafe. Granted I lived on the edge of Alameda, but from 1st grade I walked to school to Alameda, then Beaumont and then Grant. Sure, if you left a bike out it might get stolen, but I'll deal with that to get all the benefits (for me personally) of living in the city. People value different things, so if you want to live in the burbs, go for it. As for me, I'd rather live in a small house with a tiny yard in the city than some 4000 sq ft place with a bonus room bigger than my current apartment in West Linn.

Oh, and as far as schools go, in my class, I had friends go to Columbia, UVA, Northwestern, Stanford (PHD), Berkeley (MBA) and other elite schools. You can coast and get a shitty education, but if you have parents that push you, you can do just fine there.

Great post!

 

[MickZagger]

Baltimore, Kansas City, Cincinnati, San Antonio, New Orleans, Flint, Milwaukee, Albany, etc. I could go on and on and on and on. My point is that people in Portland have no idea what a really bad area looks like.

15 years ago that wasn't the case. But today, yeah I agree with you.

Are you assuming that none of us travel outside of Portland? I've been to bad areas in St. Louis, Oakland and Boston.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

15 years ago that wasn't the case. But today, yeah I agree with you.

Are you assuming that none of us travel outside of Portland? I've been to bad areas in St. Louis, Oakland and Boston.

Some parts of Oakland are nasty. Same with parts of LA. South side of Chicago in parts are terrifying. Witnessed two shootings with a 90-minute period. But parts of the Deep South are crazy. I think I was the first white person they'd seen in a month. It didn't feel like I was in the US.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Some parts of Oakland are nasty. Same with parts of LA. South side of Chicago in parts are terrifying. Witnessed two shootings with a 90-minute period. But parts of the Deep South are crazy. I think I was the first white person they'd seen in a month. It didn't feel like I was in the US.

Thats odd. I have total street cred in Oaktown and on the south side of Chicago. They must know you are from west linn.

hoop fam

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

See. Forrest heights has the luxury of west linn and the closeness of living in the hood!

hoop fam

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Thats odd. I have total street cred in Oaktown and on the south side of Chicago. They must know you are from west linn.

hoop fam

Yeah. Total street cred. I'm sure. Or more likely is you hang out in the trendy areas.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

See. Forrest heights has the luxury of west linn and the closeness of living in the hood!

hoop fam

Forest Heights is pretty bomb. But I wouldn't call it hood. Looked there, but I chose the bigger house, better schools, and proximity to work. While FH has far better access to public trans, it didn't make sense for me ultimately because I'm a home body.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

It's hood adjacent.

hoop fam

 

[MarAzul]

Oh, yeah. For sure. I've traveled enough to know Portland is one of the safer metro areas. That doesn't mean I'd prefer to live in inner-Portland.

How much time to do you spend in LO? Do you maintain a bigger house here, or just something more small and cozy? Doesn't matter really. Just wondering, since it's a second home out of state from you.

Ha! That makes me think of the time I was staying in Indianapolis for a couple days. I asked at the hotel desk how far it was to Eli Lilly's. The fellow promptly told me about 1/2 mile. I turned and started to head out, when the fellow asked if he could call me a cab? I said no, I think I will walk. He said, Oh! No Sir, you best let me get you a cab. I took the Cab.

 

[blue9]

I was making more fun of those who live in "inner" Portland who are patting themselves on the back for living in the "hood".

Actually, I think all of us who live in Portland are saying that it's NOT the "hood" - that it is, despite suburban legend, incredibly safe.

 

[THE HCP]

Agree, none of us city guys were calling it the hood Max.