A question for the Portland people

[Judy from Boise]

My DD will be attending the Art Institute of Portland starting this summer. We just got home from a 3-day weekend there, and I want some opinions on where to look for a place for her to live. We would love to buy something if we could get into the market for 100k. I would love for her to live right in Pearl....but think that would take a 250k budget! We liked Goose Hollow cause it looks nice and is so close to Tri-met. Northwest was OK, but only serviced by the streetcar (but that does stop right in front of the school). Southwest waterfront look like you could snatch up good deals....but very little infa-structure?
But I know there are areas we haven't even touch on.

We walked all around downtown and Pearl....rode the entire route of the street car, and did Tri-met from the airport and back, and to the zoo and back, so that is what we have seen.
Any thoughts?

 

[50sjayne]

I don't live there, just visit-- but...... don't you just love Portland? Be sure to go to Burgerville on MLK next time you visit, you can walk there from the MAX And Mcormack and Schmicks is right on the MAX downtown real close to the saturday market that is under the bridge--fantastic happy hour menu.

 

[Judy from Boise]

thanks for the tips, I do look forward to 4 years of getting to know Portland. I have a feeling we will drive up every month just to visit and bring groceries . Of course on Alaska specials we may fly her home for the weekend!

I am also picturing some Oregon DIS meets!

 

[Judy from Boise]

bumping since bumbershoot is back from her trip

 

[bumbershoot]

Have you ever seen Bavaria talking about someone sending off the Bat Signal when one of her pet topics comes up?

That must have happened with this thread! I mean, I almost *never* come to this board, but here I am, the very day you posted for me. Freaky.



Unfortunately, neighborhoods are hard for me to figure out around there! We looked around for awhile when hubby was interviewing at ADI (wait, is that right? the payroll people), and at the time I could figure out the neighborhoods, but obviously we didn't move. I remember there being some tiny, and cute, rental houses around the McMenamins Kennedy School neighborhood...that was in '05ish, as real estate was getting higher and higher and higher...I'm not sure anything would be in the 100 range, but I bet it's come down since back then, when a tiny 1.5 bedroom, 1 bath (literally one bath NO shower) house was being rented for about 1500.

Kennedy School (not a current school...a B&B) is at 5735 NE 33rd in zipcode 97211.


I was going to direct you to redfin.com, a real estate website, but it looks like Portland is only "coming soon". Drat.

Did you check out the help they might be able to give? "Whether you are a student moving away from home for the first time or you're just trying to find a new apartment in a different part of town, the Residence Life and Housing staff at The Art Institute of Portland wants to make sure that you have comfortable, affordable and convenient housing options."

On that same page, http://www.artinstitutes.edu/portland/StudentLife/Student_Housing.aspx, there's a link to a PDF about independent housing...nothing much about buying a house or condo, but I know I'd check out those links even if I were planning to buy...just gives you a jumpoff spot.



Can I just say how awesome I think it is, that you're going to buy a place for her to live in? And I mean that whether it's a gift or if she'll be making the mortgage payments. I only wish my mom had been in a position to do that for me (she did too, and my dad kept talking about it, but never followed through, not that he could have back then) when I went to college. Sure, I had some great renting and roommate experiences (some bad, too), but I was always jealous of the few and far between in college, and later in chiropractic school, whose parents were financially solvent enough to do that for their kids. It'll be so much easier for her to study and learn and sleep, knowing that her housing is safe and secure, and that SHE is the boss if she takes on any roommates.

And now I have to decide if I'm going to show my husband the website for this school. He flirted with the idea of the AI in Seattle a few years ago...the Portland school appears to blow it away.

 

[SeansMom]

Ya know, we sold our house in a Portland suberb almost 17 years ago. It was tiny. 800 square feet, and it sold then for almost 100k. My Uncle's house is in that neighborhood; years ago it was valued at almost 300k. ALSO, there are some really dicey areas down there and you want her to be safe. My brother-in-law has stories from living in NE Portland, off Alberta. Stay away at all costs!

Talk to the realtors in the area. Several of them. Ask about above mentioned area and see if they are honest. Find someone you can trust, and good luck!

BTW, the commute would be further but Max goes clear out to Hillsboro, and prices would be lower out there.

I loved Portland and miss parts of it. I hope she has a great experience at school .

 

[Judy from Boise]

thanks for the replies......we are really impressed with AI, a great combo of being fully accredited academically coupled with a "tradeschool" type mentality of preparing you to compete in the job market. It has a killer location too . Best of all it is a city where my non-driver DD can be completely independent.

We did do the tour of the school sponsored housing during our campus visit ....OMG.It was appallingly bad, fit for perhaps rental by the hour, not month!

We also walked to one building listed on the internet that had multiple units for sale within our price range......!!!!! Again it was like the tenderloin district in SF on a bad day ! And worse that east LA where I went to college

Like you said Molly, I want to go to sleep each night knowing my child is free to focus on these 4 great years of learning and personal development, because their needs for safety and security are all ready met.

 

[Judy from Boise]

here are some pictures

the corner of the building

and our favorite portland vice

home of the yummy maple bacon bar !

 

[bumbershoot]

Like you said Molly, I want to go to sleep each night knowing my child is free to focus on these 4 great years of learning and personal development, because their needs for safety and security are all ready met.

My mom did that for me. offshoot thought....She was always ready to send me money for shampoo if I needed it...she was married at 17 and moved to San Francisco, she was 25 when she had me, she and my dad had lived communally there that whole time...she had been there done that with being broker than broke and living in horrid conditions with people who would steal her shampoo (even with long hippie hair she ALWAYS washed it)...never wanted me to worry about that sort of stuff.


I've heard of Voodoo...never been there, though!

 

[cirquelovers]

I'll talk to my husband but I know he said if we had the money he would get one of the places on the south end of the waterfront. Those were some very expensive places when they first came on the market. They look like beautiful places. even though it's kind of industrial feeling down there. It sems to be trying to get more trendy and can be acessed by public transportation now.

Many years ago the only thing that ever went down there was the Cirque tent every few years. Cirque was smart and bought the property so they always have somewhere to raise the tent!

I know my husband was looking at places in the Pearl but they were spendy. He was also looking over towards the convention center, just across the river. It is right off the Maxline and is in fareless square.

I love Voodoo! Have you tried the maple bar with bacon? It is divine! My son prefers the bubble gum one or the namesake voodoo doll, because boys like to stab things that ooze red you know!?! We ask my husband to bring some back for us every couple weeks or so.

There are many eclectic places to eat in Portland. There are also many wonderful stores and the Saturday market is great for fresh produce.

 

[Judy from Boise]

we love the maple bacon bars! My seccond fave is the Captain my Captain. Sounds like your husband and I think a lot alike......those are the areas I am very interested in.

 

[SnowWhitesMommy]

rmls.com is a great website for searching for real estate in Portland area!