Young Family Wants Bend Lifestyle (Portland, Gresham: real estate, houses, job market)

[Outdoor Nut]

We are a young family (4 boys under 7) that really want to move to Bend. We are now in the midwest and are looking for an active outdoor place to call home for the next maybe 25 yrs atleast. We are both self employed, she a mental health proffesional and he an arborist. Now we are both self-employed and would like to be in Bend but would take jobs in our respective field (or otherwise)if we had to. I am wondering if anyone can enlighten us on the job markets in these two industries.

Iv'e always heard that Bend would be to expensive to relocate to but it doesn't seem like that to me. Housing costs don't seem out of line. There seems to be some proffesional jobs. I wonder of you would agree with me.

Anyway Bend seems like a real gem. Thanks in advance.

[Bendite]

Originally Posted by Outdoor Nut

We are a young family (4 boys under 7) that really want to move to Bend. We are now in the midwest and are looking for an active outdoor place to call home for the next maybe 25 yrs atleast. We are both self employed, she a mental health proffesional and he an arborist. Now we are both self-employed and would like to be in Bend but would take jobs in our respective field (or otherwise)if we had to. I am wondering if anyone can enlighten us on the job markets in these two industries

Iv'e always heard that Bend would be to expensive to relocate to but it doesn't seem like that to me. Housing costs don't seem out of line. There seems to be some proffesional jobs. I wonder of you would agree with me.

Anyway Bend seems like a real gem. Thanks in advance.

Bend and the surrounding areas as I am sure you have read, have low employment opportunities. Mental health workers might find something - the VA and US Army just announced beefing up mental health care and will need to staff up, but I have no idea if Bend's small VA center would be one of the locations. Arborist? Well, maybe something with the US Forest Service, but there are always more people than jobs in that field. If you are self-employed now, maybe that would transfer here.

Along with unemployment, people have lost their homes, so real estate is much less expensive than it was a few years ago so at the moment it is a reasonable place to live if you make a good wage. There are some professional jobs, of course, but many applicants for every opening.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Bendite

Bend and the surrounding areas as I am sure you have read, have low employment opportunities. Mental health workers might find something - the VA and US Army just announced beefing up mental health care and will need to staff up, but I have no idea if Bend's small VA center would be one of the locations. Arborist? Well, maybe something with the US Forest Service, but there are always more people than jobs in that field. If you are self-employed now, maybe that would transfer here.

Along with unemployment, people have lost their homes, so real estate is much less expensive than it was a few years ago so at the moment it is a reasonable place to live if you make a good wage. There are some professional jobs, of course, but many applicants for every opening.

I agree with Bendite here. Job prospects are tough. As an arborist, I doubt you will find anything with the Forest Service. They hire foresters and the like, but don't really manage individual trees, like an arborist would. There are several private tree service/arborists in town, so you might do a little research to see if they are hiring or if there is a need for more. I don't know about the outlook for the mental health industry. And, as far as professional jobs go, it just depends on the profession. Like Bendite stated, there are some, but there are also huge numbers of applicants for the few jobs available.

[hamellr]

I have to ask, what do you think the "Bend Lifestyle" really is? What preconceptions do you have of Bend that are influencing your move there?

[Outdoor Nut]

Family friendly, outdoorsy. The same preconceptions that everyone else has when you mention Bend, OR.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Outdoor Nut

Family friendly, outdoorsy. The same preconceptions that everyone else has when you mention Bend, OR.

My perception of Bend is a little Red Neck town that is bisected by a main freeway, over filled with tourists and Californian Retirees, that has grown way too fast and is now paying for it by not having any real job openings or much of an economy beyond tourism. Not to mention the weather swings from snow to "intense" heat in the seasons. I don't really find it outdoorsy any more or less then any other town in Oregon.

That's why I was asking what you're looking for.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by hamellr

My perception of Bend is a little Red Neck town that is bisected by a main freeway, over filled with tourists and Californian Retirees, that has grown way too fast and is now paying for it by not having any real job openings or much of an economy beyond tourism. Not to mention the weather swings from snow to "intense" heat in the seasons. I don't really find it outdoorsy any more or less then any other town in Oregon.

That's why I was asking what you're looking for.

A former co-worker and her spouse moved from Portland to Bend about five years ago. What she had to say about it pretty much follows your comments. They wound up moving out of state back to their original home in Alabama.

You might want to take a look at this:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/bend/...-not-move.html

[pkooistra]

We moved here a year ago and LOVE Bend and our kids love it too.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by hamellr

My perception of Bend is a little Red Neck town that is bisected by a main freeway, over filled with tourists and Californian Retirees, that has grown way too fast and is now paying for it by not having any real job openings or much of an economy beyond tourism. Not to mention the weather swings from snow to "intense" heat in the seasons. I don't really find it outdoorsy any more or less then any other town in Oregon.

Ha. You're funny. Depends on your definition of outdoorsy, ofcourse, but I'd define it as the ease/proximity to the outdoors, no?

Where are you from? Would you like to time how long it takes you to get to downhill skiing, XC skiing, 10k mountains, river rafting, secluded trail running/mountain biking trails, rock climbing, National Forests, Wildernesses, etc. etc. etc.

I'll bet everything I own I can get to all that I've listed in the same time it'd take you to even GET to the very skirts of the Mt. Hood National Forrest.

It's not by accident outdoorsists have flocked to Bend. It has amazing access even by Oregon standards.

Your other perceptions of Bend are a bit more reasonable especially that damn freeway!

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

Ha. You're funny. Depends on your definition of outdoorsy, ofcourse, but I'd define it as the ease/proximity to the outdoors, no?

Where are you from?

Exactly.

I've lived in Lakeview, Klamath Falls, Coos Bay, Coquille, Newport, Astoria, Boring, Estacada, La Grande, Enterprise, Gresham, Troutdale, Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro.... and Bend. Not to mention a large number of locales that are only a name on a map, some accessible only by my own two feet or a horse.

Originally Posted by kapetrich

Would you like to time how long it takes you to get to downhill skiing, XC skiing, 10k mountains, river rafting, secluded trail running/mountain biking trails, rock climbing, National Forests, Wildernesses, etc. etc. etc.

15 minutes to three hours depending on the exact activity and which of the multiple location choice I'd like to go to.

Of course the real question is, do I care about a few of those items enough in the first place that I'd give up my very well paying job for a large Portland area firm to live nearer to those activities?

Originally Posted by kapetrich

I'll bet everything I own I can get to all that I've listed in the same time it'd take you to even GET to the very skirts of the Mt. Hood National Forrest.

Here are questions for you. How close are you to 5 or even 4 Star Restaurants? How many options do you have locally to go buy the equipment that you need for any of those activities? How close are you to the coast? How close are you to a major airport? How easy is it for you to use back roads to avoid traffic jams that don't go 20 miles out of your way? How close are you to local farmers, produce stands, and farmer's markets with dozens of local farmers? How about choices in theaters such as Cinetopia, Dollar Nights, Second Runs, Classic movies, Independent movies, food, pizza, beer, wine served to your seat in the theater with a table to eat off of? Good book stores? World Class chefs? An abundance of food carts open 24/7? Museums, Art Museums, History Museums? Deep Sea Fishing? Whale Watching? Year round camping options? A lively social scene with plenty of dating options? Professional Soccer, Hockey, and Basketball? Symphony, Opera, Major Plays, Concerts, theater, small local up and coming musicians? Surfing? Peruvian, Mexican, Japanese Hibachi, Sushi, Steak, Cuban, English, French, Thai, Asian-Fusion. Southern, Texas, and Carolina BBQ? Vegan, Vegetarian, Deserts, Fine Dining, Dive Bars? Chicago, New York, Wood Fired and Boston Style Pizza? German, Scottish, Hungarian, African? Fish houses and seafood shacks with fresh caught Salmon, crabs, oysters and trout? Home made hot dogs, Polish Sausages, Deer/Elk/Buffalo Dogs, Chicago Style, Philly Style, New York style and DIY? Air Museums? water parks? Back roads that pass through scenic little towns that frequently have a festival of some sort going on the weekends in the summer? Colleges choices for continuing education, adult education or recreational education classes?

And most of all, GOOD jobs that are fairly resilient to the economy and not based mostly on tourism or construction? Such as high end technology, graphic design, manufacturing, banking, business, green/Environmental industries?

If all you care about is outdoorsy things, especially those related to snow, then I grant that Bend is the place to live. But if your tastes expand a bit beyond that, then Bend, for that matter, most of Oregon is a dead-end.