Cheap Places to Live in Oregon (Portland, Bend: rentals, movers, appliances)

[bjvoyager]

I've got a sleeper town that is about the cheapest place that I know of to live in the midwillamette valley of Oregon. It is called Falls City and has a gorgeous and real waterfall that runs through the center of town. Located in the geographical center of Western Oregon it is centrally located 60-80 miles from Portland and Eugene, 20- 35 miles from Corvallis and Salem; 60 miles from the central coast (Newport and Lincoln City , and about 100 to Bend for skiing.

It is nestled in the foothills of the Coast Range Mountains and was once the heart of one of the largest and earliest counties of Oregon. It was originally a logging town, and still has that tradition at its heart.

It is one of the most beautiful and quiet places in the state, as there is no road that goes thru it, just to it.

It has a few small town services such as a local grocery store (no gas station), but is only 12 miles outside the heart of Dallas a full service town with a Walmart and emergency hospital etc.

If you go to any of the real estate websites punch in 97344 and check out the prices.

Not much is available at any given time, but the prices can't be beat.

There is very little development going on, and the town has suffered from bad management in the past, so much that is there, has been very badly developed with a lot of clutter in some places, but gradually the town has been making a turn around, and has started to vigorously enforce its ordinances.

It is under a thousand people and there is much in the way of opportunity to serve on the various boards, and make a real difference in the way things are handled.

It is also becoming known for its world class mountain bike trails.

I have been a resident on and off, (I own property there ) for over 20 years and have seen a real change. There are still opportunites in town to own mini acerages; and I may have one for sale shortly. Horses and farm animals are allowed if you have over an acre (check the city website for their ordinances at Fallscity.org)

The reason I moved here initially was that like a lot of people, I wanted to get out of the big city to have a safe community to raise my son, and enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility of country life, and it was the only place I could afford at the time.

There is little work in town itself but it is within a peaceful commute (country roads
to places such as Corvallis and Salem,

and is actually a great place for a home based, internet based business.

The air is clean and the water is tapped from the mountains. The soil is fertile, and grows great gardens, and wildlife abounds. (the deer graze peacefully within 100 feet of me, and the birds land within arms length to encourage you to put out their seed. (no kidding! at least one).

Sounds like paradise? At this time of the year with our current cool summer it is!

At this time of the year the town shows beautifully, but come winter, when the leaves fall and the clutter becomes more apparent it can become depressing. However a lot of the older and poorly developed properties are cheap and ripe for redevelopment, already hooked up to water and sewer or on septics.

I know of one place with an older mobile and on about a half acre that can be optioned for under 100,000.

The town needs intelligent and progressive people (think green) who will give the place its due. Interested? This is a place where you can make a difference! Feel free to email me.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by patrickogrady

I'm planning on coming to Oregon to continue in psychiatric nursing. Salem has the State hospital which I understand will be rebuilt for 2009. I'm looking for affordable or best value housing options for that area. I hate being in a city, love being in the boonies, up to a point. Any suggestions anyone?

The soon to be razed and replaced hospital is located on center street. There are a lot of affordable homes within walking/biking distance of there. If you wanted a home to rent and be able to walk to work you could do that. Since there are older homes around the hospital area, some have been converted to duplexes (ie rent top floor, or rent bottom floor). Englewood, which is a nice older community is just a couple of blocks away.

If you didn't want to live around the mental hospital and want more small town atmosphere, then Monmouth and Independence are good choices for affordability, but you'd have to deal with traffic on the bridge and through downtown.

Jefferson would probably be your next best bet, maybe Turner, Aumsville or Stayton. They will all be short commutes into town. If you wanted small town, I'd probably stick to the south and east side towns.

[2004lincoln]

Wished I had moved there early this year. Invested in a home feb and will be a while before a chance to sell and get my money back. Joseph

[NomadicBear]

Pretty much EVERY location in Oregon is getting cheaper by the day. Why? Because the housing bubble burst with a ferocity never before seen, and the job market is absolutely horrendous. I love Oregon, but I cannot imagine ever living there due to the historically weak economy. Sure, one can perhaps find a job prior to moving there, but what happens if you lose that job through no fault of your own? The chances of finding another are slim. It's for this reason I am surprised that people talk about purchasing houses almost immediately after they arrive, sometimes sooner than that.

The numbers of people who are now stuck with a house they cannot sell (see the above poster), are massive, and not just in Oregon. I'd suggest renting is the best option for most, unless money is of little consequence. Rents are falling, and will continue to. Haggle with the landlords to negotiate a good rate, no matter which city or town, then sign a one year lease. After the year is up, you can take the pulse of the rental market, and decide if you want to negotiate it down, or if you are happy with what you have and feel comfortable you are not overpaying. Wherever you are, or want to be, make sure that you are doing a good job in negotiating rental (or sales) prices of homes. Asking prices don't mean a thing.

[Steve Pickering]

Christmas Valley, Betty, Burns, Sprague River.

[Fiddlehead]

Well, I love that info on Fall City. I'll have to look that up. I live in Ashland, which is NOT cheap! The Anti-bargain.My job is here, so I have little choice..but I digress. I nominate..drum roll please.. Roseburg! A lovely area of the state. Not so rainy as the northwest, nor as hot as the Rogue Valley. The North Umpqua is upstream and gorgeous country leading up to Crater Lake NP. I am sure the economy is in the tank though. E. Oregon might actually be in the best shape on that score, as I don't think it bubbled out so badly. What else are you looking for besides cheap?

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

Pretty much EVERY location in Oregon is getting cheaper by the day. Why? Because the housing bubble burst with a ferocity never before seen, and the job market is absolutely horrendous. I love Oregon, but I cannot imagine ever living there due to the historically weak economy. Sure, one can perhaps find a job prior to moving there, but what happens if you lose that job through no fault of your own? The chances of finding another are slim. It's for this reason I am surprised that people talk about purchasing houses almost immediately after they arrive, sometimes sooner than that.

The numbers of people who are now stuck with a house they cannot sell (see the above poster), are massive, and not just in Oregon. I'd suggest renting is the best option for most, unless money is of little consequence. Rents are falling, and will continue to. Haggle with the landlords to negotiate a good rate, no matter which city or town, then sign a one year lease. After the year is up, you can take the pulse of the rental market, and decide if you want to negotiate it down, or if you are happy with what you have and feel comfortable you are not overpaying. Wherever you are, or want to be, make sure that you are doing a good job in negotiating rental (or sales) prices of homes. Asking prices don't mean a thing.

Good context here. Yes, everything is changing rapidly, and overall Oregon is hammered and getting cheaper. The old phrase, "When California sneezes, Oregon gets pneumonia" applies. Except in this case California H1N1 and Oregon is on an Iron Lung. Oregon is still struggling to diversify its economy from big timber, ranching, and mining. They thought building homes for rich Californians was an industry (plenty of realtors, home designers, mortgage brokers, and building firms in S. Oregon and Bend, for instance), and it did help Joe Logger become Joe builder, but that one note symphony like the old ones, is over. Hopefully, we can diversify over time, but that will mean educating our people and becoming as smart as our competitors north and south. It might be a while. I hope we do though. This is a great state to call home, despite the challenges.

[JonMystic]

Come to Bend.. I am actually leaving this place. I am single and in my early 30s and its not the greatest town for unmarried younger guys who are not snowboarders or drunks.

Anyhow, if your older person and have a family this place is ideal. I mean Bend had a housing crash and prices have gone way down. The place is very cheap to live. YOu can buy a mansion for practically nothing. Bend is only for 4 hours from Portland and has many of the conveniences of Portland. It also has mixed population, so you won't just be around anti-social farmers/ranchers or the more countryish-types. There is a yuppie/redneck/country-person kinda mix here.

Why live in those pits in the eastern part of state where there is no scenery, no amenities and it gets super cold? I mean who wants to live in La Grande? Nice to visit, but to live... Not sure where your from, but Oregon is one of most rural states in USA.. You will be far from all human civilization. If you don't mind then fine.

But for the price now, Bend is such a great deal and you have all those things you would want in La Grande, but much closer to civilization.

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by JonMystic

Come to Bend.. I am actually leaving this place. I am single and in my early 30s and its not the greatest town for unmarried younger guys who are not snowboarders or drunks.

Anyhow, if your older person and have a family this place is ideal. I mean Bend had a housing crash and prices have gone way down. The place is very cheap to live. YOu can buy a mansion for practically nothing. Bend is only for 4 hours from Portland and has many of the conveniences of Portland. It also has mixed population, so you won't just be around anti-social farmers/ranchers or the more countryish-types. There is a yuppie/redneck/country-person kinda mix here.

Why live in those pits in the eastern part of state where there is no scenery, no amenities and it gets super cold? I mean who wants to live in La Grande? Nice to visit, but to live... Not sure where your from, but Oregon is one of most rural states in USA.. You will be far from all human civilization. If you don't mind then fine.

But for the price now, Bend is such a great deal and you have all those things you would want in La Grande, but much closer to civilization.

I didn't know there were guys in their early thirties in Bend who were not snowboarder and drunks, sounds like you were adding to the "diversity."

Also, you are assuming being closer to civilization is a good thing. The more I see, the better I like La Grande, better yet Halfway...

Just feeling snarky. Where ya headed mystic?

[bluebird39]

Pendleton is quite affordable, and there's a state psychiatric hospital there too.