Community Forums

MonacoMama · 10-04-2008, 03:37 PM

Jim...this photo will probably be our Christmas card photo

...it was taken early in the morning...when I woke to the start of the snowfall...

MM

dmzkiller · 10-17-2008, 07:40 PM

I'd move back to Oregon in a heartbeat. I grew up in Portland and downright disgusted of the housing costs there anymore. Ever since Oregon was 'found' by Californians, Oregon has just been ruined for the most part. That and the combination of illegals, just is such a big turnoff. Washington county has the highest population of mexican/illegals of pretty much any county. If you look at www.kgw.com, that would give you an idea of whats going on in the Portland/Vancouver area. Portlanders pay about 1/2 of their income for housing, not the typical 30 to 33% ratio that lenders like to see.

But I can tell you what, live in an RV park for sometime and save some money that way. But Portland area, you can goto Seattle, the coast, Mount St. Helens, the Dechutes river for rafting or fishing, make sure you goto Camp Sherman.............

I am in the Texas Hill Country for now.....I am very not impressed about Texas whatsoever.........so over-rated, but I am here for my 7 yr old son, so thats just how it is.

Oregon has NO sales tax, which I am all for!!! I am sick of paying sales tax on EVERYTHING, even used cars, esp when sales tax was paid on that same car when it was new. I'd rather pay income tax, at least that is directly proportional to your income.

I just get a laugh at these Texans!! They feel sorry for people up North!!! For what, being thin or educated? Nope.......for the cold weather!! Thats funny........we love the rain and the four seasons

D&J · 10-20-2008, 01:24 PM

We just started a 3rd winter in Brookings and what I would suggest is that you spend some time in RV Parks in areas that you think you may want to buy to make sure that is where you want to be. Winters can be very wet and cold on the coast one day a sunny and warm the next or even the same day. This will be our last winter in OR for a awhile and we will look for someplace warmer for the winter. If you are staying on the coast I would suggest that you find a Park off the coast during the winter (we are 1.5 miles) just because of the Pacific storms that tend to roll in during the winter.

It is a beautiful area and I'm sure that we will return some day. But So many places so little time.

Denny

Pego Man · 10-25-2008, 04:31 AM

We lived in Vancouver, WA, just across the Columbia River from Portland for 10 years before we went "Full-Time" RVing and that's where we'll be when we go off the road. It has all the benefits of Oregon and Portland, but with a couple of extras. There is no state income tax in Washington and for any purchase of any size we'd just pop across the river where we wouldn't have to pay any sales tax. The best of both worlds! There are 2 bridges connecting Vancouver with Portland, the I-5 and the I-205 and on the Portland side there are all the "big-box" stores just waiting to accommodate all the Washington residents. It worked for us!

catkins · 11-22-2008, 03:22 PM

Carefully chcek out the tax situation in oregon. Had retired friends who were so unhappy with the taxes on investments, property and all that they moved to Washington. Oregon is a beautiful state. Just know what you are getting into....................

rvgrandma · 12-18-2008, 07:56 PM

I agree - if you have retirement Oregon may very well tax you. We had neighbors in Oregon who changed to Nevada when they went fulltime to avoid taxes on their retirement.

We are Oregon residents but have not lived there since 2006. We are workampers and we have to pay income tax to Oregon on all our earnings no matter where we earn it. We want to change to Washington, where we park occasionally at my sisters, but can not afford the sales tax they will charge on our MH.

Brookings/Harbor is very nice. We worked the winter 05/06 there and loved the weather. We were at a park in Harbor overlooking the beach. But, Brookings is also very expensive compared to towns north of there. Bandon is a nice town too. On Hiway 38 between I-5 and the coast there are some beautiful areas yet you are still within an hours drive of the coast or mountains.

As for living in Washington, close to the Oregon border, it does have its benefits as mentioned.

Renipladlo · 12-30-2008, 08:28 PM

Move to Vancouver, WA. First we have no income tax here, do have sales tax. And you can cross the river and shop in Oregon, and not pay the sales tax, but you won’t have the Oregon income tax burden.

Now a number of states let you deduct all your federal tax from the state tax, Oregon does not, it only lets you deduct 5K of the federal tax bill. Next, they have one of the highest property tax rates in the country. Their real estate prices have not dropped as low as other places, and the crime rate in Oregon, especially Salem, Portland and the Willamette Valley is high. Move to Washington, or Nevada, or even Texas, no income tax.