DUers from Lake Oswego or West Linn OR

[musiclawyer]

My partner and I will be traveling to PDX next month for the express purpose of looking for a house for our retirement in a few years. We have been researching your area There are some nice modest homes in the 400 k range which is our sweet spot My question is.....what are your thoughts regarding Milwaukie OR ? Better bang for buc there. But we are avid walkers Like 5 -10 k every other day. Seems like your area has nice areas for walking. Not sure about across the river ?

[HappyMe]

1. No idea.

Try cross posting in the OR group too. I would say GD, but I dunno if it would get locked and drop away.

Best of luck to you and your SO.

[cliffordu]

2. Milwaukee is a pleasant little place with great access to PDX

Nice Megamall within 5 miles.

Lake oswego is mucho more $$$ - and more snootiness that you could ask for -

As for your budget, I -think- Milwaukee is doable, but, really, you are on your own.

Personally, I'd look in Sellwood, just north of Milwaukee, or Woodstock, directly east from Sellwood.

By the way - these three places are under 2 miles from the bike path that runs along the Willamette River, and is spectacular bike ride into the heart of downtown Portland.

Look at condos in The Pearl district. Be careful with contracts and fees, but it is one of the most spectacular urban places I have ever bee.

Don't forget to make your realtor or cabbie take you to Powells books on Burnside.

[Spike89]

3. I like the whole SE part

Lake Oswego can be a bit snooty in parts. Milwaukee (where I was born) has some great areas, and some somewhat run down areas. My son, a struggling journalist/recent college grad, lives in one of the run down areas, and it still isn't a "bad" place to live. I like West Linn and Oregon City. Heading further east into Gresham and you can find semi-rural places and great bike/jogging/walking paths.

Good luck with your relocation!

[dr.strangelove]

4. Lake O is very nice

HAs an "exclusive" type of reputation for most parts, but it really is a great and open community. West Lynn has some high end areas. Milwaukie is certainly a lower income bracket than the other two, but it is still a womnderful place. Look a little further south into the outskirts of Oregon City or more rural in the Beaver Creek area too. Out on I-84 Gresham is nice. Honestly, your best bet is to rent an apartment is someplace like Westmoreland or Sellwood for a year and spend it looking around to see what there is to offer. Nob Hill in NW Portland is popping right now and the NW has some great areas that are rising. Look over in the SW too like the Dunwoodie section or near Lewis and Clark college.

[musiclawyer]

5. Thank you all

[MissB]

6. Traffic past Lake O is a pain.

I live just on the other side of Lake O towards Portland. Traffic on the way home in the evenings is incredibly slow once you hit the edge of my neighborhood heading towards Lake O. West Linn would be worse, as you have to pass through Lake O to get there.

But since you are retiring, that may not be a big concern.

Tryon Creek state park is right on the border of Lake O and Portland along Terwilliger. It's a great place to walk, and it is accessible from Lake O or the Lewis and Clark college area and many points between, including the way other side. Lots of entry points. I highly recommend it. There are also lots of walking areas down by the railroad tracks that cross the highway through Lake O. Really nice, and safe.

I used to live in SE Portland. It was fabulous in terms of the city life, but Lake O is going to be quieter with less crime. Do the speed limits through Lake O because the cops really have nothing better to do. Not a joke - a low crime area.

I'm not a big fan of Milwaukie, but that's mostly because of the traffic. Yes, you get more by being further out, but it really depends on what you are looking for. Quiet = Lake O. I don't disagree with the snooty factor of Lake O, but I've found all types there. The farmers market on Saturdays is nice.

The Stafford area of Lake O has developed lots of walking trails recently. Not as nice as Tryon, IMHO.

[MissB]

7. Tryon creek map:

http://www.tryonfriends.org/explore-tryon-creek/visit/

[MissB]

8. Lake O pathways:

http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/parksrec/pathways-guide

[davidpdx]

9. I lived in Milwaukie for several years

There is not much in terms of hotels in Milwaukie the last time I was there. Lake Oswego and West Linn probably have hotels. Also out by Clackamas Town Center there are some hotels as well. I'd do some scouting on the internet. You can also look and see if there are any guesthouses out that way, I don't know if there are or not.