Portland, Oregon?

My SWMBO has worked for Wells Fargo for several years and may have an opportunity to transfer out West in the future. She asked me to check out several cities including Portland, Oregon.
Many of you guys from that area? I have 8 dogs so I would need at least an acre. I suppose that means I would need to be out of the city and possibly as far away as a nearby community.
I am just sniffing around but any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I am not from Portland, but it seems like on the west side of washington/oregon you are giong to pay quite a bit for an acre. If that isn't a problem, I don't even think an acre near portland would be easy to find.

Land is very expensive here, seasonal depression is a huge problem for people who are not used to the gloom, it really does rain for 6 months straight, schools totally suck here, the state takes 10% of your income right out of your check (and an additional 1.25% if you live in multnomah county, which is most of portland).

portland sucks rant

All said the beer almost makes up for it. We are trying to buy a house in vancouver, wa AKA "the 'couve" AKA "vantucky". 15 minutes to downtown Portland. taxes are better, land is 1/2 the price, and schools are much better but nobody from Portland will come there to visit you.

I've been here 10 years and its starting to wear on me a little...

The weather is the number one reason I am moving to Texas. Second is the cost of living/housing and stability of the dollar.

I get a lot of rain here as well. And Hurricanes.
It wouldn't bother me a bit to be even further away from Portland than Vancouver. I guess it really depends on where her job is. Just for the hell of it, I was looking at listings in a town called Estacada. 2.5 acres for a little over $200,000. Plenty of Hop Growing land!!!

Estacada is beautiful, so is forest grove, If you dont mind the commute that is.

Wow why such the negativity towards Portland? I think maybe you should get the opinions of more than one person. I lived in the Salem area for 25 years and loved it. Sure there is rain but it's not that bad especially if your used to it, Portland is a big city but I have always liked all that it had to offer. Try living over here in Tri-Cities WA and you'll appreciate the Willamette Valley. Taxes are everywhere, sure I don't have income tax up here but really with Sales tax it doesn't work out all that much better.

Estacada, Sandy, Boring all places that you might find acreage in the Metro Area.

I would move if I could.

I'm a long ways out, but there is definitely landed homes to be had in the Portland area.

But, if there are any openings in Corvallis or Salem, I'd tell her to jump on them! I really wish I'd bought closer to Corvallis when I moved here.

Chester said:

....schools totally suck here

Click to expand...

Just thought it was funny you said this, when the following article appeared in Sunday's Oregonian:

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/01/nine_oregon_high_schools_ranke.html