Comments on: Moving? Consider the Cost (of Living, that is) http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/ Portland Oregon Real Estate Resources Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:57:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Ron http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1493 Ron Sat, 10 Jun 2006 15:52:09 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1493 Mi Tu - It's not clear how Bankrate calculates the housing averages, but it is clear that they are not computing it based on real-time interest rates, nor do they document the terms (down payment, etc). They do cite ACCRA (American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association) as the source for cost-of-living information (www.costofliving.org). In this example, the interest rate would be less than 5.5% with a 20% down payment. Perhaps they assume buyers from California will be packing significantly more equity along with them :) . Mi Tu -

It’s not clear how Bankrate calculates the housing averages, but it is clear that they are not computing it based on real-time interest rates, nor do they document the terms (down payment, etc). They do cite ACCRA (American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association) as the source for cost-of-living information (www.costofliving.org).

In this example, the interest rate would be less than 5.5% with a 20% down payment. Perhaps they assume buyers from California will be packing significantly more equity along with them :) .

]]> By: Mi Tu http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1491 Mi Tu Sat, 10 Jun 2006 07:23:45 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1491 I'm not exactly sure how you got your monthly housing costs to be $1650-ish (ARM ?), but with a current interest rate of 6.67% on a 30 yrfixed loan that would put the payment at $2,402 a month! With a 20% down payment of $74,703.00, the monthly would be $1,922! You may need to revise your figures to reflect current interest rates. I’m not exactly sure how you got your monthly housing costs to be $1650-ish (ARM ?), but with a current interest rate of 6.67% on a 30 yrfixed loan that would put the payment at $2,402 a month! With a 20% down payment of $74,703.00, the monthly would be $1,922! You may need to revise your figures to reflect current interest rates.

]]> By: ellen Shoshkes http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1419 ellen Shoshkes Fri, 02 Jun 2006 03:52:49 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1419 I think the reason why Portland is relatively cheap compared to other metro areas is because of the rainy climate as well as its relative isolation, which makes it a relatively less desirable place to live, and hence, due to less demand, relatively less costly. If Portland weren't so rainy you'd see a lot more people interested in moving here. The price increases of the past year only seem steep since housing had been SO cheap compared to everywhere else. As a transplant I can't see why anyone would CHOOSE to retire, for example, to such a rainy place. The only benefit is that it is relatively cheap. I think the reason why Portland is relatively cheap compared to other metro areas is because of the rainy climate as well as its relative isolation, which makes it a relatively less desirable place to live, and hence, due to less demand, relatively less costly. If Portland weren’t so rainy you’d see a lot more people interested in moving here. The price increases of the past year only seem steep since housing had been SO cheap compared to everywhere else. As a transplant I can’t see why anyone would CHOOSE to retire, for example, to such a rainy place. The only benefit is that it is relatively cheap.

]]> By: kim http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1281 kim Wed, 24 May 2006 02:58:22 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1281 Yeah, please stay in the OC, I moved to Portland to get away from snobbish, over indulgent people. Another thing, living in the OC is like watching re-runs everyday: blue sky, smog, superficial people and so on. Works both ways people. People in Portland rarely think of California and people from California just talk shit about everyone that isn't there. Hmmm. . .Kinda like high school. Yeah, please stay in the OC, I moved to Portland to get away from snobbish, over indulgent people. Another thing, living in the OC is like watching re-runs everyday: blue sky, smog, superficial people and so on. Works both ways people. People in Portland rarely think of California and people from California just talk shit about everyone that isn’t there. Hmmm. . .Kinda like high school.

]]> By: ron thomas http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1258 ron thomas Wed, 24 May 2006 01:23:52 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1258 Nice find. Thank you for finding it I will send my readers a link to your story. Nice find. Thank you for finding it I will send my readers a link to your story.

]]> By: Ron http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1248 Ron Tue, 23 May 2006 20:35:06 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1248 I touched on the <a href="http://www.repdx.com/2005/11/16/portland-reigns/">rain situation back in November</a> during a particularly oppressive stretch. But don't you think a savings of $20,000 per year would buy a lot of therapy and sun-lights? :) I touched on the rain situation back in November during a particularly oppressive stretch.

But don’t you think a savings of $20,000 per year would buy a lot of therapy and sun-lights? :)

]]> By: Jules Cooper http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1247 Jules Cooper Tue, 23 May 2006 20:27:01 +0000 http://www.repdx.com/2006/05/23/moving-consider-the-cost-of-living-that-is/#comment-1247 Yea, but being someone from the OC area I can tell you this, one can get along with a lot less when it is warm and sunny than when you have 7 months of continual cold and rain. A comparison between depression rates between the two cities would also be interesting. Yea, but being someone from the OC area I can tell you this, one can get along with a lot less when it is warm and sunny than when you have 7 months of continual cold and rain. A comparison between depression rates between the two cities would also be interesting.

]]>