Biased reviews!
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9/30/2010
Let me clarify on the City of Bend, Oregon.
First of all, bend is like two cities. The West Side and the East Side. The west side is much more white collar and the East side is Generally more blue collar, however there are plenty of acceptions.
The east side has its little jewels if you can find them, but the West side is really where it's at. It is more quant, safer, more beautiful, has nicer housing and has most of the good restaurants (Upscale diners and eateries on the west side, Burger King, McDonalds, Hardees on the east). The housing is also more expensive on the west side, partly because the property cost more, but mostly because the houses that are built are more architecturally unique and substantial. The west side also has the best access to the mountains.
If you love active outdoor endeavors enough to find a way to make it here, you can. Start a business, an online store, trade stocks, buy real estate investments now that their cheap, etc, etc. People that are not motivated and smart will not make it here in this economy. I think that is why the people are so unique on the West side of bend, they all have a certain lust for life and a motivation to take them where they want to be. No, it is currently not a mecca of high paying jobs (not sure where it is), that is for sure, that is also why real estate is very cheap right now. People do not move to Bend for good jobs, they move here because they are motivated by the joys of life. As far as cold weather and lots of snow, that is all relative. Bend averages only 30" of snow/year, thats only half as much as where I'm from so to me that is not much. If your from the midwest, this is typical in the mid latitudes. Bends winter temps are mild compared to the midwest, but cold compared to the West coast, with an average hight of 40 and an average low of 20 during the absolute coldest month of the year. Bend i not cold 8 months out of the year unless you are talking about the nights, which are wonderfully brisk most of the year with an average low around 44 degrees by morning even in mid summer. This is because the air is so dry it cools off quickly at night. Days average around 82 degrees in the summer and wonderfully dry with almost no bugs at all. Bend is very sunny and dry! Yes there are some cloudy days here, some of which are storms blowing around the mountains which is amazing to witness. If you can't handle snow, temps below freezing, and occasional cloudy days, don't come here. If you love snow, like a change of seasons, like dry weather and amazing cloud formations with the occasional thunderstorm, but mostly sunshine, this is your place. Schools are excellent too. If you think it is clickish, you probably don't fit in. It is not good ol downhome country boys willin to cook up a pan of gritz for you, but if you ski, bike, etc, you will make friends by joining clubs, or just doing what you love. People in bend (more so on the west side than the east) are generally very motivated individuals that have followed their dreams, not their job. People here put family and health above their jobs but still take their jobs very seriously. they are very professional. If you visit here and don't feel that you click with the people, do not live here. The standard of living in bend is not hight relative to most cities, it is actually lower. Only real estate was during the 05-07/08 boom. Now that has come down too. Day care is only $30/day, you can find a restaurant in every price range, etc, etc. There are also excellent high paying jobs in the medical field, in real estate (if you are motivated and hard working) in lending, etc. There are very few general corporate jobs here. Bend real estate taxes are not high, but of course this is relative too. They are about $1000/year/100,000 in home value. I've lived in some places that were half that and others that were twice that. Usually towns that are beautiful (like bend) and have bike lanes on the roads (like bend) have higher taxes than bend.
Bend DOES NOT have high crime. It is very safe. But of course, crime of any kind can happen anywhere if your not savvy and at the wrong place at the wrong time. There is some meth in the area, but it is mostly in LaPine (about 40 miles to the south). Although, even LaPine has some very nice housing areas, it's just far from everything.
We have found that 99% of the people that we have spoken with (mostly from Bend's west side) have fallen in love with the place and could not be happier. Most of those who are not happy leave because they don't have the motivation to find or create income and there for cannot stay.
To sum it up, everyone is different. If you are considering a move to bend, you shoud go there and mingle for a couple of weeks. If the vibe does not feel good to you, THEN DONT COME HERE... YOU DONT BELONG. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just common sense, don't live where your not comfortable. Where we are from we could not stand the people. And likewise, they would hate it in Bend. So there you have it, don't listen to others that rip on Bend because they made a mistake, just do your research and move to where you are happy and feel like you fit in.
Jiffy | Rhinelander, WI