Nice neighborhoods for a family around Portland area?

Hi, I am planning to move near Portland, probably a nice, low-crime and clean suburban area to raise a family. Which neighborhoods do you recommend? I am willing to go as far as 40 minutes of driving to downtown Portland.

Also, where are some hot realestate markets around Portland? Are there any newly developing neighborhoods with potentials around Portland or good neighborhoods to buy a single house for about 3-4 years investment?

Most neighborhoods in Portland are very family friendly. The culture of Portland really doesn't promote commuting that far. An urban growth boundary around the city has kept most growth pretty close in. I would avoid Hillsboro or Beaverton they are anytown USA with strip malls and MCDonalds. I would look at the St John's area and Milwaukee region. They are building a light rail train to Milwaukee so that area should see a good appreciation in value in the next couple years and you are only 10 minutes from downtown. St John's and the Mississippi area are also rising in price quickly and still have some reasonable deals and both are very close in. Mt Tabor and Mt Scott neighborhoods are nice as well also close in. If you do not mind commuting the smaller towns outside Portland are beautiful, safe but also a little dull and not rising in price as fast as Portland. Like Boston MA, Portland has a lot of unique neighborhoods close in. You will really have to be here spending a couple days of exploring and you'll find the perfect place.

hmmm, if you want to be very close to portland, Gresham is about 10 minutes from portland, nice area but crime is moving out there- but its not bad. Houses are decent price, and lots of restaurants and stores. However, I live 35 minutes and miles from Portland, in the Columbia Gorge. Small town of Stevenson. The crime is zero. Houses are good prices and many to choose from. Schools are excellent! Small classes, well funded, and our teachers care. The town is very small (3000 people) but nice. It takes 40 minutes exactly to drive into Portland, 30 to Gresham. Contact the skamania county chamber of commerce for more info, visit stevenson-carson school district website for info. We go to Gresham and Portland often to shop, but would live nowhere else.

If you want nice, comfortable and great place to raise children, the best side is the west side.

Hillsboro, Beaverton and the incorporated areas are all quite nice. There are few not so great areas, but they are easy to spot. Just stick to the developments and you will get nice clean neighborhoods, a 25-40 min commute downtown, little to no crime, and two of the best school districts in the state.

Also, Hillsboro is a great place to invest. the city has tripled in population since 1990, and the urban growth boundary keeps land values inside of it high. The agricultural ordinances outside the boundary mean that if you get a good spot and put a nice house there, the land value will skyrocket.

willsonville is nice too.

Hi ,
I live here in Portland oregon. We get snow two or three times a year but it is usually gone again in a few days.
this website has a map along with other info:
http://www.travelportland.com/
This will tell about all the cities and towns in Oregon:
http://bigdaddydata.com/state/OR/index.p...
and much more info at:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=na...
Welcome aboard, when you get here.
Hope
P S one more added bonus is that we are one of the few states that has no sales tax.

West Linn is beatifull and has some of the best schools in the area.

But check out this article

http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/docume...

it will give you all the stats on all the neighborhoods.