My partner and I have ambitious plans to purchase a home within the next couple of years. We want to be settled before our kids start school, allowing them to attend classes with the same friends year after year. While it’s common for kids to switch schools, it breaks my heart to think about uprooting them from the friendships they’ve built all because of a move to a different district.
So, we’ve devised a solid plan — we will be in a house within two years.
But the housing market in our area (Portland, Oregon) is completely out of whack, and it’s driving me up the wall. Average homes are selling for outrageous sums, often going for cash and way over the asking price. Who are these people with stacks of cash just lying around? I need to find out what they do for a living because clearly, I missed the boat on my career choice.
Though it’s not as extreme as places like San Francisco or New York, the prices are climbing fast. Despite both of us having college degrees, working tirelessly, and saving diligently for a down payment, there are days when I look at listings and wonder, How on Earth can we afford this? The truth is, I’m stumped.
When I share our struggles, I often hear the suggestion, “Why not just move somewhere cheaper?” I wish it were that simple.
First off, we have family here. My relatives are in California, and we hardly see them, but my partner’s family lives nearby. My kids adore their grandparents, and we cherish having family we can trust to care for them when needed. It’s important to me that my children grow up surrounded by their aunts, uncles, and cousins. I want them to form bonds with family who are also their friends. It pains me to be far from my loved ones, and I don’t want my kids to experience that.
Secondly, this is our life now. I moved to Portland over ten years ago and have grown to love it. It’s not just a college town; it’s where I found myself, fell in love, got married, and welcomed my two little ones. The city is full of art, culture, nature, and food trucks — and I refuse to give that up. Don’t make me leave my food trucks!
Most importantly, I just don’t want to relocate. Moving means packing up everything, leaving old friends behind, finding new ones, and hunting for the best Thai restaurants and playgrounds all over again. I will not let the housing market dictate my life. I already know where to find the best pad thai, and I’m not leaving Portland, thank you very much.
So here I am, back to scrolling through MLS listings while drowning my sorrows in Ben & Jerry’s. All I want is to plant roots in a city I adore, surrounded by the people I love, and give my kids a home where they can grow up, create memories, and return to during college breaks. Yet, the skyrocketing prices turn that dream into a far-off fantasy. But we are hanging in there.
I don’t know how we’ll make it work. I don’t know how we’ll scrape together enough money. But one thing is clear: moving isn’t an option. Life isn’t that simple. We’ll keep saving, holding onto hope for a miracle, or perhaps a generous benefactor who hands us a house. If I’m going to dream about owning a home here, I might as well dream big.
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