Eugene, Oregon. Pros and cons, this is an update from three years ago (2021). Welcome to my YouTube channel. My name's Lauri Howes and I'm a REALTORS® with United Real Estate Properties here in Eugene, Oregon. I'm going to recap the past pros and cons and add some new cons that have come to light along with some great new pros.
So, let's get started with those cons. Past Con's, number one was rain. It still rains here, and it's dark and gloomy during the winter, but we all get along just fine. 2) Allergies were number two and still are today. There's tree pollen in early Spring, then the grass pollen starts. The Willamette Valley produces the most grass seed in the world and there is a lot of pollen that goes along with that. 3) Number three was parking. There's still no downtown parking. It's still the same. TIP: If you have an event downtown leave an hour early to find parking. 4) Unfortunately, our homeless population hasn't changed much either and we still have a housing shortage (affordable housing).
So, let's move on to the UPDATED Con since my last pros and cons video.
1) Oregon passed measure 110, 58% of the voters voted to decriminalize small amounts of illicit drugs (crack, meth, fentanyl, cocaine, etc.) What a mistake! The thought was to keep people out of prison and into drug rehab. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that well, so they're working on repealing the law.
2) Cost of living. The cost of living in Eugene is relatively high compared to the rest of the United States. We are 6.6% higher than the national average. The income needed for a family of four is about $88,000 to live comfortably.
3) Which brings us to number three, which is housing. We still have a housing shortage. Everybody expected the housing market to crash and prices would come down. That didn't happen. The median home price right now in Eugene for a single family, three bedroom, two bath is $495,000. If you're looking to rent an apartment. A two-bedroom, one-bath apartment is going to run you about $1,500-$1900 a month.
4) And number four is natural disasters. So it's a good idea to be prepared. For years, we just lived like everything was perfectly fine in our little utopia. They talk about earthquakes all the time, reminding us all, that a big earthquake is coming. Recently we learn just how important being prepared for a natural disaster is. January 2024 brought us an Ice Apocalypse. We lived eight days without any electricity and we had it good, there were folks out of power and heat for three weeks. So preparing for the natural disaster that might come is a pretty good idea. Since 2020, when the Holiday Farm fire ripped up the McKenzie Valley we didn't have much in the way of natural disasters. But since the Holiday Farm fire, we've had fires pretty close to the city every year since 2020. So I guess we should add natural disasters to our list of cons.
5) And number five, we're going to call it traffic. Traffic in Eugene seems to be getting busier and busier every year. The surface streets and freeways are crowded all day long. If you get up early in the morning and get out and about by 9:00, you can pretty much maneuver around town pretty easily. But after 11:00 it's crowded. The Beltline connects Eugene to Springfield and there isn't a day that goes by that there isn't a wreck on the Beltline.
Now, let's get to those Pro's. The fun things to do in Eugene or experience. So, the pros, back when I did this three years ago are still pros. Recreation, outdoors or indoors is a big thing in Eugene. Hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, we still do it all. Eugene's location I think is one of the best locations in Oregon. You are just an hour from the Cascade Mountains and only 1 hour to the Oregon coast. And the performing arts are still enjoyed by many with many indoor and outdoor concerts and plays. Dog walking is a big thing in Eugene. You go for a walk in many neighborhoods, day or night, rain or shine and you'll see people out walking their dogs. And people are still enjoying their breweries and their wineries. So let's add to that with five more pros.
1) We'll just keep that outdoor theme going on. Bicycles, people love to bicycle here. There are paths throughout Eugene. You can get just about anywhere on the bike paths or streets of Eugene. So if you're big into bicycles, street bikes or mountain bikes you won't be alone.
2) My favorite is the farmers markets. There's the Lane County Farmers Market, which is downtown at 8th and Oak. There is the Whitaker Farmers Market, which is in the Wit. And out on River Road is the OG corner market, which is also a farmers market with all sorts of fresh produce.
3) And there is still no sales tax in Oregon. That's a good thing when you're out shopping.
4) Number four, higher education. There's New Hope Christian College, the private Bushnell University, which is a Christian university, Gutenberg College, Lane Community College, and of course we have the University of Oregon. Go ducks!
5) The biggest change since I did my pros and cons three years ago is, we can pump our own gas. Not that I want to pump my own gas. I wasn't really for it, but it was an overwhelming majority that voted in pumping your own gas. Thankfully, a lot of the gas stations still have a lane or two where you can drive up and they'll pump your gas, but for the most part, people seem to like it. I just don't like getting out in the winter when it's windy and rainy.
Thank you so much for subscribing to and watching my real estate YouTube channel.
