Portland, OR DUers...a little help please...Need info about Portland, OR

I'm thinking of moving to Portland from NC and I'm searching online to find a good property.

Problem is I have only ever visited Portland and am not all that familiar with the different areas of town. Which are high crime...industrial...on the way up or down..etc.?

I have found a few properties in the University Park area that look nice.

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/HomeListing.asp?snum=146&mlsttl=Portland+Regional&frm=bycomm&pgnum=15&mls=portlandregional&js=on&poe=realtor&st=or&areaid=1089295&areaid=1089296&areaid=1089297&areaid=1089298&areaid=1089299&areaid=1089300&areaid=1089301&areaid=1089302&areaid=1089303&areaid=1089305&areaid=1089306&areaid=1089307&typ=4&mnprice=0&mxprice=99999999&mnunits=0&ss_mitm=n%2Fa&sid=02CEE7C0AC2EC&snumxlid=1036870356&lnksrc=00001

or

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/HomeListing.asp?snum=155&mlsttl=Portland+Regional&frm=bycomm&pgnum=16&mls=portlandregional&js=on&poe=realtor&st=or&areaid=1089295&areaid=1089296&areaid=1089297&areaid=1089298&areaid=1089299&areaid=1089300&areaid=1089301&areaid=1089302&areaid=1089303&areaid=1089305&areaid=1089306&areaid=1089307&typ=4&mnprice=0&mxprice=99999999&mnunits=0&ss_mitm=n%2Fa&sid=02CEE7C0AC2EC&snumxlid=1036306554&lnksrc=00001
Opinions of this area?

Any comments of other areas to look in or avoid ( looking for an investment property to live in and rent out part of for income..triplex or quad)

Lucky you! My home town...living in San Francisco Bay Area now for almost 15 years now and time to go home (moved here for a job I no longer have!!!). Ocean, mountains, high desert, and lots of other types of geography within 4 hours driving time. Lots of green growy things which need the rain that many people complain about. I lived in the Hillsdale/Multnomah and Parkrose areas and loved both. You might check Oregonlive.com, the on-line version of the "Oregonian" newspaper for real estate information. Vancouver, just across the river in Clark County Washington, might be a good place to look, too. Oregon has a state income tax, Washington State does not but has a sales tax of 8+%.

PDX Bara
(which sort of means "Portland Rose")

.

a Catholic university on the north side of the Willamette. If it's the name of apartments, the University Park apartments are in downtown Portland, right near the Portland State University campus.

I lived in two neighborhoods, Hawthorne, which is the countercultural but getting expensive area, and Northwest, which is trendy urban. Both were great, but not the best place to find affordable housing. In neither area did I need a car.

You really have to visit the city and see for yourself before making a commitment.