Real Estate Agent Reacts to Salem Oregon WORST Reviews!

[@SalemOR]

⭐ Start Planning Your Oregon Relocation ⭐ ⏵ bit.ly/ChatWithClarity ⏵ [e-mail]

[@falsificationism]

Seriously enjoying the countdowns to 1-star reviews. The lighthearted acceptance of feedback is pitch-perfect!

[@SalemOR]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Are you a fellow Salem-ander?

[@falsificationism]

@@SalemOR lol not yet, still considering my options!

[@ADR-j9m]

Thank you for your videos! I was born (1956) and raised in Salem; finally "escaping" in 1992. Watching Salem evolve over the years has been interesting. I was just back for my 50th high school reunion and the changes are even more breathtaking. Not all good but not all bad either. Salem of the 60s and 70s was a true Norman Rockwell environment. Nearly everyone was in the same socio-economic strata: state workers or those who provided services to them. It was a great place to grow up.

[@SalemOR]

What part/section of Salem did you grow up in? What’s changed about that area since you left?

[@ADR-j9m]

@@SalemOR At the risk of over sharing: For the first ten years of my life I lived on Lancaster, just south of Center Street.. Back then, it was like Cordon Rd but the trees looked like D street by the state hospital. My parents owned some land that is where Wendy's, del Taco and Red Lobster are and went back to about the middle of where Target is now. When I was in 4th grade they made Lancaster a 4 lane street. That completely ruined the county feel. My parents built a new house on 36th which is about four blocks West of our house on Lancaster. The house was finished in 1967 and my 94 year old mother just sold it about 5 years ago. East Salem used to be country. But Lancaster changed everything. Most of my friends back then lived in Four Corners. As you pointed out, all of these houses look the same and all were occupied by state workers with families. Very homogeneous. But, a great place to grow up because nobody had more than anybody else. I moved away but came back in 1989 to begin Business School and law school at Willamette. My family and I came back frequently over the years to visit my parents and old friends but I never really appreciated how much it had changed until I actually started living there again. As I said in my first response, I believe Salem is a great place to be from. I truly love living at the coast.

[@SalemOR]

Wow! I can't even imagine Lancaster being like Cordon. That is crazy to imagine. Salem sounds like it was pretty small back then. Thanks for sharing your perspective and experiences in Salem. Its so fun to hear how it's grown/changed over the years.

[@BlueJin503]

Your videos are pretty darn good. I thought you were corny at first but then I watched more and now I’m a fan

[@SalemOR]

Lol...thank you...I guess. 🙃

[@BillLaBrie]

I watch your videos because they are expertly shot and edited. It’s clear you deeply care and you’re bound and determined to make SLE a destination of choice.

[@SalemOR]

Thanks! I really appreciate that. Salem is a great place and I know first hand that those who relocate here are just as excited about it as we are. It's definitely not the right place for everyone but I think its pretty great and worth sharing!

[@FlintIronstag23]

My take as someone who has lived in Salem/Keizer for the last 23 years. I agree that the restaurant scene is only "okay". Fine dining is not something Salem has been known for and probably never will be. Mexican restaurants are the most common ethnic food you will find in the city. The one thing that the Salem area has that Portland doesn't is an In-N-Out Burger at Keizer Station. I've never seen that place without a long line of cars wrapped around it. Shopping is again only okay. You can find all the basic necessities without an issue. High-end retail stores are not something you are generally going to find in Salem. Grocery stores are decent as long as you don't expect to shop at Whole Foods or New Seasons. South Salem has a Trader Joes and a couple of independent natural food grocery stores that would have to substitute for those two stores. The homeless issue is by no means solved but it has gotten better compared to 3-4 years ago. I used to pass three good sized homeless camps back then that were finally cleared out and haven't returned. The recent Supreme Court ruling on homelessness may make it easier to evict homeless campers and keep them out of the city. We will have to wait and see. Crime is not too bad, especially compared to Portland. Take sensible precautions like you should wherever you live, and you should be fine. Oregon is recriminalizing hard drugs this September so that will hopefully help law enforcement keep the peace better. The climate is typical Willamette Valley weather, although it is changing. Climate change means we get fewer snowy/below freezing days in the winter and more 90+ days in the summer. A lot of the older houses and apartments didn't get central AC when they were built because summers were milder back then. Some kind of AC is really needed now. We had 5 consecutive days over 100 earlier this July and in June 2022 set an all-time record high of 117.

[@SalemOR]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences as a fellow Salem-ander. What do you think is the absolute best thing about living in Salem, OR?

[@rositis]

Another great video with some very accurate observations about the people, vibe, and quirks of Salem. YES, people do know each other, or at least they know OF each other. I still run into people that went to high school with my mother! It does make networking easier and you would be surprised where those connections can lead! Other very good points are the lack of walkability, the car dependence, the poor use of mass transit, and the limited activities during the evenings, especially during the colder months. This has led to the moniker of 'So-Lame' by the teenage population and has persisted for decades. This is a harder problem to fix. There is potential, certainly an untapped market, so we'll see what the future brings. Again, you share some great insight!

[@SalemOR]

Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and found the observations accurate. It’s always fascinating to hear how interconnected the community is in Salem-those long-standing connections can indeed lead to some surprising opportunities. I appreciate you sharing your insights and experiences.

[@billiechiles3027]

You forgot to mention the owner of Epilogue Kitchen is a two time James Beard nominee..😊 Downtown Salem has really grown in the 33 years I have lived her..

[@SalemOR]

I have yet to eat there................ Eek! I better get my tookie in there and try it out.

[@billiechiles3027]

@SalemOR And Pacific Standard started in PDX.. the other location is on MLK close to Burnside.

[@SalemOR]

lol no wonder why I like it so much. Ha!

[@WendyW7508]

First time i watched a video of your and burst.out laughing! 😂 Too funny and true that we are born here, live here and just kind of stay. And we all kind of know one another, if not directly, then we know their family. I have been hesitant to leave to move elsewhere, cause I don't wanna be the oddball who doesn't know everyone. Apparently, that doesn't happen as much elsewhere. I didn't know! LOL. Like pale pod people. 😅 Thanks for the video.

[@SalemOR]

Glad you enjoyed it! Where would you move to if you could?

[@willtwain1383]

Your reality is refreshing.

[@SalemOR]

Thanks. These are all things I wish I knew before I relocated here. Hopefully I can provide someone else some clarity. hehe.

[@willtwain1383]

@@SalemOR Honest Clarity would be Odd, but helpful.

[@SalemOR]

Ha!

[@coreyyates3385]

I try to help with the litter problem, in the past 5 years ive picked up over 1500 gallons of litter in salem. It doesn't seem to help overly much but hopefully it makes a dent.

[@SalemOR]

Thanks for helping keep Salem clean. What is the craziest thing you've found while cleaning up?

[@coreyyates3385]

@SalemOR it's gross but I've picked up needles, used feminine products (use your imagination) and packaging to an adult toy. Yeah. I'm a CNA so I bring gloves and safe receptacles to be careful but there's some nasty stuff out there.

[@SalemOR]

I could only imagine it gets pretty yucky. What prompted you to start litter clean up around town?

[@coreyyates3385]

@SalemOR It started just around my neighborhood, which is upper downtown area. I got sick of it looking like a dump. The homeless issue is a major major part of it, but also people who litter is out of control. So many 7 eleven wrappers. It's calming tho putting on music or a podcast and zoning out, good exercise. I also wanted people to be driving and maybe notice hey...this street is way cleaner than normal! Maybe it'll rub off on others.

[@SalemOR]

Thats great! It's nice to hear how others invest in our community and take pride in it. Thanks for cleaning up the litter. I can imagine it has a great impact on your neighborhood. Do you ever have other people join in?

[@marianlassettre]

If it's true, you can be as selfish as you want. But seriously, your videos are really damn good.

[@SalemOR]

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you like the content. Are you a Salem-ander too?

[@taralong1857]

Are there public trash cans in downtown Salem

[@SalemOR]

Yes we do have trashcans downtown.

[@Whathatsmellike]

Love the f bombs! 👌

[@SalemOR]

Thanks. I like 'em too!

[@BlueJin503]

I had to rewind the video 😂

[@SalemOR]

Oh thats good for my analytics. Do it again!

[@myworldfriends123]

😀🙂😊