Downtown city life might not fit everyone’s personality, but for those who are drawn to the fast paced lifestyle of the city center, downtown Portland real estate provides perks that other cities don’t provide.

One of the best benefits to living in Portland’s downtown is the great transportation options for getting around to and from the downtown area and within it. For most people living in town, bikes and public transportation are the preferred way of getting from one place to another. But think about it–there’s no necessity for cars or bikes if you use Portland’s public transportation. But Portland is very much a flexible kind of city and accommodates all methods of transportation.

Walking to work is a great way to get healthy, and Portland is definitely friendly to pedestrians. In fact, the city blocks in Portland were intentionally designed considerably smaller than those in some other cities (200 feet instead of a typical 300 to 800 feet), making for a closer stroll to Portland’s ubiquitous corner coffee shops. If your place of work is downtown, this means you may truly be able to sell your car completely.

The downtown Portland area has nice residential areas where you can purchase a Portland townhose and live in the heart of the city in style. Depending upon where your work is located, you may just end up within close walking distance of your job.

There are some very attractive neighborhoods you should look into if you want to buy a loft or townhome in Portland, but for a lot of people, the top choice is The Pearl District. Popular because of the many shopping amenities and easy to use transportation, The Pearl District is also where many trendy art galleries and upscale businesses are located.