On living - Seattle, Portland, City or Suburb?

So, I am still wavering on this. I do know that I don't want to purchase in the city. It's too expensive and I don't know if I'd like it.

But do I want to purchase now, at all, or wait a year and see where the market is? I strongly doubt that the market is going to fly up in the next year, and it may go down. So why rush buying? Unless I find something perfect, of course.

Chris and Wendy and I spent some time in downtown Portland this weekend. I am honestly torn about if it's the right place for me. It seems so expensive, and it doesn't really seem to offer enough that I'd want to pay that premium. But can I really decide that from walking around for a few hours?

Or maybe Portland itself is the wrong city? Maybe I should move into Seattle - Seattle is supposed to have a ton of culture, and stuff to do. Things a recluse like me might enjoy. If I'm going to rent for a year, who says I have to stay here? I really like it here, yes - but it is not a requirement. After all, I work from home.

What I don't want to do is move back to the east coast. I'd want to live somewhere far too expensive if I did that (NYC, for instance) - and I'd have to deal with snow and the like. I think the Pacific Northwest is "home" - it's just where, here, is home?

Wherever, or whatever it is - I still haven't found it. I've felt entirely too displaced for far too many years. I just want to find the right place for me.