Considering a move from Boston area to Redmond (Seattle, Kirkland: sales, home)

[2KidsforMe]

We are thinking of moving out West from the Boston burbs to Redmond. DH is in the tech field, and this would be a voluntary move with his current company, making the same salary he does here in MA. Anyone out there from the North East who would like to share any opinions about quality of life, education, rec opportunities etc? Reasons for our move include being closer to family (in-laws in Bend, OR and in the SF Bay area).We are looking for a family friendly area where we can have good public schools, parks, outdoor activities, camping, skiing, etc. Most importantly, are we going to freeze death?

[Ira500]

Well, you're not going to freeze to death. Seattle doesn't get nearly as cold as Boston.
Redmond is part of the Lake Washington school district, and is highly regarded.
There are boundless recreational opportunities, from hiking, to Marymoor Park's bicycle velodrome and off leash area, to boating, to not far away skiing.
There are plenty of nice places to live in Redmond and nearby.

[2KidsforMe]

How about the overall cost of living? I know there is no state income tax, but how are the property taxes? Do you use heating oil, are there taxes on personal property (car) like we have here in the North East? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Ira500]

Personal property tax in WA only applies to personal property used in a business. property taxes seem high to me, but I know are lower than some east coast areas. It varies from town to town, but if you buy a 500,000 dollar house, expect to pay around 3500 dollars in property tax. Sales tax is high, I think in Seattle it's up to 9.5%.
I use heating oil, which is insanely expensive, but a lot of people heat with natural gas, and heating costs are far lower here than the northeast.

[2KidsforMe]

Thanks Ira. Our property taxes seem much higher in MA. We would like to keep our housing costs below 750k for a 4/2.5 w/ a home office in a family friendly neighborhood. Based on what I am seeing online, am I correct that this seems do-able in Redmond. Are there any other town that you would recommend?

[Ira500]

750k for a 4/2.5 is quite doable in any eastside city except maybe Medina, Mercer Island, and Yarrow Bay. Kirkland and Juanita are also quite nice.

[brandonlee206]

First things first -- making the move from Boston to Seattle is one of the best moves I ever made. The city is similar in a lot of ways to Boston (affluent, educated, mobile & reserved) but so much better in terms of livability (driving skills, more polite people, less politics and more open-minded). You won't regret a minute of it (except the pizza chains out here don't compare to back east).

Originally Posted by 2KidsforMe

We are thinking of moving out West from the Boston burbs to Redmond. DH is in the tech field, and this would be a voluntary move with his current company, making the same salary he does here in MA. Anyone out there from the North East who would like to share any opinions about quality of life, education, rec opportunities etc? Reasons for our move include being closer to family (in-laws in Bend, OR and in the SF Bay area).We are looking for a family friendly area where we can have good public schools, parks, outdoor activities, camping, skiing, etc. Most importantly, are we going to freeze death?