Where to Live? (Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue: sales, condo, custom home)

[charlie1]

My wife and I are relocating to the Seattle / Tacoma area.
I need some advice on where to live.
We are looking for something on the water or view of the water.
No kids so schools are not really an issue.
My job is in sales manamgment for the Wa and Ore area. I don't have an office that I am required to go to but most of our business is in the greater Seattle and Portland markets that I will travel to.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks

[jwb123]

School districts are an issue in WA - kids or not. The good districts are the areas you want to live in, and will be more liveable communities.

What is your price range?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

School districts are an issue in WA - kids or not. The good districts are the areas you want to live in, and will be more liveable communities.

no kidding >>> School district also dictates the majority of your property tax levy (I pay ~ $33/day... and home schooled mine...)

You might want to consider Camas, WA, as the commute would be really ez, and it is really nice to drive 10 min to PDX and catch a flight to SEA. I used to do that a few days a week, back when I had a job...

[kspiess]

Hi

Depends on your income. My brother is a high end builder. Used to build in North Seattle (Snohomish). The big push now is in Southwest Washington. Lots of gorgeous custom homes with panoramic views of the Columbia River are being built just off the I-5 corridor around Woodland and Kalama. This puts you 30 minutes from Portland, 90 from Tacoma, and 2 hours from Seattle. For example, a 3000sf house, hardwood cherry floors, maple cabs, jacuzzi tub, on 1-2 acres, with river view--around 525k. The area is booming! ( I know all of this because my brother relocated there about four years ago. Builders are always "in the know" on the hot new areas.) I lived in Kirkland, WA and also Manhattan Beach, CA. When I saw what I could get for the money I moved here (I too am in sales). I now have a spectacular place on an acre with a view that makes you cry! I never could have bought something like this in or around either of the places I lived before!

Hope this helps!

[Redline]

Wow, sounds like a beautiful place. I had to google Kalama and Woodland, they seem to be "in the middle of nowhere" for lack of a better term. $500k for a nice house out there seems expensive but I think anywhere near I-5 is going to be expensive. We paid right around that much for a 1600 sq ft townhome in Kirkland (North Rose Hill). It's not huge but it's big enough for us for now.

Out of curiosity, how far away are you from all the shops and stores? I tried to drag my wife further north (closer to work for me) but she refused to go further than Kirkland since we frequent Bellevue, Redmond and Seattle (on the weekends) quite often.

[CityGirl72]

If you can - I'd say take the 500K and get a wonderful new condo on the water - in Belltown, or Ballard or Queen Anne