Nicest & Safest Areas around Spokane/Eastern WA? (Seattle, Tacoma: real estate, apartment)

[Shock976]

I have been looking at housing prices in the Spokane, Olympia, Aberdeen, area and am noticing that home prices are very favorable, however I do not know the areas at all or what other cities to look at. I am not sure where to look for decent schools, family community, safety, suburb life, but good employment options, not too big city but a city that has all/most necessary needs.

Any suggestions? should I look toward the N,S,E,W? where are better areas located.

I am assuming that when I see the larger homes priced the same as smaller homes, these area's probably are not as desirable?

I am from Southern California and where we have larger homes for comparable prices as smaller homes you will usually see no so well kept neighborhoods, homes with deferred maintenance, etc. (not always but most times this is the case).

Any help is appreciated. I am hearing that crime might not be as bad as people are saying.

[jessysunshine]

Originally Posted by Shock976

but good employment options, not too big city but a city that has all/most necessary needs. Any suggestions?

Spokane does not have good employment options, generally speaking, unless you are in healthcare or education. But it is a very nice size city that has all/most of the necessary needs.

Spokane is a wonderful area in which to live and raise a family. There are very nice areas, and there are dumpier areas, just like any city, and there is some crime. However, "some dumpy areas" and "some crime" would never keep me away. It's a beautiful city and surrounding area, and it has a lot to offer. I love that it is a "smaller city" but has most everything I desire (except a Trader Joe's ). People are friendly and down-to-earth, and the recreational opportunities abound. I love the four seasons, but they are mild compared to the midwest...but not as mild as Boise where I now live. Coming from SoCal it might be shock to you. We grew up in the Spokane area but lived in SoCal for 8 1/2 years, and it was a hard adjustment for us to come back to Spokane and deal with the first winter there. We were surprised. But your body will become acclimated no matter where you live. It just depends on if you're willing to deal with all the "negatives" winter brings, like shoveling and bundling up, etc.

We love being out of SoCal and back in the Northwest, albeit Boise right now, but we hope to get back up to Spokane in the near future. Best wishes!

[Shock976]

Winter is something I am willing to deal with, the one rumor I have heard about washington is the excessive rain. I am considering East WA because I have heard that the annual percipitation is much less than western WA.

I am in Real Estate so I would like to live in an area where I can make a living in that field. I am wanting to live in a community that will attract people so I can have a constant supply of potential clients. Also my GF works in the dental field so I am not sure if this industry is something that falls under the Heathcare sector that many WA regulars refer to. We will be bringing her 12 year old daughter so a family type of community is definitely desired.

Everyone else please feel free to give me feedback on areas of preference, both positives, negatives, things that one considering relocating would need to know prior to getting there. I want to make a wise decision and not know what I am getting into prior to. (I am aware of lining up a job before making the move) what I am looking for is true, honest opinions from anyone willing to share.

[David Aguilar]

Shock, have you given up on Colorado?

[Deena160]

[quote=Shock976;7918942]Winter is something I am willing to deal with, the one rumor I have heard about washington is the excessive rain. I am considering East WA because I have heard that the annual percipitation is much less than western WA. QUOTE]

I live north of Seattle. I wouldn't call the rain "excessive"--more like incessant. If we get a 1/2 inch here it's been a really rainy day and that doesn't happen a lot. Compare that to other places like Louisiana where they've been getting 2+ inches a day this last week and it doesn't seem rainy at all. There are plenty of days where we just get grey and drizzle. On the warmer days (say over 50 degrees) it's not even worth putting a coat on. Of course, if you're my teenager, it's never worth putting a coat on! lol.
Of course, it's all relevant. Western Washington doesn't have that definate 4 season thing going on. One season kind of rolls into another. We have long/mild springs and autumns, and the extremes of heat/cold stay short in winter and summer. :~) D

[Shock976]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Shock, have you given up on Colorado?

Dave,
Not given up entirely on CO. We are just looking at our options on the West Side of the States. CO seems very nice and we would love to live there. We saw some pictures of Denver and it reminded us of Los Angeles. Some areas seemed nice where we would consider living, but my GF once she found out Tornadoes came to CO she freaked out. I told her that we could try to find something closer to the rockies in hopes of having less tornado activity but was unable to find anything. ASPEN is nice but it seemed everywhere else along the mountain range is not something we would like.

[Shock976]

[quote=Deena160;7921580]

Originally Posted by Shock976

Winter is something I am willing to deal with, the one rumor I have heard about washington is the excessive rain. I am considering East WA because I have heard that the annual percipitation is much less than western WA. QUOTE]

I live north of Seattle. I wouldn't call the rain "excessive"--more like incessant. If we get a 1/2 inch here it's been a really rainy day and that doesn't happen a lot. Compare that to other places like Louisiana where they've been getting 2+ inches a day this last week and it doesn't seem rainy at all. There are plenty of days where we just get grey and drizzle. On the warmer days (say over 50 degrees) it's not even worth putting a coat on. Of course, if you're my teenager, it's never worth putting a coat on! lol.
Of course, it's all relevant. Western Washington doesn't have that definate 4 season thing going on. One season kind of rolls into another. We have long/mild springs and autumns, and the extremes of heat/cold stay short in winter and summer. :~) D

That sounds a bit better on the rain side, but are the grey days enough to make you want to shoot yourself. I am from SoCal as I mentioned previously and we have sun just about every day. If I do not see the sun I will go crazy.

Here in CA where I live we do not have much for seasons, just cool, and HOT is seems like now. I can remember when I was a kid and summers were beautiful as it never went above 90 deg. Now we are lucky if we stay below 105 deg. I might as well go to Henderson Nevada as the cost of living is less and the weather is similar.

One thing I have been noticing is everywhere I look, it seems that crime runs rampant is that true? I guess there is really no way to tell for sure unless you live there. Where i live now we have very low crime although it seems to have progressed over the years. I do not want to move to a place to find out that my car, apartment/home, etc. has been broken into, or stolen. Being that we will be bringing my GF's 12 year old daughter schools and safety are a primary concern. Where I live now we have some of the best schools in LA County and many people are drawn here because of quality of life, not to mention most everything is new here.

[pw72]

Spokane is a nice sized city IMO. Not too big, not too small. However, it definitely is one of the snowiest cities in the Pacific Northwest.

Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick) is the new hot spot. (Literally...very hot in the summer), but it is attracting many retirees looking for affordable housing and sunshine.

Boise has been a hot spot as well, but lately the economy, foreclosures, layoffs, have hit pretty hard.

Anywhere west of the Cascades in WA and OR you are going to get 200+ days of rain/clouds, with the possible exception of Medford to the extreme south.

[vette-dude]

My 2 cents worth on this topic for you:

I worked for many years in western washington and loved it overall, just through the decades (as many places) became to populated and during work traffic you can sit on Interstate 5 for long periods hardly moving..but you have to take the good with the bad anywhere you may live, and the job market was very good....at the time... Upon retirement, we moved to the east side of the state primarily due to less population, open roads as such and much warmer spring and summer months. We lived in Tricities for a period, and yes there are many retirees' in this location and most large national chain stores are readily available, most newly built within the past 2 years, especially in Kennewick and West Richland. In your profession, , you should be overall fine in either the Tricities and/or Spokane on the eastern side of the state, just as well in Seattle, Puyallup, Everett or Tacoma. A lot depends on what you prefer, Tricities is let's say more like desert lands, no to very minimal trees and summers are "HOT" 100 and above is normal...Spokane is not quite as hot in relation to Tricities but does have beautiful summer weather and many lakes for boating and fishing...Columbia river is for boating in Tricities....

Good Luck

[Deena160]

[quote=Shock976;7927810]

Originally Posted by Deena160

That sounds a bit better on the rain side, but are the grey days enough to make you want to shoot yourself. I am from SoCal as I mentioned previously and we have sun just about every day. If I do not see the sun I will go crazy.

I grew up here and it doesn't bother me, too much. My husband, on the other hand, grew up in Australia and I know he gets a touch of seasonal disorder from the grey days. People joke a lot about it, but that's why there's a coffee stand on every corner. However it does make you appreciate the sun more(the grey, not the coffee ). Also, we can go for days without seeing the mountains and then, all of a sudden, there they are and it's so beautiful! :~) D