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Old 08-02-2010, 10:53 AM
 
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Mainly for the schools. It appears that Camas has better schools, but lack homes on the market that are in our price range which is up to 350k.
Fishers landing has more nicer homes on the market. If you had to choose one area over the other and why? I hear great things about Fisher Landing elementary school, but Mountain View HS has it's issues. Camas tends to have all good elementary schools with a great HS. I love to hear anyone's point of view on these area's for good schooling and raising a young family.
Schools are number one priority with good neighborhoods with lots of young kids. Where i live now is filled with senior citizens and my kids have no neighborhood friends plus the school's is sub par except for having Union HS.
Thank you!
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Old 08-02-2010, 11:32 AM
 
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There are some houses in Camas up to 350K... and even if it were too small, I'd still choose Camas over the Evergreen SD. Camas is known for it's strong small community.

Camas is in the top 30 SD of the State. Evergreen doesn't come close at all, in fact its in the bottom half of SD-- such a mixed bag. The schools in and around the Fisher's Landing are mostly well rated. Mt. View is better ranked than Union HS.

Now, the personal reason is simply, my SIL just graduated from Mt. View HS-- and from her experience, I do not like how the district is run and the teachers, just UGH. (My MIL had to come in more than a few times and the teachers would have an attitude with my SIL saying that she's "almost an adult now, she doesn't need her mother coming in..." but the teachers have no problem bullying her. The staff at the school likes to play games.)
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Old 08-02-2010, 12:40 PM
 
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Thank you Inkpoe! Mountain View is rated better than Union HS, I would of never guess that. That is not a good experince your SIL had at MVSH, very sad indeed! I prefer Camas also, but having problems finding homes that I prefer, b ut I suppose I need to lower my expectations at the 350k range. There is not too homes that are leveled and most lots are postage stamp lots.
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Old 08-02-2010, 03:27 PM
 
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I think I would be fine with postage stamp lots because at least there are many parks options around and plus I'd be saving in yard maintenance. At least it'll be a good starter home.
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Old 08-02-2010, 04:01 PM
 
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I owned 3 homes before so I don't consider it a start home. It's just that my wife is frugal and doesn't want to go over 350k and the wife usually get her way! I love to get 5-10 acres over in fernhill, but cookie cutter will have to be for now.
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Old 08-02-2010, 04:49 PM
 
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Why not check into Hockinson/Brush Prairie as well? You'd get more land for the money (but I think Hockinson too would be as short with houses on the market). Hockinson SD is even a better school district than Camas and known for its rigorous and high expectations (I mean heck, even some parents complain the school district gives too much homework and expect it to be completed ).
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Old 08-02-2010, 05:12 PM
 
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I heard the same thing about Hockinson. I love that area, but the wife doesn't like land and wants to stick to the cookie cutters with neighbor's side by side. They say you can't live for your house and it's always nice having a lower mortgage payment. The only thing is Fishers Land has nicer homes for the price then Camas.
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Old 08-02-2010, 06:50 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I think you need to broaden your Camas search to anything within district. There should be plenty of NICE places for $350k. There are some nice rural 'neighborhoods' in Fern Prairie.
Jackson Loop is a nice Neighborhood should be something there in your price range. They must be trying to sell 'California Specials', Don't buy one of those, too high taxes + you will NEVER get rid of it in the upcoming WA real estate economy. (post recession 10 - 15 yrs out), your annual property taxes will be ~ $50k by then. Mine went from $800 to $8000/ yr in less than 10 yrs.

If you are using a realtor, you have the wrong one. (I have only used 1 realtor in over 20 transactions). My neighbor just cut loose a spectacular 5 bdrm Columbia River View home in Camas for $250k, he had done a $40k kitchen remodel (it was on a 0.8 Acre lot). It was a 'distress sale' due to helping his kid out of a jam. Just rent if necessary, as we haven't seen the bottom yet.

Tho I still am more partial to Hockinson SD. I have several friends and some family in each. (But can't say much 'cuz we homeschooled and did Running Start instead of HS).
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Old 08-02-2010, 09:37 PM
 
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We actually own a home in east Vancouver now and looking to relocate just for better school's.
Plus our HOA is radically strict with their rules. Stealth are stating that the housing market won't better
by next year and might even be worst? That tells me I should try to sell ASAP and take teh 15k loss which isn't really that bad considering what others are way under water. It appears most Prune Hill
area homes are Cali specials! 450k plus homes for what I have here in EV. I guess it's a hot place to buy with all 3 great schools.
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Old 08-03-2010, 12:17 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,565 posts, read 57,481,475 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SenchaGT View Post
We actually own a home in east Vancouver now and looking to relocate just for better school's.
Plus our HOA is radically strict with their rules. Stealth are stating that the housing market won't better
by next year and might even be worst? That tells me I should try to sell ASAP and take teh 15k loss which isn't really that bad considering what others are way under water. It appears most Prune Hill
area homes are Cali specials! 450k plus homes for what I have here in EV. I guess it's a hot place to buy with all 3 great schools.

Just a guess, but I would be fleeing ESD in a heartbeat if I could sell now.
Vancouver 'proper' and Washougal are WAY overbuilt for the job potential.

There are some really cute older homes FS in Camas, I was looking at some last week. Get a $150k older home close to parks or library, put remaining $200k into a cash flowing income property. Do this trick every 24 months. Quit work and move to Tahiti and collect rents as soon as youngest leaves the nest and takes the dog (I got kicked out at age 16, so it might work for you too!). Tell those HOA's to 'stuff-it', run away from those joints. Get into a 'real' neighborhood. (yeah, the kind without privacy fences so you can 'borrow' your neighbor's Rhubarb) There is much more to life the HOA's, and neighbors with electric garage door openers so they don't have to talk to each other.

BTW, it is WAY cheaper to have kids pay for their own college, THEN make payments on their consolidated loans (if you feel guilty about not paying up front). That would not be me )

Running Start saved my kids a bundle. ~ $30k each + knowing how to 'do' college (knowing how deal with flexible work loads & quirky profs) + getting 2 additional yrs of wage earning potential (or grad / med school) BEFORE the std kids get out of college. -- $0.02 Your mileage WILL vary...
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