Wanting a brand new city. Vancouver, maybe? (Seattle, Spokane: apartment complexes, rentals)

[girlonthemove]

Hello!

I currently live in Spokane, and have for all my life. I have been wanting to get out of Spokane for quite some time, and within a year I will be at a good point in my life to do so. I am 23 and recently graduated from college. I don't want to move too far away from my family (at least not yet anyway), so I think I would like to stay in Washington. I don't really want to live in Seattle/Tacoma area. Does anyone have any thoughts on Vancouver? I don't know anyone there, and have no ties to that area, but am seriously considering it because it is close to the nightlife and shopping of Portland, but has the financial benefits of living in WA. I would love to hear some honest opinions on that area. Any neighborhoods I should look at/stay away from? I am single and would be living alone, so safety is also an issue. How easy is it to meet people? Do you think I'm completely crazy?

Thanks in advance!

[Topaz]

Vancouver is an extremely friendly, non-pretentious place. Some people call it "Vantucky" to make fun of it, but there are some very nice parts of Vancouver and it is such a quick drive to Portland to take advantage of everything the larger city has to offer. One thing to consider is whether the type of work you do would make it easy to find a job. If you live in Vancouver and work in Oregon, you owe the Oregon income tax even though you live in Washington State.

[girlonthemove]

I don't want to work in Oregon because of the income tax. I currently work for a university and would probably look at colleges first for jobs, but I can also work in other office settings.

[earls]

A real nice place is near a restaurant called Beaches. It is on the Columbia and the restaurant has good food also their are several condos and perhaps rentals in that area. I friend of mine took me their for lunch awhile back and I was really impressed with it. It is between 205 and 5 and off of highway 14 so close to major highways without being right on them. Several major shopping areas are close.

[FunTimes]

With past work relations with the University you could look into working at either Clark College, or at Washington State here in Vancouver. Both have websites with job postings that you could look at.

Both colleges are located on the west side of Vancouver where rent and housing is cheaper. While the east side is a litlle more expensive you can still live close enough to I-205 that makes the commute to Portland just as easy.

There are plenty of great little neighborhoods on both sides of the city that should work for you, and being so close to Portland has it benefits.

[st33lcas3]

Wow your story sounds a lot like mine, I made it twenty six years in po-dunk Spokane before I wised up and moved down to Vancouver.

It's a great town. The people are friendly, the town isn't to big, you have Portland and all it has to offer ten minutes away. If your a Seahawks fan, Seattle is just two hours away (really the only reason I drive up there) If you like the outdoors, you can't beat Vancouver. Your an hour from the Pacific, an hour from the Cascades (less than that to the foothills), plenty of walking/hiking trails around etc.

Areas to avoid would be the Harney Heights\Central Park\Shumway\Rose Village areas. Neighborhood map
Area's east of Andresen are nicer. They get better as you go east of I205. There are lots of decent apartment complexes and rental houses in town, so finding a safe place to live won't be a problem.

If you want more info, direct message me.

[girlonthemove]

That map is great, thank you! I've got lots to think about, but Vancouver is sounding better and better!

[metrospokane]

Have you considered taking a look at Bellingham?

[girlonthemove]

No, I haven't considered Bellingham, but I'll look into it.

[diggitydot]

Vancouver is a great community for what you're seeking. I always loved being close enough to Portland that I could jump over the bridge to catch a show/band/etc, but didn't have to actually live in Portland on a permanent basis.

If you're concerned with safety, I'd look into either the Salmon Creek or Fisher's Landing areas. Salmon Creek is in the far NW part of town and is where the WSU-Vancouver campus is located. Nice part of town, but traffic can be a total nightmare at the I-5/I-205 interchange. (That's the main way in and out of Salmon Creek.) It's a gorgeous area, though. That's also where the new Legacy hospital is located, too.

Fisher's Landing is on the far east side of Vancouver, butted right up against Camas. It has nice neighborhoods, lots of shopping and restaurants, and close proximity to HWY 14. Living in Fisher's Landing, you could be in Portland in 10 minutes during non-peak traffic times.

Vancouver is pretty spread out, so it's really best to find a place to live that's relatively close to your work. Living on one side of town and working on the other is a huge pain and can end up making a hefty commute, too.