I got sticker shock by Vancouver housing price (Seattle, Salmon Creek: 2015, rentals)

[formosa]

Great data. This is exactly what I was talking about. I was looking at Vancouver from the border to Hazel Dell since I only like to stay very close to I-5.

Vancouver and Hazel Dell both have median income less than 60k and the area is not as nice but the housing price is quite close to Hillsboro (median income near 80k).

It is great to know the data of the other areas too but they are not my target areas. In the future if I get a full time job in Vancouver then I will move to the nicer East side. My realtor said Vancouver market is hotter than Portland now. Very low inventory.

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Just for comparison sake I googled up some median income stats for the areas we are talking about. Using the census web site for median income

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...egon/RHI225218

The results may surprise you. Felida was the highest income place I found and Camas has a higher median income than both Lake Oswego and West Linn. Obviously there are pockets of extreme wealth in the Portland west hills but I didn't tease any of those out.

Vancouver (city-wide): $58,865
Salmon Creek: $79,292
Felida: $129,957
Hazel Dell: $59,074
Fishers Landing: $86,308
Camas: $106,513
Ridgefield: $95,859
Battle Ground: $70,774

and on the Oregon side

Portland (city-wide): $65,740
Hillsboro: $78,144
Beaverton: $68,586
Lake Oswego: $100,461
West Linn: $104,061
Happy Valley: $124,968
Wilsonville: $69,043
Tigard: $75,795
Tualatin: $81,118

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by formosa

Great data. This is exactly what I was talking about. I was looking at Vancouver from the border to Hazel Dell since I only like to stay very close to I-5.

Vancouver and Hazel Dell both have median income less than 60k and the area is not as nice but the housing price is quite close to Hillsboro (median income near 80k).

It is great to know the data of the other areas too but they are not my target areas. In the future if I get a full time job in Vancouver then I will move to the nicer East side. My realtor said Vancouver market is hotter than Portland now. Very low inventory.

It's probably party chicken and egg. But I think it is probably also something to do with school boundaries. Hazel Dell feeds into Hudson's Bay HS. Felida and Salmon Creek feed into Columbia River and Skyview high schools which are higher performing. I'm guessing that no small number of upper middle class people with kids are going to take that into account when they skip past Hazel Dell and continue on to Salmon Creek when moving to the Vancouver area even if it results in a longer commute back to Portland. The boundary line is 78th Ave.

[StealthRabbit]

For 'affordable housing' and near I-5 (north Vancouver / South Hazel Dell), look to places near BPA Ross Substation and Minnehaha School (really nice huge lots on some places / semi rural)

Also near Carter Park / Franklin Elementary (Smaller older homes, nice neighborhoods)

Trendy / "Me-too" neighborhoods (built since 1990's) laden with cedar privacy fences and identical homes will set you back more.

As always... pick your area, then find your home (before it is listed FS on the open market). https://gis.clark.wa.gov/gishome/pro...cfm?pid=search

Once publicly listed FS, you are 'thrown to the wolves' (high prices, high commissions, and the whole world as your buying competition.)

very bad sign...

My realtor said ....

We really benefited from our 'fruit farm' location next to Hazel Dell Park (for 10+ yrs).
~5 minutes to EVERYTHING! (including I-5 bridge and Clark College) 1938 home that was very cute and personal, lots of built-ins, basement, 5+ acres, mature landscape. (County zoning , not city)

[formosa]

Great to know the boundary line. Really appreciate it.

I don't have kids so the distance to I-5 ramp and to downtown Portland are my #1 concern. Great school districts do help the property appreciation. It will be great to get both. I will look at Hazel Dell North too since it is north of 78th Ave.

I do know a few people who work in Portland but live in Salmon Creek. They have good schools for sure and they love that area!

Originally Posted by texasdiver

It's probably party chicken and egg. But I think it is probably also something to do with school boundaries. Hazel Dell feeds into Hudson's Bay HS. Felida and Salmon Creek feed into Columbia River and Skyview high schools which are higher performing. I'm guessing that no small number of upper middle class people with kids are going to take that into account when they skip past Hazel Dell and continue on to Salmon Creek when moving to the Vancouver area even if it results in a longer commute back to Portland. The boundary line is 78th Ave.

[formosa]

Thanks for the tips. I am indeed looking at these areas you mentioned. The clark county link is very helpful.

Not sure how to find potential sellers. My realtor did mention she can see some houses before they hit the market. I just need to make sure I am on her priority list.

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

For 'affordable housing' and near I-5 (north Vancouver / South Hazel Dell), look to places near BPA Ross Substation and Minnehaha School (really nice huge lots on some places / semi rural)

Also near Carter Park / Franklin Elementary (Smaller older homes, nice neighborhoods)

Trendy / "Me-too" neighborhoods (built since 1990's) laden with cedar privacy fences and identical homes will set you back more.

As always... pick your area, then find your home (before it is listed FS on the open market). https://gis.clark.wa.gov/gishome/pro...cfm?pid=search

Once publicly listed FS, you are 'thrown to the wolves' (high prices, high commissions, and the whole world as your buying competition.)

very bad sign...

We really benefited from our 'fruit farm' location next to Hazel Dell Park (for 10+ yrs).
~5 minutes to EVERYTHING! (including I-5 bridge and Clark College) 1938 home that was very cute and personal, lots of built-ins, basement, 5+ acres, mature landscape. (County zoning , not city)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by formosa

Thanks for the tips. I am indeed looking at these areas you mentioned. The clark county link is very helpful.

Not sure how to find potential sellers

You contact them yourself...

Bad sign...

My realtor did mention she can see some houses before they hit the market.

In 39 transactions I have had a realtor 2x (because other party wanted their 'hand held')

4 transactions this month, one yesterday (lots going on in RE at the moment)

Good Real Estate Attorney = $300 - $500 / hr and they CAN give you legal advice.

Poor realtor = $800 - $1200 / hr and they CANNOT give you legal advice.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by formosa

Great to know the boundary line. Really appreciate it.

I don't have kids so the distance to I-5 ramp and to downtown Portland are my #1 concern. Great school districts do help the property appreciation. It will be great to get both. I will look at Hazel Dell North too since it is north of 78th Ave.

I do know a few people who work in Portland but live in Salmon Creek. They have good schools for sure and they love that area!

It's all the same school district. Vancouver School District which covers all of West Vancouver (roughly the area west of I-205). There are four traditional high schools (Hudson's Bay, Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, and Skyview) and a couple of specialty magnet schools and I think the district is open-enrollment so kids can attend any of the schools. But bus transportation is only available to your locally zoned school so most go to the close one out of inertia and so mom or dad doesn't have to drive them every day.

But generally speaking, Hudson's Bay and Fort Vancouver cover the older and poorer parts of Vancouver including downtown (which is rapidly gentrifying, but not in terms of students who are still mostly poorer and immigrant kids from apartment complexes along 4th Plain and such). Skyview and Columbia River cover the newer and more affluent areas further north including Salmon Creek and Felida. So there is some sorting going on of parents with school age children. Those with means mostly move north to Salmon Creek or Felida, or move east to East Vancouver and Camas which are in the Evergreen and Camas school districts, respectively.

If you are childless and not worried about schools then I wouldn't worry much about district lines. There are lots of very cool properties closer in to the freeway and Portland. The school boundary lines are more what explains the difference in median incomes as wealthier parents are searching out the top schools and clustering around them like they do in every other city in the country as well.

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by TheOrca

you will have tough time finding under $1m in a good evergreen highway neighborhood that's not even on the river if its east of 205

I'm confused. Are neighborhoods only acceptable near the evergreen highway? I mean you'll find richy poo neighborhoods in about any city or suburb. I suppose if that's what you're used to, then I guess you'll need to be a millionaire, but I've seen some nice smaller homes in a typical suburban neighborhood for under 400K.

[TheOrca]

Originally Posted by Podo944

I'm confused. Are neighborhoods only acceptable near the evergreen highway? I mean you'll find richy poo neighborhoods in about any city or suburb. I suppose if that's what you're used to, then I guess you'll need to be a millionaire, but I've seen some nice smaller homes in a typical suburban neighborhood for under 400K.

No, those are just the most expensive in this metro area.

Anything in south east vancouver will be a good neighborhood.

IMO if you go to places like hazel dell it's pretty ghetto and high crime - though I am sure there are many good people there.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by TheOrca

No, those are just the most expensive in this metro area.

Anything in south east vancouver will be a good neighborhood.

IMO if you go to places like hazel dell it's pretty ghetto and high crime - though I am sure there are many good people there.

and MANY good neighborhoods tucked away in Hazel Dell / Salmon Creek / Minnehaha / Pleasant Valley / Glenwood...) Some with pretty big lots. We had (3) attached 5 acre lots (15A) and bordered Hazel Dell Park. 3 min to Fred Meyer, but living in the 'country'. Boss lived in North Hazel Dell in a very nice gated community. Retired friends live in West Hazel Dell, overlooking Vancouver Lake.