I got sticker shock by Vancouver housing price

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

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.

Yes.

East Vancouver & Camas is more uniform. Not much changes block to block. Probably because the area is newer and mostly developed by large developers.

West Vancouver & Salmon Creek areas are more varied. Neighborhoods can change a lot more from block to block. You might see run down 1950s ranches that look like sketchy rentals on one block and on the next block a new DR Horton subdivision selling $500,000+ homes. The area is older and has grown more piecemeal.

[StealthRabbit]

or... a REALLY nice 1938 home (for those of us who don't do 'sheetrock and paint' -ed woodwork and doors)

There are some really nice 'view' homes along the 'ridges' in Vancouver (heights North (St Helens) and south facing (PDX / west hills) ridges) and Minnehaha and Hazel Dell / Felida ridges. Many with daylight basements. Likely 1950 - 1980 build dates. Walnut Grove / Green Meadows (North of Mall) has some nice enclaves as well.

Looks like I am about to build another... but it will not be a DR Horton ! (It will have all wood built-ins trim and doors, and likely wood ceilings, and lots of interior stone.) And will be completed for under $150k. Very nice (cheap) view lot.

[cyberous]

Originally Posted by formosa

I want to be a WA resident because I am tired of blood sucking Oregon. i understand I will still be paying Oregon income tax (employed by OR firm) but at least my other income will be safe. Besides, I truly love the new waterfront with the great landscape design. I also plan to get a weekend job in WA.

I currently live near Tanasbourne area in Hillsboro and most of my activities are done in between Tanasboune and Orenco station. This well planned area has everything so the housing price is higher.

I just discovered the housing price in Vancouver is not cheaper. I am looking along I-5 corridor because I plan to go back to my office in downtown Portland a couple times a week when the infection is under better control next year. The area I am looking at is from the border up to Hazel Dell. I found that the houses similar to mine have similar price tags like mine, but the areas are far less ideal. I am really shocked.

Besides the high housing price, I also have the following questions.

1. My impression is that WA has lower utility rates. Is that still true?

2. I only shop for necessities and I rarely eat out. I plan to do all that while in Portland so I can save on sales tax. My 15 year old compact car doesn't worth much ($2300) so I don't think I will be paying much fee when I bring it over. Are there other taxes/fees that OR transplants usually don't realize until they move over?

3. I got free parking from work but I also plan to commute on bike when the weather is nice. I am used to 12 mile one way ride between Hillsboro and downtown Portland and I enjoyed it. I read somewhere that biking from Vancouver to Portland or vice versa during rush hours is way faster than driving. Is that the reality?

Any comments is very appreciated.

Whats your budget?

As you know housing is hot in downtown Vancouver. Where else on the West Coast can you live next to a major city (Portland) in a walk-able downtown environment for under 1mm with no income tax and "no sales tax", 15 minutes to a "major airport" and relatively low crime?

I've been here in Downtown since 2015. Purchased my house for $225K, its now worth over $500k, its a very modest home (less than 2000sqft) built in the 1930's. While I’ve only been here 5 years I'm one of the "older residents" all of my neighbors have cashed out and new neighbors have moved in. Two are from Portland and one is from Seattle (most Californians still think Portland is so great ) Two work from home 100% of the time.

My observations of the major downtown neighborhoods.

Northwest $$$: Larger properties, very ranch like. Lots of older people

Lincoln $$$$: Old money (not older people), a few multi-million dollar homes mixed in.

Carter Park $$$ (where I live): Quiet, working class best of Lincoln and Hough.

Hough $$$$: Red hot home sales, best place to live if you want to really be a part of uptown, parking sucks .

Ester Short $$??: I don’t know as much about this area, it does attract lots of homeless and has the most multi family living

Arnada $$$: like Hough because its off Main Street, the closer to I-5 the less desirable.

Shumway $$: much like Carter Park but due to I-5 and further away from uptown a little less desirable.

One area that’s still affordable is Rose Village, it use to be super ghetto but as prices become unaffordable in downtown proper people are moving there. Also in general, neighborhoods West of I-5 seem to be a little more desirable than East of I-5

Let me know if you have any questions about downtown.

[texasdiver]

Is all of that considered "downtown"?

I would have assumed just the Esther Short area and maybe the neighborhoods around Uptown/Main Street.

I guess I don't have a real good sense of the geographic extent of what people are talking about when they say "downtown" Vancouver.

[cyberous]

It's broken into waterfront, downtown, midtown and uptown now, but most of us just say downtown and people know what your talking about.

[StealthRabbit]

There are plenty of gems left in Uptown.... Friend just bought a semi rural place near Columbia Presbyterian. Next to burnt bridge greenbelt. <5 min to downtown or to Hazel Dell commercial area. Carter Park and Lincoln have nice places tucked away.

Personally, if I were forced to live in town,... I would not buy a home, but instead buy a cash flowing NNN commercial property in a tax free location where I liked to travel. Then rent within ft Vancouver historical preserve. Or rent in Tahiti!

[cyberous]

We have been looking on loopnet for a commercial property but everything is way over valued at the moment, give it two years and we should see some fire sales. The POTUS has been talking about eliminating cap gains, if that happens then we will definitely be cashing out of our commercial property.

[StealthRabbit]

Left coast is s rough for good cash flows in commercial or residential rentals. Internet erosion and proximity to No Sales Tax OR makes SWWA props even harder to cash flow. We purged all our 1031s during Bush tax holiday, now is good too if gains don't mess with your other taxes / medicare qualifications. We use Timed sales ( carry back portions on deferred payments), capital improvements to other props, section 179s, and our DAF, to mitigate tax implications. 100% of our estate goes to charities, so not like we are building assets for a family inheritance. Our Kids will survive.

I expect some discounted props in next 3-5 yrs. Been wrong before...

[formosa]

I have been looking at a lot of properties along I-5. Can't win any bidding wars. So many properties are over priced now and people are paying more than asking. I don't even care about crime or school. I just want a location close to I-5 ramp not too far north. (Dazel Dell North is my boundary)

I was hoping to get a move-in ready small house (at least 600sqf 1 br/ 1 bath) with a decent size lot for under 350k. It is impossible. For my budget I can only get a fixer upper. Most homes I saw are so old. Those marked as "updated" is not updated to my standard. My current home was bought brand new so I am having a hard time to look at old houses. I want to downsize but not downgrade.

I think Vancouver housing price is now officially more expensive than Portland Metro. I should wait a few months. Hopefully it will cool down in winter.

Originally Posted by cyberous

Whats your budget?

As you know housing is hot in downtown Vancouver. Where else on the West Coast can you live next to a major city (Portland) in a walk-able downtown environment for under 1mm with no income tax and "no sales tax", 15 minutes to a "major airport" and relatively low crime?

I've been here in Downtown since 2015. Purchased my house for $225K, its now worth over $500k, its a very modest home (less than 2000sqft) built in the 1930's. While I’ve only been here 5 years I'm one of the "older residents" all of my neighbors have cashed out and new neighbors have moved in. Two are from Portland and one is from Seattle (most Californians still think Portland is so great ) Two work from home 100% of the time.

My observations of the major downtown neighborhoods.

Northwest $$$: Larger properties, very ranch like. Lots of older people

Lincoln $$$$: Old money (not older people), a few multi-million dollar homes mixed in.

Carter Park $$$ (where I live): Quiet, working class best of Lincoln and Hough.

Hough $$$$: Red hot home sales, best place to live if you want to really be a part of uptown, parking sucks .

Ester Short $$??: I don’t know as much about this area, it does attract lots of homeless and has the most multi family living

Arnada $$$: like Hough because its off Main Street, the closer to I-5 the less desirable.

Shumway $$: much like Carter Park but due to I-5 and further away from uptown a little less desirable.

One area that’s still affordable is Rose Village, it use to be super ghetto but as prices become unaffordable in downtown proper people are moving there. Also in general, neighborhoods West of I-5 seem to be a little more desirable than East of I-5

Let me know if you have any questions about downtown.