Relocating to work in Vancouver - Where to live - Vancouver/Portland? (Yakima: apartments)

[akfemme]

Hi all,

I will be relocating to work in the downtown area of Vancouver just west of the I5 and am not sure about where I should live. I'm looking at an option in the Hudson's Bay area of Vancouver - is it safe/how is it there? How about further east near Fisher's Landing? Or Ellsworth Springs?

Or should I try to live in the Northeast/Northwest of Portland and commute to work? I will have a car - any idea how long/difficult of a commute it would be for me to get to work from either of those sections?

Anyone know anything about the area in north portland called "The Yards at Union Station" by the River District. Located on Naito Parkway near Union Station between the Broadway and Steele Bridges"?

I am also very unclear about how street parking works in Portland - some apartments are advertising street parking - is it true you must move your car everyday? Would parking be a huge hassle if I do not find a place with offstreet parking?

Thanks for your advice!

[StealthRabbit]

If you are working in Vancouver, You want to live there too. (Save 9% income tax).

There are some decent areas near Hudson Bay, I prefer the blocks to the south, along Evergreen and east of the Historic Reserve. If I could afford it, I might look to a rental apartment on the reserve. They (owned by city of Vancouver) are adding more rentals to that area. That way you have a nice area, close enough to walk to work, nice park to exercise and enjoy, and you can volunteer at The Fort for your gardening pleasure.
There are some nice new rowhouses about 2 blks east of the park, I think some are renting, some are purchased.

I would also look on to the east on Evergreen, and near Harney Elementary.

I would plan to commute to Portland for culture and 'party-central'. I personally don't care much for 'suburbia' (Fisher's Landing)... I don't do stop lights. (farm kid), and when I came to Vancouver there was not an I-205, nor any traffic lights east of there, just farms. Ellsworth would be a pretty EZ commute to downtown, but I would personally just live near the Fort, and use "Safeway delivery" and the new Fred Meyers at Grand and SR14.

BTW, are you from CA? I-5 is affectionately known as 'I-5' (not 'the5' or 'theI5'). That will not make any points for you in this region. (CA 'THE's came from naming of Freeways after 'places'..i.e. "Long Beach, Ventura, Santa Monica...it rolled over to numerals and just bugs the heck out of locals 'round here... JFYI I-5 is nothing special to us, just considered a way to get from Vancouver BC to San Diego / Mexico)

[CPF]

Definitely plan to live in Vancouver if you work there, for the aforementioned tax reasons and also because crossing the river is a traffic nightmare. As for where to live, downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods are a dead zone - zero shopping/groceries/restaurants. Look north to Hazel Dell or east along the river. Fisher's Landing might be a bit far but there really aren't traffic issues. Safety is hard to gauge as no area stands out as very safe or very unsafe.

Regarding your Portland questions:

The area around Union Station is high priced condos with terrible parking and all of the homeless shelters. Do not move there. Cross the Willamette river to Irvington or Laurelhurst.

Parking is only an issue in and around downtown. Apartments advertise street parking as most residents have multiple vehicles.

[akfemme]

Thanks for the advice!

[lmayanti]

We moved from Portland to Vancouver 6 years ago. We love it here, no fees to park on the street (we used to live at downtown Portland). We live in Salmon Creek area, and we love it. Great access to both I5 and 205.

[Dan82]

If your working in Vancouver I would never think of living in Portland. If your a farm kid look north of vancouver in areas of Ridgefield, Battleground, La Center etc. Much safer than Vancouver

[lizxson]

some really good information here my husband and I are looking at retiring to vancouver so school districts and such are not important so what would be the best area for us?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by lizxson

.. my husband and I are looking at retiring to vancouver so school districts and such are not important so what would be the best area for us?

school districts and such are VERY important as are fire, library, and city districts (High voter approved property taxes).

Get a tax map from the assessor and choose an area that has low tax levy and low chance of voter approved taxes. Buy a garage and remodel it to a house without telling the assessor. My property taxes have gone from $800/ yr to $12,000 per yr due to Clark County spending frenzy.

Be careful about thinking your taxes will be what you pay for your property. The assessor will say you paid below market rate and jack your taxes up.

For WA state, I recommend using your house money to buy investment property, then use the positive cash flow to fund your rent (rather than purchase of SFR).

Let us know what is important to you and we can better select a neighborhood or region. For Vancouver, I prefer Officers Row, Carter Park / Lincoln, Southcliff, DuBois, or Minnehaha.
http://www.cityofvancouver.us/nhoods.asp

If you want something rural there are many additional choices.

Need more info on your needs / desires

[lizxson]

Originally Posted by lizxson

some really good information here my husband and I are looking at retiring to vancouver so school districts and such are not important so what would be the best area for us?

Thanks for the responce. We've contacted two realtors and will start coming to vancouver for the next several months to check things out.
As far as taxes much worse than CA here in Yakima

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by lizxson

Thanks for the responce. We've contacted two realtors and will start coming to vancouver for the next several months to check things out.
As far as taxes much worse than CA here in Yakima

Oh yes, CA I have an uncle living in a huge mansion with a gorgeous ocean view in San Clemente, his property taxes are $750 / yr (thanks to prop 13, which the WA supreme Court would never let fly)

Be advised... tax levy ranges from $8 to $18 per thousand in the region and surrounding counties

Be advised #2 ... Assessors and areas vary greatly as to whether they consider your home 'desirable' and attractive in the market. Hence your first SOP for realtor is to identify the districts which still has your minimum level of service, but with the least expensive taxes and history of voter increases.

I could move my identical property 30 seconds up the road and cut taxes in half, (less aggressive county assessor + a rural county). If I wanted to go 10 minutes further, they would be cut another 50%. (a 'niche' area BETWEEN school districts, VERY low taxes). It would take 20 minutes to get an ambulance or Sheriff (something I never have needed. NoW)

Hint:, Buy a shack or make sure your improvements are on Wheels (Can't be taxed as 'Real Property'). I do have a neighbor who lives in a 120' x 240' building with a superb built in 3 story apartment w/ loft (marble, cherry trim, SS appliances, great view...). The assessor knows only that there is 'living' space inside there. (a toilet and hotplate ) And there is a very mean dog to confront should the assessor want to investigate. BTW: I have a super mellow OLD dog who only barks at the tax assessor and in-fact, was gonna tear him to pieces if he got out of his car. Good Doggy !