Tacoma info needed (Seattle, Lakewood, University Place: to rent, houses, neighborhoods) - Washington (WA) - City-Data Forum

Meenie · 08-17-2010, 08:28 AM

[LEFT]My husband and I are in our 50's, I'm ready to retire, he's not - he's looking at a job offer in Tacoma. We're both nature lovers and would love to find something with a view and/or near a natural setting. We need some room for family and grandchildren to visit. Any ideas?

Can you swim in the Bay? or any of the nearby rivers?
How is the housing there - affordable or outrageous, hehe?
Thanks for your help!!
Meenie

[/LEFT]

Ira500 · 08-17-2010, 10:14 AM

Tacoma is far less expensive than it's neighbor to the north, Seattle. Some people will say something like
" That's because Tacoma is a slum." Wait for it. You'll probably see responses like that.
And Tacoma has some bad neighborhoods, and so does Seattle, New York, Rome, Paris, and London.
You don't have to live in a bad neighborhood, and you don't even have to encounter them.
Tacoma has some awesome neighborhoods, amongst them Proctor, Old Town, the Narrows, Point Defiance/Ruston. There are also some nice places to live within a fairly easy commute to Tacoma.
You could choose to do an island. the south end of Vashon Island has ferries to Tacoma, and Anderson Island has ferries to Steilacoom, just a bit southwest of Tacoma. Steilacoom has some cool old houses and nice views.
University Place is a nice place, and borders Tacoma. Browns Point is just NE of town, and has a nice small town feel and water. Dash Point is just past there, also nice. And beyond there is the town of Des Moines, which has a great waterfront, a very pleasant waterfront downtown area...
Commencement Bay is not really suited for swimming. Tacoma has had a lot of industry over the years and you may end up with green and purple skin after swimming there. It's also cold.

Meenie · 08-18-2010, 09:57 AM

Oh thank you, that's some wonderful information.
I wonder if there are ever any rural nature area homes to rent nearby? Do the winters get really bad?

Ira500 · 08-18-2010, 01:25 PM

The winters don't get especially cold, but there are a lot of gray days and a lot of wet days. Since we're so far north it gets dark really early in the winter. Some people find the combination of lack of sunshine and then darkness around 4PM a little hard to take.

KVBV · 08-18-2010, 05:10 PM

Hi,
My husband and I are in the same boat as Meenie--he just accepted a job offer and we are moving there in a month. We are looking at a house near the water (on-line) and saw that a rail road track wraps around Tacoma--on closer inspection, I found a map where these tracks were labeled "Burlington Northern Santa Fe". Are these tracks active? How often does the train come and is it loud?
Thank you,
KV and BV

Ira500 · 08-18-2010, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVBV

Hi,
My husband and I are in the same boat as Meenie--he just accepted a job offer and we are moving there in a month. We are looking at a house near the water (on-line) and saw that a rail road track wraps around Tacoma--on closer inspection, I found a map where these tracks were labeled "Burlington Northern Santa Fe". Are these tracks active? How often does the train come and is it loud?
Thank you,
KV and BV

If you're talking about the railroad tracks near Ruston Way: I've walked along the waterfront there near Katie Downs and the Lobster Shop a lot, and never saw or heard a train. Doesn't mean they don't exist, or make all kinds of noise when I'm not there.

Jake840 · 08-19-2010, 07:51 AM

They are the main line tracks going north and south. They run BNSF and Amtrak. In a few years Amtrak will no longer run on them and use the Sound Transit line that is being upgraded through South Tacoma & Lakewood.

They can be a pretty busy track. If you are by a crossing they can be loud. Most of the homes in the area are built up the cliffs from the tracks so that helps muffle the sound. In Old Town they have a newer warning system that you pretty much just hear when you are at the crossing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVBV

Hi,
My husband and I are in the same boat as Meenie--he just accepted a job offer and we are moving there in a month. We are looking at a house near the water (on-line) and saw that a rail road track wraps around Tacoma--on closer inspection, I found a map where these tracks were labeled "Burlington Northern Santa Fe". Are these tracks active? How often does the train come and is it loud?
Thank you,
KV and BV

KVBV · 08-19-2010, 08:33 PM

Thank you so much for the information on the train tracks. That information will be helpful during our house search!

Pugetsoundman · 08-25-2010, 12:05 AM

If you like a more natural setting, look at Gig Harbor across the Narrows bridge. I moved here a couple years ago and love it.

nfdsouza2001 · 08-31-2010, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVBV

Hi,
My husband and I are in the same boat as Meenie--he just accepted a job offer and we are moving there in a month. We are looking at a house near the water (on-line) and saw that a rail road track wraps around Tacoma--on closer inspection, I found a map where these tracks were labeled "Burlington Northern Santa Fe". Are these tracks active? How often does the train come and is it loud?
Thank you,
KV and BV

Those tracks are active and can be loud they move freight to the port.