Visiting to look around... (Seattle, Vancouver: sales, hotel, to buy)

[Patoooo]

We're coming up to visit WA at the end of the month. We will be looking to buy a place to retire, hopefully this year, the sooner the better.
We're interested in a place to live with our 4 dogs, Aussies. Rural is good, not in the big city or any "city". We're looking for 3+ acres, 2000+ sq ft, not a fixer upper, away from close neighbors. Have pretty much decided on the general area of south of Seattle down to the Oregon border, west of the mountains. West of the sound might be ok also. A big barn would be nice also.

We're flying up on a Friday and have a realtor showing us around Sat and Sun. It was suggested we stay in Yelm, as a central area, and the Prairie Hotel was suggested.

Any comments or help in general appreciated.

Thanks,

Pat

[cdelena]

Places in the Amboy area might work for you... it is rural but close enough to services and less than an hour from major medical.

[Hemlock140]

The Centralia/Chehalis area is very reasonably priced with acreage, and close enough to Olympia to have access to bigger city amenities such as entertainment, shopping and health care.

On the other hand, I'd suggest checking out the Vancouver/Camas area.
The state of Washington has no income tax, and Oregon has no sales tax, so for a retiree living just north of the border can save a lot of money, and for a bigger city to go to Portland is a good one. We drive down there from the Seattle area several times a year.

[Patoooo]

Thanks for the info...

Anyone else want to chime in?

Trip is next weekend, the 27th...