Ok, Tri-Cities or Bend????? Which is it? (Seattle, Spokane: sales, real estate)

[mncamper]

Ok, gang, everything I've heard now is really confusing. I understand that the Tri-Cities is really a desert waste-land Also that it costs so much money to water your lawn that you go broke trying to keep that up. Someone please suggest either Bend, OR or the Tri-cities?? Which is better? Is anything green in the Tri-Cities??? How hot does it really get? I'm coming from MN and have never lived in this part of the country. I'm really looking for where someone would suggest us to look at that might be a little more cost effective to live. A nice house between $300-350 thousand. Is that not possible in Bend??? Should we look elsewhere. HELP

[scirocco22]

Take a look at the pictures I posted from our picture thread in your other thread. The Tri-Cities isn't quite a "desert wasteland."

Just like anyplace, you'll have people who don't like it and people who do. You have to weigh whatever you hear and make your own decision. There are some good comments about the Tri-Cities posted on this forum if you look around.

Thanks.

--'rocco

[cathyq]

everywher eyou look there is dead sand and rocks.

those pictures are small sections of developed neighborhoods with trees.. yes.. but they are very small sections. Try driving out a bit . Try driving from one city to another, the freeway spreads out over sand and there is no orest or lake or mountains.. just barren brown hills

[scirocco22]

But I love barren brown hills! I love the desert, that's why I moved to NV.

To each his/her own. ...we're all entitled to our opinions.


--'rocco

[mustang34]

The Tri-Cities itself is green and if you head north out of Pasco, there are many farms, but otherwise it is very dry and brown. The Tri-Cities is definitely less expnsive to live than Bend, and actually does have nice areas, contrary to a number of posts. In the summer it does get very hot but not constantly. Easily solved by heading to a community pool if you don't have AC or a pool of your own.

[mncamper]

Thanks to all those who have given us advice. I guess we just need to fly out and see for ourselves. It's so hard to see from pictures or otherwise. If I'm moving my entire family and life across the country, I just want to provide the best life possible in a good area. I'll be away from everything I know and I want to live nicely If you were coming from Northern MN, (if any of you have been this way) Where would you suggest to live? Something like home, but yet providing something a little "new"???????? Any thoughts????

[etonmymind]

We were just in Bend visiting friends last week. As I do in every town we visit, I looked through the real estate guides. I also spoke with a local realtor who gave me a driving tour. I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find anything nice in Bend proper for 300-350K. If you wait a year, you might, because their housing market seems to be hurting and apparently a lot of builders are lowering their prices even up to 100K. Ouch.

You didn't mention it, but what do you do for a living? If I was moving to Bend, which I'm not, that would be a big factor for me.

[Karlos2121]

I know that in Bend you'll have plenty of ski slopes/resorts to recreate in....from what I remember. It's been years since I've been to either town (mid 90's)....

But I know Bend is more expensive for housing...

[mncamper]

I really have heard many awesome things about the Tri-Cities area. Everything from the housing to the neighborhoods to life style period.! Also many people have posted that if your looking for a warm feeling area with nice, not snotty people look to Richland. What is any of your thought in that area???? I heard that South Richland is the best with new White Bluffs school built there. Any thoughts????

[WazzuCoop21]

Having grown up in the Tri-Cities and having family that lives in Bend, I guess I have something I can add to this conversation.

You can't beat the beauty and recreation avialable in Bend. BUT, Bend has fallen victim to the California exodus and the housing market clearly reflects that. While their economy is booming, the average family cannot come close to affording a house there. This is not to mention the increasing level of congestion in an area that wasn't built to accomodate that large of a population. It is also fairly isolated from the region (except rural eastern OR) and there's no large freeway connecting it to the rest of the state.

The Tri-Cities on the other hand, while not nearly as scenic and close the mountains (btwn 1-2hrs), has an enormous amount of benefits in comparison to Bend. First thing is housing: $300-350k in the Tri-Cities can buy you a REALLY nice house. You could have a 4 bedroom house on 1/2 acre for that kind of money, depending on which area you chose to live of course. The schools in Kennewick and Richland are some of the best in the entire state. Plus, unlike Oregon, WA has no state income tax (although OR has no sales tax). While they don't have the mountains in the backyard, the Columbia River is huge and provides a great deal of recreation for people living in the area. If you really want to get to the woods, within a 1-2 hour drive east or west, you will be in the mountains. Major interstates connect the Tri-Cities to all the major cities in the region with airports, Portland and Seattle are both accessible in a little over 3 hours and Spokane is only about 2 hours away. Yes, it is a sub-desert, but Bend will also have a dry climate as well. If you don't mind a few less trees and rolling hills, the Tri-Cities may be a good choice for you.