Tacoma Countryside.... Does it exist? (Federal Way, Olympia: real estate, crime rates, house)

[mbkaiser]

Good Morning All,

We are from rural NE Ohio, and considering relocating to the Tacoma due to husband's employment. We are looking for a semi-rural area with a decent commute to Tacoma/Fife area. We are primarily interested in a small school system, and a reasonably priced house with some acreage, and small town values. We have 3 children (11, and 3 year old twins- one with special needs)..... We were out there this last weekend and looked around a bit, and found a few schools that looked interesting and wondered what to realistically expect for commutes from these areas and if anybody had any insider recommendations on the communities.. We were thinking Rainier, Carbonado, Tenino, or Orting.

Also, knowing that we are hoping for some acreage (2-5 acres), any insight on the buy vs. build in that area... Finally, even when driving around the small communities, we saw quite a bit of fencing and even some bars on the windows? How are the crime rates in these areas? Any other Ohioans made the transition and have any advise???

Thanks All!!!!

[magrack]

Yes, there are places adjacent to Tacoma that might fit your needs...you may not like the prices, though.

Look at the Summit area, roughly bordered by Hwy 512 on the south, Waller Road on the west, Fruitland Ave on the East and Pioneer Ave on the north.

Another option is to look at the Milton/Edgewood area north of the town of Fife between Federal Way and Tacoma.

See a Realtor, let him/her know what you're looking for...they get paid to do the winnowing out of unsuitable places depending on your input and know the area better than you'll ever learn in a short time.

Good Luck.

[kc2sweet4ne1]

Yes, the prices up there are not pretty. You may consider living a little south of Tacoma. The commute is a little longer, but the prices of homes will start to drop rapidly. Look at Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia. Less crime- and less money for a better home. Good luck!!

[Sandy Nelson]

Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater are less than a 30 minute drive south of Tacoma. Real estate prices and crime are much lower. Tenino is another 15 minutes south of Olympia and quite rural with a definite small-town feel. It has a very nice city park with an out-door swimming pool that the kids will love. Check the "compare cities" feature here on the city-data website to get an idea how these towns stack up. A Realtor can help you find the neighborhoods and property types that will suit you best.

Sandy

[mbkaiser]

Thanks all for the great information!!! I definitely have more research to do..