Least wooded/green areas in Washington? (Seattle, Spokane: apartment, rental, condos)

[msservos]

I know Seattle will be suggested but that's just too expensive for us, although I love the place.

Background info: Some of you will know why I am asking for less wooded areas - I am an arachnophobe. Yesterday, we drove to this very pretty part of University Place where there are good schools (Chambers and Sunset Primary schools). But the apartment we checked out had two largish (1.5 inches long, body 1cm long) spiders grinning at me along the outside corridor!

The other day, we checked out Silverdale in WA and it's also one of those beautiful WOODED areas.

I know that wooded areas equals to spider areas. I keep telling myself, "you can cope. It's just a spider. It's more afraid of you than vice-versa". But who am I kidding really? Just thinking about one makes me shudder and imagine it's creeping on me.

So, back to my question: is there any area at all in Washington where I might be able to avoid them? Condos are fine with me. I also need a safe neighbourhood within the service area of a good public (elementary) school.

Our rental limit is $700 ($800-$900 if it's a nicer place) for a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment. To buy in the same area (after renting for a few months), our limit would be $250, 000.

Anything like this available in WA?

If we cannot find anything like this, we are actually also considering Montana. Anyone will be able to tell me what the tree situation is like in Montana, when compared to WA? Are the suburbs as green?

[jwb123]

What about Eastern WA - like Spokane or Tricities? I have never been, just driven through - so I don't have first hand experience. IMO, spiders and WA go hand in hand...

[WendyK]

I'm not 100% positive on this, but maybe some parts of eastern WA in the farm land areas might have less spiders and would be less wooded. They'd also be more likely to be in your price range. Spokane has spiders but there may be fewer of them in the Palouse area, or farther south near Pullman in Whitman County.

[kahuku]

Have you thought about Aberdeen or Hoquiam? These areas have affordable homes, and most of the trees in town were cut down long ago. There aren't too many spiders that make it indoors.

[sean98125]

I don't see many spiders at all in the more urban areas of Seattle. The hearts of the cities are where you'll find the least trees.

Or you can look anywhere south and east of the Columbia on the east side of the Cascades.


Though they might have more brown recluse and even black widow spiders over there.

[springshades]

Whatever you do, don't go for Eastern WA if you're afraid of spiders. It's possible that they may have less spiders overall, but that side of the mountains has black widows... if you're afraid of regular spiders, you don't want to be near ones that are actually dangerous.

Western Montana is actually more wooded than Washington in general, though I don't know what type of spiders they have there. Eastern Montana is a bit more grasslands with some forest here and there... but if you need access to Washington, Eastern Montana is a LONG ways away. Big state.

I think the areas nearest to the Pacific are less wooded in general... Aberdeen/Hoquiam/Ocean Shores/Long Beach. But honestly I'm not sure if you'll be able to get away from spiders completely.

[Fat Freddy]

The earth is crawling with spiders.

You can't get away from them.

No matter where you are, a spider is only a few inches away.

One might be in your pocket right now.

Go ahead, put your hand in there and see if a hairy, multi-legged creature sinks it's venom dripping fangs into your flesh.

[scirocco22]

[msservos]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! Will look into it.

[TiredMama]

It would be well worth it to get a few sessions of hypnotherapy in to overcome this phobia. I wouldn't have believed it works but then I did it and well, it did work. Intense fear of needles impeding midwifery internship. Now I can draw blood & put in an IV.