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Old 11-13-2013, 10:59 PM
 
Location: 2060
122 posts, read 192,889 times
Reputation: 64

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We were looking at Vancouver but are now looking at Centralia as it's closer to my inlaws among other reasons.

Our plan is to find affordable temporary housing while looking for a house to buy.

We have two dogs, cockapoo and a chi/terrier mix.

1-2 weeks in Jan/Feb 2014 in our car driving around with the dogs in a large crate doesn't appeal to me.

Has anyone used a property management company in Centralia? This would cut down on driving and the application fees. I see a JTGuyer and a few others, thoughts?

Extended stay hotels- do they exist in Centralia? What about an RV rental? Someone who has an RV in their back yard?

Hubby is semi retiring, looking at getting back into teaching and coaching. He's been driving a city bus for 17 years and I'd love to see him follow his passions of teaching sports. Does Centralia have a sports minded community for kids?

Thanks for input.
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Old 11-14-2013, 12:54 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,227 posts, read 80,425,063 times
Reputation: 57140
It may be hard to get answers on Centralia, with only about 15,000 people there. I have spent some time there working and it's definitely one of the lower cost cities in the western part of the state. While there are a few hotels, I don't see a lot of need for them other than the traveler passing through needing rest. I doubt you will find an extended stay there. You may find an RV for rent in a yard but I'd try Craigslist, those would not likely be through a management Co. Really, I'd suggest just staying at a motel and driving around the town looking for signs, you could pass by every house in a couple of hours at most. There are probably 5-6 elementary schools, so there must be plenty of kids there. I have no idea whether they are into sports but probably so.
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Old 11-14-2013, 09:38 PM
 
Location: 2060
122 posts, read 192,889 times
Reputation: 64
Shoot, I didn't even think to look up the stats. With 15,000 I guess I'd better not expect too much feedback!

I hadn't seen too much input on Centralia/Chehalis so I thought I'd throw it out there. Thanks for responding. I've searched dozens of pages on the area and thought I'd throw out specific questions!

If "worse comes to worse" we'll get the King Oscar hotel or Motel 6 and drive around looking.

Thanks
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Old 11-14-2013, 10:19 PM
 
Location: Nashville
3,533 posts, read 5,802,224 times
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You may get more responses if you post this on the Washington thread rather than the Seattle thread.. Probably most people from Centralia would not be going through the Seattle thread, as its a world away and not even close to Seattle..

I have been through Centralia a few times and it doesn't look like much.. But, then again, that can be a good thing.. I remember purchasing an AK-47 in the parking lot of one of the shopping centers in Centralia during midday and nobody seem to care. That is about my only personal experience in the town. Seems like a real gun friendly, conservative, All-American town to me. Perhaps, a place I'd like to live.. Considering the proximity to Olympia, you are not too far if you are in need of larger town amenities and box stores. The rent is a bit cheaper. The only downside, is I hear Centralia and its neighbor Chehalis have a bit of a meth problem, but most smaller towns in the Pacific Northwest will have those issues.
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Old 11-14-2013, 10:45 PM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,825 posts, read 29,822,691 times
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Back in the early 2000's, my mother and I investigated a move to Centralia/Chehalis (for her), as it was one of the only places that seemed affordable for her in Western WA, still within somewhat reasonable distance to our family further north.

Just personal experience, but we got there, everything my mother could afford was run down, and that day, no realtors were willing to take my mother around to see any houses.

Why not consider Olympia?
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Old 11-15-2013, 12:56 PM
 
Location: 2060
122 posts, read 192,889 times
Reputation: 64
I didn't know Washington had a forum all its own, I see where it's divided into 4 major areas. I'll have to look closer I guess.

We looked at Olympia (online) and it's certainly in our sights. I'd personally prefer something a little bit more rural. Centralia is close to Raymond/rt 6 which is where his parents farm is.

I'm hoping to chat up JTGuyer prop management and Bezy prop management before we head up so that a dialogue is started. DH seems to think we can just drive around and find "for rent" signs in the windows and fly by the seat of our pants. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that enough heads up and being able to set up appointments while we're there and we'll have at least 4-5 houses we can scout out.

It's pretty straight forward, 2 adults with pensions, 2 dogs that are well trained and great credit score. We're quiet and have excellent references after living in the same place for almost 20 years. No drugs/smoking and we're friendly but mind our own business. I expect the same from my neighbors and honestly I'm hoping to not have any real close by but if they are... well, I'm hoping they're decent people.

I spent an hour or so last night reading Sirens on facebook and got a flavor of the thefts that happen a LOT there. Not that I leave anything in my car or on my porch now to steal but it gives me the general idea that things are much safer than here.

I hope things have changed since 2000. I heard that downtown Centralia is revitalizing their downtown and it's gotten better.

Off to find the "washington" thread Thanks for the input, it's very helpful!!
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Old 11-15-2013, 01:01 PM
 
Location: 2060
122 posts, read 192,889 times
Reputation: 64
I found the Washington forum, never occurred to me to scroll down past the 4 major listings duh! Thanks for pointing it out
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Old 11-15-2013, 02:54 PM
 
Location: Nashville
3,533 posts, read 5,802,224 times
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Look for a place in Lacey or Tumwater , a bit out of town. It will be almost as rural and you will be closer to amenities and the prices are not much different. Also, Lacey has the one of the largest Cabelas in the country.. I love having it not far from me.

As David said, there really isn't much point in living in Centralia, unless you have a job there or grew up in the place.

I, myself have considered the Olympia area as well.
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Old 11-15-2013, 03:03 PM
 
Location: Washington State. Not Seattle.
2,251 posts, read 3,253,769 times
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I would agree that Centralia/Chehalis and Lewis County in general is another world, when compared to Seattle/Tacoma and even Olympia.

The town is a little bit on the run-down side, and many people object to either the pollution and/or the idea of the steam plant just outside or town, but IMO, the people in the area are FAR nicer/more down to earth/easier to get long with than anyone in the Seattle metro area (i.e. in the Seattle Freeze area).

The I5 corridor, just north of Centralia, was growing like crazy before the recession hit, but will likely start up again soon if the supposed "recovery" ever actually happens. This may influence the "ruralness" of the area in the future.

Lewis county is probably the most conservative county in Western WA, and rural Lewis county is absolutely NOTHING like "rural" Thurston county - such as outside Lacey or Tumwater - which is still fairly liberal and more suburban than rural. The two areas aren't comparable in any way, other than possibly the weather (which, of course, is terrible - it's Western WA).
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Old 11-15-2013, 07:23 PM
 
Location: 2060
122 posts, read 192,889 times
Reputation: 64
His folks live in Raymond so it looks like Centralia/Chehalis it is...at least for now.

Trying to overlay a flood map onto the padmapper map where most of the affordable housing is is a pita.

We will more than likely go UP to Olympia and work our way down on our way home.

We're looking at coming up in Jan/Feb and moving in March. Until then we're packing, selling what we have (20 years worth of stuff!!) and I'll be looking online at properties and rentals.

We have areas here in So Cal that were hit by the recession and are slowly starting to ramp up again. Centralia did look a bit on the old side but it has more houses from the 1890's to 1930's in the local area than anywhere else I've seen...I wouldn't expect an area that old to be looking young, hip and modern.

We ate at a place called Berry Fields with the Inlaws before we left on our last trip and that gave me a feel for the old buildings and antiques in the area.

We ate at Applebees too and that part of town gave my husband a "wow, this place has grown" feeling. He was born in Centralia and moved to California 25+ years ago looking for work.

I'm open to both old, as well as, modern. I'm just not open to old and broken lol

Great input, I really appreciate it!!
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