Fox Island (Tacoma, Gig Harbor: rentals, houses, neighborhoods)

[cinhawaii]

I have been looking into all the places in WA when I stumbled on an amazing place....it appears online....to rent on Fox Island. Any comments? Is it as great as it appears? Does it ever snow?

[allforcats]

Fox Island.... hmmmmm In 22 years of living here, all I've ever heard about Fox Island is that it floods pretty consistently in our November rainstorms. Rough on the dairy cows who wind up stranded and lowing on soggy tiny islands amidst the floods.

I found the following website, which seems to contain infinitely more information that I ever thought there was to know about Fox Island. Might give you a start.
Fox Island Washington Community Web

"...as great as it appears?" -- What do you mean by "great"?
"Does it ever snow"? Yes, if it snows around there, but there's rarely snow at sea level in western Washington.

Try the website, and see if you can dig up a contact there to communicate with.

[Xenobion]

Great place to live but you are bound to the ferry system.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by Xenobion

Great place to live but you are bound to the ferry system.

I don't believe this is true. There's a bridge from the Gig Harbor side at Warren.

[ness]

There is a bridge. I know a couple that lives in GH near the harbor and her parents moved to Fox Island. It is a beautiful place, but a bit more isloated than GH proper. If you are commuting into Tacoma it will add a bit of time to the commute. On the upside....nice lot sizes, very quiet and safe, beautiful scenery, and housing is a bit cheaper than if you are closer to the Narrows bridge. I think a lot of retirees choose Fox Island. It was perfect for my friend's parents b/c they could be close enough to babysit, but also afford a nice large lot and have a slower pace feel.

[Xenobion]

Whoops you're right I was thinking of Maury Island.

[cinhawaii]

So is it rather isolated? Would you say its houses amongst trees, or trees amongst houses? Is there anything on the island besides homes? I have a daughter, how long would it take for her to get to a school (good school system?) I am not planning on commuting to Tacoma. No offense to any who live there as I have never been, but I have heard nothing but negative things about that place, including that it smells. I am looking to work at the women's prison, any idea how far away that is, its in GH right?

[scirocco22]

No, it's not that isolated. It's really almost a suburb of Gig Harbor.

Did you say you were looking for a place to rent or are you considering buying?

The reason I ask is that Fox Island is relatively wealthy and I don't know how large of choice you'd have for rentals. I'm assuming that they'd be larger houses that would command a fairly high monthly rent.

The trees among houses versus houses among trees debate I'll leave for somebody else. The times I've been there, I remember a lot of trees amongst large almost estate-like lots. I may have been in the nicer part of the island, though.

And yes, I'd consider Fox Island almost a part of Gig harbor ...it's separated by a bridge but an easy commute to GH.

[ness]

Here are pics of my friends' parents backyard. They live in a modest 1,600 square foot house that cost them in the low to mid 300,000 range to purchase. When I visited Fox Island it definitely seemed like more trees then houses, but then you'd come upon a groupig of houses that feels very much like many GH neighborhoods. It really is a bedroom community though and you have to go to GH for shopping, but its not far. It is sort of suburb of GH, just across a bridge.

[cinhawaii]

Upon my initial move to WA I would most likely rent. The reason I started thinking of this island was I saw a post on Craigslist about renting a house, and it was very cheap :950 for a 2bdr (remember Im am from Hawaii that is considered extremely cheap for a house!) I dont mind a commute really, I just want the feeling of almost living in a forest, rather then a suburb. The ad I saw was for a cottage in the woods w/a claw foot tub....I guess this led me to thinking much of the island had old school cabins in the woods. It seems more like its older rich people....with exceptions ofcoarse....am I wrong?