Bainbridge Island, Wa or Corvallis oregon? (Seattle, Tacoma: sales, real estate, houses)

[bye bye cali]

anyone out there familiar with those areas for raising a family and overall quality of life? I've visited Corvallis and liked the small town safe atmosphere but then I had to go and look up Bainbridge Island and the photos are just gorgeous. I thought I had it narrowed down but now I'm falling in love with the thought of living on an island (I love the ocean). Any opinions would be appreciated.

[allforcats]

Hi, b.b.cali! I'm not an expert on either place, but I’ll tell you what I know.

I do know that Corvallis will be considerably less expensive in just about every way than Bainbridge Island. Living in Oregon will net you no sales tax, even when you shop in another state and flash your Oregon driver license. Living in Washington will net you no income tax.

You can check Realtor.com for real estate in both locations. In addition, for Bainbridge you can also check MLSonline for the Seattle area, which includes Bainbridge, at http://sea.themlsonline.com/home

Both places are beautiful, safe, nurturing. There is a larger Asian population on Bainbridge than in Corvallis. The schools are probably about the same in quality, which would be “good”, not great (great would be in Bellevue and Issaquah, WA).

Bainbridge is "desired" real estate since it’s on an island and is close to Seattle, so houses aren't inexpensive. Areas of Bainbridge are rural and sweet and just like we all dream of living in. Part of the charm, and a serious limitation, of Bainbridge Island is that you can't get anywhere from there without taking the ferry, which is fun if you don’t get seasick but costs money and time and waiting, and if you miss the last ferry back to Bainbridge you'll have to stay somewhere on the mainland overnight. If you will need to drive on the other side of the ferry, you'll have to take your car onto the ferry which can seem painfully expensive after a while. Also, everything you purchase on Bainbridge -- groceries, gas, books, sewing thread, etc. -- had to be ferried there and will cost more for that reason than if you bought on the mainland. Because of the ferry, getting to and from Sea-Tac airport to welcome grandparents can turn into a trip of a few hours including waits especially in rain, snow and choppy seas, but they’d be interesting hours.

Corvallis is a lovely, classic college town. Every time I drive to that area I think to myself "This is the land of the gods..." It, too, has lots of areas that are rural and sweet and dream-like. Corvallis is only 85 miles south of Portland, probably my favorite large town/small city in America, which has magnificent Powell’s Books, the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Corvallis is 90 miles south of the Portland airport, a straight shot on I-5 to pick up the grandparents :-) It's also 45 miles north of Eugene, another land of the gods.

Oregon politics seems to be somewhat more conservative -- in general, very broadly speaking -- than Washington politics. In my personal experience, Oregonians seem, in general, to be more fundamentally friendly and open to outsiders than folks around the Seattle area. If this is of any help, I grew up in both NYC and rural Connecticut (at the same time; NYC on weekdays, the farm in Connecticut on weekends, holidays and summers). To me, the Seattle area (a very wide area, from Olympia to Bellingham, but not including the farm country south of Olympia) is more like NYC in sophistication and prices and “driven” work attitudes, and all of western Oregon seems to me more like rural Connecticut in slower pace and more genuine warmth.

‘Nuff for now :-) Happy New Year again :-)

[allforcats]

Oh, I forgot: the ocean. Corvallis is a straight shot on route 20 through farmland and mountains, 50 miles to the Newport area, much-loved seaside destination. That phrase says nothing of the breathtaking beauty and grandeur of the area and the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, all of which just beg to be painted or set to poetry.

A touch farther south, between Waldport and Tidewater, is the U.S.'s only sanctuary for Arctic wolves, White Wolf Sanctuary, a non-profit org where you can visit, learn about wolves, and actually see these all-white wonders.

Away from the ocean but just outside of Eugene is the Cascades Raptor Center, a non-profit raptor and other wild-bird rescue and rehabilitation center, where one can also visit, see and learn. And do you know about the Portland Zoo? What a FABULOUS place!!! (I may be all about cats, but I'm also all about animals :-)

To get from Bainbridge Island to Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, which is a pretty fine place, or the Seattle Aquarium, would be a ferry trip, and a ferry back again, which would add at least 3/4 of an hour each way in good weather and light traffic.

I have friends with two teenaged children who live on Whidbey Island, and have to ferry from Clinton (on the southern tip of Whidbey) to Mukilteo (on the mainland near Edmonds) to work, visit relatives, do serious shopping, go to theaters, etc. It's definitely a hassle, but they decided some years ago that protecting their children and living in nature would be worth the hassle and extra expense, and they set their Joy dial to ON and never looked back, and thus have made it their life and they're happy. Happiness is, I think, whatever you choose it to be.

[allforcats]

"Bainbridge Island, Wa or Corvallis oregon?"
Well, since you asked, if I were choosing I'd choose Corvallis for its simpler life, less expensive life, greater convenience, and because I think it's in the most beautiful area on Earth.

[allforcats]

I found this really cool website called BeachConnection.net which is all about the Oregon coast, one of the most beautiful coasts on Earth.
http://www.beachconnection.net/20060...tmap_miles.htm
It gives mileages from everywhere to everywhere else, vacation planning info, etc. and a neat Oregon Coast Guide for Beginners.

[Kathleenh54]

AFC, thanks for your posts and links!

I grew up just outside of NYC in Eastchester, NY and lived as an adult with my DH and kids in CT for many years before moving to OR. Small world, huh?

[allforcats]

Kathleen, what fun! We must have similar karmic life maps. I think I just invented that idea! Hahaha!! But I like it! Yes, small world, from trees and rain, to trees and rain, to trees and rain.... Hahahahaha!!

[roguehawfans]

Corvalis..No question

[LMB]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Part of the charm, and a serious limitation, of Bainbridge Island is that you can't get anywhere from there without taking the ferry, which is fun if you don’t get seasick but costs money and time and waiting, and if you miss the last ferry back to Bainbridge you'll have to stay somewhere on the mainland overnight. If you will need to drive on the other side of the ferry, you'll have to take your car onto the ferry which can seem painfully expensive after a while. Also, everything you purchase on Bainbridge -- groceries, gas, books, sewing thread, etc. -- had to be ferried there and will cost more for that reason than if you bought on the mainland. Because of the ferry, getting to and from Sea-Tac airport to welcome grandparents can turn into a trip of a few hours including waits especially in rain, snow and choppy seas, but they’d be interesting hours.

Overall good info, AFC! Bainbridge Island is beautiful, charming, and housing is definitely not inexpensive. However, the ferry isn't the only way on and off the island. In addition to the ferry from Seattle, BI is connected to Kitsap Peninsula by the Agate Pass Bridge, which is accessible to the mainland by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Not a great alternative, as it takes about 1.5-2 hrs to drive around the peninsula and up to Seattle or SeaTac that way, but at least there is another way on and off the island--so if you have a car, you shouldn't have to be stranded in Seattle if you miss that last boat to Bainbridge (although driving around at 1:30-2:00am sure doesn't sound very appealing to me!).

I live in Poulsbo on Kitsap Peninsula and love the small town quality of life we have here. Corvallis sounds like a really great little town too, and beautiful area! You're right--happiness is whatever we choose it to be. Unfortunately, it took me 60 years to realize that!

Lynn

[allforcats]

But Lynn, everyone always gets to where they're going; and don't you agree that's a fortunate thing? :-) Don't we always do the best we can, based on all we know, at any moment in life? And, as Maya Angelou says, when we know better we choose better... Don't regret anything -- you were doing your journey - you are always doing your journey - exactly as you should.

Thanks for reminding me about the "back door" way on and off Bainbridge! I forgot, probably because as you said it's not very convenient. Thank you.