Work remote & can live anywhere!... local feedback on new-to-us towns & recommendations appreciated! (Western WA) (Bellingham: house, buying)

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Keep Bellingham and region on your radar, there are some really family friendly areas and much to do + proximity to BC (Important if you kids play league Hockey!). Be sure to pay attention to activities, services you will be needing within 5 yrs. The WWU recreation center is magnificent if you can gain access / membership! great farmers Markets / buy-local / community support. Gaining SWA to their air service in 2021 is a plus. and YVR has many low cost international flight options (including Hawaii.)

We too love Poulsbo, but... being quite near a college is a bonus for us (When with family and now retired).
College = Activities, diverse economy, intellect centric populace (generally) and of course... Running Start... for those kids that quickly turn into young adults, who may not want to be stuck hanging around a public HS.

Before you get too concerned about areas 'voting for edu budgets and measures', do carefully run through the budgets, history, performance of schools in mind. Flush with dough does not = 'best' schools. More alignment with engaged parents and a school board / administration who partners and LISTENS. (That is a rare thing with educators).

Bellingham has the same issues as Gig Harbor: no veterinarians, specialists or PCPs available for new patients. My husband had to wait 3+ months for a neurologist appointment. I read about these needed services in my Next Door feed by folks new to the area asking for recommendations.

[StealthRabbit]

Most of my friends near Bellingham live in Lynden, Ferndale, Birch Bay, Point Roberts, and Roy. We had 4 friends in Bellingham, but they have not mentioned any issues getting services (except find parking at Costco on weekends).

Neighbors in Columbia Gorge moved to Lynden specifically for private High School. (Then moved back south)

OP.... If you are happy with Your region of CA, gonna be a tough sell to move to WA. There are some nice affordable areas in CA. Be sure to invest in a fire resistant home. Have have several routes to escape wildfires.

Moving to WA during my earning yrs was a plus. But I wasn't earning much! Every little bit helped. Once retired (without income) WA loses it's luster.

Many coworkers that moved to WA from CA and Colorado returned, often divorced. A move is not worth that stress. Those who endured, retained their CA property and headed back for very cheap retirement homes. Some kept a summer home in PNW. Usually on the water.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Most of my friends near Bellingham live in Lynden, Ferndale, Birch Bay, Point Roberts, and Roy. We had 4 friends in Bellingham, but they have not mentioned any issues getting services (except find parking at Costco on weekends).

Neighbors in Columbia Gorge moved to Lynden specifically for private High School. (Then moved back south)

OP.... If you are happy with Your region of CA, gonna be a tough sell to move to WA. There are some nice affordable areas in CA. Be sure to invest in a fire resistant home. Have have several routes to escape wildfires.

Moving to WA during my earning yrs was a plus. But I wasn't earning much! Every little bit helped. Once retired (without income) WA loses it's luster.

Many coworkers that moved to WA from CA and Colorado returned, often divorced. A move is not worth that stress. Those who endured, retained their CA property and headed back for very cheap retirement homes. Some kept a summer home in PNW. Usually on the water.

Well, now that the Canadian border has opened, your friends will have more problems than parking at Costco. I bought enough of my Trader Joe’s favorites to last months. Canadians also use our medical facilities for surgeries due to the longer wait times in B. C.

Your friends may not be new to the area. The folks on ND, at least those in my Bellingham neighborhood feed, are new and expressing frustration at long waits and no openings for new clients. Even we native residents are having problems with appointments due to the increased population.

[cnote99]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Most of my friends near Bellingham live in Lynden, Ferndale, Birch Bay, Point Roberts, and Roy. We had 4 friends in Bellingham, but they have not mentioned any issues getting services (except find parking at Costco on weekends).

Neighbors in Columbia Gorge moved to Lynden specifically for private High School. (Then moved back south)

OP.... If you are happy with Your region of CA, gonna be a tough sell to move to WA. There are some nice affordable areas in CA. Be sure to invest in a fire resistant home. Have have several routes to escape wildfires.

Moving to WA during my earning yrs was a plus. But I wasn't earning much! Every little bit helped. Once retired (without income) WA loses it's luster.

Many coworkers that moved to WA from CA and Colorado returned, often divorced. A move is not worth that stress. Those who endured, retained their CA property and headed back for very cheap retirement homes. Some kept a summer home in PNW. Usually on the water.

Can’t speak for OP but can speak for myself as a potential CA transplant. A major issue I have with CA is the crime and school quality. Recently a toddler in our area was shot and killed by a stray bullet...we are in an area where houses START at 1M. Schools are abysmal...gangs, drugs, apathetic teachers. If we have to pay 800-900k on a SFH, I at least want to know I’m buying safety and a decent education. In CA, that’s going to cost 1.2-1.5M at this point. Californians are getting priced out of just an ordinary life we should all have access to. It’s really hard to know where to go, or what to do.

[MechAndy]

One of my kids is looking for a house in WA so we try to keep up on things.

One thing that might happen is that there might be a lot more houses on the market after the anti eviction mandate ceases.
This will include foreclosures.
This could get interesting for buyers with cash.

I don’t think the current administration will extend the mandate.
5-6 months should do it but even that is a gamble considering what’s been going on.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by cnote99

Can’t speak for OP but can speak for myself as a potential CA transplant. A major issue I have with CA is the crime and school quality.

... I at least want to know I’m buying safety and a decent education. ... It’s really hard to know where to go, or what to do.

unfortunately, the crime is not new to WA either, we have had our share, and always getting worse.

For WA with the Low Crime and Good Schools... look to Camas, (South) and Island areas. Both have very low crime and strong parental involvement in schools.

If it were me and I had young kids... (Elementary)
I would be getting a job in Singapore (as I did when kids were that age). Several friends from USA did the same. It is really nice to have safety, but then there are RULES... many of them (Locals don't like that, foreigners accept it).

Schools... no need to add context to the quality of Singapore public schools. Several expat kids ACED their ACT and SAT and knew 3+ languages + many talents / skills / music / drama / debate / science competition... so getting free higher edu in USA was no problem. We came back to WA so kids could do Running Start, but... It would have likely been better to stay overseas and get free college in western Europe.

Kids grew up a lot in personality, outreach, socially, being minorities from age 5 - 14 in several countries.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

Bellingham has the same issues as Gig Harbor: no veterinarians, specialists or PCPs available for new patients. My husband had to wait 3+ months for a neurologist appointment. I read about these needed services in my Next Door feed by folks new to the area asking for recommendations.

A good friend that we knew from Castro Valley CA moved to Bellingham after we moved here to Sammamish. The bought a brand new beautiful house on Lake Whatcom but stayed only 2 years, then moved back to California, this time to Brentwood. They just couldn't adjust to the cloudiness and rain, which is actually less than we get here.

[MechAndy]

OMG Brentwood?
I thought Danville was rough.
It takes a different type of person than I am to tolerate those temps.
I don’t know how they do it and they say the same about me .

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

OMG Brentwood?
I thought Danville was rough.
It takes a different type of person than I am to tolerate those temps.
I don’t know how they do it and they say the same about me .

That was my first thought, but they bought a lot in a new area and built a custom home on it. We used to go to Brentwood a few times every summer to buy produce at roadside stands, but I would have never considered moving here.

[mayfair]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

A good friend that we knew from Castro Valley CA moved to Bellingham after we moved here to Sammamish. The bought a brand new beautiful house on Lake Whatcom but stayed only 2 years, then moved back to California, this time to Brentwood. They just couldn't adjust to the cloudiness and rain, which is actually less than we get here.

Bellingham always seems cloudier, darker and windier and many people just can't take it. Bham also gets a cold north wind that areas to the south don't get. Walking along the bay can be brutal on winter days when the wind is blowing. It's beautiful in summer and fall, though.