MID 40s and want to move to Washington (Bellingham, Lynnwood: real estate, rentals)

[photodeva]

Howdy,

I am living in California. Originally from SF. Tired of city life. I want to find a home where I can be a part-time professional photographer and be welcomed.

I am female, single, mid-40s. I want to find a home that is QUIET, peaceful, inexpensive but close enough to cities to find photo assignments (weddings, events, portraits, etc.). If the town is quaint and in need of a photographer and computer genius--all the better.

I have lived in neighborhoods my whole life and am quite done with having close and noisy neighbors with barking dogs and kids.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[allforcats]

Have you checked the City-Data stats pages? There are so many places in WA, and it's hard to narrow down from the info you provided. Maybe climate -- which is quite different in western and eastern WA, and even quite different in parts of each -- or population could be a starting point?

Besides climate and population, you might want to consider:
cost and availability of real estate or rentals
groceries, and other shopping
medical facilities
entertainment/activities/sports/internet/cable TV
public transportation
places of worship
degree of isolation during winter months
nearness to city facilities
land, or no land
and whatever else interests you.

[vanbao]

Mid forties? Move to WA if you've already passed your midlife crisis period. It can be depressing here due to the weather and the rain. However, there a lot of beautiful natural places for photography.

After all that you still want to move here consider the following cities.

Bellingham, Mt. Vermon, Lynnwood, Carnation, Duvall.

If you want the small city and the nice weather, you must check out Squim. It has the California weather and the beauty of the NW. It is located right in the rain show of the Olympics Mt so there is hardly ever any rain there. Plus, it is just a few minutes from Port Angeles and a fairy ride to Victoria.