trout lake living (Seattle, Poulsbo, White Salmon: appointed, for sale, real estate)

[wingedmonkeygirl]

We would like to settle in Trout Lake WA and start some form of small business. My question is - does anyone have an opinion on what that area truly needs ? Thanks .

[StealthRabbit]

TL needs Jobs !! (non-minimum wage !!) The downsizing of forest service and timber jobs have taken a toll. This will be a tough order as it doesn't have the population to support much in the line of additional businesses. The current 'subsistance' businesses are pretty well liked and probably pretty adequate, as not too many folks will be moving there with added energy expenses. Tourist traffic is too light to support a year round business. You would probably have to work from home over internet / mail order to support a family or even yourself. It's a desirable place to live with few jobs, a very common theme in the western states.

What are your interests or talents? How much revenue do you need?

Maybe general repair, auto-truck-snowmobile-equipment + a bus service + a provisioner service, and home protection for absentee owners. (probably one person could do all these and 'scrape' by).

[wingedmonkeygirl]

JanB
Thank you for your response . You confirmned what we already strongly suspected . You are right , same problems exist in most desirable small western communities. Heck , sometimes they aren't even 'desirable' communities ! I believe that Serenitys is for sale - do you feel there is inadequate year around traffic to successfully sustain it ? What got my attention was that the old Trout Lake Inn is for sale as well , I thought perhaps there might be a use for it . Do you live in Trout Lake yourself ? If so , it is a great place . Thanks

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by wingedmonkeygirl

JanB
... same problems exist in most desirable small western communities. Heck , sometimes they aren't even 'desirable' communities ! I believe that Serenitys is for sale - do you feel there is inadequate year around traffic to successfully sustain it ? What got my attention was that the old Trout Lake Inn is for sale as well , I thought perhaps there might be a use for it . Do you live in Trout Lake yourself ? If so , it is a great place . Thanks

No, unfortunately I don't live there, but I would if I could. I have several friends who do, but all are retired, commute, teach, work USFS, or farm. Pretty much covers the available options (Tho I don't know anyone in the tourist industry there). I have a sinking feeling that energy costs will significantly reduce 'discretionary' vacation and travel spending. I would be very leary of projecting cash flows in that industry. If you can pay cash, and support yourself, it might be a nice place to live, but you will be hard pressed to grow any wealth, and if you have to borrow capital, you will be in a bind. I hate to see people struggle financially to the point of losing it all; while attempting to pursue their passion (service to others).

Do your homework, and don't consider past financial data from tourism as a good measure of future success. Hopefully I'm wrong. I don't think property will get too cheap in Troutlake, but hopefully I'm wrong there too! It is fueled by folks with money, and folks with a passion to live there, and may pay irrationally high prices. This is another common problem with tourist destinations. Folks come and visit and like it and buy, not realizing their place may sit vacant for 10 months / yr. Its ok if you can afford that, BUT for someone who thinks they can rent their place as a vacation home through a property manager (30%) they are often disappointed and may make enough for taxes, but not cover return on invested capital.

There are a lot of places for sale in Trout Lake at the moment, and some have already been on the market for years. Be careful, I personally think the real estate correction will be very long term (7+ years) by which point there will be a serious demographic / economic change and folks will be downsizing or co-habiting with multi generations under one roof. Some areas with lots of jobs, ez transit, or sustainable / walkable communities will buck the trend and will be desirable locations. For Trout Lake, probably not, For White Salmon, maybe, For Hood River, probably yes. (Poulsbo + a few undisclosed places I will be looking will be a desirable spot in the future economy (even more so than now) .... just a guess ) I would use the criteria "Where can I go by foot?", or "Where can I be that my customers can come by foot? (year-round)". "Is there enough foot traffic to support my cash flow needs?" "Can I grow food year-round at this location?"; "Does this community embrace 're-localization'?" It is just gonna be too spendy to ship produce from South America and tennis shoes from China. (especially to Trout Lake). This could be a good thing, good but tough... hang on

good luck

[wingedmonkeygirl]

Janb-
So funny you would mention Poulsbo . Currently my place of residence . Growing far too fast without adequate infrastructure . There are many great things about living here but tranquility is one rapidly diminishing . We are primarily a bedroom community to Seattle and the result is higher home prices ( of course ) . It will cost you to leave the Penninsula , either paying for the ferry or the Narrows toll bridge . That personally is not an issue to me , roads have to be paid for somehow !
Would you describe the general leaning of Trout Lake to be Liberal or Conservative ? I recognize that can change with the issue(s) at hand but there is generally a directional leaning . Poulsbo would be conservative in most ways . Which seems odd for a Seattle bedroom community .
Thanks for the info . We are looking 'down the road' , not immediately so hopefully the economy will take an upward swing someday soon .

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by janb

. . . as not too many folks will be moving there with added energy expenses.

Is there something special about Trout Lake and energy??

[StealthRabbit]

TL has conservative roots, but not radical "shove-it-down-your-throat" type. Pretty decent mix (which can be an advantage...).

Energy and Troutlake = it costs a lot to go there (it is a 'one-way' destination, thus you need to DRAW people there, they are not 'passing through'). It is much 'closer' than some places I've lived (on the prairie). Commuting is not probable, I have friends that commute daily to Portland, Can you imagine what that costs...(per month / year)?. Food and supplies and utilities will all be a bigger part of the spending & IF you are looking to draw customers to your 'inn', you might be picking them up at Bingen Train station (If Amtrak chooses to stop there in the future.) Yet another cost to 'erode' narrow profit margins.

Poulsbo is an interesting dilemma, I realize it has changed a lot, but it is fairly nice, 'walkable' and it will have access to transportation (all be it expensive). I think the town has enough infrastructure to become 're-localized' if need be. Some places are just too small for that, and being a 'bedroom community' may be impractical in the near future. I suggest you don't want to get caught living too far out IF you are dependent on customers showing up. I am glad the toll at the Narrows came a few months AFTER my elder care trips were done... I haven't been back to the peninsula for a few years, somehow several 300 mile trips / week seemed to wear out my desire to return. (tho I do like to drive, and have a 52 mpg car that runs on waste oil)

I use a spreadsheet for my 'places to move' investigation, and it does not respond keenly to high transportation costs, or too small of towns where real estate is impossible to sell, and does not hold its value. (Which I hate to see, as I want something in a very small town... no stoplights desired in my entire county for my retirement destination) I'm not keen on sitting around burning my grease.

[upatthecape]

I guess you could be a trucker and live in a town like this. Figure truckers work 2 week shifts then home 1 week, so it doesn't really matter where you live.