Need Help! Thinking about moving..... (Vancouver, Battle Ground: how much, buying a home, buying)

[honugurl]

Hi...

I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii and I am thinking about moving to the mainland. Being born and raised here, I really don't know where to begin my search. I have thought about Oregon, but then I heard about the option of living in Vancouver where there is no income tax and then having Oregon just a drive away . Any information about housing, jobs, community living, or just anything would be GREAT! Currently, I am a manager at the bank and my boyfriend a parts advisor at Porsche. We are a young couple (mid 20's) looking for a safe and affordable place full of opportunity. Can you help?

[arctica]

we live about 30 north Vancouver, near Battle Ground. I just wonder if you have looked at the weather here...we have about 200 or so rainy/overcast/misty days....a very different weather from Hawaii i imagine, and the main reason why people leave this area. We are hoping to move to a sunnier climate with more reasonably priced housing, hopefully this year....

there is no income tax here, except if you work in Oregon, then you have to still pay Oregon income tax. lots of people work in Portland. A pretty basic starter home in this area goes for about 250K, it depends on what area you compare it to whether that sounds affordable. My kids will have a hard time buying a home at that price.

We feel safe here, it is gorgeous, the summers are the best, the winters are long and damp, in my opinion...i guess it just depends on what you are looking for.

Something people don't seem to take into consideration is that it is really very important to have extended family nearby, especially when the grandkids come, i don't know if you have family there or here, but we moved away from family when our kids were very young, and now we regret how much they have missed out not living close to grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. that is another reason we are looking to move this time, to move closer to extended family.