Small towns?

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by mitsuturbo

I think living out in Southworth would be nice, since the ferry ride is short,...

Singlemom's advice is perfect -- visit, try out locations you've theoretically chosen, and see how you feel about the options.

Just to add some facts: Southworth is quite small. It has one small grocery store and a small post office. That's it. Since groceries sold at that store have to be ferried over, that adds to the price, something to remember.

Here's the ferry schedule. The trip between Southworth and Fauntleroy (West Seattle) is actually 40 minutes. After that, one has to go from Fauntleroy to wherever one's work is, by car or by bus/buses.
Fauntleroy (West Seattle) / Southworth Schedule

[mitsuturbo]

yeah, i was considering southworth because of lower housing costs, and proximity to west seattle.. i live not far from fauntleroy at the moment, but it's an apartment.. and in all my 28 years i have never lived in an apartment before and i am LOATHING it!

there also seem to be some reasonably priced rental homes in west seattle on a regular basis, but if i was to get into a mortgage, im still leaning toward southworth

[Aylalou]

West Seattle. I took the jitney from the wharf around the town and didn't see anything nice looking at all. Maybe I missed the pretty parts because I heard on this forum scenes from West Seattle that sounded lovely. So what's the scoop?

[mitsuturbo]

I love West Seattle, myself. Going a bit south to White Center, it gets a little "seedy" but nothing i'd fear in the least at any time of day. The worst neighborhoods in the area are as safe as a lot of average neighborhoods in many other cities. Pretty much anywhere along the sound is pretty great, as far as W. Seattle goes. Alki beach and Lincoln Park are nice fun places to waste a couple hours. I try to get out there every weekend for at least a little bit. My fiancè seems to really like it too. Also, and again..a bit further south, there's Seahurst park, which is really nice too. Neighborhoods here are spotty between really nice, and not so great as far as appearances go, but i think that helps to maintain a good balance so that no one part of the area slips into "ghettoness".

If you're a silver spoon fed ivy league shoe-in with a giant trust fund, then maybe W. Seattle would seem like the slums, but i'm one of those that can't finance my way out of a wet paper sack and will settle for something other than living in Medina or on Mercer.

[Aylalou]

No. I didn't mean that. I meant I think Seattle proper is prettier than West Seattle even though there are not so nice areas in Seattle.

[eponabri]

I grew up in Seattle and watched it change practically year by year. Seven years ago we moved to Sequim, well, actually a small community about 14 miles outside of Sequim. Last year we bought a small house in town, with the idea of eventually moved to Spokane (long story). We lasted less than a year in town and moved back to our other house which had been on the market for 10 months. I am so glad to be back out here in the sticks. Even as small as Sequim is, it's noisy and gotten to busy and crowded for us. We never hear fire or police sirens out here, there is no traffic and pretty much everyone minds their own business.

[Idunn]

I've picked places and went there, only after the fact figuring out how to remain. As in jobs, housing, etc. Such a method not necessarily recommended (not in all cases, or for just anyone), but it can get you somewhere quickly. Or one might plot such a future carefully and methodically for years. Depends on priorities, and how one prefers and best operates.

Rural life is no utopia. Just different from the urban, each uniquely different. Depends on what one likes, and enough so to make it worth facing the inevitable challenges. Each and all variations between offer something different, and less of something else, so the decision what is most important to oneself.

The less resourceful one is the fewer options. One might, say, find themselves working fast food in Port Angeles, WA, while someone else might work from home there with ten times the income. Both of you in the same town, yet largely different worlds. Should someone ask both of you how life there is your replies possibly quite different. And yourself perhaps feeling anything outside a city must mean a pitiful existence. But only your perspective. And do you miss it? If so, where you belong. If not, well, life can be a challenge anywhere.

Just different.

[Forks Transplant]

Originally Posted by mitsuturbo

I'm curious why people post here, wanting information on moving to some of the small towns in Washington. Why would anyone want to live in Port Angeles, Poulsbo, Aberdeen, or Forks? Is there some hidden cache of employment opportunities in these places? Is it easy to get a job and make a living there in many industries? Or are people just retired and have mason jars full of cash?

I just don't get why someone would want to move somewhere without having a somewhat solid financial plan. I don't see many decent paying jobs out in these rural areas, and quite frankly.. when driving through, i wonder how people make it out there at all!

I, myself wouldn't mind living in one of these podunk little towns, so long as i could enjoy the wage i have now. I just dont see it as remotely possible.

Small towns are a GREAT to get a job right out of college. You can get a job as a housing authority director, lawyer, dentist, doctor, x-ray tech, etc. in a small town. You won't get the pay that you do in Seattle though, but you will get a quality of life and slow down that you can't get in most large cities (and you cost of living is less - you can buy a house for $150k in Forks, where the same house would run you $300-400k in Seattle). You have nature at your backdoor. You have beaches, mountains, skiiing, surfing, and trails. But with that, you have remoteness. Peace and quiet. We moved from Capital Hill Seattle to Forks and my god...its so QUIET out here....lol. We still love Seattle, but Forks is a part of our blood now, we have such wonderful neighbors and sense of community.

[WA state]

Hey single mom, did you get moved somewhere nice?
I am looking for the same things and trying to get out of the Port Hadlock area. I am a massage therapist, but have no family. Any updates would be great!

And also to the nice people who are in Poulsbo, I think, do you care to expand on your "work at home" you could e-mail me privately if you want.

Thanks so much and good luck all!