Opinions on where to live in Washington (Seattle, Spokane: low income, crime)

[Tangy]

Hello all,
I am new to this form. Live in Ohio now, by Cleveland, not a pretty place although the burg I live in is nice.
Visited Seattle three times in the past 10 years, son is in the Navy and was stationed at Bremerton.
I loved Seattle but don't know how I could ever afford to live there. Married for now, but both of us are unhappy, kids all grown and gone.
I work as a medical receptionist. Love animals, they are my passion.
Do not like hot weather, don't mind rain or cold or snow.
Is Spokane a good place to be? I read on-line that Olympia has tons of rain sometimes for months.
I like the shops and culture of Seattle, always something to do.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[StealthRabbit]

Suggestions?
Work on restoring relationship, then...
Get a job and live in / near Bremerton, (Harrison Hospital is a good choice for job, or if you are a federal employee, try to get on at Retsil, WA Vet's Home Veterans Home (Port Orchard)), There are also some nice care centers in Silverdale Northwoods Lodge - Encore Communities, Retirement and Health Care Services for Kitsap County and Mason County
(commute to SEA for fun and urban recreation.)

commute to Olympic mtns for wilderness recreation, to Victoria, BC when you need to get out of the country.

Be advised... it rains for ~ 200days on the west side of WA. (see other threads for WA rainfall map)
Spokane is drier, but gray winters, and considerable colder, with adequate snow (especially this year!)

Other nice spots in WA with a few things happening (there are plenty)
Bellingham
Wenatchee
Ellensburg
Walla Walla
Vancouver
Tri Cities

[j_k_k]

I'd scratch Tri-Cities off Jan's list, unless a rough average summer high of 95-105 (July through early September) isn't what you call 'hot weather'. With the dust storms, sometimes this place is like living in an operating hair dryer into which some ass periodically chucks a handful of talcum powder.

[West coast at heart]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

I'd scratch Tri-Cities off Jan's list, unless a rough average summer high of 95-105 (July through early September) isn't what you call 'hot weather'. With the dust storms, sometimes this place is like living in an operating hair dryer into which some ass periodically chucks a handful of talcum powder.

That is an interesting analogy! I may have to visit Tri-Cities just to see this!

Tangy I hope things work out. Western WA is beautiful. My wife and I will be moving there (or W Oregon) next summer. Good luck and peace,

wc@h

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by West coast at heart

That is an interesting analogy! I may have to visit Tri-Cities just to see this!

For example, within a week the Kennewick Irritation District will turn on the irritation. Without irritation we would have only sagebrush and sand; I call it 'irritation' because of the profanities I will voice as I attempt to get all the sprinklers working right, and because my Irritation District really deserves it. Once the irritation comes on, and I've finished cursing and digging and fixing and hunting and not finding and replacing, I will hook up an extremely long hose and nozzle and put on swimming trunks, and hose off my whole house. A sort of brown colored water will roll down the bricks and off the windows as the filth of six months (since the irritation was last available, full of wintry winds) is hosed off my home. Amazing because I was so used to the house's dinginess I hadn't realized how nice it could look if it wasn't dusted up and down with brown powder. I will again be able to see out the basement windows. Bonus!

All that dust I'm hosing off, if collected, would form a very fine 'moon dust' exactly like the kind baseball catchers squat in, that makes a vast cloud when anyone slides in. (Our own local home plate areas, naturally, have an exceptionally fine and aggravating moon dust, and I should know because I have sat behind the dish in many of them.) It all blew onto my house, sometimes in sufficient volume to alter the sky's color on an otherwise clear day. Every time the wind picks up on a dry day, especially if there's a big construction site that has not done enough to prevent it, it's talcum powder time again.

[West coast at heart]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

For example, within a week the Kennewick Irritation District will turn on the irritation. Without irritation we would have only sagebrush and sand; A sort of brown colored water will roll down the bricks and off the windows as the filth of six months (since the irritation was last available, full of wintry winds) is hosed off my home.
All that dust I'm hosing off, if collected, would form a very fine 'moon dust' exactly like the kind baseball catchers squat in, that makes a vast cloud when anyone slides in.
It all blew onto my house, sometimes in sufficient volume to alter the sky's color on an otherwise clear day. Every time the wind picks up on a dry day, especially if there's a big construction site that has not done enough to prevent it, it's talcum powder time again.

So where is all of this dust coming from? Is there that much construction going on in the area? That does not sound good.

[West coast at heart]

j-k-k,
You know I may have just answered my question. I just looked at the map of the Kennewick area. You appear to be surrounded by farm land and open areas. You probably get quite the dust bowl going at times!

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by West coast at heart

So where is all of this dust coming from? Is there that much construction going on in the area? That does not sound good.

It is simply the dominant soil of the region, which is loess (windblown silt). Usually shows up as a fine sand but as with all sands, some of it's powdery little stuff. When it's wet, no problem. The other 300 days a year, it's prone to blow if the wind kicks it up (very often). Having a major construction site going only exacerbates a problem that can kick up any time the ground is dry.

[Tangy]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

I'd scratch Tri-Cities off Jan's list, unless a rough average summer high of 95-105 (July through early September) isn't what you call 'hot weather'. With the dust storms, sometimes this place is like living in an operating hair dryer into which some ass periodically chucks a handful of talcum powder.

Oh my that sounds awful. No I am not a fan of the hot. Here in Ohio land of extreme heat and extreme cold we have a lot of humidy. At 80 sweat is pouring off your body and popsicles are a must. In winter snow up to the knees and biting cold wind. Because of where I live we get lake effect snow from Lake Erie so it's different then say 10 miles south.
Ohio especially the Cleveland area is very poor. My husbend who works downtown has had his car broken into 5 times in the last 7 years. His employer advised him to carry a gun. We live about 45 minutes from the city however because of crime and low income there isn't much to do downtown but sports. Yes we do have a nice museum and other things but you never ever walk downtown at night, no shops or stores are opened. It's just not where I want to be after 40 some years. I found the Seattle area to be so fresh and green and beautiful.
I have been to Silverdale and Bremerton. I am not government, just a avarage receptionist trying to find that place to call home.

[Tangy]

Prices in Bremerton. How much is a small house with a piece of land, and a nice back yard, it that possible still? Here in Ohio a 3 bedroom 3 bath with basement house in an upper class development is around $250-$300k.
Is it possible to find something around $125.000 any where in Washington to buy?
I hear something is that laughing .??