Moving to Washington (Seattle, Tacoma, Everett: sales, real estate, to rent)

[Mike Schmidt]

I am currently an appraiser in Orange County, California and am looking to leave the state (home prices are just to high). I have heard goof things about your state. I don't want to live in a big city but need to live close enough to a big city to get appraisal work. All of our kids have grown so school system is not critical. What is critical is home prices (something less than $325,000). I am also tired of living in an area where the only green is an occasional tree planted along the street.

If anyone has a suggestion as to a good city to look at I would appraciate it.

[Sandy Nelson]

Mike,

Come to Olympia. Check out the photo gallery at www.olympiauncovered.com. It's green, it's safe and it's beautiful.

Sandy

[RobE]

I will echo what Sandy said. Olympia may be a good place for you (state capitol and about an hour or so from Seattle). About ten minutes down the road from Olympia is Lacey, which is more of a bedroom community, but there are trees everywhere. You can get a decent home in Lacey for the low $200k range.

I cashed out in CA (OC born and raised) and bought my house lock, stock and barrel newly built for $130k nine years ago.

However, just keep in mind that most of the year it will be cold, rainy and overcast and you will have a couple days of light snow. Also, the folks here in WA don't have the sunny disposition people in CA do and property taxes are high (no prop 13 here) as are fees for water and garbage collection. Food prices are slightly higher here as well. But if you're an outdoorsy kind of person, Washington will be great for you. You also only have to mow your lawn six months of the year since it doesn't grow from about September to March.

Here's an oddity, though: this whole coming week, the temperatures will be in the 90s every day, with a couple days near 100. That is hotter than SoCal right now, which is a rarity. But generally, the summers are very mild. This heat wave is an exception.

[Lauracore]

I'm considering a move to Washington too. Believe me, Californians do NOT have sunny dispositions. Our state is so overcrowded that everyone is aggressive when it comes to doing anything: Driving, shopping, pumping gas, work. Everyone is pissed off...unless you're a tourist. I'm looking at Tacoma right now. Sure I've heard some negative things about it, but it's cheap from what I've researched. Of course if you're upper to middle class you're going to get jacked. But I'm single, young, don't have much cash, but I want to improve my life in a place I can afford to live in. Right now, I live in Monterey, CA which is overrun with tourists and way too expensive to coexist with everyone who retires here. A boring overhyped city and one I'm gladly looking forward to leaving.

If more of us move to Tacoma, who knows, we can change the way of life there.

[Ultrarunner]

How can California be overcrowded when so many are leaving?

WA is a great State... the only exception is Property Taxes can be very unpredictable making it hard to do long range planning...

[Ira500]

Lauaracore,
There are some great neighborhoods in Tacoma. Sure, there are some ugly and less than desirable parts too, but all in all it's a vastly underrated place.

[jertheber]

Regarding Tacoma, I have lived in Wa state for most of my 64 years, as a rule, this state did very little to connect the dots when it came to city planning, Tacoma is but one example of this failure to adhere to policies that make livable areas remain so.

In general, Tacoma is spread out, with huge patches of empty land about equaling the super dense neighborhoods. The city's boundries are in keeping with so many towns on Puget Sound, it lies between the Sound on the West, and the foothills of the Cascades to the East. North of town is the tail end of the Puyallup/Fife burbs, South of town is spreading into piles of development that are the result of Northward moving burbs of Olympia.

This thin strip of land is home to hundreds of development style housing tracts, in the city itself has a ton of condos that have yet to attract buyers. Tacoma is in the process of "gentrification" of it's downtown core, the University of Washington has a downtown campus that insures a steady influx of youth oriented business', this is happening in an area that just ten years ago was a wasteland of meth freaks and panhandlers, quite a turnaround for a "second city".

Today, you could probably find housing in a better situation than you would have a few years ago. That's to say "better" for someone looking to buy or rent, as the area has fallen on hard times as much as the rest of the US. Prices are coming down, but, the job situation is bleak. as far as what area you would want to live in, I'd suggest going to a local realtor and explaining your situation and letting him/her show you a bit of the city, and outlying burbs. Realtor's are going to be glad for the business and they can be very helpfull in allowing you a peek at the neighborhoods they think may be right for you.

All in all, Tacoma has some great areas in which to rent or buy. If you are from California then you already know the drill, every area will have it's good points and some not so good. It is a matter of taste and convenience, just like any other town. It is big enough to enjoy a ton of cultural events, it is very ethnically diverse, it has a large military presence, (two bases) it has gangs, it has millionaires, it is a big city now, but, getting to know it will be a fun and challenging task, enjoy.......

[Dendrite]

Originally Posted by Mike Schmidt

I am currently an appraiser in Orange County, California and am looking to leave the state.

Well... before I jump the gun and tell you where to live, what type of appraiser are you? For example, if you're a real estate appraiser, then you'll of course want a city with enough new construction and existing home sales happening to keep you busy.

The other question would be climate preferences: Western WA has two seasons (wet and wetter or perhaps damp and gray! ) and is about as different as can be from the weather in Orange County. Eastern WA OTOH has more of a 4 seasons climate and if you're interested in maintaining some of the year round sunshine that you're used to in CA, then this part of the state might be more to your liking.

I know you've heard this 100 times before on this board but I'd suggest find the best appraiser job you can possibly land in WA state and then move to that particular city.

Good Luck!

[nicole1256]

I'm moving to Washington with my family in October. What about working in between Everett to Seattle and living in Mukilteo or Stanwood.

[yukiko11]

If you can spend 325K, you can live almost anywhere except the city of Seattle.
At the moment, finding work, is another thing. You need to come here and find temp housing then find work before you can commit to a home. Also, there are many places to live that have all kinds of different vibes. You have to find the one you like not trust anyone else to recommend what they like.