pros and cons of Bellingham

[Linson]

as odd as this may sound, the final straw that caused me to decide against Bellingham was the insult factor when looking at housing options. i was literally insulted buy what they expect me to pay for small, ugly housing. i had never heard of a quarter-million dollar manufactured home before.

if the housing market becomes more representative of the reallities of the area, i will once again look into moving there. until that time, i will have to remain in Texas, where if you make 70 or 80k you are affluent.

[gmmhastings]

Hi, sorry it's taken me a couple of days to get back. I did make a trip to Portland via Colorado. I was living in Austin, TX at the time, went out for bread and milk for some friends of mine who invited me to a barbecue and came back 3 weeks later. Spent a week in Denver. I visited a local music store, where I had the opportunity to play. I must have impressed them there, because everyone wanted to know who I was. The truth of the matter was that my father had passed away recently, which was really why I took the trip in the first place and my mind wasn't on much else. After leaving there, I traveled NW reaching the Columbia River gorge and then West into Portland. What a majestic site it was. One of the most beautiful areas one can travel. I checked Portland out for several days. I found that area very refreshing but then continued on my journey. All in all, the places you mentioned are certainly high on my list. Musically, they all offer opportunities. I'll just have to make my decision on which one. I believe you're right about the Grunge thing and no, I'm not really into that. Thanks to you for your incite and have a great day.

[gmmhastings]

Hello,

Yes, I agree with you regarding housing. Who in there right mind would pay that kind of money for a run down piece of real estate? The housing market was out of control in the Bay Area of California, as well. That's one of the reasons I left there. It's all about getting the money for those people. I'm like you in that I work hard for my money, and I'm certainly not going to give it away by making crummy investments like that.

[smacksaw]

Well, this is a closed society. Locals-only sort of thing. If you aren't already "in" here, it's hard to do that. For 35k a year you're looking at $1000/mo max for a house payment, and that just isn't very likely around here. You can get a condo, but with dues it's as much as a house.

Also I got a ticket the other day and I wasn't even doing anything wrong. This cop pulled over a group of people and just ticketed everyone and told me to take pictures and fight it, LOL. You will get a ticket in town for going 5 over AND the speed limits are artifically low. Roads you're used to being rated 40-45mph are 25-30mph here. Because we repealed registration taxes a few years back the WSP writes tickets on the freeway to make money. 6 over is a ticket, and even though it's 60 through B'ham that's rarely even a safe speed due to lack of on-ramp space. You can get a ticket for doing the limit on I-5.

Trailers and mobiles are really becoming out of fashion here. This is such a beautiful area, most people I know don't want to see it marred by stuff that is just falling apart. We have water shortages and environmental crises with septic systems. We can't really support a lot more growth, and that's reflected by the price of existing property.

It's a huge burden on the state/city/county to deal with these problems and adding mobiles is not really helping the problem.

If you want a "free for all" where you can have a mobile, you have to go out to Maple Falls. And the sort of people you see out there with trailers are exactly why no one wants them around B'ham anymore.

Even though there are CC&Rs, they are still reasonable. They're not Draconian like in California. The thing is, people don't want their property values hurt by crappy mobiles and front yards filled with garbage. I pass this really nice 2 story, 4br every day and the guy has lowered the price consistently. It's worth far more than most 4br around here, but his neighbourhood allows mobiles and the one across the street from him is a dump and filled with rusted garbage in the front yard.

You could do what you like, but overall the general feeling of people here is that they are sick and tired of crappy homes falling apart, lack of adequate sewage/septic systems poisoning the land, water shortages, wetlands/forests being cut down, lack of roads, etc.

You'll find a lot of resistance to your plan around here. If you could make just $10k more a year you could get a decent home and not have to mess with any of this stuff. I think the era of the mobile here is past, especially since it's so hard to do.

You can't get financing on them that are made before July 1976. Post that time you can, but it's harder to get. If you want to replace it and it's on septic, even with a Glendon Biofilter, new regulations are making lots that perked for 3-4 br only perk for 2 br now. And that's a good thing because that's not the pollution we want, especially in places where it's a community well providing the water.

Cheap single-wides like you're talking about just don't fit our environment. It's like a stucco home. It would get all mossy and mouldy. Same goes for mobiles on septic. If you want a mobile on septic you might look towards the islands.

[SeattleTaz]

I'm fifth generation native to W Washington and genuinely dislike bright sunny days, except winter blue sky. So I thought I knew rain. Not! When I left to see the world I discovered that there is rain in some parts of the world. Now, a Kansas thunderstorm is a true work of art: Louden boomen! Cracken lightnen! Downfallen water! In an hour it's over. Never saw the likes of it here. Cold, wind, too with the storms. Or Bombay monsoon! an inch an hour 24/7 warm water hot rain. Amazing. (Four seasons: Hot season, danged hot season, hot dry season, and hot rain season)

What we do here in W Washington is we have a temperature range of 40-60 Nov - June with gray skies and smatterings of mist, fog, light rain, or drizzle. Hard cold, clear skies in January and some February; warms up in March, clears up some in April, by May you think it's over and then June happens. Very few gully washers, maybe one or two actual rainstorms a year, and a half to one snowstorm a year, depending on where you are with respect to the mountains.

Mostly it is totally ideal outdoor activity weather. You don't overheat, you don't frostbite your toes, decent foot gear and a Gore-Tex windbreaker will keep you snug 8 mos of the year. No need for sunglasses (except for skiing or sailing) to lose. Forget the umbrella: Just cut your hair short.

Ciao! http://pics3.city-data.com/forum/ima...es/biggrin.gif
The Taz

[Bellingham]

Originally Posted by Linson

from what i have read on these boards, B'ham may have a somewhat inept police department (?) from what i've read it sounds as though they have been tasked with generating revenue rather than protecting citizens and property. that is bad for me because i am a habitual speeder. i have fast muscle cars and i enjoy driving them.

also, i have a two yr old son. i want to be able to take him places and let him play outside.

Then don't speed and put him or my child in danger. Your post has a feel to it such like saying "I like to drink beer while I drive."
Don't go to a place that cares for its environment if you "enjoy" throwing your trash out of the window. This isn't your home. Stay away or the police will have to protect my kid from you with $300 tickets.

[Bellingham]

Originally Posted by racechick73

All of Whatcom County is overpriced. Even up in Glacier and Kendall! That's why we're getting the heck out of here- it's over-priced, over-crowded, and over-liberal. (Olympia is similiar- we lived there for 7 years also.) But hey, if you like that sort of thing, welcome to Bellingham!

If you think Bellingham is over-liberal, go back to Texas!

[Bellingham]

Originally Posted by Linson

well, no. i dont like the over-priced aspect. as for the hippies - i can take em or leave em. but pretty much all of my other relocation options involve a very hot and dry climate, no natural waterways for recreation, and no trees.

That's because Republicans bulldoze them over and plant malls instead of trees!

[E Roy Slade]

Originally Posted by Bellingham

That's because Republicans bulldoze them over and plant malls instead of trees!

i dont if thats true
ive voted for republicans but i guess im more democrat or independent
ill be voting for mccain i guess

in the 5 to 4 kelo decision wasnt it the "liberal" judges who ruled business can take property for building big mega buildings? i think so-see wikipedia kelo

i like trees and i buy little at the mall just target or kmart

"liberal" seattle and bellingham have all the high rents

[E Roy Slade]

Originally Posted by Linson

as odd as this may sound, the final straw that caused me to decide against Bellingham was the insult factor when looking at housing options. i was literally insulted buy what they expect me to pay for small, ugly housing. i had never heard of a quarter-million dollar manufactured home before.

if the housing market becomes more representative of the reallities of the area, i will once again look into moving there. until that time, i will have to remain in Texas, where if you make 70 or 80k you are affluent.

oh come on but the hippies smell not too bad!!