pros and cons of Bellingham (Bellevue, Olympia: apartment, assessor, house)

[Linson]

i am likely leaving the dust and heat of West Texas for Bellingham, Wa. i lived in Longview, Wa before joining the military, but i've never been as far north as Bellingham. i have seen that the cost of housing is high, more than i want to pay and have wondered how people who make the median income of (what, 35,000?) can afford to keep a roof over their heads, let alone eat, drive, and pay for utilities. i have seen single-wide, 1978-built trailer homes on a half acre for a quarter of a million dollars up there. but i have also seen fairly new 4-bedroom homes for less than that. and while i can still get a nicer home down here for less money - what is the point of having a nice house if you are a prisoner in it? because whatever there is to do down here (inhaling dust and starring at the sun?) - it's not what i'm into. oh, yeah - and pulling goat head stickers out of your feet on a daily basis.

i like to fish (fresh water). i like the beach. i like rivers and streams even more. i love to swim, but i would imagine that even in the summer the water is too cold to swim in. i like kyacking/river rafting. a little bit of snow in winter (Christmas to seem like Christmas) and overall weather that isnt too hot or too cold. i dont mind the rain, but if it rains more than half the time, my wife is going to be saying "i told you so." also, i dont really mind the hippies or 'granola munchers'.

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. outside down here there are 100 degree temperatures minus shade, not to mention the occasional rattlesnake. i really want other options besides sitting him in front of the TV. will the weather up there (rain) permit that?

sorry this post was so long. i thank you for your honest input.

p.s.

i'm not an outsider - i'm coming home

[StealthRabbit]

lots of parks and nice places for kids to play (you will be standing out in the rain and watching soccer games in no time...) Get you wife some decent rain gear and an umbrella for each car. Check out regional weather through the "county extension service' They should have a 'rain map' of the area, also look into temps and prevailing winds to find a clear spot. Avoid getting a house in the trees, as it is too dreary, and pine needles are tough on drains. Get a place with southern sun exposure if possible, that helps too! add lots of windows. Do some searching on outlying areas for trashed mobiles on acreage (with legal placement permit...) You can bulldoze and get a like new 'repo' modular for ~ $30k. It's cheaper than building at the moment. Also consider building a big shop with a nice apartment to fool the tax assessor

what are your muscle cars?... gotta miss my 'cuda's and Super Bees, and Nova's now that I drive 52 hp VW diesels....

[coltoncity]

I loved the fairhaven location and the area near the university but I am afraid I didnt go to many other parts. Some of the most beautiful is the coutry side road from Birch Bay or Ferndale to Bellingham. The Most beautiful is driving the scenic route out of Bellingham going south. I am not one for scenic routes but this was one I was glad I accidentally took. We lived in Alaska for 3 years and my Mom was amazed & said "Im sorry but this rivals Alaska!" It was breath taking! You might look into both areas.

[Linson]

thank you for your input.

so, then it rains more than half the time?

about the cars - i got a '67 Firebird, which is being painted right now. i yanked the motor (Pontiac 400) and i'm not putting it back in until it's built for speed. i have a '72 Nova (rolling chasis) no motor or trans. an '89 Formula 350. i pulled the motor/trans outta it too for a paint job that fell thru. and a '96 Z28 (300 rwhp - 326 rwtq). so, yeah, i definitely need a shop or a barn even.

[KidBlue]

Hi Linson. We have been mainly researching the Olympia area, but have started looking at Bellingham. We are rebuilding a '68 Mustang with an '84 V8. Maybe we'll see each other streaking by......

[rkcarguy]

I'm a gearhead too, very dissapointed with the area lately. No more autocross this year and too many people whining about loud pipes. Gas is too expensive anyway I'm driving a POS honda nowadays.

[Linson]

ouch!

................

[Fairhaven]

The prevailing opinion around here is conservation and ecology are very important.

[sattui]

I bought a summer house in Bellingham almost a year ago. I liked the area so much that I decided to buy a permanent house out here. I find that the people are so much nicer - I moved from Bellevue- with better values. I find that there is a lot less materialism - my kids are 10 & 11- and a lot more to do i.e. festivals, etc. where you can actually find parking!

[E Roy Slade]

i dont like fast cars

i wish theyd stop

there are traffic cops who will write tickets and id say there is less fast racing in bham than say kent or auburn

it rains all the time-youll hate it