Need help in choosing area to retire in W. washington (Seattle: real estate, assessors)

[roseleadfoot]

We are doing an early retirement and looking forward to moving to Washington. We would appreciate all info regarding a nice place to buy a house. We want to be in a small town, and dont mind an hour to major city. The areas were are looking at are: Kingston, Poulsbo, Greenbank, Indianola, Langley, ANacortes, LaConner, Port Ludlow, Port Townsend,Freeland, Clinton, and Sudden Valley in Bellingham. Price budget would like to keep below $400K. We have a teen in high school. ANY info on a safe and pretty area would be very welcome. Also of concern is distance to decent medical facility, my husband is disabled. I have heard Hwy 20 is a nightmare, on Whidbey Island. Also, are the real estate taxes reassessed every year?

[scirocco22]

If you are strictly looking in western Washington, then all those places you mention are great and would meet the criteria you listed ...the little that you did list.

When you say an hour from "major city," what does that mean? What is a major city. Some of those places are within an hour of Seattle but most aren't. Some are within an hour of Everett.

At this point, without any more specifics, it's just going to be people's opinions on which area is nicer than the others.

You've picked out some pretty nice places. Keep in touch if you have any more questions.

Let's see how others will respond in regard to their opinion on each of the places you mentioned.


Thanks.

--'rocco

[roseleadfoot]

Hi thanks for the reply. A major city would be Seattle or any similar area. An hour is probably not aqequate. A place to shop, hospital, cultural activities, fun. We would like a house with a water view. A safe and converservative place with lots of beautiful scenery. Also very important is being in the rain shadow, or less than 30 inches of rain per year. Thanks

[mayfair]

Sudden Valley isn't in the rain shadow. I'm not sure if the rain shadow is do-able to Seattle in an hour, except maybe Whidbey Island.

[jojo7]

Just wanted to let you know the central part of the island gets a bit less rain and more rain north towards Oak Harbor. The area of Coupeville is really nice which is almost in the middle of the island. Coupeville has a ferry that can take you to Port Townsend (one of your choices you mentioned) which has more restaurants, shops and even a small playhouse. You have some great choices.

[fairweathergolfer]

My recommendation would be Whidbey Island or Poulsbo. Whidbey would be more reclusive, but definately gorgeous and community oriented. Poulsbo is nice but more of a crossroads for people coming and going to N, S, E, and W of there on the weekends and otherwise, from what I remember. I noticed many places on your list were towns/communities on Whidbey. I am unsure how conservative there, but overall it is more rural, so you will probably get a mixture, in even one person :-). Have you been to any of the places yet?

I thought of Sequim (lots more sun, lots less rain), but then you mentioned you have a child and I do not think, I may be wrong, that there are a lot of young children there. It is a huge retirement community. Port Townsend is fun to visit, but it would be way too liberal for my blood.

[racechick73]

I'd definetely check into Sequim. There are a ton of kids right up the road in Port Angeles, and they do get a lot less rain. Good luck!

[roseleadfoot]

We have been to Oylmpic Pen, Seattle and Bellingham. I like the idea of Whidbey Island. We just don't want to be really far away from services. THe school system in Coupeville seems good. If we can't get a water view, we would like a place where my daughter could have a horse, as I believe Freeland would fit that. Does anybody know about Freeland? I also am leaning towards Greenbank. We are going up there in July to look around. Is it possible to stay in Seattle/ area and commute to look at these places?? We were orginally thinking about Sequim, but I think it's too much of a retirement area for my teen. thanks

[StealthRabbit]

I'd consider San Juan Island, tho it is further from services. The Island School district is pretty good, and I think support for schools is good. Island fever might not be such a bad thing for a teenager, if given the latitude to seek their own way and be creative (hopefully not at seeking trouble, but I doubt that is an issue.) Scholastics are high in island district, and I think learning is more creative than urban areas. (less age / peer segregation)

Property Taxes are adjusted every year, (based on stats) and physically inspected every 3 years.

Do your homework, as Mill Levy rates AND assessors vary significantly. Within 1 mile of me - mill varies 80% (from 8.2 to 14.8) ($ per thousand). I'm on a county line, and one county has aggressive assessors who run comps on very select stats, gaining peak appreciation. The other county likes to see sustained prices before hammering the homeowner. Services are similar, but better in the cheaper county for rural residents, the more expensive county has a lot of high cost services and consultants. It is just a way different mindset. (thus don't be a rural dweller in an urban county, or likely not great to be an urban dweller in a rural county... squeaky wheels (and most populous vote) get the grease.

[chris]

If you're talking about Freeland and access to services, you might get a little frustrated with what's available, especially during the summer (traffic). It's either Oak Harbor or the mainland, with traffic, is over an hour, can reach two on bad days. When I head up there (as I am this weekend), I make sure that I get *everything* I need beforehand so I can avoid driving at all costs once I arrive.

On a personal note, I don't think I'd want to raise a teenager up there. I'd stick with what others have suggested - Sequim or Poulsbo or P Townsend (exclude Port Angeles).