Thinking of re-locating from SLC Utah to Wa - would love some input. (Seattle: sales, real estate)

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

My husband and I are in the process of deciding between Washington State and Texas, both states so far seem to have their pro's and con's, just like anywhere I suppose

Really we'd just like somewhere nice & laid back to raise our 6 children & to meet new people/make new friends. I love having all four seasons in Utah, my husband is from Ireland & we've heard that the climate in western Wa is very similar. I worry about having too many dark days, but I really like the look of the Snohomish area.

Our biggest thing is to find someplace big enough for us to live AND affordable (as in no more than $250k when purchasing - what's the renting market like in Wa?).

Anyhow. Like I said we've been looking in the Snohomish area, but would love other suggestions that might fit this criteria? I sure would appreciate it

[skinem]

It rains a lot in much of western WA--is there some rain forest I'm unaware of in Utah? So much of Utah seems drier than most of western WA. Snohomish isn't as rainy as a lot of western WA, averrages about 38 inches annually.

If you loved the four season in Utah, I think you'll come closer to finding a match for that type of climate on the east side of the state...drier, more of a continental climate than a wetter, maritime climate such as the west side.

Housing is usually cheaper in much of the east side compared to the west side.

I've always found eastern WA to be more similar to Utah climate-wise than western...you might want to consider looking there.

[JustCallMeTC]

Housing is much cheaper in Texas. But then, you have to live in that God Forsaken place. Other than Austin (where real estate is more expensive than Houston or Dallas) , there's not a lot to like about Texas IMO.

[Count David]

Since the OP mentioned Snohomish, can somebody fill me in as to whether or not it's anything like it was in the 80's-90's?

I imagine it's suburban-sprawl land now.

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

Skinem, I was talking about Ireland not Utah lol It's where my husband is from. Utah, short of the monsoon season we sometimes get it's fairly dry, but we do get rain here & there. This past year was amazing for rain fall but it's not typical.

I appreciate the input on the differnec's between eastern and western Wa. What attracts me to the eastern side is the lush green & the forests. We plan on going up in April to spend a few weeks and to give us a better idea as to what it's like there.

lol JustCallMeTC - I take it you don't like Texas. It can't be that bad can it?

David ~ so is Snohomish not somewhere you would recomend?

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Watermelon_Gypsy

I appreciate the input on the differnec's between eastern and western Wa. What attracts me to the eastern side is the lush green & the forests. We plan on going up in April to spend a few weeks and to give us a better idea as to what it's like there.

David ~ so is Snohomish not somewhere you would recomend?

The western side of WA has the lush green & forests, eastern WA has forests as well (along with plains/desert), but they aren't lush like western WA's.

I don't have anything against Snohomish, it was once a greatly quaint small-town. The direction it appeared to be moving towards when I last visited (~ 10 years ago) was that of a commuter suburb. I just wanted to know if that did indeed come to fruition. And if it did, that is a shame (I know nearby Monroe made this transformation, and IMO it did not turn out for the better).

If you are looking at Snohomish, you might as well look at the rest of the greater Seattle area as well. I'm sure you could find something that suits your wants/needs.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by Watermelon_Gypsy

Skinem, I was talking about Ireland not Utah lol It's where my husband is from. Utah, short of the monsoon season we sometimes get it's fairly dry, but we do get rain here & there. This past year was amazing for rain fall but it's not typical.

I appreciate the input on the differnec's between eastern and western Wa. What attracts me to the eastern side is the lush green & the forests. We plan on going up in April to spend a few weeks and to give us a better idea as to what it's like there.

Sorry about that! Apparently I'm in need of some remedial reading classes!

There is a marked difference betwen eastern and western WA, but it is the western side that is the lush green side...because it's so wet. The eastern side has it's green, and it's pockets of lush green, but it has huge areas of desert and in general is much more dry, thinly populated and conservative. A lot of eastern WA is pretty, well, brown. The state has some very, very distinctly different geological regions and greatly different weather from one part to another.

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

I'm sorry you guys, that's what I meant I keep doing that, switching the two but in my head I have it right lol Eastern is Spokane, Western is Snohomish.

David ~ I see. That's what's been going on in my area too and I hate it. When we first moved here 20+yrs ago the area was a beautiful, small farm town area. It's maddening the amount of homes & buisness' that have popped up

I'd love a smaller town feel, but close enough to a city if we want to do things like movies, activities with kids, shopping & so forth.

I'll be there for a short while twoards the end of February/begining of March & again for roughly 2wks in April or May. So am hoping to get some time to travel around.

[StealthRabbit]

Hockinson or Camas WA.
. Close to Vancouver, WA (10-15 min)for work, and Portland OR (20 -30 min) for culture, airport, no sales tax, lots of university choices. Very good jr college in Vancouver (Running Start, free college instead of High school)

$250 k home w/ acreage is possible in either area (tho on the low side, which is what I would buy anyway to keep taxes low)

Just returned from TX. I would only move to hill country (Austin, SA, Junction, tx) property is less (slightly) property taxes are 2-3x WA (3% TX; 1.2%-2% WA)

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

Thanks Stealth ~ will go look up those area's right now Sounds like it's a pretty convenient area to live. We've been looking in hill country as far as Tx goes so am glad to hear you agree! Still not sure I'd like to live in a hot humid area, but we've been looking.