I want Rain and more Rain ! (Seattle, Tacoma: wood floors, sale, rent)

[Siracides]

Hello everyone! My family and I are on the hunt for a new city to live in. I think I might have found the perfect city however I'm absolutely certain that we cannot afford to live there . This is where you all come in. I would greatly appreciate all of your advice, ideas, and thoughts. Maybe you all can help me find a similar place but a lot more affordable. Thanks in advance for your responses.
Dream City : Seattle
The main reason I love this city is the Rain and cloudy gray days. Everything I've read about Seattle makes it perfect . The rainy or sunless days, the reserved people, near water and mountains, green large trees, lack of fashion, not over 100 degrees in summer, mild winters, etc... However it's absolutely way to expensive for our family. Other cities that are also too pricy: San Francisco.

We currently live in Texas where the summers are extreme ! We live in the dessert where there's not much trees. There's mountains here which I really love. There's also no water near by; no lakes, rives, or swimming holes. My kids are always bored during the summer because it's always way too hot to be out during the day. They also love rainy days because they get to get out. The pay here is really low and not many jobs, not much too do either other than hiking which we like. Things we do like about our city is how amazingly safe it is( very low crime rates, no tornadoes) and the great school systems. We just want something different now.

We're looking for a place where there's lots of large mature trees. A place where it rains more often than not. Every day rain would be okay. Old homes would be awesome but not necessary. Okay/Decent school system. Lower crime rates, and affordable housing. I'm a stay at home mom but my husband works in a field where he could find a job mostly anywhere. We are closing on the sale of our home soon so we'll have a little bit of the $$ for the move. We plan on living in the new city for approximately three years depending on
how we adapt. We could rent a small home preferably 1500$ a month or so.

I know I might be asking for too much but it doesn't hurt to ask. I also know that I will probably not get everything I want with our budget and that's ok. Please let me know what you guys think and all your ideas will be considered. Thanks again! Looking forward to all your insight☺

[Ruth4Truth]

A cheaper, and even more beautiful, version of Seattle is Bellingham. Easier access to hiking, breathtaking views, a mountain with hiking trails just outside of town. Check it out. You can get a 3-br. house in town for $1500, and there are some quaint old farmhouses on the edge of town that rent for about that, or a little less. There's also Lake Whatcom, and a couple of small towns along the lake, a short drive outside of town, if you want a more rural area.

Lots of rain and gloom, even more than Seattle, according to some people. Yay! (It's the rain that makes everything so green.)

[Siracides]

@RuthforTruth

Thanks so much for your reply. Bellingham sounds awesome and like a great fit, I'm definitely going to look into it. I love the "gloom" to me days like that are happy days, exactly what I'm looking for. You've given me hope . Just like you said Yay!

[Gardyloo]

Welcome to the forum!

Y'know, there are more places in rainy Washington than Seattle, some of them very nice, more affordable, and just as pretty as Seattle.

Like this - http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/apa/5092715824.html - a 3 BR house in Gig Harbor, a lovely little town within commuting distance of Tacoma.

Or this - 3BR_1.5BA Craftsman Wood Floors - right in the middle of Olympia, the state capital, an hour south of Seattle but with bunches of restaurants, good shopping, lively community life including a fab farmers market...

Or this - http://bellingham.craigslist.org/apa/5121291658.html - near Lake Whatcom outside of Bellingham, a pleasant college town within driving distance of Vancouver BC, skiing in the Cascades...

...Which is not to say that you're priced out of Seattle proper, or closer suburbs, just that there are plenty of places to consider that aren't necessarily as "hot" as the Seattle market at the present.

[Ruth4Truth]

Gardy, as long as we're on this topic, do you know much about those little communities by lake Whatcom? How close a drive are they to Bellingham, and is there decent grocery shopping and other basic amenities (hardware store, coffee shop, pharmacy, etc.) nearby, or does one have to drive to Bellingham for the basics? Does it feel isolated out there, or is it close enough to B'ham that you don't feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere? (Which could be a good thing for some people, but what I mean is--how are those little towns for socializing?)

I've noticed rents are cheaper out there, and it must be nice to be close to the lake, but I'm wondering if it feels too isolated, and if there are at least basic conveniences there.

[Siracides]

@Gardyloo Thanks for all the information you gave. This is exactly why I posted here, because I knew other people would have great insight. Greatly appreciate it and will also do my research on the areas you mentioned. Would also be very curious to know about what Ruth asked earlier. Thanks

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Gardy, as long as we're on this topic, do you know much about those little communities by lake Whatcom? How close a drive are they to Bellingham, and is there decent grocery shopping and other basic amenities (hardware store, coffee shop, pharmacy, etc.) nearby, or does one have to drive to Bellingham for the basics? Does it feel isolated out there, or is it close enough to B'ham that you don't feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere? (Which could be a good thing for some people, but what I mean is--how are those little towns for socializing?)

I've noticed rents are cheaper out there, and it must be nice to be close to the lake, but I'm wondering if it feels too isolated, and if there are at least basic conveniences there.

I've only visited that area as a day tourist and didn't pay much attention to commercial areas, etc. I suspect you'd have to go into town for most things. The property I mentioned is only 6 or 7 miles from downtown B'ham.

[angelenogirl]

Hello, fellow rain lover! I could have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Never tire of rain. I've lived in Texas and wouldn't even want to fly over it now (no offense! I know some parts - and people - are lovely).

I agree, Gig Harbor is an excellent place to check out. You can get beautiful property there for a song (compared to the expensive tune they're singing here in Seattle). But north of the city is nice, too. Washington as a whole, from what I've seen of it, is magic. The natural beauty and happy feeling permeates everything, and you'll get trees for days!

Good luck! :-)

[Siracides]

@angelenogirl
Thanx for your response. Natural beauty is exactly what draws me in. Texas is beautiful too but I'm just so tired of the long summers/no rain here in my area. I love love love trees and green. Gig Harbor looks very beautiful and I will do more research on it. Again Thanks

[Arushan]

That house above is in Sudden Valley. It is a beautiful area and gets a bit more rain/gloom than in Bellingham itself. Lots of hills, mature Douglas Firs, Cedars, alder, Bigleaf Maple, ferns, etc, so you will have the semi-rainforest feel there. The HOA is a mess, but less of a concern if you're a renter. Be aware if you notice a musty smell in the homes as mold growth can be a major problem in that area due to the lack of lighting (The sun sets early, going behind a hill, and of course the giant trees play into it). There can be a dusting of snow every few years or so, so it's possible to be stuck. Visit, get a feel, and talk to people. It may be for you.

There is a convenience store/gas station, but not much else. Chances are you'll be going to town a lot. Fred Meyer on Lakeway in Bellingham is the closest convenience.