Possibly moving to Seattle/Sequim Area Next Year (Tacoma, Olympia: real estate, house)

[Jane917]

Does she have certification as a school psychologist? There is a real need for them in almost every school district. With a BA in psychology, it might be possible to get further certification on-line. Lots of grad schools, if that is your preference.

[homesinseattle]

That's wonderful Wellie, good on you. Confidence, persistence and belief in yourself goes a long way. Congrats!

[Angry-Koala]

Originally Posted by y5nthon5a

Northern Virginia is the most expensive place in the United States to live… And that is where we are moving from.

Are you serious? No, it's not: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-l.../north-america. Look below the map of the U.S. The first place in Virginia that makes the list is clear down at number 58.

You may be able to find a place that fits your budget, but not close in to Seattle. We don't have as many commuter options as you do on the East Coast, so I think you might not realize how long the commute to Seattle can take. And don't trust Google Maps estimates for travel time. They're always incorrect, even for times when the traffic is light.

For an example, I recently took a trip up to Seattle. The drive was 60 miles, and I left at 4:30AM to beat the traffic. It took nearly three hours to get there and the roads were crowded most of the way. Two hours or more is common for a drive to Seattle on a weekday morning from where I live. Are you set on Seattle? Have you considered Tacoma instead, or cities to the north of Seattle? Or better yet, how about Vancouver, Washington, where a commute to Portland is much quicker and the town is much nicer?

[y5nthon5a]

Originally Posted by Angry-Koala

Are you serious? No, it's not: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-l.../north-america. Look below the map of the U.S. The first place in Virginia that makes the list is clear down at number 58.

You may be able to find a place that fits your budget, but not close in to Seattle. We don't have as many commuter options as you do on the East Coast, so I think you might not realize how long the commute to Seattle can take. And don't trust Google Maps estimates for travel time. They're always incorrect, even for times when the traffic is light.

For an example, I recently took a trip up to Seattle. The drive was 60 miles, and I left at 4:30AM to beat the traffic. It took nearly three hours to get there and the roads were crowded most of the way. Two hours or more is common for a drive to Seattle on a weekday morning from where I live. Are you set on Seattle? Have you considered Tacoma instead, or cities to the north of Seattle? Or better yet, how about Vancouver, Washington, where a commute to Portland is much quicker and the town is much nicer?

We aren’t looking to commute to Seattle regularly or live there. Within 3 hours AS I SAID is fine with me, but even that isn’t a requirement. We just want to be able to go to a big city within a day if we want to get out for a day.. We posted a couple photos later in the comments that show our options and explain what we are looking for. We have lived 1 hour from DC and NY at different times and we knew it would take no less than two hours. We never use commuter transport. Where we live there isn’t much at all. We are looking at Tacoma, Sequim, Olympia.

Thank you for your advice

[Angry-Koala]

Originally Posted by y5nthon5a

We aren’t looking to commute to Seattle regularly or live there. Within 3 hours AS I SAID is fine with me, but even that isn’t a requirement. We just want to be able to go to a big city within a day if we want to get out for a day.. We posted a couple photos later in the comments that show our options and explain what we are looking for. We have lived 1 hour from DC and NY at different times and we knew it would take no less than two hours. We never use commuter transport. Where we live there isn’t much at all. We are looking at Tacoma, Sequim, Olympia.

Thank you for your advice

Oh, my mistake! I misunderstood what you were asking.

[Jane917]

You may want to look at Vancouver (WA). Portland just a few minutes away (depending on traffic). COL is much less than Seattle (and Portland). It used to be 3 hours from Seattle, but with current traffic regardless of time of day, it takes a bit (much) longer.

[Ruth4Truth]

The UW has grad programs in psychology, and probably Seattle University, as well. You could also try Antioch; they have some interesting grad programs.

Not sure why you mention Sequim? No jobs out there, especially for psychology. Maybe Port Angeles, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Olympia is a much better bet. Check UW Tacoma to see if they have a graduate program in Psych.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Jane917

Does she have certification as a school psychologist? There is a real need for them in almost every school district. With a BA in psychology, it might be possible to get further certification on-line. Lots of grad schools, if that is your preference.

The UW offers an Ed Psych MA program.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by y5nthon5a

Northern Virginia is the most expensive place in the United States to live… And that is where we are moving from. We are looking for a home less than 150,000 within 3Hours of Seattle. We have seen plenty of places that on their own land within that budget and the amount of home we want within that area. We are extremely excited to the possibility Of moving up that way. My fiancé will be getting her graduate degree once she moves there. Nothing fancy for our home until we get settled in, too.
Thank you!

Your price point is going to be very challenging. For the most part, you'll be limited to mobile homes, even out in the sticks. Have you researched RE values in and around Sequim and Olympia? Even condos are out of your price range, in Olympia, except for a couple of low-end ones. Here's a "tiny house" in a beautiful setting outside of town, in a tiny-house parking development with a swimming pool and private lake, in your price range:
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-42997#photo17

[RustinginSeattle]

My parents were just looking for a small house (1200sq ft and under) for $150K. We looked at Ellensburg, Wenatchee, etc. Even that far out, they were nearly impossible to find and the ones we did were pretty bad (bad neighborhood, busy road, and super run down). They sold their 700 sq ft house in 2007 in Port Orchard for $160K (on 2 acres). In otherwords, what you're looking for in WA is going to be hard to find. It's not like VA, where if you go far enough out and don't need 2000 sq ft, you can find something.

On the one hand you are looking for a job and/or Grad program (Psychology, right?) and you're looking for a cheap house. The best you're going to do is a house in a run down depressing community with no jobs (Hello Aberdeen, Shelton, Forks, etc) or you're going to pay more and get a job or school program. You just can't have both. Sequim is a retirement community, because there aren't many jobs (nursing home psychologist?). Tacoma is cheaper than Seattle and still way more expensive than you're thinking.

The West Coast is very different from the East Coast. We don't have universities around every corner, we have way fewer "cute" small towns that are pleasant to live in. We also, as a whole, are quickly becoming one of the most expensive places to live in the US. And I mean all parts of the West Coast, not just select cities. Especially if any kind of job is required.

People aren't mocking you to be mean. They are just tired of the 10,000th request for affordable housing complete with jobs and education. It just doesn't exist, as has been mentioned over and over through countless threads.

Also, if you are looking 3 hours outside of Seattle, you need to start a thread in the Washington forum, not Seattle.

Good luck!