Vancouver areas best for young families who like space? (Seattle: apartment, to rent)

[WAMama]

We're a young family (toddler and preschooler) currently living in a small, isolated Central Washington city. We love the natural beauty, but the lack of activities, lack of educational opportunities, and small-town mentality are getting to us. We feel like Seattle is way too big, but the Vancouver area may be a nice happy medium.

Safety, space, and activities are probably our top priorities. Are there any areas where we could have acreage/very large yard (we have pets and love the space) and rambling old house for the $200k range? And would these areas have good public schools and activities within reasonable driving distance (kids gyms, bounce places, children's museum)? Finally, is the area fairly safe?

Thanks so much for any thoughts/advice.

[hml1976]

Well for the 200K range I would probably look in the Fern Prairie area of Camas, if you also want the good schools. Ridgefield may also be an option or a little farther out in Washougal. But the best schools with space are in Camas and Hockinson, I think Hockinson is probably too expensive though.

[StealthRabbit]

You could get a nice mobile home on acreage in that price range, and I concur w/ hml as to the areas. I would add Pleasant Valley(Near WSU-V), Glenwood, Manor, and Brush Prairie. . (If gardening is a priority)

I personally try to find trashed mobile homes on acreage w/ a nice shop. (kids will love an indoor soccer / racquetball / basketball court) You can make a beautiful loft or 2 level apartment in the shop, and taxes will stay reasonably low. Replacing the Mobile home with a repo / ordered but not delivered home can be very economical (~$30-$50k). Mobile homes and modulars built from 1990+ are quite ez to heat and nice with vaulted ceilings and much open area. One significant problem to the PNW we_tside is their use of composite siding/ sheathing. Keep them dry, or replace this junk. Definitely have an inspection if you are not able to discern structural weakness.

I often buy trashed mobile homes on nice acreage, and bulldoze the mobile and clean the joint up to rent / sell. Many buyers cannot see past the 'junk'. While it is EXPENSIVE to take it to the dump, you can rent an excavator (Trackhoe) & clean a joint up in a weekend and 'spiff it' in a couple months (re-seed / landscape / plant bushes / build shop...). This is MUCH preferred in Clark County, WA; as permit / impact fees to build new on bare land are astronomical.