Salmon Creek vs. Fishers Landing (Seattle, Vancouver: neighborhood, buyers, high school)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Wile E. Coyote

Well, that too. Areas prone to flooding can be priced for flooding...

Or not.
A Colorado friend bought a Corvallis property during the summer, only to find out the driveway and septic system were under water all winter. He never could sell that place, and died trying. He was very upset. (And stuck)

[Wile E. Coyote]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Or not.
A Colorado friend bought a Corvallis property during the summer, only to find out the driveway and septic system were under water all winter. He never could sell that place, and died trying. He was very upset. (And stuck)

All you need is a slight slope here in the PNW to have potential water issues if things are not done correctly. Probably most people have some type of water issue whether they are aware of it or not. But, then, I would not live near a body of water around here either. And I live at 230 feet above sea level and do not want to get any closer to sea level either.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Or not.
A Colorado friend bought a Corvallis property during the summer, only to find out the driveway and septic system were under water all winter. He never could sell that place, and died trying. He was very upset. (And stuck)

Wow, that's a bummer to hear. I'm surprised that wasn't revealed during the appraisal and home inspection. That is, unless it was some kind direct deal transaction using cash and none of the other usual legal requirements before exchanging hands. Corvallis floods quite a bit near the Willamette. It's definitely a 'buyer beware' location anywhere near the river.

Derek

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Or not.
A Colorado friend bought a Corvallis property during the summer, only to find out the driveway and septic system were under water all winter. He never could sell that place, and died trying. He was very upset. (And stuck)

I've lived in the PNW the majority of my life and I have never once seen a house that had the driveway underwater all winter. Certainly not in any developed area.

That must have been some backwoods rural place that was shoddily built in the wrong spot. The septic tank indicates it wasn't urban at least.

[ohio_peasant]

Returning somewhat back to topic, any opinions on the town of "LA Center"? It's just north of Ridgefield. Schools, culture, nature of the place.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

Returning somewhat back to topic, any opinions on the town of "LA Center"? It's just north of Ridgefield. Schools, culture, nature of the place.

It's a vey small town of only 3,700 near lots of rural land. It's name should probably be changed to LA Outer Edge of civilization. It's greatest claim to fame are the casinos right in town. If you're ok with the flavor of small town atmosphere and being that far out, its probably ok. I would prefer Ridgefield if heading east. I think Texasdiver used to work out in those parts. You would need to visit and see if you like that sort of thing. I like to go paddle the East Fork of the Lewis river out there. Other than that, I don't see much to it beyond the river. You could probably get some homes on acreage over yonder.

Derek

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

It's a vey small town of only 3,700 near lots of rural land. It's name should probably be changed to LA Outer Edge of civilization. It's greatest claim to fame are the casinos right in town. If you're ok with the flavor of small town atmosphere and being that far out, its probably ok. I would prefer Ridgefield if heading east. I think Texasdiver used to work out in those parts. You would need to visit and see if you like that sort of thing. I like to go paddle the East Fork of the Lewis river out there. Other than that, I don't see much to it beyond the river. You could probably get some homes on acreage over yonder.

Derek

There isn't much in the actual town of La Center except a few blocks of older residential homes and the elementary, middle, and high schools. Nearly all the development in that part of the county is happening on the other side of I-5 in Ridgefield where there are endless new subdivisions and a lot more new commercial development going in. Apparently a new Costco too.

I don't know why there isn't more new development around La Center like what is happening in Ridgefield. I don't know if it is land use issues or what. The La Center school district is smaller and probably considered a step below Ridgefield which might be part of it. But all the growth in Ridgefield is degrading their schools too since they can't seem to get bond measures passed to keep pace with the growth. So if I had kids and was looking for the best schools in Clark County I wouldn't pick either Ridgefield or La Center.

The main employer around there is the Ilani Casino which is located right there at the La Center exit off I-5. So if you want to work in a casino, La Center is your place.

[ohio_peasant]

To clarify, my question is freighted with personal experience in Ohio. There, the model was large townships anchored by a small town, all with the same zip code. The town tended to be declining, post-industrial, with limited opportunities for dining, education, shopping or whatever else. But the townSHIP, by which I mean the exurban or semi-rural expanses outside of "city" limits, had in some cases substantial estates and personal affluence. Typically residents of the township were either retired, or commuted 25-30 miles to the actual city, which was the "tech" or white-collar job center in the region. And one might say that the residents of the town itself were the Section-8 types, or those struggling with addiction etc. This is of course a stereotype, and a rather condescending one, but it was true with remarkable frequency.

In other words, our tension between town-mouse and country-mouse, which we (the more frequent participants in this thread) have already explored in the prop-13 WA statewide thread, might convey in miniature to any of the zip codes up and down I-5 north of Vancouver... there's the town-proper and its particular character, and then, the surrounding countryside.

With that clarification, my revised question, specifically about LA Center, but just as much of a dozen+ nearby places: to what extent is my admittedly biased account of small-town Ohio, of relevance to small-town WA, in the corridor between Vancouver and Seattle?

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

To clarify, my question is freighted with personal experience in Ohio. There, the model was large townships anchored by a small town, all with the same zip code. The town tended to be declining, post-industrial, with limited opportunities for dining, education, shopping or whatever else. But the townSHIP, by which I mean the exurban or semi-rural expanses outside of "city" limits, had in some cases substantial estates and personal affluence. Typically residents of the township were either retired, or commuted 25-30 miles to the actual city, which was the "tech" or white-collar job center in the region. And one might say that the residents of the town itself were the Section-8 types, or those struggling with addiction etc. This is of course a stereotype, and a rather condescending one, but it was true with remarkable frequency.

In other words, our tension between town-mouse and country-mouse, which we (the more frequent participants in this thread) have already explored in the prop-13 WA statewide thread, might convey in miniature to any of the zip codes up and down I-5 north of Vancouver... there's the town-proper and its particular character, and then, the surrounding countryside.

With that clarification, my revised question, specifically about LA Center, but just as much of a dozen+ nearby places: to what extent is my admittedly biased account of small-town Ohio, of relevance to small-town WA, in the corridor between Vancouver and Seattle?

Honestly, if you aren't from the area you don't want to move to La Center. I don't even think it has a grocery store, certainly not one bigger than a Dollar General. It is a bedroom community that will mostly be full of people who are from there and so will probably be a pretty insular place to settle. It isn't some super poor crumbling town like a lot of rust belt small towns in Ohio. There just isn't much there.

There are a LOT of better options unless you have some compelling reason to be there.

Describe the sort of place you are looking for and we can give suggestions.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Describe the sort of place you are looking for and we can give suggestions.

The perfect place obviously doesn't exist, but ideally it would partake of the following attributes:

1. Good long-term investment potential, even if that means that today the housing prices are comparatively high.

2. Suburb/exurb or semi-rural, with houses on at least 1/2 acre, up to ??? Emphasis on privacy. Definitely not in a HOA! Ideally, no sidewalks. A score of "0" on walkability.

3. I'm child-free (and a tad militant about it), but schools matter, in so far as I'd prefer to be around people who are well-educated and who value education.

4. Politically, some mix of Nelson Rockefeller and Adlai Stevenson. More Gore Vidal than Bill Buckley, but with a grudging respect towards both. Despite the preference for acreage, more Hamilton than Jefferson... but in particular, to be around people who can speak cogently about the difference.

5. Worldly, secular area, rife with "citizens of nowhere", to paraphrase former British PM Theresa May. Lots of foreign-born people, not to mention transplants from other states. Continuing the British reference, the sort of people who voted Remain, whose kids studied or worked in continental Europe, before the Brexit fiasco.