Updates from those who have moved to Vancouver, Camas, Battleground ? (Olympia: insurance, mortgage)

[B14peeper]

Originally Posted by Jane917

We just bought a home in Ridgefield and are very excited to move in early April. Quiet little town, good schools, but just north of Salmon, which has just about all the services we need. We don't have kids at home. The kids and grandkids live in Portland. We will spend lots of time there, but can escape to our quiet corner of the world.

I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to come up and see this area! Congrats on your move !!

[B14peeper]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

From the first post...


I am looking into moving 3 kids up this next year (from the SF Bay Area) but I'm looking for stories from other people who have actually relocated.

I currently have residences in both the SF Bay Area and Olympia Washington... don't hate any State.

I actually love just about everything about Western Washington... the only sour note has been the 80% property tax increase that I could not resolve... over a $1000 a month to Thurston County... my social security is supposed to be $1800 each month... kind of puts a damper of retirement plans even if my taxes are Frozen...

I like many things about California too... the 4th year of water rationing isn't one of them but it is reality... my property tax in California is $200 a month for the same value property...

So Washington is 5x higher for me... the majority of which goes to schools...

My property tax in the SF Bay area is around $500 a month, of that, only $50 goes to our local school district... I guess it's not excruciating but it's still a lot of money a year.

[B14peeper]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

One needs to be able to separate 'People / personality' from the problem and look to root cause. It is not the Nationality / region, as much as it is the STATE / Government (including USA IRS rules) that have contributed to the homelessness / forcing people from their homes due to increased taxes and usurious rules (created by the politicians / uninformed / swayed voters).

Many solutions (largely a non-career / popular vote/ politician structure) back to public service provided by excellent experienced and proven business / public servants with a benevolent and disciplined duty to serve the populous (term limited). (That is not going to happen in our 'entertainment evolved society' (I.e. Disneyland, CA). The political candidate that can AFFORD to advertise and look like a Disney character is gonna be your next leader! (regardless of skill / intent).

The CA danger is not the 'people', but it is what they have initiated in their state, and MAY bring with them;... traffic (too many cars / drive-ups)/ laws (CARB arrived)/ social ills and poor solutions (immigration / diversity / employer constraints...).

If CA would remove the IN-N-OUT drive-up windows, there would be a significant improvement in health! That is not going to happen

One of the BIG reasons we would like to move. I'm born and raised in the SF Bay Area in the 90s when we could actually play outside. I feel really bad for my children who are cooped up all the time. We have a decent back yard but you can't really ride your bike around. All the streets are so busy I'd be in a constant panic worrying about my kids being outside. We lived in Utah for a little bit and loved the way of life there. Much quieter and laid back.
It makes me sad that people don't like Californians...

[hml1976]

Do you know where in Portland? That would make a difference on whether livng in Washington makes sense and where would be most convenient.

[NCDavid]

Originally Posted by B14peeper

One of the BIG reasons we would like to move. I'm born and raised in the SF Bay Area in the 90s when we could actually play outside. I feel really bad for my children who are cooped up all the time. We have a decent back yard but you can't really ride your bike around. All the streets are so busy I'd be in a constant panic worrying about my kids being outside. We lived in Utah for a little bit and loved the way of life there. Much quieter and laid back.
It makes me sad that people don't like Californians...

It's not that some people here don't like Californians per se. They are irritated that the influx of people from there have helped to drive up property values and crowd the highways. But it's no different anywhere else where an influx from another state has caused similar problems.
And I've never seen anyone here say or do anything mean to a someone because they came from California.

[Endinmind]

Originally Posted by B14peeper

One of the BIG reasons we would like to move. I'm born and raised in the SF Bay Area in the 90s when we could actually play outside. I feel really bad for my children who are cooped up all the time. We have a decent back yard but you can't really ride your bike around. All the streets are so busy I'd be in a constant panic worrying about my kids being outside. We lived in Utah for a little bit and loved the way of life there. Much quieter and laid back.
It makes me sad that people don't like Californians...

We are trying to move up from SFO to Van/Camas vicinity hopefully this summer.
I have a few kids myself and my concerns are the same. I just came up a few weeks ago for my
daughters school visit and am pretty set on moving. Way more positives moving up there than
staying here in the Bay Area.

I can understand that there would be some folks who don't like the idea of more Cali folks
moving to PNW but then again it's the same in a lot of areas and for the mass of people who
have moved to Cali from all over the country be it for jobs, weather, culture, food etc.

[B14peeper]

Originally Posted by hml1976

Do you know where in Portland? That would make a difference on whether livng in Washington makes sense and where would be most convenient.

Nope. We have no idea, that's why we're going to come up in the summer. Most of the cities we're going to be looking at are around 30 minutes from Portland though. Right now he commutes over an hour so he said 30 minutes would be okay.

[B14peeper]

Originally Posted by Endinmind

We are trying to move up from SFO to Van/Camas vicinity hopefully this summer.
I have a few kids myself and my concerns are the same. I just came up a few weeks ago for my
daughters school visit and am pretty set on moving. Way more positives moving up there than
staying here in the Bay Area.

I can understand that there would be some folks who don't like the idea of more Cali folks
moving to PNW but then again it's the same in a lot of areas and for the mass of people who
have moved to Cali from all over the country be it for jobs, weather, culture, food etc.

When I lived in Utah, I knew a lot of people didn't like when CA people would come to the area and pay their houses and then act like "typical californians" but that isn't my plan so hopefully people will be kind and welcoming. CA is just too much for me right now. The hospital I work in has burned me out and this area isn't what it used to be when I was growing up. I feel like my kids are being robbed of a childhood. My 9 year old has never been outside to play because we don't live in a neighborhood where he can do that...and I don't have time to go to the park everyday with them. It makes me really depressed here.

[diver110]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Be careful what you wish for... My WA Property taxes went from $800/ yr to $14,400/ yr in last 20 yrs.
Schools are over 50% of that, We homeschooled K-10, so used ZERO 'school' tax benefit. (in fact, as homeschoolers, we volunteered as a family 2 days / week in pubic schools) Then we used 'Running Start' Free College instead of HS

Taxes raised largely due to Californication* of the Western States

*(CA equity fleeing to other states = Local residents can no longer afford to live there (taxes) and have to move away. I was forced from my Colorado farm in late 1970's due to Californication of Colorado 40 Yrs ago)

Colorado, Wyoming, ID, Montana (Desirable states with low population / opportunities) have been the big losers (residents having to flee).

Oregon and WA have diverse enough economy we can just work 3 jobs to pay our taxes. (if we choose to stay.. It is REALLY a hassle to move a farm, it take 10 yrs just to build soils and orchards)

With $14,400 in property taxes, out of curiosity, what do you think your home would sell for?

[NCDavid]

Originally Posted by diver110

With $14,400 in property taxes, out of curiosity, what do you think your home would sell for?

No answer from SR on that question, but that level of property tax would most likely be on property valued at around a million dollars and possibly more, depending on the taxing districts. A $400,000 home in Vancouver, Clark County, WA, would have an annual property tax of about $5,500, again depending on the taxing districts. Of course what his house might sell for is a different question. Many properties in WA are typically valued by assessors at less than what they would probably sell for.
Maybe SR will enlighten us.