Possible relocation to Camas from Southern California (Vancouver, Ridgefield: sales, Valentine's day)

[jzemke]

Hello all,
My family is considering moving to Camas from Southern California, and while looking for homes, we have stumbled upon new homes that are similar in cost to the other homes in our price range. Is there any downside to these new homes vs buying an older one? They seem like the same price, but new.. In California, nothing is new, most homes were built in the 50's. I have no issue with it, but I wanted to see if anyone had any pros/cons. Thanks!

[StealthRabbit]

NEW home likely will need a few 'extra' items;

draperies, landscape, fences, sprinklers, decks, sidewalks (home perimeter / landscape sidewalks),

Bonus of NEW home:
bugs (lots of bugs displaced from their previous forest home),
M-U-D lots of MUD (this time of yr until May)

If a new home had NATURAL WOOD work (not painted), lots of built-ins (WOOD, not painted), curved and coved walls, and plenty of natural stone and raised tile interior work I may give it a look. (but unlikely, personal taste... I would rather have some character, / unique interior / landscape, but I only lived in town once (rental). It had the kitchen window looking directly into the kitchen window of house next door. I prefer to see NO houses from ALL my windows. YMMV

[hml1976]

Most of the new homes are on much smaller lots than the older ones. That doesn't bother some people but is the primary reason we bought an older home.

[texasdiver]

Also most of the best locations in Camas have already been built out with existing subdivisions. The newer stuff is being pushed further out, at least the larger subdivisions like the stuff around Round Lake. There are smaller infill developments happening in scattered locations around town though and many are nice.

One new subdivision to look at would be Belz place on the top of Prune Hill. Don't know if it is your price range but I think it will be nice.

[jzemke]

Thank you for the tips! I am looking for up to 425 ish max. Tell me about the bug situation and the mud? Those startle me. Are those a new home only thing? Anyone here buy a new house that has input as well, but of course ANY input is welcome!

[Jane917]

I may be wrong, but I think them mud issue that was referred to is due to buying a new home with no landscaping. Yes, indeed, that can be muddy. However, we have noticed that most, but certainly not all, new housing around here comes with sprinkler system and sod. We moved to Ridgefield 20 months ago, and this is our third new construction. This is the first time that sod and sprinkler system was included in the price of the home. Backyard fence also. We have a small lot and within a few months filled in the borders of the yard with trees, bushes, etc. We have 2 dogs, and they certainly find their share of mud, but at least we never had mud we would have had if the sod was not laid. There are a lot of initial expenses when buying new construction, but most can be attended to gradually. Almost always you need to buy a new refrigerator, which if you haven't bought one in a few years, you will notice a price increase. We upgraded our stove before we moved in because the stock stove was not up to snuff. I am a southern CA native, and could go on and on about the advantages of living in the PNW, but you probably already have measured the differences. Good luck in your decision.

[StealthRabbit]

bugs and mud are temporary (First yr only)

Nothing serious (except if you have pets or kids tracking red clay mud into house.

City homes are pretty EZ, as they usually have sidewalks and apron for garage, and front yard (by code or CCR)

You will vacuum up a bunch of spiders for the first yr, or you can SPRAY.

PNW bugs are nothing like my TX bugs and spiders. We have built many new homes (all rural), and probably will build many more (not in WA)... permit / impact fees / inspections / taxes. I never add my concrete and slabs until ground settles for a yr, and I regrade the inevitable floods to assure I will be 'water free' for life. (I always build with basements, not too common in PNW).

Just set aside 10% for stuff you need to add to a new home.
As long as you plan on that, enjoy being the first to hang pictures on fresh walls! You have a 'blank slate'.

You will certainly not burn through 10%, so use the remainder to 'fix / remodel' stuff you forgot / desire.

Or put it in your "take-me back-to-CA" Feb / March sunshine fund.

We would always book Monday and Friday Flights with hopes of getting bumped. That worked well and we flew 'free' for several yrs (one ticket for each in family, often overbooked flights LUV 4+ volunteers, we have been bumped up to 3x / day). Kids loved Palm Desert resorts with water parks about Valentine's Day - early March. (Before any ball games / spring sports).

[texasdiver]

Yeah, bugs are no big deal in the PNW. Mostly the occasional spider and flies of various sorts. As Stealth says, it is NOTHING like Texas. Our first year in Texas in a new house we had endless scorpions, giant red centipedes, fire ants, endless mosquitos, june bugs, and a huge assortment of other beetles, flies, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets and so forth. I also found four different species of venomous snakes on our 2/3 acre lot (two types of rattlesnakes, copperheads, and coral snakes) and a bunch of large nonvenomous snakes. The PNW is very tame by comparison.

[Jane917]

I remember when our house in San Diego had to be fumigated for the cockroach infestation. However, in the PNW we now have contracted with our first pest control firm. I blame it on being close to the green belt and the wildlife refuge. We have our share of mice, spiders, ants, etc. This year we have been attacked by box elder bugs, which no pest control agency can even start to control. They are fewer now that the weather is cooler, but we still daily blow them away. They will not land on the window where our rosemary bush grows, so I am thinking of planting a rosemary barrier all around the house.

[jzemke]

This is great info everyone. Thanks so much. I like to hear and the woes and the excitement from people who have moved to the area. Assuming my company allows me to work from home, I'll be in the same boat. If not then I have to figure out finding a sales or estimation job in either Vancouver or Portland and commute to Camas. On that note aside from other things people want to add, how is that commute?