Is Vancouver and surrounding "boring" or "sleepy" (Seattle: top neighborhood, roughest)

[JayZ750]

Been looking at relocating to the PNW from Austin, TX. All my research points me to the Portland area, as better than Seattle.

Looking at neighborhoods though, it seems like i prefer some of the neighborhood feel in Oregon surrounding

Portland more than Vancouver... which still seems perhaps a little suburban and sleepy feeling. Additionally, while there is Camas and some other ok school districts, it seems like there are a LOT of sketch schools. Seeing some houses online and the schools are literally rated 1/10, or 2/10. Mind you, I would be coming from one of the top school districts in Texas... all the schools are rated 9/10 or 10/10.

But I will be working remotely, so it doesn't seem like it makes sense to buy in Oregon, given the vast difference in income tax.

Help point me in the right direction.

* We have kids (multiple under 11), so schooling is factor #1.
* We don't like cookie cutter anything. We have somewhat of a modern house right now and I'd lean that way over a lot of the somewhat plain vanilla cookie cutter copy and repeat i am seeing online.
* We have a decent budget.
* I don't need "nightlife" or the like, but want some nice restaurants, ability to access things in the greater Portland area
* fine with chains, etc... but again don't like the feel of everything being a chain if that makes sense
* i'd love a view.

What neighborhoods in Vancouver/Camas should I be considering?
Are there better options in Oregon?
Is there anything about the tax issue I am not considering?

I know a lot of the above doesn't speak specifically to the "boring" or "sleepy" in my title, but they go a bit hand in hand to me. I need some "energy" in the feel of everything, from design of houses, etc.

Many thanks!

[texasdiver]

If schools are your priority then I would organize your search around HS boundary lines as the places with good high schools have good schools all the way down.

Camas HS and Union HS are probably the top two schools in the region in terms of rankings, mostly because they probably have the most affluent student populations. They are pretty identical to top suburban schools in Texas (yes, I've lived and taught HS in Texas). Union covers the newer parts of NE Vancouver that touch Camas.

After that I would rate Skyview, Columbia, River, Mountain View, Ridgefield, Hockinson, and Washougal as all pretty similar but perhaps a step behind Camas and Union in terms of academic offerings, facilities and such. Most of the other newer upscale suburban developments in the greater Vancouver area fall into one of those schools.

The roughest schools in the area that tend to serve the lowest income neighborhoods would be Hudson's Bay, Fort Vancouver, Evergreen, and Heritage. These cover the central Vancouver and 4th Plain/Orchards area where most of the lower income housing is located. I would also avoid Battle Ground and Prairie which are further out and have struggling schools due to inability to pass bond measures.

In terms of the rest of your wish list. You are going to have a hard time avoiding cookie suburbs if you want the top rated schools as they are mostly located in newer upscale suburban areas. The only part of the Vancouver area where you can find overlap between old eclectic neighborhoods and top neighborhood schools is probably the central Camas area. If you want actual modern architecture and not cookie cutter Lennar and DR Horton type stuff you probably are looking at really upscale $1 million+ type custom homes which are mostly going to be on big view lots in Camas and along the Columbia River. If your budget is in the more modest range you'll have a hard time finding true modern architecture. It will mostly be faux traditional stuff.

As for restaurants and nightlife? Before the pandemic, Vancouver had a constantly growing selection of interesting restaurant options. Often really excellent ethnic and Asian restaurants tucked into nondescript strip malls. But also some interesting neighborhoods in uptown Vancouver, downtown Camas, and the new stuff along the Vancouver waterfront. And of course there is Portland. In the evenings you can reach central Portland from most of the Vancouver area in about 20 minutes so there are near infinite options. We will have to see what is left standing after the pandemic is over. But honestly, Vancouver has as good or better dining options than any other suburban area in the greater Portland metro except perhaps Beaverton. It just tends to be scattered about and not all concentrated in one area.

[JayZ750]

thank you... our budget will probably be north of $1 million, so you're saying Camas/Columbia River ...
will take a look.

I assume the income tax question is pretty obvious. you domicile in Oregon, you pay the 9% (or whatever) personal income tax?

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by JayZ750

thank you... our budget will probably be north of $1 million, so you're saying Camas/Columbia River ...
will take a look.

I assume the income tax question is pretty obvious. you domicile in Oregon, you pay the 9% (or whatever) personal income tax?

The bulk of $1 million + properties in the Vancouver area will fall into three basic categories:

1. Large estate view lots in the hills and Lacamas Lake shoreline of Camas: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...23246900_zpid/ or https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...66648281_zpid/

2. Columbia River Shoreline along Evergreen Highway: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...50945083_zpid/

3. Acreage estate properties (horse properties) on the outer edges https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...23325980_zpid/

But you will find the occasional $1 million+ homes scattered across the more upscale parts of the metro area, mostly where there are big lots and views.

And yes, if you live or work in OR you will owe Oregon Income Tax which is 9% on income between $8,900 - $125,000 ($17,800- $250,000) and 9.9% on income above $125,000 ($250,000 depending on whether you file single or married.

[JayZ750]

Awesome, thanks for doing all the work, lol!

[texasdiver]

And if you want to buy a $1 million + home and get the top rated schools, your best bet is Camas.

The Columbia River shoreline properties zone to Mountain View HS if they are between I-205 and 192nd, Camas HS if they are east of 192nd, and Fort Vancouver HS if they are west of I-205. They are also kind of isolated from the rest of the city because they are blocked off from the rest of the city by a freeway (SR14) and there are only a few places to cross and get down to the shoreline.

A lot of the big expensive rural horse properties to the north are in the Battle Ground school district which is struggling.

Honestly, most of the people moving to the greater Vancouver area who want to spend a lot of money on a house and get the best schools are going to choose Camas. There are lots of other good schools across the metro area, but Camas is probably furthest ahead of the curve in terms of keeping up with school construction and overcrowding. Ridgefield, for example, is a mess right now due to repeated bond failures over the years so they are way behind in keeping up with school construction and are suffering lots of overcrowding and portable classrooms with no end in sight. Evergreen School District (east Vancouver, Union and Mountain View) is doing better but still catching up to Camas.

[StealthRabbit]

FYI, your HS age kids might not spend a minute at a WA Public School. (mine and most of my peer's kids did not)

free college instead.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Start
https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/...gstartfaqs.pdf

You might want a location near to your kid's other interests (Theater, Music, Sports...)

If in town, I prefer views (and being near Clark College or WSU). Or in Camas or Washougal with a River / Mt Hood view.

Open southern hillside exposure with big south facing windows is a huge plus, especially if working from home.

Best advice I got was from my Colorado coworkers who had tried PNW, but fled back to sunshine... Do not buy a home in the trees, as 'cool' as that seems... Moss, mold, needles, ... trees and limbs falling on your home in ice and wind storms.

Try each location at commute time, especially if you are gonna be hauling kids around to events / practices.

[MtnSurfer]

Also, if looking for great views, I would seriously take a look at the Lookout Ridge neighborhood which is within Camas High School border. It's one of my personal favorite locations.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7...0120351_zpid/?

The views up there of both the river and Mt. Hood are excellent.

Derek

[StealthRabbit]

Hockinson is another area with good schools and great views. It is a smaller school, so does not have the extracurricular offerings of a larger district, but very strong community support, and a lot of rural centric activities (horse / 4H )

High rollers who want great schools, rural homes, and good views are often living in Hockinson or Camas (Livingston Mtn (Camas district) is pretty close to each, but a miserable commute several times / day hauling kids around.)

Nice custom homes in each district, and plenty of cookie cutters in Camas / Evergreen. (suburbia)

Lots can be pretty small in PNW because land is higher priced than Texas. My TX Hill Country homes are significantly cheaper than my SW WA homes. But year round QoL can be improved in WA if you have a few indoor hobbies, and a BIG shop / basement for the kids to use for play and projects. One of my Camas friends has 17' tall ceilings in his basement for an indoor racquetball court and observation balcony. It is very popular with adults and his 5 kids. Booked nearly every night.

Camas and Hockinson are not 'sleepy / boring' if you have kids engaged in activities. There are some great things for kids. Even tho my kids are 15 yrs out of college... I try to attend the presentations of Youth Drama / Theater and music as there is really strong talent and leadership in the region. (several friends of my kids now have students performing and we still know volunteers in regional youth education and performance)
https://journeytheater.org/
https://nwcts.org/
https://www.cytportlandvancouver.org/

My sis kid's (Hockinson based) all did:
https://portlandyouthphil.org/
https://portlandyouthphil.org/musicians/pyco/

Pretty strong youth soccer and martial arts offerings
http://www.swysa.net/home.php

A few Saturday academies for foreign language and cultures.

Many local colleges (20+) for activities, speakers, classes, libraries.

'sleepy / boring' is possible for some, but not most in the area. (including seniors / retirees)

There is quite a lot of innovation, my kids worked for start-ups and venture capital / angel investors as HS aged PT jobs. They are still involved in innovation hubs / Maker space, and community service for youth education and recreation.

[texasdiver]

Stealth makes a good point about kid commuting.

Our kids are all older now, ages 14, 17, and 22. We have lived in the outer exurbs in TX with acreage but miles to drive everywhere, close in suburbs in TX where everything is convenient, and close-in suburbs here in Camas where everything is convenient.

When we moved out of the farther flung exurbs in TX I was driving over 2 hours/day with just kids errands. Soccer, school, daycare, swimming, piano, violin, school drop offs and pick ups, etc. etc. Plus endless driving for every little errand like milk. When the kids are tiny and at home all day it is easy. Once they are in school and doing lots of stuff it gets crazy.

You couldn't pay me enough to live way out in the woods someplace on the edge of town with multiple school age kids. Save that dream for when they have left home. Design your geography so that all your errands are 5-10 minutes away, no more and your life will be so much more pleasant.

My daughter has a best friend who lives up on Livingston Mountain (gated estate community on the mountain north of Camas). It's gorgeous up there https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2.../23304335_zpid but I couldn't imagine making that drive for every errand. Especially in the snow.