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Old 04-27-2022, 09:30 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,605 posts, read 57,568,971 times
Reputation: 46028

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If you are concerned about estate taxes... WA may not be for you. The Federal protection has now lapsed for WA

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$2,193,000 per person in 2021

Oregon is ~10% over $1m
https://www.fool.com/research/estate-inheritance-taxes/
I have (4) family members in desirable Oregon towns some in the valley, some on coast and some in the Columbia Gorge. WA better suits us, but several friends transferred to our Corvallis plant and did very well raising their families in that region. (Usually at rural private schools). I have friends living at Mennonite Village in Salem (and Canby), and others in rural Roseburg (due to VA facility). One in Tangent and one in Ashland.

As others have mentioned.... This is your retirement move, so do what is best for you and your potential desires / mobility in the future. As a lifelong caregiver, I can only recommend to be conservative in planning for your abilities in the future. But certainly live where best suits you (price is less material than quality of this short side of life). If there is an ideal spot, and you can find a reasonable option for living expenses, don't be afraid to 'upsell' yourself to a better QoL.

If you have a great place now, be very diligent in deciding to move. Sometimes it is impossible to go back. (as it was not for us to return to the Colorado we left in 1970's, it just changed too much (Texans...) and prices increased beyond reason. (Plus we had the ONLY house located on a public park. No chance to replace that benefit (Great view of Mtns, and City watered and mowed our lawn!).

Our move to PNW was a major adjustment (for me). No more biking to work and swimming at HS pool next door to work everyday. That was a significant change to my lifestyle and enjoyment. Work was a bummer because I was stuck there all day (night) and home was a bummer (dark, cool, dreary (sickly)) and I was stuck there all day. I did lots of volunteering, but... it was soggy and must drive to volunteer at schools, hospitals, senior homes, community gardens. Just last night I was coming home from swimming and driving in the dark, was REALLY dark after spending the winter in Texas where there are stars and moon at night. Wet feet at grocery, mail, library... (Even some swimmers don't having like wet feet and soggy shoes). Spouse (SoCA kid) LOVES the PNW (weather and green), but does miss the many great friends. We still have far more friends in CO, CA, NE, WY, MN, AZ than we will ever have in WA (tho been here for ~40 yrs).


Choose wisely and be sure to include your 'intangibles'.
  • View
  • Quiet
  • Cultural options (college / music / unique food / international events)
  • International Airport access
  • Access to outdoors
These are all more important to me DAILY than medical access +/- (during my early retirement yrs) age 45 - 75
Post age 80, I will have other priorities and expect I will need a different place to live, tho as long as I can see and hear... it will have a View and live in a Quiet retreat

Be sure to check with our TX C-D exile who retired to WA and relocated back to Wichita Falls (IIRC). Their reasons may not = yours, but they are not advertising for the PNW Chamber of Commerce to assure themselves and others that they made the BEST decision to come and stay. things change, and sometimes we (a few of us) make the wrong decisions.
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Old 05-10-2022, 12:21 PM
 
Location: Desert Southwest
655 posts, read 1,327,099 times
Reputation: 935
The OP's list of requirements is long, especially at $450K. Our list has some similarities, yet not quite so restrictive. Looking at todays market think that the mid $500s to $600K is much more realistic.
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Old 05-11-2022, 04:07 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,605 posts, read 57,568,971 times
Reputation: 46028
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailtramp View Post
The OP's list of requirements is long, especially at $450K. Our list has some similarities, yet not quite so restrictive. Looking at todays market think that the mid $500s to $600K is much more realistic.
and 'tomorrow's' market might bring $600k (Today) to a $450k range.

Housing can take significant hit when things get soft.
There are always some who MUST SELL, even in a down market (Medical expenses or financial needs, job changes, must move for elder care, or schools, mobility... or the owner dies)

In a few months we will have a better idea of where RE prices will be headed in the next few yrs.

Interest rates, inflation, fuel prices, wage hikes are here to stay, so we will be flushing out a 'new-normal' on Vancouver area home pricing influencers. This will make it quite possible to reach back to $450k for a reasonably nice home. For a retirement home, one would need to have very specific criteria and locations and set up a daily feed to usher new listings and new on market FSBO to your inbox.
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Old 05-14-2022, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Desert Southwest
655 posts, read 1,327,099 times
Reputation: 935
We are back to looking back up in Lacey Olympia Tumwater area as there are numerous 55+ communities, it also feels like there are more options in that under $500K price arena when looking at the markets online.
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Old 05-14-2022, 04:57 PM
 
Location: WA
5,314 posts, read 7,601,018 times
Reputation: 8301
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailtramp View Post
We are back to looking back up in Lacey Olympia Tumwater area as there are numerous 55+ communities, it also feels like there are more options in that under $500K price arena when looking at the markets online.
As a general rule you will probably find more affordable options if you look well outside reasonable commuting distance of the Portland and Seattle metro areas.

If it was me and I was moving to the PNW from Texas and didn't have any particular employment or family ties to any particular community and just wanted a safe pleasant economical place to live, I might look hard at the tri-cities area where you can get a lot more for your dollar and generally better weather during much of the year. And it is a big enough metro area (about 300,000) that you will have all the shopping and medical care you need right there.

For example, here's some random examples of under $450,000 single family reasonably new homes in the tri cities:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7...33033154_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...85948957_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...85932536_zpid/

Tri-cities is redder than western WA but the urban area itself is pretty purple and you are still in a blue state. The surrounding rural areas will be red though.

Last edited by texasdiver; 05-14-2022 at 05:09 PM..
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Old 05-15-2022, 07:19 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,605 posts, read 57,568,971 times
Reputation: 46028
If looking in Tri-Cities... add Walla Walla (It is quite a nice 'college' town, fruit / produce basket, and lots to do) and closer to Blue Mtns, Oregon commerce, and Spokane. (and Waitsburg. WA, a favorite of mine)

FWIW.
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Old 05-15-2022, 08:22 PM
 
Location: WA
5,314 posts, read 7,601,018 times
Reputation: 8301
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
If looking in Tri-Cities... add Walla Walla (It is quite a nice 'college' town, fruit / produce basket, and lots to do) and closer to Blue Mtns, Oregon commerce, and Spokane. (and Waitsburg. WA, a favorite of mine)

FWIW.
OP wants to live close to a major medical center. Walla Walla has a smallish regional hospital with Providence, but I don't know how much specialty care you are going to find in Walla Walla compared to larger urban areas like Vancouver or the Tri Cities.
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Old 05-16-2022, 02:56 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,161 posts, read 80,278,112 times
Reputation: 57023
Quote:
Originally Posted by leastprime View Post
If I had known that you were going to Portland, I would have asked to you buy for me a toto bidet seat.
However, wife, couldn't wait any longer (our previous unit is getting flakey). DS didn't stop in Portland after climbing Mt Hood last weekend. Yesterday 50 year family friend in Beaverton, made a surprised visit yesterday, and didn't tell us.

DW, gave up, and today bought a bidet seat at Costco. I would've chipped in for your trip gas or charging, that is unless you are going to take a PU, then all offers are off

OP: Being close to Oregon is nice, to avoid paying Washington's sales tax. Vancouver's 8.5%; Redmond's 10.1%, Seattle's 10.1% .

Vote for no stairs, if possible. If stairs, a stairlift, is really very worthwhile. My father had one. Not that expensive.

I lived in Salem for 64 years. West Salem for 54yrs. I commuted to Portland, Beaverton, Columbia Blvd. I spent more time on the road than I spent with DS when he was growing up.

Good Luck on your search.
YHMV
No, we took the Outback and got 32 MPG, the truck stayed home. Next time I'll check with you before we go down there again.

We have had bad luck in Salem, when coming back from vacations in California. We stayed at the Super 8 years ago and the room was below ground, we could see under our car from the window. Then we booked the La Quinta next to the old Costco on Hawthorne. When we got there the power was out, and we had to carry our luggage up the stairs by flashlight. We left and got some dinner at Red Lobster which still had power, and went back, still dark. We ended up having to go back up and down the stairs, and drive to another part of town and stay at the Shilo.
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