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The biggest problem with that is that you have the most asked question of the PNW for those looking to move here. Where is the weather mildest with the least rain/snow? When people then hear about the rain shadow in WA around Sequim, it sounds like nirvana. OMG, that's it! It's like Columbus discovering America. I mean, less rain, more sun (maybe a little?). But being that far north and next to the Canadian boarder and the sea, it still gets really cold during winter. And it's been over marketed as such to death which has driven prices up accordingly.
Go back and take a look at that WA weather thread and see the snow and ice MechAndy dealt with this past winter. The trouble he had getting to the airport with all the cars that slid off into ditches along the snowy roads. It's no banana belt of warmth up there. Maybe a bit drier but it still gets really cold and icy like the rest of the PNW. Those Alaskan storms roll right down off the water from Canada.
The true Banana Belt of the PNW is Brookings, OR which has more of everything weather wise - sunny days, longer days during winter, warmer temps overall during winter, etc.. And its right on the boarder of California vs. the Canadian boarder. There is a significant and noticeable different as you move further north in latitude. Old man winter hides from no man (or women) in the great white north.
Derek
It's all good Derek:
If the Pacific Northwest actually had San Diego weather there would be an additional 5 million people living up here with prices to match.
If the Pacific Northwest actually had San Diego weather there would be an additional 5 million people living up here with prices to match.
The weather keeps *some* of the riff raff out.
How about Santo Domingo, Chile as an excellent place to snowbird in Winter? My gosh, with family down there, it almost sounds like a no brainer! What a beautiful and warm climate right on the coast. Looking at its latitude which is 33.6479° S it's almost the exact same distance from the equator as my hometown of Hermosa Beach, CA at 33.8622° N. Only problem with Hermosa Beach is the median home price now of $2.6M!! I have a feeling coastal Chile is much more affordable on a relative scale than that, SD or anyplace in SoCal.
According to one expat website: "Chile is one of South America's most willing countries to welcome foreigners looking to relocate or retire. Chilean immigration will probably let you in, provided that you prove that you are financially able to live in Chile and are serious about staying in the country for a long time."
-- https://www.expat.cl/guide-chile/imm...rentista-visa/
So, with everything there pros/cons. What's the biggest con of coastal Chile? Political unrest, drug cartels, general crime or ...? I mean, how bad could such a beautiful area really be?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Santo Domingo, Zapallar, and Renaca Chile which are all very Californian in climate but not undiscovered. Lots of wealthy Chileans and Argentinians there as well as the occasional European. In Uruguay, Punta del Este is the big resort but there are other places less developed.
Chile very much resembles the central California coast.
If heading international (or even within the USA).... If you're on a budget, adapt to living like a local, rather than a wealthy expat. Retiree friends in South America get by fine in less than tourist areas. <$800/ month rent with beach and shopping local village access, and <$800/ year health insurance for (2)/ married couple. Basic Medicare + std suppliment will run you $800/ month for (2) in the USA
If PNW newcomers would have bought their homes at local market prices, we'd all be living in homes under $300k, and our property tax obligation would be 1/2 current requirements. Wouldn't have to leave your home to afford retirement.
How about Santo Domingo, Chile as an excellent place to snowbird in Winter? My gosh, with family down there, it almost sounds like a no brainer! What a beautiful and warm climate right on the coast. Looking at its latitude which is 33.6479° S it's almost the exact same distance from the equator as my hometown of Hermosa Beach, CA at 33.8622° N. Only problem with Hermosa Beach is the median home price now of $2.6M!! I have a feeling coastal Chile is much more affordable on a relative scale than that, SD or anyplace in SoCal.
According to one expat website: "Chile is one of South America's most willing countries to welcome foreigners looking to relocate or retire. Chilean immigration will probably let you in, provided that you prove that you are financially able to live in Chile and are serious about staying in the country for a long time."
-- https://www.expat.cl/guide-chile/imm...rentista-visa/
So, with everything there pros/cons. What's the biggest con of coastal Chile? Political unrest, drug cartels, general crime or ...? I mean, how bad could such a beautiful area really be?
For us there are no immigration issues with Chile. My wife is is a dual citizen and so are all our children. I'm the only one without a Chilean passport but as a spouse my residency issues are trivial. I can get permanent residency easily.
The bigger issues are work and kids. Neither my job nor my wife's job translates easily to Chile. She could probably find work as a doctor in Chile after reactivating all her medical licenses down there which would be some level of bureaucracy and hassle. I'd probably have to teach at an international school which are only in Santiago for the most part. But we have our 3 kids here, one of whom is still in HS (will be a senior next year) and going half way across the world to be away from them is not on my wife's bucket list. She likes to be in their lives.
At some point when all the kids are out of the house and "launched" we might retire or semi-retire and decide to split time between Chile and the US. Or just spend some extended time there.
Honestly there are no real drawbacks to living in Chile as an American. It is a well developed European-style country unlike say Central America. What probably keeps most Americans away is the distance and cost as it is closer to the US in cost of living and you can find cheaper places to live in countries like Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, etc. and consequently there are larger expat communities there. Chile is for people who want to live outside the world of expat communities because it doesn't really have any. Completely different from say living in Puerto Vallarta or Playa del Carmen in Mexico where it is endless American expats.
At current exchange rates, the list price is about $437,000 and 300 square meters is about 3200 sf. My wife's aunt and uncle have a house in Santo Domingo quite similar to this one. So yes, much cheaper than coastal California and more like you would expect to find in the center of the US like say Iowa or Arkansas.
Santiago is probably more expensive. It is a really big city and fewer people own single family homes there. Condo apartments are more common just like say NYC. Again, for a decent 2-3 bedroom apartment in a good building in a good area you are probably starting in the $400,000 range and then it just goes up from there.
At some point when all the kids are out of the house and "launched" we might retire or semi-retire and decide to split time between Chile and the US. Or just spend some extended time there.
Honestly there are no real drawbacks to living in Chile as an American. It is a well developed European-style country unlike say Central America. What probably keeps most Americans away is the distance and cost as it is closer to the US in cost of living and you can find cheaper places to live in countries like Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, etc. and consequently there are larger expat communities there. Chile is for people who want to live outside the world of expat communities because it doesn't really have any. Completely different from say living in Puerto Vallarta or Playa del Carmen in Mexico where it is endless American expats.
I was thinking about the split time option which gives you the best of both worlds. Winter in Chile and then come back to the states so you are still be near your kids after launched. That's assuming they are going to all remain in WA after graduation. That's a harder one to predict as careers and eventual significant others play roles in where they decide to live as young adults. But you could still keep US ties that way. So, its not much of a stretch to do so with relatives in both places.
I have a co-worker who married an Australian. And they would travel back and forth between countries. However, eventually, they just liked to too much and decided to move it all to the land Oz. Now he's gained citizenship via his spouse and international company. They have many advantages over the states with their younger kids. That includes free college and national healthcare among other benefits.
My earlier statement about "as close as possible to California" was perhaps garbled. It's a matter of approximation, not duplication.
Suppose that somebody asks, "I want to move to Norway. Where in Norway is the climate closest, to that of coastal California"? Is the question stupid? Depends on interpretation. Everywhere in Norway will have snow. San Diego doesn't have snow. But Bergen, Norway, is a lovely coastal city with comparatively mild climate, warmed by the Gulf Stream ocean-current. So a non-stupid answer to the question would be: "Move to the SW of Norway, especially Bergen. Avoid Oslo, and most certainly avoid the inland mountain regions. And don't even think about Narvik".
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Originally Posted by MtnSurfer
The true Banana Belt of the PNW is Brookings, OR ...
The trouble with Oregon, is that income tax is nearly as bad as in California. Might as well pay incrementally more, and stay in California.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnSurfer
How about Santo Domingo, Chile as an excellent place to snowbird in Winter?...
We have some vigorous "retire abroad" threads over in the Retirement forum. It's a fine option for the astute and the intelligent. For those of us lacking one (or both) of those attributes, the proposition is a bit fraught. Then there's the old bugaboo about taxes. One has to establish residency somewhere in the US, and thus get taxed based on that residency, correct? So, even if one goes to Chile or Cambodia or Croatia, there's the matter of paying taxes to our home-state, and also, taxation in the country of residence (not to mention federally back in the US). Where's the savings?
I'd rather live on the Oregon side of the Portland metro area. That bridge to WA is a beast at rush hour lol. This comparison can be pretty darn close depending on what someone is looking for/their personal situation.
I'd rather live on the Oregon side of the Portland metro area. That bridge to WA is a beast at rush hour lol. This comparison can be pretty darn close depending on what someone is looking for/their personal situation.
Don't take the bridge. I only cross it about once a month. And I never see traffic because I don't go during rush hour. There is plenty on the Vancouver side.
The Camas and Vancouver area has been growing on me since we moved here in 2016. As time passes I find less and less reason to ever cross the bridge. Especially during peak traffic times. About the only time we ever drive over to Portland is (1) for especially eclectic ethnic cuisine, and (2) specialty shopping that you can't find in Vancouver. Like, for example, sailboat rigging. I recently had to drive over to West Coast Sailing in Portland to find some specific blocks and specialty rigging for my sailboat. My daughter's prom was also in Portland at the Portland Art Museum a couple weekends ago. So I had to drive her over and back. She was just going low-key with another friend to hang out and wasn't doing the full blown prom date thing. Some kid literally brought a tank:
Don't take the bridge. I only cross it about once a month. And I never see traffic because I don't go during rush hour. There is plenty on the Vancouver side.
The Camas and Vancouver area has been growing on me since we moved here in 2016. As time passes I find less and less reason to ever cross the bridge. Especially during peak traffic times. About the only time we ever drive over to Portland is (1) for especially eclectic ethnic cuisine, and (2) specialty shopping that you can't find in Vancouver. Like, for example, sailboat rigging. I recently had to drive over to West Coast Sailing in Portland to find some specific blocks and specialty rigging for my sailboat. My daughter's prom was also in Portland at the Portland Art Museum a couple weekends ago. So I had to drive her over and back. She was just going low-key with another friend to hang out and wasn't doing the full blown prom date thing. Some kid literally brought a tank:
I would never have believed this without the video. These kids will go far! I would love to go their 50th reunion!
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