vancouver living? (Seattle, Camas, Mill Plain: real estate, rentals, house)

[SKOT]

This is my fist post on this board, but I have already found it to be most helpfull. OK so with that said, here we go...

I am 32 yr old man looking for a place in the Vancouver area to move my family. My wife is Hispanic and Fillipino and we have a 7 yr old son. We are interested in area that is excepting of our mix marrige and also has really good schools. Although any thing has to be improvment over the schools in Las Vegas. I have read alot about the Ever Green School District. We are also taking 3 day trip the up to the are the first weekend this Febuary. Any ideas of what I sahould try to make time to see?

[StealthRabbit]

Schools would probably be best to focus on Evergreen or Camas, really depends on your age and needs, as Vanc SD has an 'arts school' and they all share a skills center. You really need to spend time in the classroom and with students and teachers to get a feel for whether it promotes your values, or if you will be required to 'de-program' your kids everynight. (dairy farm boarding schools in rural eastern OR are a good option ...)

A weekend will be tough to get a feel for the area in light of relocation, do a lot of preliminary web searching and optimise your time. I recently hooked up with a couple from the bay area who were here for a week. While they liked it real well, they were dissuaded by talking to numerous residents. (not me of course...) They actually were a good fit, as they had lots of indoor hobbies and also liked a vibrant garden. Sustained 'Gray Climate', high prop taxes, and traffic congestion were the detractors. Be sure to visit on a Friday afternoon to taste the commute !

Do some searching in this forum, as day trips were just covered last week.

[SKOT]

I reall appreciate it. This board as been extremeley informative and i look forward to hearing more responses. Hopefully this will be the first of several trips to the area

[cdelena]

Originally Posted by janb

.... high prop taxes, and traffic congestion were the detractors. Be sure to visit on a Friday afternoon to taste the commute !

Do some searching in this forum, as day trips were just covered last week.

Property taxes and traffic congestion have to be compared to where you are coming from. My taxes in Texas are three times what they are in Vancouver and traffic at commute time somewhat better in Vancouver (although it is hard to call any congestion good).

We made three one week trips to the area in different seasons before we decided it was right for us. Have now purchased a house and will move in next month.

[StealthRabbit]

I missed your first question re; mixed race couple; I don't feel that is any issue in the PNW, west side, semi-metro. In general even on east side it would be an exception to find that to be a problem.

RE: high taxes, yes, all in perspective, and needs to be figured on a case by case. WA state is best if you have an employer, (not a business owner), or if retired with an income / pension or in-state rentals (or from another tax free state, TX, AK, NV, FL, NH) ) but... WA has to get it's taxes somewhere... so my annual Clark county Property taxes have gone from $800>$8000 in less than 10 yrs, and next yr will be $11,000 (this does not include my additional obligation to Clark County for Personal Property taxes...) Thus they seem quite adequate (excessive) to me. WA pays on 100% of 'perceived' fair market value, (not 8% like WYO, or with a homestead exemption like ID, or a 'reduced' value as OR, and no Prop 13 like CA) Levys vary greatly, but typically $12 > $18 per $1000 of value. Our $100k (cost basis) home just appears to be worth $800k to our friendly assessor. To me it's just a place to sleep, (an expensive place to sleep), I couldn't care less whether I have a $10,000 home or a $1 mil home, the less the better on a 'fixed' income. You only see the high value when you sell, and you still need a place to sleep. (a perpetual liability)

Do shop property for mill levy rates as they vary by neighborhood (schools, fire, sewer district...), AND realize that your taxes in yr 2 (we pay in the rears) will be based on what you paid for the joint, or more if they deem you got a good deal... NOT what the 'previous' taxes were, as listed in property data.

RE; Commute ... intra-Vancouver is not too bad, but if you are doing a bridge crossing (PDX) or on a 'limited' arterial (east Hwy 14, or 'back roads') those commutes have doubled in the last 2 yrs, again all in perspective... if you weren't used to driving down east Mill Plain with only one stop light until 164th (it was a 4way stop), things aren't too bad, especially compared to Seattle / Dallas. But, if the sight of a stoplight makes you long for Bill, Wyoming (no stoplights for 120 miles) then Vanc can be a bit wasteful of gas, brakes, and time. It does do a pretty good business in auto body and brake and clutch repair, as well as physical therapists and chiroprators. In the last yr, we've been rear-ended twice in VANC multicar pileups due to cell phone talking SUVs (with poor stopping distances). After 40 +yrs without an accident, many yrs as professional drivers, both husband and wife...(lot's-o-miles in ice and snow)

[worldpremier_slott]

I have lived in Vancouver most of my life and I do agree that the Evergreen School District is one of the best. There is a lot to do here, especially if you are family oriented.
The diverse culture and friendliness of the residents are always a plus.

Being in real estate I am required to know a few things about the area. I have seen this town grow immensly in the last 10 years and only for the better.

You would have no concerns at all about a mixed relationship. I have many friends that are in mixed relationships. The children are in no way in any danger of being isolated due to the mixed nature.

As for things to check out while your here, I would suggest the Fort Vancouver historical site and Pearson Air Museum. You can learn alot of history about Vancouver there. The army reserve barracks and Officers Row is right there also.

Vancouver is a larger city full of promise and good will. There are too many things to do to list.

The downside to living here is that it does rain. Not as much as people think but it does rain alot. You have to drive to pretty much anywhere you want to go. Vancouver is trying to be more bike friendly but still has some things to tweak on the commuter side. There is also the property taxes and rising costs of living. However those can also be pro's too. (i am not allowed to get into specifics due to the terms of agreement)

Whatever your needs are, you can find it here or real close. OMSI would be fun for the kids and so would the zoo if it wasn't going to be cold in February. You also have some indoor things to do like Ice skating, go karting, bowling, theatre...etc.

If you have more questions feel free to ask.

[SKOT]

Thanks for the feedback. I am sure that after we have visited the area we will have many more questions.

[momof5]

my son just had a horrible incidence at his middle school. This is a common occurance and when my older son went to school there the kids were relentless towards the Russian immigrant kids and the Mexican immigrant kids. the latest problem occured against a child who was of mexican heritage. A kid on the bus was harrassing him because of his heritage. It happens alot in the middle school but mind you these kids are all pretty much higher income and middle income kids in a mainly white school. My son by the way is also bi-racial and was floored by the harrassment and reported it to the school. I haven't hear back yet what the school said but he hasn't seen the harrasser on the bus anymore.

Most folks are kind and just work hard and provide for their families. But there isn't much diversity and many kids when they get older use that against kids to pick on them.

My kids are in the Evergreen school district and have had an EXCELLENT education but I sometimes question comments made to my son about his bi-racialness by both teachers and other students. I think most of it is curiosity not mean ness but clearly the boy harrassing the other student was mean. the school says they have a zero tolorance for harrassment but to be frank they don't teach tolorance just punish non-tolorance. I think that is wrong.

Go carefully. In the neighborhood my kids are happy and healthy but there isn't a sense of community of any type here.

We are looking at moving in a more racially diverse area. Jobs too are hard to find so you might want one before you come.

[SKOT]

Thanks For All The Feed Back.

[coltoncity]

SKOT this is the whitest community I have every lived in but getting a little more excepting. I am white my daughter hispanic. Prepare for the questionable looks and being pulled over more often. One reason is a LOT of hispanics male men in Portland are in a lot of trouble. They also tend to go after younger girls. It makes it very hard on my daughters Dad who is a good man. I also know people who left because of the assumption that they are the same. Its better then it was more diversity coming from Portland but slowly.