Is my paradise in Washington? (Spokane, Vancouver: rental car, real estate, rental)

[reyna_lin]

I am looking for a new home. I grew up in Nebraska, simple country farm girl and spent a year in Montana and am now being enslaved and broiled alive in Florida and I want my mountains back (but without the -40 degree weather in Montana). I am a single mother with a little boy and I would love a nice little fixer upper house a couple miles from a medium sized town (big enough for me to get a good job and have a movie theater would be good enough for me) with a couple acres of land where my son can play outside like I did growing up. I want a moderate, four season climate and plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing and just beautiful scenery. (I am tired of sand and palm trees.) I can make a good living, I currently work for Boeing in FL but am looking for an administrative / office / accounting position with good enough pay to support my son and I. I don't think these conditions are too unattainable. Can anyone suggest where to go to narrow my search? Good job opportunities, rural feel, good schools, and low cost of living and I am set. Please let me know if you might have an idea where I can find my slice of heaven. Thank you...

[StealthRabbit]

See about getting a Boeing job in Troutdale, OR and live in WA or OR. There are nearby places that fit your desires. Maybe you can get a paid move!!! then you can keep an eye out and get another job later. In WA if you want tax free income (and choose to live there). The economy in the Portland / Vancouver area is quite diverse, and while stuff is high priced (as compared to 5 yrs ago) it is still possible to find some deals. One of my friends always wanted a shop, and just found a nice 2 acre place with large shop and a dated, but solid home for under $300,000, but careful searching will get you something for less. (especially when winter approaches) But there are lots of high Dollar stuff too. Don't be scared off, just dig very hard when you find your area of choice, and NETWORK. It is much better to get props BEFORE they hit the market.

so... I'd focus on the Portland Vancouver metro area, (plentiful jobs choices, good services) and draw a circle defining your desired commute. I'd specifically consider 'Camas, BrushPrairie (hockinson district), Washougal, (all ez commute to PDX (Portland) if neccessary), then stretch out your commute and add, Salmon Creek (spendy) Ridgefield (mixed bag but spendy) and Battleground.

or the equivalent towns in OR (Corbett, Sandy, Troutdale, Boring)

I'm a Nebraska Prairie kid, and came via 25 yrs in Colorado / WY, and I like 'the gorge'. The 80 mph winds keeps out some of the 'riff-raff'. Hiking is swell, and the beauty changes several times / day with weather patterns (like when we lived in a small village in the swiss alps, different weather about every hour, ours is not so frequent, and plenty of rain... 100" + (boo-hoo)) You need to get to White Salmon to get dry, but not so easy to make ends meet, unless you luck out on a job. Maybe you can get on with the 'drone' RC controlled aircraft company in Bingen, or some of the new wind farms further east. But still opportunities are not great and prices are higher for less wages. North Bonneville is really pretty too, but I'm not keen on their schools, and services for a single mom, but it is worth considering.

You can also look around Olympia, but I'm not too familiar, as I sold my investment prop up that way in Jan. I just like the OR coast better, (1.5 hrs west) so am biased to the south, or the far north in WA. BC has some really nice places, but the border crossing is not as easy anymore, and the exchange rate is really tough for U.S., if you buy gas and food.
West side = 2 climates; Wet 8 months, short transitions to Fall and summer ~ 1month each, and 2 months of summer (really nice, except today...104F)

Eastside...= 4 seasons; dry, more farming centered, tho they don't get any political representation on major issues, as the westside (of the cascade range) controls the state vote.

If you don't need the coast, you can consider the outlying areas around Spokane, (not sure of jobs, but there were quite a few in East Spoknae and the valley, Post Falls, ID, there was some Boeing operations in Spokane at one time, but not sure of current facilities)
I like SE of Spokane such as Fairfield (because I'm a dryland farmer at heart) The Palouse is the breadbasket of WA (can you imagine 80+ bushel / acre wheat WITHOUT irrigation!!). This is a gorgeous place to see in late May, or in July just before harvest. The 'sidehill' combines are pretty cool!
pics here (as close to Nebraska as we get in WA); OBC Harvest (broken link) (these folks voluntarily farm donated church ground to fund hunger and ag missions)


Walla Walla is nice, and the Blue Mountains are a short drive away. (again far from coast)

You need to fly out and check this joint for potential. (I'd recommend flying to PDX, as it is very EZ, and rental cars are usually much cheaper than SEA) PM me for VERY cheap and SAFE places to stay, and a great idea for single moms traveling alone or with kids. (private guest homes)

[pw72]

From your description, Wenatchee, WA comes to mind. Check it out. Small, but near what you are looking for. But don't wait too long, I hear property values are rising due to its relative proximity to the "pugetropolis". (But until they rebuild State Hwy 2, it will take awhile!

[Bo Knows]

Sounds like you are talking about Moses Lake. Center of the state. Grat place to raise a family. Definatly 4 seasons. The lake and the parks offer alot to do. Cost of living is cheap and the jobs are everywhere.

[sberdrow]

yeah wa is the state for you. I coming back to wa from a mistake i made when I moved to Texas. Im sick of the flatness and heat. They say there is no heat this year, well if thats the case, I really need to get out. Im doing bellingham. I agree with Moses Lake for you. I don't know what cheap is. If you want to go a little cheaper, try Colorado Springs Co. Get a Government job with the USAF. Boise Id seems like a place that might work too.

I cant wait to see those mountains again......just 20 hours away as of 2:19 central time, then Im ON a JET PLAINE, don't know when Ill be back again. Ill be glad not to hear those loud Grackle birds that wake me up at 5 in the morning. They sound like rattle snakes.

Im a traveler of all states on the west coast, feel free in PM me.

[Sandy Nelson]

Reyna-lin,

Sounds like Washington is the state for you. I'm a transplant myself, with a pretty narrow climate tolerance and I love it here.
I live in Olympia, population under 50,000 and two movie theaters. There are plenty of state jobs here. If it is too big for you, I would recommend Centralia. It has become a bedroom community for state workers who work in Olympia, but want the small town and lower real estate prices of Centralia.
Check out Centralia here.

Good luck!

Sandy