tips for relocating retiree from Florida

[rylynn]

What about Raymond? What's that area like?

[SierraGirl]

@rylynn - I am going to be watching your journey to find the right place for relocation in WA. Back in 2007 I moved from central CA to the FL panhandle for work and it has never felt like home. In the next 6 months I hope to move back to the west coast, but not CA. I have been looking at Boise, Portland, Vancouver and just recently came across the Olympic Pen. and Sequim as a definitely possibility! Good luck in your search.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by SierraGirl

@rylynn - I am going to be watching your journey to find the right place for relocation in WA. Back in 2007 I moved from central CA to the FL panhandle for work and it has never felt like home. In the next 6 months I hope to move back to the west coast, but not CA. I have been looking at Boise, Portland, Vancouver and just recently came across the Olympic Pen. and Sequim as a definitely possibility! Good luck in your search.

Basically if you like Mtn / Prairie / 4 seasons / conservative state and community Boise is nice (but quite large). for ID I really like Moscow and Sandpoint.

If you like / need No income tax state and very independent / accepting state that is in decent financial shape, WA is good. Oly penn. is nice, but rainy and somewhat secluded. Sequim is nice but gray winters, but good access to BC and to wilderness mtns. 2+ hrs to SEA TAC (I fly alot to escape winters.)
WA I prefer Bellingham / Lynden or Camas or Newport (all border towns). Wenatchee for central WA and access to SEA.

Portland...= weird and very left (as is much of OR). Lot of 'culture' ~ 20 colleges. and a GREAT airport (thus I am based 20 miles east in Scenic Columbia Gorge.) OR has a HIGH income and property tax and schools are not funded, and gov system is weird too. But this is fine with many and preferred by them.

NoCA is still not bad either (weather) but taxes and lack of airports are a problem that will keep me from living there. I can fly for under $100 and I fly PDX to SAN frequently for $30 one way.

I keep a country home near Austin, TX for winter escape.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by rylynn

vacant land available in the 2 - 5 acre size for less than $10K per acre

You won't be finding land for less than $10,000 an acre anywhere in Western Washington. Probably not in Eastern Washington, either, unless is is desert with no water available and no town nearby.

With your low amount of available funds, perhaps you should be price shopping and finding areas where you can afford to buy and then choose from those. There is little point in studying areas where you have no hope of purchasing.