Help narrowing down Washing city search for cross country move? (Seattle: real estate, condo)

[darksister]

Hi all! I'm looking for a little bit of guidance...I'd basically like to move from Ohio to Washington, and after many hours of looking at different cities and towns, I still don't know where to visit to start scouting for homes...I'll give as much detail as possible since what I'm looking for is probably kind of strange and might not even exist, but hey I figured maybe someone here is up for a challenge.

We're looking for a smallish town vibe - we (my partner and I) are definitely NOT city people. However, we definitely want an "artsy" small town vibe if possible (perhaps with a gallery/coffee shop or two - we're not asking much). To maybe give an example of what we were looking for - we are considering a town that we love in Ohio called Oberlin

from Oberlins site "The quintessential college town, Oberlin hosts a variety of arts and culture activities, and is home to many eclectic shops and restaurants.” Previously designated Ohio’s “Best College Town,” our community is not only a destination, but home for many who love Oberlin's rare combination of restaurants, shopping, architecture, cultural attractions, collegiate enthusiasm, and great neighborhood" Oberlin is very tiny and surrounded by rural areas - which is cool for us, so, sort of "away from it all, without being too away."

The problem with Oberlin and Ohio in general is why we'd like to move to WA. My boyfriend is an avid hiker and we're both outdoor people - we also hate the volatile Ohio winters/summers and we hate the sun (lol) and would prefer it to be grey and raining all of the time...

So, very close access to great trails and parks is a must, and we'd like to be close enough to one of the large national parks if possible so camping is something that we don't have to plan tons ahead to do.

As far as home prices go, I'd like to get something nice at the max $200,000 range. Unfortunately being from Ohio (we're I'm living in a beautiful large home in a nice neighborhood that we purchased for $66,000) the home prices in other states is giving me sticker shock - what little you get for so much! But as my boyfriends dad is a contractor living in California, minor fixing-upping will be fine.

Job availability isn't really a factor - we both work from home. We're both artists, so a town that would have a craft or art fair would be really nice...

Sorry if this is a lot of info - but I figure the more info I give the easier it will be for locals to have something come to mind.

So basically, great hiking that's very close, arty small town vibe, cost of living/homes that I can afford hopefully maybe and perhaps being nearish to a large city where we can go if needed..

Anything come to mind? Thanks tons for any info anyone can give!

[darksister]

Oh and to clarify, basically what I mean when I say "considering Oberlin" is that if we could pick it up and plop it down near a forest in Washington, we would live there

[Arushan]

Bellingham could work for you if you're fine with a condo instead of a house.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by darksister

Hi all! I'm looking for a little bit of guidance...I'd basically like to move from Ohio to Washington, and after many hours of looking at different cities and towns, I still don't know where to visit to start scouting for homes...I'll give as much detail as possible since what I'm looking for is probably kind of strange and might not even exist, but hey I figured maybe someone here is up for a challenge.

Anything come to mind? Thanks tons for any info anyone can give!

South end: Ashland Oregon. Nothing close to the commerce-heavy parts of Seattle metro will fit your budget.

I visited Ashland the other month because it sounded interesting, and the journey was half the fun. It hits pretty much every one of your marks. I am vaguely contemplating fleeing to such a place when and if I retire early, though that goal is nowhere near in sight yet. When I'm at T-minus 5 years I'll look for a place not dissimilar to what you're looking for, with a few differences. I didn't see a downside to Ashland, other than the "expense" which is not an issue to those holding assets in the already-crazed Seattle metro property market.

...which tees off the Ashland locals, btw, as California people and others drive up real estate prices. But I digress. 5 hour drive to San Francisco, 4 hours to Portland. Just close enough (or far enough) from civilization to be interesting.

North end: Bellingham, WA. Lots of pros and cons threads on that place.

[Artemissa]

Port Townsend, on the northeastern end of the Olympic Peninsula?

[CrazyDonkey]

Port Townsend/Sequim area - close to Olympic National Park and wilderness ocean beaches.

Bellingham-to-Anacortes area - close to Mt. Baker, North Cascades National Park, and San Juans.

Olympia area - close to Mt. Rainier National Park, Hood Canal/Olympic N.P., Westport/Ocean Shores ocean beaches.

[yip812]

You need to be in the Bellingham/Mount Vernon area. You described it to a T. Lovely place where I would live if I could. We go up there once or twice a year to escape the dreadful summers of Eastern WA (100 degrees every day this week). We always hit a couple hiking trails and usually head up to Deception Pass State Park.

Love the trails

(this is the lime kiln trail, near granite falls, I don't remember how far it is from mount vernon, maybe an hour?)

[fishbrains]

I have been to Oberlin a few times, so my post has at least a bit of personal experience.

Pretty much all of western Washington is going to be more moderate than NE Ohio. Ohio will be hotter in the summer, colder in the winter, and snow a lot more. Washington wins the rain and drizzle category though.

Bellingham is probably your best bet. It is larger than Oberlin, but I certainly would not call it a big city. There is an arts scene, two community colleges and Western Washington university. Quirky restaurants, small businesses and proximity to all sorts of parks.

Bellingham is roughly midway between Seattle and Vancouver, so you would have venues to sell your art.

Olympia would be your second option, but you will find it much more city-like. When comparing populations, you need to lump Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey together, as they essentially function as one city. Oly et al is dominated by state government, giving it a bit less of that college town feel. The Evergreen State College, located in Olympia, is probably closer in tone to Oberlin College than WWU though. Oly is close to many state parks as well.