Cheap housing outside major cities (Seattle, Tacoma: foreclosure, rentals, condo)

[Tac-Sea]

I own a few houses in major cities in WA but would like to buy a place that is 125-150K or less as a retirement home.

Criteria:

-No more than 150K in price.

-Must not be in a ghetto.

-Within driving distance to IT jobs (Seattle/Bellevue/Bothell/Redmond). I don't mind commuting up 1.5 to 2 hours one way.

-Ideally located close to the Puget Sound area so I can manage my rentals in South King County (show properties to new tenants etc.).

I was looking at Shelton, but it appears too far from the major cities. What about living across the water from Seattle and taking a ferry? Vashon Island maybe? Or perhaps something on the east side. Monroe comes to mind but seems like a losing battle going south on 405 in the mornings and north in the afternoon.

[CrazyDonkey]

Doesn't exist, unless you're talking about a one-bedroom condo/townhouse somewhere, or a foreclosure/auction.

[prosin]

Bremerton
Port Orchard
Key Peninsula
Tacoma

But probably none will be newer construction unless they are modular/mobile homes.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by prosin

Bremerton
Port Orchard
Key Peninsula
Tacoma

But probably none will be newer construction unless they are modular/mobile homes.

"Within driving distance to IT jobs (Seattle/Bellevue/Bothell/Redmond)."

[prosin]

Originally Posted by Tac-Sea

I was looking at Shelton, but it appears too far from the major cities. What about living across the water from Seattle and taking a ferry? Vashon Island maybe? Or perhaps something on the east side. Monroe comes to mind but seems like a losing battle going south on 405 in the mornings and north in the afternoon.

Um, Crazy, I didn't think I mis-read that part.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by prosin

Um, Crazy, I didn't think I mis-read that part.

A Key Peninsula-Redmond commute...

[Creepskill]

Eh...doesnt really exist, but the Yakima Valley is on the fringe of that 1.5-2 hour drive.

It is much more cheaper to live there than the Seattle metro area, almost 2x-3x less expensive, but it is a very crime-ridden area. I would define Yakima as a ghetto. West Valley is nice but it's more expensive and even still it has it's problems. Outlying towns like Selah or Naches may be a bit better.

Ellensburg is a nice, quiet town that may be more affordable than Seattle and is about 1.5 hours commute from there.

[CrazyDonkey]

Google says 1 3/4 drive from Ellensburg to Seattle. A commute during peak periods would be more like 2 1/2 hours, and over 3 hours for Yakima, it seems to me. Plus there's the little issue of the Pass.

[NomadicBear]

My first question is why would you want to buy that house right now, at the apex of what I believe is another massive bubble? You admittedly already have two other houses, and you want another one? I find these sorts of things baffling.

[CrazyDonkey]

I don't see a housing bubble, but just demand outrunning supply. Supply is being added at the top end, but not from the middle down.