Retirement living near Hood Canal (Seattle, Bremerton: apartment, renter, low crime)

[Wooly Bear]

I am a 70 year old semi-geezer hoping to move soon to WA for the mild climate, boating, gardening, and hiking. I am thinking of the Tahuya, Quilcene, or Bremerton areas. Would appreciate advice on the crime rate, shopping, medical care, and foraging for fish, crabs, clams, oysters, and mushrooms.

[StealthRabbit]

big, BIG difference in the rural / remote towns vs Bremerton.

I have volunteered / cared for many couples who age rural... AMAZING stamina, but the body is only finite... (one couple cleared and built home, hangar, and airstrip property AFTER they were age 70, they were quite weak by age 82, they moved to a senior apartment and got better health, but they were not happy in town.)

At age 70, IF you have any chronic issues, I would consider being a stone's throw from medical (during the late 70's and up)

Are you VA medical eligible? If so, and still want 'semi rural' and lower cost... look to rural Port Orchard. (I would do this).

If you have dough, and don't mind more people, look to Poulsbo

If you are happy with living at a distance, look to Quilcene (Port Angeles is within reach)
If you are happy real remote, look to Tahuya (You have to drive for EVERYTHING, so get it while you are in town)

Other option (if healthy).. build / buy a place with 2 living qtrs and plan to have a renter / caregiver in the future. (I do this very cheap < $100k) Main house, Shop with an apartment + RV hookups for traveling friends. I rent out my main house, and live in the shop or in my TX place I have a cabin). Each place has a 40 x 60 shop for me to play in.

In WA and near water... buy an existing place, permits and fees are TERRIBLE (if not impossible) after Christine built a Dept of Ecology empire (Her job before stealing the governorship (elected by the 'deceased and inmates'.. vote by mail is EXCELLENT for 'creative electorate'! )).

I like to buy 'LEGALLY permitted' trashed mobile home on view acreage. Scrapping the home is kinda fun on the dozer and excavator. You can get a replacement modular VERY cheap (Repo, or new / not delivered). and I have build several solar homes for ~$50 / sf. With stone work and woodwork and GOOD windows and insulation. I make a BIG trip to Habitat restore and rebuilding center in Portland area. (light fixtures, pre-hung doors, plumbing stuff for under $10 (often FREE for NICE toilets and such), I just bought 14 kitchen cabinets for $80 total). They are knotty pine and are NICE in my cabin!

[Wooly Bear]

Excellent advice, and I thank you. It fits quite well with my plans. I am looking on the net at property on the east bank of the Hood, because it best fits my limited budget. I hope I can get efficient broadband there- but expect I will have to get by with satellite. I just hope that is better than the last time I had it, about 10 years ago.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Wooly Bear

... I am looking on the net at property on the east bank of the Hood, ... I hope I can get efficient broadband there- but expect I will have to get by with satellite. I just hope that is better than the last time I had it, about 10 years ago.

I'm 16 miles from a 500k+ population center and am stuck on Dial-up... Satellite not allowed. (federally protected scenic area). no cable, no DSL, fiber directly in front of house, but only can be used by schools and libraries.

Satellite is OK unless you need VPN or a higher security handshake. Latency will cause time out before security can be validated (happens if I want to transfer funds or check my bank balance.) Need to drive to town for such 'complicated' internet transactions as that!

[Wooly Bear]

Ouch! I'm on fiber now, but doubt it is available in the area I'm interested in. Only schools and libraries? Is that state reg, or from the iso?

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Wooly Bear

Ouch! I'm on fiber now, but doubt it is available in the area I'm interested in. Only schools and libraries? Is that state reg, or from the iso?

Funded by USDA rural economic development grant 'Last Mile' (~ 70 miles) to lower population center that has 'potential' and near an existing Google data center.

There are WA rural areas well served by fiber, usually within the county of a Seattle Power (Or BPA) Hydro Dam.

Do you like to fish Mtn Lakes? A friend retired to very NE corner of WA. (near Metaline Falls), He has fiber + VERY cheap power and 25 lakes within 25 miles. In 10 yrs of retirement fishing he has only been on the lake with a handful of people, usually NONE. Need to be careful... 3 ft of snow for 6 months at his home, but very nice and usually partly sunny in winter. Fog below his elevation (along river).

For your chosen location the BEST advice I got when moving from COL to WA. DO NOT buy a home nestled in the trees. south facing open hill is far more digestible during the long dark winters.

Trees cause gutter, sidewalk, moss, and mold problems. AND they can fall on your home and crush it to the GROUND. 300 ft tall tree is very heavy and comes down HARD. When I lose them in the winter winds, I can hear it in my house, and they are over 500 yds away in the forest.

[Wooly Bear]

Right now I live near Chicago, with high crime, cold winters, and hot summers. With this climate I'm only happy outside in the spring and fall. I want a mild climate and a low crime rate. Washington, with mountains and salt water close together (Oh, my!)and a mild climate, has been at the top of my wish list since I first saw it about 15 years ago. As soon as I finish remodeling this house and get it sold I'm heading your way. No, I don't need snow and cold. With the mild climate at sea level, I could go rowing and biking all year long, have several more months in the gardening season, and grow fruit trees in that zone 8 climate I can only dream about here. I'm hoping for next spring.