Looking for Our New Hometown in WA or OR (Seattle: sales, neighborhood)

[StealthRabbit]

Astoria, OR is probably the only 'affordable' Victorian home community (depends on what you can afford and if you like OR taxes and politics) town is +/- on quaint and also depressed !

Waitsburg, WA is my favorite Victorian-Esq 'architectural town', Nearby Walla Walal worth a look, but airport access is not so hot.

Portland is pretty ideal airport (Just landed there a few minutes ago, very windy and cold today!) It is a VERY EZ and FAST airport from WA side.

Since Victorians are rare and costly on the left coast, we will not each get our own... so I would consider renting / participating in a very unique community 10 min from PDX
Officers Row Fast Facts | Properties
Vancouver, WA +
Local History (older than Portland) , Farmer's Market, Waterfront Redevelopment, focus on nutrition and exercise, very outdoor centric community, ez access to Columbia River Gorge, Cascade Mtns, Mt Rainier, Hood, St Helens, Adams, and beautiful Northern Oregon Coast + everything Portland has to offer 10 min away.

[Ruth4Truth]

Well, unless I missed it, the OP never mentioned "affordability" or a budget. I guess Port Townsend would be too far away from a main airport, though the OP said they looked at San Juan Island, which also is far from an international airport and requires ferry travel. It still might be worth a look for them.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Well, unless I missed it, the OP never mentioned "affordability" or a budget. ...though the OP said they looked at San Juan Island, which also is far from an international airport and requires ferry travel. It still might be worth a look for them.

Yeah, we need a budget. (of some type) classic Victorians are no longer available in the Sears Roebuck Catalogue (tho I have visited many excellent vintage "Sears" homes (usually in NE, CO, KS, IA, IL...). They are pretty small to be 'Victorian', and truly NOT the classic.

Monster Victorian homes are more prevalent in NE USA than NW.

Metro markets have them priced VERY high, but there are excellent older neighborhoods in Portland ($800k+) or Seattle. ($1.5m+) Smaller PNW towns may get price to the $300k level, KS homes will be $150K (no beach or mtns).

I lived on an Island in BC. It was <10 air minutes to Vancouver BC airport (charter float plane), but a 6 hr (2) ferry road trip.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Victorians: Astoria Oregon or the coast of Northern California, last few miles of the northern coast, Eureka or Arcata.

Other than that, Oregon tends to have Bungalow Craftsman cottages. Victorian construction was never popular.

[west seattle gal]

Do we even have real Victorians on the west coast?

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Aberdeen, WA has some great old houses, but they're pretty beat, in beat neighborhoods, depressed economy but not far from Olympia. Astoria, Oregon has great houses &; depressed economy. I think there are a few in Montesano, WA, it's a cute town. Port Townsend, WA is Victorianna world, but as said before, is now $$$. I saw some cool houses in Waitsburg, WA, but that's in Eastern Washington, which is desert-like with agriculture as the main industry...don't know what most people do for a living there...also very hot in the summer, & not green unless irrigated.

P.S. I traveled in upstate NY and there ARE a lot of cute little towns there...loved them. Many appeared to be former factory towns. The problem is that the little towns here also have a depressed economy, although areas like PT have a lot of well-off retirees.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

Do we even have real Victorians on the west coast?

Of course! Look at San Francisco. The problem is that many burned down, were flooded in low-lying tsunami areas, knocked down by earthquakes, chopped up into multi-units, and just torn down because they weren't appreciated, or in the name of "progress". There used to be a lot of Victorians in San Diego, CA, but you wouldn't know that now.

[Lindsay1126]

Don't come to North Whidbey. It does have most of your wants, but the economy is linked to the Navy air station. It is also VERY isolated. It takes at least 35 min off the island to get to any decent stores. Our downtown, is very minimal. Maybe the south side of the island, would be a better fit. It is very artsy and better downtown area, then to get to town would only be a ferry ride (depending on how often you go, would add up in cost). The economy on any part of the island will be VERY highly linked to the seasons. Not many people visit Whidbey in the winter (except a handful of dual home owners).
If I was to call the PNW home forever, I would want to live in Portland. I have lived in WA for 7 years(snohomish county 4 years, north whidbey 3). I have visited Portland, tons of time and always love my time there. It has all the things you wanted, but a victorian will cost you some money. I enjoyed my time in Snohomish County, but other than the town of Snohomish it doesn't have that small town feel. Woodinville or Issaquah might be perfect also. I would have loved to have had a chance to live in that area. Both have fun little small town feels, with fun areas, and both are super close to Seattle/Bellevue. Both also have great economies. Remember also, most of WW economy is linked to Boeing first then Amazon and Microsoft so if anything happens to those companies(ESPECIALLY BOEING), economies WILL be effected.

ANYWHERE in the PNW gives you access to any outdoor activities that you would want to see. It is the most beautiful state I have or probably will ever live (I have lived a lot of places). There are endless outdoor hikes and trails(that will give you breathtaking views) to take anywhere in the state.

[Lindsay1126]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

Do we even have real Victorians on the west coast?

ABSOLUTELY I see them all the time! A lot need to be fixed up though. If they are already rehabbed, they will be major money, though.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

Do we even have real Victorians on the west coast?

What? Oh, good heavens: San Francisco is famous for its Victorians, and the city of Berkeley has entire neighborhoods full of them on the west side of town. It's like an art gallery of Victorians! And then there's Port Townsend. Orcas Island has a few, too.