Places to visit/keep an eye on for potential move after college? (Seattle: sales, mortgage)

[solanaceae]

Hi! I'm currently living in central Texas, and I've been thinking about moving up to the American northwest area for a long time. I won't be able to move realistically for a good amount of time, as I'm a freshman in college and intend on attending a Texas university for pharmacy school. That makes my possible move to be about 8-12 years in the future, depending on how well I'm able to save up money during school.

I'd like to spend my summer/winter vacations throughout college visiting some places to get a more accurate feel for where I might move to after college. My main criteria is that with a pharmacist's salary working at a retail store (I've done work as a pharm tech and really enjoyed the retail pharmacy setting), I would be able to purchase a house and some land or build a house on a piece of land that is relatively natural. I don't need anything huge, and I think anywhere from 2 to 6 acres would be ideal. I looked at some land prices online, and there seems to be a huge variance for different areas of the state. The house itself wouldn't need to be all that large either, enough to house me and a spouse.

I would like to be within 30 minutes drive of a grocery store, and within 30 minutes drive of my work if at all possible. I understand this might be impossible if I'm wanting to own acreage, so if so I'll have to compromise. I've got at least a decade to decide my priorities! Also, ideally I'd be within 2 hours drive of a medium/large city. I don't need a lot of big-city stuff, but having some clothing stores I could actually get out to would be amazing!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE nature and hiking so much, and everything else is flexible (except for being able to get a job of course) if I have access to beautiful hiking areas! I especially love forests and mountains, and the main reason why I want land is to garden and grow my own food and to be able to spend time in nature at any time. An area that's good for gardening or foraging would be great!

I've looked into the weather, and I absolutely cannot STAND the Texas heat!! I feel most comfortable at temps between 50-70 fahrenheit, but the coldest I've been out in is like 30 degrees, so I plan on visiting somewhere REALLY cold in the winter to see what I can handle! I have super light sensitive eyes, so cloudy + gloomy + rainy are all pluses for me, not negatives.

I'm also a lesbian and jewish, so an accepting area is important. I don't think anywhere up north would do any worse than where I live now (small town, bible belt texas) but it would be nice to be able to be flamboyantly gay without fearing for my safety. The jewish part isn't that big of a deal, but anywhere with large neo-nazi presence isn't an option for me.

I'm also willing to remain in Texas for longer and save up my wages if it means getting closer to my dream home.

So, to sum this incredibly long post up, I'm looking for places to visit and consider to move to that:
- cost of living on 2-6 acres is easily supported by pharmacist's salary + some amount of savings
- has access to both grocery stores and to hiking/nature
- is liberal enough that an obvious lesbian won't have too much trouble
- wouldn't require an unreasonable commute to work
- are suited to gardening

[StealthRabbit]

If under age 31, FIRST go to New Zealand on a working visa (good for 1 yr and extendable for another yr, while under age 31)
Weather is nearly identical to PNW. (but in Southern hemisphere)
It will be FAR worth your time and money and you will gain lifelong friends / working / career / travel options /experiences.

In WA... look to areas in WA, but near Portland Oregon (very ez to be gay) varied pricing and availability for land / gardening (yr round if you have a small greenhouse). Woodland WA has a decent climate and still near Portland and is in a rural county, rather than an urban county (expensive and LOTS of rules, no too friendly to farmers / AG. )

Bellingham is another great WA option, and close to Vancouver BC. (many benefits). Great gardening!

Olympia, WA is another great choice for your desires.

While out west... consider Eugene, Corvallis, and metro Portland Oregon (9% income tax, but no sales tax)

[Ruth4Truth]

Bellingham. Hiking is nearby, on the edge of town, and there are many parks and walking trails in town or on the edge of town. You could consider the Olympic Peninsula, too.

[CrazyDonkey]

Seattle-Bellevue area is good for being "flamboyantly gay", especially Capitol Hill, has a cost-of-living that is going up, up, and away, so no telling what it'll be in 7 to 8 years. Worth a visit, however. The Everett and Tacoma areas aren't quite as expensive, but still mostly commutable to Seattle.

For a less expensive COL, but slower (but still tolerant) life-style, look outside of the Seattle commute bubble: the Bellingham, Olympia, and Vancouver areas. Find the job first, however - don't move without one.

[NW Crow]

The areas mentioned above could work, though to get 2-6 acres at a moderate price likely will require being 15-45 minutes from town (longer if it is many years in future).


On gardening, be realistic. How many dozens or hundreds of your presumably precious hours of free time are you eager to give it per season? Unless you can it (right) or sell stuff or have a proper greenhouse & supplemental light you can't use that much fresh. I've heard a lot of people talk about growing their own food but few that live it or beyond a year or two. If you need to do it philosophically, do it; but it will generally be low yield from an economical standpoint unless you are super smart and efficient. 2-6 acres if fully planted would take a ton of time, if in fruits & veggies and if by hand or only lightly assisted by machines. At least that was my experience.

[solanaceae]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

The areas mentioned above could work, though to get 2-6 acres at a moderate price likely will require being 15-45 minutes from town (longer if it is many years in future).


On gardening, be realistic. How many dozens or hundreds of your presumably precious hours of free time are you eager to give it per season? Unless you can it (right) or sell stuff or have a proper greenhouse & supplemental light you can't use that much fresh. I've heard a lot of people talk about growing their own food but few that live it or beyond a year or two. If you need to do it philosophically, do it; but it will generally be low yield from an economical standpoint unless you are super smart and efficient. 2-6 acres if fully planted would take a ton of time, if in fruits & veggies and if by hand or only lightly assisted by machines. At least that was my experience.

I wouldn't be gardening the entire property! I like the idea of being able to have my own little patch of forest and such, but I plan on starting small with gardens and increasing the size if I have the motivation and time. The ideal for me would be a veggie bed that puts out enough for a few meals a week, maybe chickens (haven't had them before) and mostly natural land. I'll probably end up sticking with the smaller end of that range, based on what I've seen price-wise online. I'm not sure of how productive garden/foraging is up north, but we have 2 raised beds of zucchini here and in the early summer they make more than we can eat! But in Texas, all you can really grow easily is tomatoes, zucchini, and okra. Looks like I need to do some research on planting/growing in Washington!

[solanaceae]

Looks like everyone recommends Bellingham!! I looked at some property near there and it looks like exactly the kind of thing I wanted, so I'll probably visit sometime (relatively) soon and see it for myself!

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, buying acreage, even if you could afford it (which you couldn't really, on a pharmacist's salary) in WA State incurs a hefty property tax. There's no state income tax, so the state gets their share via property tax. The last person who came here, asking about acreage in the general Bellingham area, discovered she couldn't afford it, even a 40-minute drive from town. I don't quite get why you need multiple acres, anyway. You could look for areas on the outskirts of town, that are in forested areas or near a large park, and get maybe 3/4 of an acre that's buffered by parkland, or with such nearby. That should give you plenty to work with, plenty to pay a mortgage on, and plenty to pay tax on. IOW, figure out how to get the "natural" environment you want, without paying for it. There are ways to do that.

But you'll have to finish college, find a job, and then start saving for years, for your RE downpayment. Maybe get a room in a shared house for a few years, so you can sock away the max. amt. of money toward your project. And in the meantime, RE values will continue going up, in and around Bellingham. It's a good profession you've chosen for yourself, though.

[CrazyDonkey]

Look for something you might be able to afford, like a small house with a backyard, part of which could be turned into a garden. Build up some equity, then use it later to purchase a place with acreage.

[solanaceae]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

OP, buying acreage, even if you could afford it (which you couldn't really, on a pharmacist's salary) in WA State incurs a hefty property tax. There's no state income tax, so the state gets their share via property tax. The last person who came here, asking about acreage in the general Bellingham area, discovered she couldn't afford it, even a 40-minute drive from town. I don't quite get why you need multiple acres, anyway. You could look for areas on the outskirts of town, that are in forested areas or near a large park, and get maybe 3/4 of an acre that's buffered by parkland, or with such nearby. That should give you plenty to work with, plenty to pay a mortgage on, and plenty to pay tax on. IOW, figure out how to get the "natural" environment you want, without paying for it. There are ways to do that.

But you'll have to finish college, find a job, and then start saving for years, for your RE downpayment. Maybe get a room in a shared house for a few years, so you can sock away the max. amt. of money toward your project. And in the meantime, RE values will continue going up, in and around Bellingham. It's a good profession you've chosen for yourself, though.

You make a very good point! I spoke with my father about my plans and he suggested getting just enough land to have the garden I want and a little extra space (I think he said around 1 acre) and do what you suggested-- have my property border parkland. I guess I mostly wanted that extra land so people couldn't build right on top of me, but having parks bordering the land would solve that problem!

I also figure that by the time I move, what's city versus rural will have changed so it won't be exactly the same, but the climate should roughly stay (I hope...). I plan on living with my parents at home (with their permission!) while in grad school and for the first five or so years after to save money so that I can have a large down payment on my house. Right now I'm on a full ride scholarship and in a dorm with meal plan, so my current savings shouldn't diminish too much, and there are places on campus I can work to make a little money starting now. If only the nice places to live weren't so costly!