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Old 08-21-2018, 09:46 PM
 
21 posts, read 40,407 times
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I would like to move someplace near the Puget Sound. I am thinking of several areas from Port Angeles to Port Townsend to the Hood Canal Area, Whidbey Island, Anacortes, San Juan Islands and even up to Bellingham and Blaine. I am looking for pros and cons of each of these areas and why someone would choose to live there. I’d even love specific neighborhoods and why they are great.

I am a woman in my late 30s. I have lived in King County for the last 30 years, so I am familiar with the weather and cost of living. I like arts and crafts, kayaking, books, languages, history, and animal welfare. I have budget of ~$300k, and I know I can get properties in my budget in all of these areas. Employment isn’t a consideration at this time. I would like to have easy access to the water for kayaking.

I am tired of living in King County. The traffic is awful, and I don’t want to be in the Sound Transit tax area. I have lived in Seattle and I have lived in small little towns. I’m happier in a smaller sound town with out the crushing number of people around me.

I have been to all the target areas, but want to try and narrow down some specific areas to look at. I plan on visiting these places on the weekends to get a better idea of what I am looking for. I have also read a ton of older threads, but none seem to cover such a large geographical area comparison.

Thanks for your help!
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Old 08-22-2018, 12:21 AM
 
Location: Independent Republic of Ballard
8,064 posts, read 8,317,918 times
Reputation: 6218
Since you mentioned "kayaking" twice:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...?fullpage=true
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Old 08-22-2018, 09:52 AM
 
21 posts, read 40,407 times
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Yes! Something like that would be lovely. But what's it like living in Lakebay?
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Old 08-22-2018, 11:39 AM
 
Location: Independent Republic of Ballard
8,064 posts, read 8,317,918 times
Reputation: 6218
Quiet, I suspect, but you'd have two guest rooms for (up to four?) visiting kayakers (who could kayak over to "your" beach), so no telling what you might be able to get up to...

You can shop in Gig Harbor (23 mi), day trip in Tacoma (34 mi). Week-end in Seattle (66 mi).

The Key Peninsula has an interesting history:

http://www.kpba.org/history-of-the-key-peninsula/

http://www.kpba.org/home-2/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDF1RsnKjCk

Last edited by CrazyDonkey; 08-22-2018 at 11:52 AM..
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Old 08-22-2018, 12:30 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,110 posts, read 107,284,053 times
Reputation: 115908
You say you know you can find a place to buy within your budget in the San Juans? Really? If so, consider Orcas Island. It didn't have hardly any smoke issues, during this summer's fires. If you don't mind being a long ferry ride away from the mainland, it's got a little of everything you're looking for. Peaceful and rural, too. No traffic. There's an active historical society there, which is pretty interesting. IDK, you might not be looking for such a small community, though.

It's getting harder to find a place within your budget in Port Townsend, but that's an interesting community. Easy Kayaking, artsy- crafty. Busy on weekends, late spring through early fall, with festivals of all kinds. If you're going to buy, do it soon, or lose the opportunity.

Bellingham seems to have a strong book-oriented subculture; popular bookstores that host regular events. Boating, kayaking. The presence of a university has its pluses and minuses; I like to be near one, to attend lectures and other events. B'ham is another place, like Pt Townsend, where RE values have been rising fast. So grab a place now, or fuggetaboutit. Probably residents there would say you're already too late.

I think your window of opportunity to buy in some of those areas is closing fast, OP. You might have fewer options than you think. Depends in part on what you're looking for, I guess. Good luck, and keep us posted as to your progress! We love updates.
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Old 08-22-2018, 01:14 PM
 
Location: Central Washington
1,663 posts, read 869,241 times
Reputation: 2941
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
You say you know you can find a place to buy within your budget in the San Juans? Really? If so, consider Orcas Island. It didn't have hardly any smoke issues, during this summer's fires. If you don't mind being a long ferry ride away from the mainland, it's got a little of everything you're looking for. Peaceful and rural, too. No traffic. There's an active historical society there, which is pretty interesting. IDK, you might not be looking for such a small community, though.
All of the San Juans have had, and continue to have a bad smoke problem, just like the rest of the state. The current air quality index is at 170, or "unhealthy" (0-50 is considered good) in Anacortes, the closest monitoring station. This is what it looks like at the Anacortes ferry dock, at 11:57 this morning.

Attached Thumbnails
Puget Sound Living - Olympic Pennisula, Hood Canal, Whidbey Island, or San Juans?-anacortes.jpg  
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Old 08-22-2018, 06:13 PM
 
21 posts, read 40,407 times
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San Juans are sounding intriguing. So is Port Townsend. I went to university at WWU, so I was very familiar with Bellingham. Its been a few years since I have been there though. (You know over 15 :-P)

The air quality everywhere sucks.

And guest rooms for kayaking visitors (or visitors who arrive by car) wouldn't be a bad thing. There are a few people who I might want living with me.

I'm okay with small towns, big towns, and maybe little cities. No mid-size cities though. I just need a break from those.
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Old 08-22-2018, 07:19 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,110 posts, read 107,284,053 times
Reputation: 115908
Quote:
Originally Posted by dozerbear View Post
All of the San Juans have had, and continue to have a bad smoke problem, just like the rest of the state. The current air quality index is at 170, or "unhealthy" (0-50 is considered good) in Anacortes, the closest monitoring station. This is what it looks like at the Anacortes ferry dock, at 11:57 this morning.
It depends on which reports you read, thanks for posting. One source has been consistently posting ratings for Orcas between 25 and 35 or so, but another is saying 91.OTOH, Victoria is posting 178, so that might be more indicative of what's happening on Orcas. hmmm...
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Old 08-23-2018, 12:41 AM
 
Location: Bellingham, WA
1,423 posts, read 1,924,896 times
Reputation: 2785
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
It depends on which reports you read, thanks for posting. One source has been consistently posting ratings for Orcas between 25 and 35 or so, but another is saying 91.OTOH, Victoria is posting 178, so that might be more indicative of what's happening on Orcas. hmmm...
The readings have been all over the place because some of the figures you're looking at are likely out of date. Much of the smoke this year (which has been almost completely limited to last week and this week) has been drifting from Vancouver Island and mainland BC, but I don't think it's missed anyone....

The local news has reported a bit on it, and all hazardous air warnings have included the San Juans.

https://www.islandssounder.com/news/...the-san-juans/

But one of the ways I check local weather on the ground these days is to search for hashtags on Instagram. In this case, a lot of people are still posting their pics from earlier in the summer, but there are definitely a lot of people posting pics like this: https://www.instagram.com/p/BmyIyOun...ed=orcasisland

Anyway, it's an interesting way to check on recent conditions in on an area by remote!
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Old 08-23-2018, 10:46 AM
 
Location: Northwest Peninsula
6,143 posts, read 3,356,615 times
Reputation: 4329
Quote:
Originally Posted by pnwcatlady View Post
I would like to move someplace near the Puget Sound. I am thinking of several areas from Port Angeles to Port Townsend to the Hood Canal Area, Whidbey Island, Anacortes, San Juan Islands and even up to Bellingham and Blaine. I am looking for pros and cons of each of these areas and why someone would choose to live there. I’d even love specific neighborhoods and why they are great.

I am a woman in my late 30s. I have lived in King County for the last 30 years, so I am familiar with the weather and cost of living. I like arts and crafts, kayaking, books, languages, history, and animal welfare. I have budget of ~$300k, and I know I can get properties in my budget in all of these areas. Employment isn’t a consideration at this time. I would like to have easy access to the water for kayaking.

I am tired of living in King County. The traffic is awful, and I don’t want to be in the Sound Transit tax area. I have lived in Seattle and I have lived in small little towns. I’m happier in a smaller sound town with out the crushing number of people around me.

I have been to all the target areas, but want to try and narrow down some specific areas to look at. I plan on visiting these places on the weekends to get a better idea of what I am looking for. I have also read a ton of older threads, but none seem to cover such a large geographical area comparison.

Thanks for your help!

I am guessing since you said you have visited all those places you must know there are major differences between places like PA and PT..island living and canal living.
Since you say you have lived in the Seattle area for 30 years (I lived in the South Seattle area for 34 years and couldn't be happier leaving the traffic, congestion and partisan politics behind)

you must know the political climate is totally different in say PA and PT. So if you are politically inclined toward liberalism PT would be your best bet. Clallam county is more conservative and totally laid back. I think along the Hoods Canal it is also more conservative. Not sure about the islands or north of Seattle communities. But I think they may be more middle of the road and mildly defensive of their live styles.
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