Fed-up Texan family moving to WA (Seattle, Spokane: appointed, motorhomes, transfer)

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

The Everett and Bellingham areas have the least sunny days per year in the ENTIRE NATION. Everything is green for a reason!
The winter darkness is also very true, I'm up at 7:15am to go to work and it's dark, and by 3:30pm it's dark again.
My honest opinion in you're set on coming to WA, is try the Vancouver, WA area. You've got tax free Oregon to shop, lots of activity and *good* fishing along the Columbia and on the coast, and housing that is escalating for sure, but not as stupid as the Seattle to Bellingham area. Its far enough south to provide a little more sun and milder weather, and central enough to the likings of many to everything from hiking to racing pretty much anything (Portland Int'l Raceway).

Yes, I happen to agree regarding southern WA after moving here from areas further south with more sun in the winter. It's really not that bad at all. There is access to many things including the Oregon Coast, Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt, Hood, Mt. St. Helens, etc... For IT work, it may be the second best market in the PNW considering the greater Portland area with Vancouver as its suburb. The tax advantage is also great for remote workers.

I did distinctly notice the difference in longer summer days and shorter winter days. Fortunately that season doesn't last too long in terms of the extremes, definitely not all winter. Once it's staying light until 5PM again, I'm fine with it.

I also find it interesting how fast that changes as one travels ~4-6+ hours in either direction. For example, we took a winter trip to southern Oregon and it was light until 5PM during the darkest time of the year. Here's a couple shots at ~5:20 PM just after sunset on 12/30/2020.










Derek

[rkcarguy]

I have family and some friends that moved away to Oregon, so I've visited the area a few times. The amount of winter time light is perpetually less the further north you go, because Earth is simply a "ball" shape and when you're on the non-sun side.....well it's dark lol. I've also been as far north as Anchorage, AK, and in winter all you get is a short sunrise/sunset type event mid-day and then it's dark the rest of the time bleh. At the same time, in the summer all you get is "twilight" from about midnight to 3:30am, and it's light the rest of the time its something to behold!

[rhymeswithcovid]

Originally Posted by aldok

Hello all,
I've been digging through the forums and the interwebs for a couple days now and it looks like I may be hunting for a unicorn (or Sasquatch).

I've been living in a suburb of Dallas (McKinney) for 14 years now (originally from CA). Family and I are really tired of a lot of things here, but I don't want to turn this into TX bashing. Mainly, we want to escape the crappy weather. We like to garden, hike, swim, basically anything outdoor.

We are a family of 6. Children aged 7-15. I work in IT and the company has shifted my position to full-time work-from-home. What we want:

1. Somewhere relatively near to IT jobs. This is kinda a mixed bag because I think most IT jobs will be remote, my current job is stable and I don't anticipate needing to look for a new job, but I don't want to be in the boonies and suddenly need to get a job in a major metro 2 hours away.

2. We would love a waterfront (Ocean or Sound, not really into lakes). Ideally, a bluff overlooking ocean as opposed to a beach. 3 bed min, preferably 4.

3. Safe, quite neighborhood with decent schools. Costco with a reasonable distance (less than 30 min?).


4. My current home in TX is $370K. I pay about $6700 in property taxes. I can stretch to $550k-ish. I'd like my home payment to stay below $2500 after 20% down payment.


Am I crazy?


Thanks!

That kind of home here would be in the millions. Your budget is roughly $500k. Spend some time on redfin and get an idea for what waterfront houses cost. Property taxes on a $370k house in the Seattle area would be half that though I'm not sure what they are in other areas.

What will get you is the weather. Texas is always sunny. Folks who come from sunny areas end up with issues in the PNW. You think you can handle cloud until it's been 25 days since you've even seen the sun and your whole family is depressed. Folks who are escaping bad winters put up with that well. Those coming from sunshine don't.

[hindsight2020]

Originally Posted by rhymeswithcovid

What will get you is the weather. Texas is always sunny. Folks who come from sunny areas end up with issues in the PNW. You think you can handle cloud until it's been 25 days since you've even seen the sun and your whole family is depressed. Folks who are escaping bad winters put up with that well. Those coming from sunshine don't.

We've been eyeballing WA for retirement and that's why I told the wife when we move out of TX, it'll have to be in the rain shadow of the Cascades as the compromise. I did a stint in NW IN and the winters were miserable to me for that reason. Too many consecutive days of overcast. Of course add the lack of topography to ameliorate the Continental polar masses (aka high temp_deltas) and sideways gusting snow and ice lol. Never again.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by hindsight2020

We've been eyeballing WA for retirement and that's why I told the wife when we move out of TX, it'll have to be in the rain shadow of the Cascades as the compromise. I did a stint in NW IN and the winters were miserable to me for that reason. Too many consecutive days of overcast. ...

do your research

'Rain shadow' in PNW does not mean more 'sunny days'.

~ Same overcast, just no precip. (Which is a plus, if you don't like working outside in the mud.)

PNW (including ID) can have quite gray winters.

CO, NM, AZ, NV are more in the 'winter storm shadow (below the jet stream), so often quite clear.
There are many times in winter that CO area has warmer daytime temps than PNW, and you can bicycle / do outdoor tasks and drive in your shirt sleeves.

There is a reason I keep a TX home (main home rented out, but 'bunkhouse (previously a slave cabin) and shop' for me). During Aug / Sept I am seldom found at my TX home. Usually there more intensively from Thanksgiving to end of Bluebonnet season. These are the times I most dislike WA climate. There are many ways to mitigate. Some just hibernate, others escape, most are 'Wash-'n-wear' PNW peoplefowl. Was a big improvement in QoL for me after a trip to Helley Hansen to get a set of 'Foulies'.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/per...foulie-faceoff

https://www.hellyhansen.com/sailing/

Must have... Home / living space with wide open south facing windows. (not something nestles back in the trees. (As tempting as that is to relocating buyers). Moss, Mold, Mildew, Musty (can be a 'sick-house') Needles in gutters, slick walkways, DARK... 200'+ tall trees that weight 40,000# which can crash through your roof in a wind / ice storm.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by rhymeswithcovid

That kind of home here would be in the millions. Your budget is roughly $500k. Spend some time on redfin and get an idea for what waterfront houses cost. Property taxes on a $370k house in the Seattle area would be half that though I'm not sure what they are in other areas.

What will get you is the weather. Texas is always sunny. Folks who come from sunny areas end up with issues in the PNW. You think you can handle cloud until it's been 25 days since you've even seen the sun and your whole family is depressed. Folks who are escaping bad winters put up with that well. Those coming from sunshine don't.

When you find this flying pig let us all know?
My neighbors place is about 2,800 sq/ft, overall a nice house but built in the 90's and needs a new roof soon and updates if they were to sell (tan/white/redwood,honey oak inside). This year their property taxes went up to $6,879 a year. Add nearly 10% sales tax, 37.5 cents/gallon fuel tax, and water/sewer that has increased 4-fold in the last 10 years, and I really think many are better off with a lower overall tax load in an income tax state.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

When you find this flying pig let us all know?
My neighbors place is about 2,800 sq/ft, overall a nice house but built in the 90's and needs a new roof soon and updates if they were to sell (tan/white/redwood,honey oak inside). This year their property taxes went up to $6,879 a year. Add nearly 10% sales tax, 37.5 cents/gallon fuel tax, and water/sewer that has increased 4-fold in the last 10 years, and I really think many are better off with a lower overall tax load in an income tax state.

mine (WA property Taxes, NOT waterfront) are ~ 2.3 X $6,879 a year. on a 1990's WA home that needs a new roof / updates to be 'FMV"

Up from $800 / yr Property Tax in yesteryear (same house, but new)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

When you find this flying pig let us all know?
My neighbors place is about 2,800 sq/ft, overall a nice house but built in the 90's and needs a new roof soon and updates if they were to sell (tan/white/redwood,honey oak inside). This year their property taxes went up to $6,879 a year. Add nearly 10% sales tax, 37.5 cents/gallon fuel tax, and water/sewer that has increased 4-fold in the last 10 years, and I really think many are better off with a lower overall tax load in an income tax state.

Did you think other states don't have high sales tax and fuel tax? OK, Oregon doesn't have sales tax, but they get you other ways. I was paying around $3000/yr. in property tax in Seattle in the early 2000's. I made sure I bought a property that had a rental unit, so that I wouldn't have to worry about covering the taxes.

[leastprime]

"Rain shadow of the Cascades"
Nice. Always amazed me how one can live in the PNW and be able to traverse the climate zones, economic zones, flora and fauna zones in just 100 miles. We accompanied DS and GF to Frenchman Glen Coulee Park, past weekend. Tallest evergreen was 3 feet, Visibility to the horizon. Kinda windy, flags at full & steady (+25mph).
Higher up, on the Polouse plateau, a few miles from the Glen-Columbia River, is where you'll find some extensive apple, cherry orchards and vineyards.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by leastprime

"Rain shadow of the Cascades"
Nice. Always amazed me how one can live in the PNW and be able to traverse the climate zones, economic zones, flora and fauna zones in just 100 miles. We accompanied DS and GF to Frenchman Glen Coulee Park, ....

Yup... Ironically a best friend from SWWA (engineer and PT farmer) just packed up and moved to a nearby region (west of Royal City, WA) (took 2 yrs and several semitruck loads).

His brother (retired, but We_tern WA native) Moved to Texas! (ick, sweat & sticky).

Both are happy as clams with their choice. Neither found 'perfection'. in Climate, society, or housing, but VERY different than We_tside WA. (They had survived 30+ yrs here + childhood).

for we_tsiders, this is a very nice summer trip east (after Covid)
https://parks.state.wa.us/512/Goldendale-Observatory
another, (last weekend) but closed this yr
http://www.lindwa.com/Lind's%20Weekend.html

Close and diverse...

In 40 min I can go from 120" annual rainfall to <10"

WA State has almost as diverse and compact climate offerings as NZ or Hawaii. (but a whole lot closer during Covid)