Anyone move from California to WA, if so what are your thoughts? (Seattle: moving, area)

[gregory77]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

Apparently you weren’t here in 1997 where in NW Washington we received 4’! Or, a few years ago when Seattle stopped cold stranding our daughter at the Greyhound bus station as people were petrified to drive on I5 so abandoned their vehicles thus blocking ramps. No taxis so I had to reach my sister stranded at a downtown office to meet her at night. Most of us natives or Midwest/Back East folks know how to drive in the snow so it must have been the Californian transplants.

These cold-weather events in Seattle are extraordinarily rare.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by gregory77

Yes, Seattle is further north than Portland, however, there is actually far less snow and cold weather in Seattle than in Portland due to the cold air moving down the Columbia Gorge into Portland in the winter. And in the summer months, Portland is much hotter due to warm air coming from the interior through the Gorge. Seattle may have snow every third year or so and it is much more moderate due to its proximity to the Puget Sound.

You really have to look at the Topography of the state to see how the arctic outflow will funnel down the various river valleys/valleys to see how it effects various areas. Parts of Whatcom and Skagit county, Ellensburg, to the Gorge can all get it. If it's a larger cold front it can drop down and get Seattle too. I'd say its more rare for the outflow to come down the Gorge, but when it does and it meets all the moisture the Portland area can really get it. The Fraser River outflow can really blast northern Whatcom county the most. As a kid I remember my grandmothers home on Meridian St. having a snow drift up to the roof on the south side of the house. As a teen my parents place drifted in about 18" short of the roof and I took my sled up on the roof and slid down it several times
My grandparents retired south to escape the "nor'easter".
More recently, we had a monster snow drift off a group of trees near Sumas, which grew across Badger Road. A semi-truck came around the blind corner and jackknifed into it, blocking the road for several days. If you're in these areas or looking at moving there, you need to talk to the locals and be prepared. Fuel, food, a backup heat source like a wood stove or fireplace(only grandfathered in I believe-you can't get a permit for a new fireplace), and some studded snow tires or chains. We've had a number of 3-day to over 1-week power outages during snow and ice storms. The wood stove heated our home, we cooked on it, and melted snow on it for water for flushing the toilet. If we didn't have it, we would have had to leave and would have lost all our plumbing.

[Nasudesu]

Originally Posted by trailtramp

To the OP of this thread, take some advice from a native Californian who has sold multiple properties there and regretted it: Unless you absolutely despise your home, and Santa Cruz, and know that you will never move back...DO NOT SELL YOUR SANTA CRUZ property. If you must move away, rent it out. Your CA property taxes are locked in low, and being on the central coast will always be golden. You will never replace that magnificent weather anywhere in the country you could go. The million or more in equity we would have had now could not be matched anywhere else.

Yes, do not sell your Santa Cruz County home if you owned for some time. We will never sell our primary home in Bay Area. Very low property tax, great weather, 40 min to SFO, very convenient with many shops walking distance, easy access to Asian and Mexican markets galore, high quality medical care some walking distance, etc.

But, I do think parts of Washington are beautiful. For me, vacation home will be good. But, I do worry about high property taxes.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Nasudesu

Yes, do not sell your Santa Cruz County home if you owned for some time. We will never sell our primary home in Bay Area. Very low property tax, great weather, 40 min to SFO, very convenient with many shops walking distance, easy access to Asian and Mexican markets galore, high quality medical care some walking distance, etc.

But, I do think parts of Washington are beautiful. For me, vacation home will be good. But, I do worry about high property taxes.

This, in a nutshell, is why CA is so expensive. Tax laws, combined with NIMBY zoning laws makes new housing scarce and unaffordable. It is completely self-inflicted.

[nadnerb]

Originally Posted by gregory77

Yes, Seattle is further north than Portland, however, there is actually far less snow and cold weather in Seattle than in Portland due to the cold air moving down the Columbia Gorge into Portland in the winter. And in the summer months, Portland is much hotter due to warm air coming from the interior through the Gorge. Seattle may have snow every third year or so and it is much more moderate due to its proximity to the Puget Sound.

Portland doesn't really get much snow nor is really that cold, either. Portland averages 29 days (or nights, rather) where it dips below freezing while Seattle averages 25. Average highs in Jan/Feb for Portland are 46/51 and for Seattle are 48/50. Not much of a difference.

https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...th-average.php
https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...th-average.php

[dav51lin]

been here over 20 yrs from a sunnier area still hate the rain never gotten used to how mush and often it is cloudy drizzley rainy wet n gloomy even all day clouds are refreshing from the dreary rain drizzle!!!!!

[happygrrrl]

Originally Posted by dav51lin

been here over 20 yrs from a sunnier area still hate the rain never gotten used to how mush and often it is cloudy drizzley rainy wet n gloomy even all day clouds are refreshing from the dreary rain drizzle!!!!!

You & I should get together & cry in our beer.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by happygrrrl

You & I should get together & cry in our beer.

lol

It does make me wonder how many warmer states transplants want to move back south again at some point. But geesh, 20 years+ is a long time. That said, its likely not the best fit for everyone. We tried to move out of CA first to CO. That turned out to be bad fit for us even though other family liked it and stayed 20+ years. We're still glad we did it and experienced living in another state and culture a high mile+ on the continental divide. I'm also glad we realized it was our time to leave when we did and pulled the plug. It kind of goes back to 'knowing thyself' regardless of what works for others. QOL is defined differently for everyone. If not happy, make an exit plan and work toward it even if a little at a time.

We have family who moved up here from CA over 20 years ago, raised kids, etc... And they have no desire to move back. That desire hasn't hit us yet either. Though admittedly there are times during the longest, darkest parts of winter that makes one wonder. For me that usually involves planning more outdoor activities rain or shine along with travel plans for winter warm-ups. Those little trips can do wonders to help during winter. Once spring hits, forget about it. With all the flowers in bloom and seasons changing, longer days and more sun, its truly a glorious place. But yes, its still wet which keeps everything greener year round. I don't really dislike the rain or clouds. It just helps to have some variety.

I also don't know if I could go back to places with dry, brown hills and drought most of the year. The fires have gotten really bad for many including family still living in CA. of course, the coast is hard to beat especially Central CA and NorCal. But its way too expensive unless already there and locked into a Prop 13 low tax rate property.

We could have purchased a home while living in Monterey and probably should have from a pure investment POV. it would have been an older, rundown beach house, many of which are in need of major work. We looked at some and it was hard to accept for the price at the time. But the land itself is worth so much it doesn't matter to most investors. Those ~ 500k smallish beach houses are now selling well over $1 million. Still, if you want to stay there then you can't sell since everything else is just as expensive. That's why remodel projects are much bigger there than other parts of the country. And then where do your kids go to find affordable housing? Its unsustainable for most multigenerational families.

With so much land in CA, I think folks are going to spread out more throughout the state. NorCal still has lots of open land as does out east. But the fires in places like Paradise and heat of Redding are not that great for many.

Derek

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

lol

It does make me wonder how many warmer states transplants want to move back south again at some point. But geesh, 20 years+ is a long time. That said, its likely not the best fit for everyone. We tried to move out of CA first to CO. That turned out to be bad fit for us even though other family liked it and stayed 20+ years. We're still glad we did it and experienced living in another state and culture a high mile+ on the continental divide. I'm also glad we realized it was our time to leave when we did and pulled the plug. It kind of goes back to 'knowing thyself' regardless of what works for others. QOL is defined differently for everyone. If not happy, make an exit plan and work toward it even if a little at a time.

(snip)

With so much land in CA, I think folks are going to spread out more throughout the state. NorCal still has lots of open land as does out east. But the fires in places like Paradise and heat of Redding are not that great for many.

Derek

Thinking I could have written the quoted. I lived in Bay Area seven years in the 1990s when in my 20s and broke. 'Broke' being relative as I had my pleated khakis and BMW convertible too! Socially sketchy then, supposedly sketchier now, though I wouldn't know as I've been in metro Seattle pushing a quarter century.

Dunno about CO living, though by anecdote seems similar to WA by-and-large. More extremes of weather in places like metro Denver. Those spring storms that blow through and make the news crack me up. High desert perhaps not unlike Spokane.

People choose to adapt, or not. I'm adaptable and mostly like it Eastside Seattle. End of the day it's a pros and cons conversation: does (this) matter more than (that). This year I've chosen to be outdoors often through the cold season. It's never easy though doable with the great gear based here and Vancouver BC (Arc'Teryx, Lululemon e.g.). I spent hours outdoors Saturday in blustery but dry high 30s/low 40s F on Whidbey Island. Had the right gear so more than tolerable. Pouring rain like today I'll keep it mostly indoors. I try and keep clear of floods

As for people spreading out in CA water is / was / will be the forcing-function. Forward-looking pundits estimate that will be evermore critical. Central Valley is little more than an irrigated desert, hot as the hinges of hell from Redding southeast to the Imperial Valley.

[happygrrrl]

This part of winter wears on me because of the dark & gray. By February I've had enough. I just consider it a tradeoff for the long, green & beautiful summers here. I miss the California of my youth, but have no desire to return.

My kid left the Bay Area for Colorado. They love it there. The PNW is too gloomy for them. We like to visit each other's domicles, but that's it.

It could be worse, I could be in Ukraine. For now I'll just crawl back into my cave & wait for spring.