Moving to Bremerton (Seattle, Silverdale, Shelton: for sale, loan, house)

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by preston39

Hey, thanks for the information. I’ll definitely look into the areas you mentioned.

I should also clarify that I am military, but I just decided to “civilianize” my post, if that makes sense.

Good points on all threads so far. Lots to do in the Olympic National Forest, camping wise.
Always enjoyed taking the ferry into Seattle and back.
Always good to Civilianize posts. Good luck with your move!
US Navy retired

[matpp]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

A good friend lived in Silverdale, on a forested dead-end road. His property was on the Hood Canal, though steeply sloped woods to the water, he had amazing views of the water and Olympic mountains.

Interesting, I didn't know there were Silverdale address on the hood canal, I thought it was seabeck - Bangor - poulsbo. The more you know.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by matpp

Interesting, I didn't know there were Silverdale address on the hood canal, I thought it was seabeck - Bangor - poulsbo. The more you know.

Probably not within the city limits, but it could have a Silverdale P.O. zip code.

[preston39]

Wanted to thank everyone again for their input.

Would there be any reason to look just outside the county like Gig Harbor/southern peninsula, Belfair and north Mason county or (what looks like a healthy commute) Port Ludlow area? Do these areas have anything to offer outside of what Bremerton/Silverdale already has?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by preston39

Wanted to thank everyone again for their input.

Would there be any reason to look just outside the county like Gig Harbor/southern peninsula, Belfair and north Mason county or (what looks like a healthy commute) Port Ludlow area? Do these areas have anything to offer outside of what Bremerton/Silverdale already has?

I just looked in Bremerton, and found a 2-br. home with a finished basement renting for just under $1200/month, and another that was in your price range.

There are affordable rents in Bremerton. You just have to look for them, and stay away from properties owned by corporations and Real Estate Invesement Trusts. (There are tell-tale signs, the cost being one of them.) Rent from locals, and you can find some gems. Aside from Craigslist, check local property management companies. There are also affordable mortgages in the area. I check Bremerton listings from time to time, and rarely have trouble finding something in your range, OP.

Any chance your wife could find a half-time job? That would give you more options. Have you asked your employer about adjusting the pay a little, to compensate for the higher rents in the area?

[matpp]

Originally Posted by preston39

Wanted to thank everyone again for their input.

Would there be any reason to look just outside the county like Gig Harbor/southern peninsula, Belfair and north Mason county or (what looks like a healthy commute) Port Ludlow area? Do these areas have anything to offer outside of what Bremerton/Silverdale already has?

I've passed through port Ludlow on several occasions, never really killed any time there though . Seems nice if a bit sleepy.
I love gig harbor, but it's pricey and your commute through gorst will be a bit rough. Damned near a parking lot every day. Personally, (if I could afford it) I'd consider dealing with it just so my wife and kids had a nicer down town to beat around in.
IMO, don't over over analyze too much, just rent for a year and make it a priority to do a lot of exploring before your lease expires.
Edit:. If it were me, I wouldn't sign up for a long commute while figuring things out. Summer days are long and we often hit the beach or hike or whatever after work. A long commute would scuttle that plan

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by matpp

I've passed through port Ludlow on several occasions, never really killed any time there though . Seems nice if a bit sleepy.
I love gig harbor, but it's pricey and your commute through gorst will be a bit rough. Damned near a parking lot every day. Personally, (if I could afford it) I'd consider dealing with it just so my wife and kids had a nicer down town to beat around in.
IMO, don't over over analyze too much, just rent for a year and make it a priority to do a lot of exploring before your lease expires.
Edit:. If it were me, I wouldn't sign up for a long commute while figuring things out. Summer days are long and we often hit the beach or hike or whatever after work. A long commute would scuttle that plan

Agree.
I say live close to work and commute to fun.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by matpp

I've passed through port Ludlow on several occasions, never really killed any time there though . Seems nice if a bit sleepy.
I love gig harbor, but it's pricey and your commute through gorst will be a bit rough. Damned near a parking lot every day. Personally, (if I could afford it) I'd consider dealing with it just so my wife and kids had a nicer down town to beat around in.
IMO, don't over over analyze too much, just rent for a year and make it a priority to do a lot of exploring before your lease expires.
Edit:. If it were me, I wouldn't sign up for a long commute while figuring things out. Summer days are long and we often hit the beach or hike or whatever after work. A long commute would scuttle that plan

Always like to work as close as possible to keep the commute down. Longer commutes can burn you out after a while. Summer months stays light past 9 pm. Lots to do during those summer days.
Good luck.

[happygrrrl]

Port Ludlow is beautiful, but I think it's mostly a resort or retirement area. I believe for schools & even a supermarket, you would have to go to Port Townsend, or go back across Hood Canal.

Also, you would have to cross the Hood Canal bridge. I know people who did that, including spouse, but I don't think it's a good idea, long-term.

[prosin]

Originally Posted by preston39

Wanted to thank everyone again for their input.

Would there be any reason to look just outside the county like Gig Harbor/southern peninsula, Belfair and north Mason county or (what looks like a healthy commute) Port Ludlow area? Do these areas have anything to offer outside of what Bremerton/Silverdale already has?

Sorry, hope this is still an active thread, as I've been off of C-D for quite a while.

IMO, live on the west side of Puget Sound.

One thing not mentioned here is that if you will be working at the Naval base, you should qualify for free transportation to work through Kitsap County's Worker/Driver program. The program entitles workers to "free" (technically "reimbursed" by the Federal government) access to the base. No worries about finding scarce parking around the base, and no parking fees to pay! Now granted, the link I post below mostly applies to standard day shift employees, but Kitsap Transit also has Carpool vans for non-standard hours:
https://www.kitsaptransit.com/servic...erdriver-buses


Because of the access to transportation from most county points, including locations in Mason and Jefferson Counties, this opens up your search quite widely, depending on what your commute trade-offs are. Be sure to work with a Realtor that understands your situation and can help you find an accessible route. My DoD DH walks about 1/8 mile daily to a KT stop where he catches a bus to take him to work. He can then drink coffee, catch up on news, converse with other employees, etc., and doesn't have to worry about finding a parking spot or paying a fee for parking close to the shipyard.

From a personal POV, for an easier commute, look to points north of the shipyard. And pay attention to which schools have had the most recent levy and bond measures pass. That will give you a clue as to which school districts you will want your child to attend.