Investing in Ellensburg area, pros and cons? (Seattle, Spokane: real estate, house)

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

Yes, she's learned that, so one reason to buy may no longer apply. I'm still curious about the potential for short and semester-term rentals, though.

Elllensburg beckons and repels me in equal measures. It's also a puzzle that doesn't fit into my context, which is mostly Colorado. Our mountain towns are so much more prosperous, and almost all are booming. Why is the first city east of the pass on I-90 still so seemingly small and sleepy? Is that about to change? My wife says they're building houses "everywhere in sight." Yesterday's NYT reports that Spokane values are up 60% in a couple of years, and it's gone from being the next big thing to the last.

Yeah, it doesn't really have a CO like equivalent. The closest I could think of was Buena Vista which is 2 hours removed from any larger city and also in the flats near mountains.

You really need to visit eastern WA to get a sense of what's what. Some of these ag towns feel like stepping back in time to an entirely different place and time. They feel really slow and old compared to most CO cities unless you drive east toward Kansas.

Spokane is yet another entirely different area and major city. So, there's really no comparison there either. Even Wenatchee feels quite a bit different which is the only town out that way I personally enjoy visiting along with Leavenworth not too far from there. Those would be more of your up and comers with more growth potential, IMO. Tri-Cities is another and also further away.

Derek

[mayfair]

I agree that Ellensburg is a cow town. Rodeo is big, and it's a small town in a windy area with passes to cross in winter to get to the west side. It's a place trucks stop to refuel. If you want a conservative cow town (many people love that vibe) you'd fit in. If not, it will get old. It's a place people stop for the night if they don't want to cross the pass, but not a big tourist draw. If you like having a small ranch in a drier area than the west side (and don't mind cold/snow/wind), it's a good choice. There are lots of wind farms in the area due to near continuous winds.

Lately, you also have to contend with forest fires.

[Hemlock140]

We go up there a couple of times every year to buy at the Thorp fruit stands, and always have a meal and some Dutch Bros. coffee drinks. They have a surprising number of good restaurants for a small college town. We actually looked at a house to buy there once, on 5 acres, but the low price turned out to be for a good reason. It was away from town a couple of miles, desolate sloped lot with no trees, just tumbleweeds, and really windy. We later looked it up and found the average wind speed there to be 16.4mph, more than double what it is here. Ellensburg has the best ice cream, at a place called Winegar's (it's homemade).

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

Corrected, thanks.

Overall, the rural/urban divide seems more stark in Washington. In CO, tourism brings urbanites and urban money to all corners of the state. Our Gold Rush towns have more glamour, and ski areas have diversified into year-round attractions. In comparison, WA is so unspoiled- but seems to have far fewer tourist infrastructure. As if most of the weekend warriors escaping Seattle for the weekend really do stay in backpacking tents.

I might call it lesser-developed... rather than unspoiled. There are little mountain cabins for rent at our ski resorts, but they're not 5-star attractions, they're old and weathered and *rustic*.

We don't have a resort reputation. We have a rainy reputation. :-)

[Diana Holbrook]

RE Ellensburg Wind.... I googled this to see if it was still there... This was at the grocery store in town:

[pikabike]

Have you been in Ellensburg in winter?

It is more wintery than either Denver or Wheat Ridge. It is not like Buena Vista, either. BV is in the so-called Banana Belt.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Have you been in Ellensburg in winter?

It is more wintery than either Denver or Wheat Ridge. It is not like Buena Vista, either. BV is in the so-called Banana Belt.

Interesting, I haven't visited during winter. So, combine that cold with the wind, remoteness and cow town environment/economy and that might explain the slower growth. But it does have the university and some good restaurants apparently for a smaller town. So, there's that. I think it's college is a good thing for the area which draws students from all over depending on their majors. I've heard their Aviation program is pretty good. We have friends whose son is attending. He plans to become a pilot like his father. Once graduated, he will not stay there as most I would imagine unless they've lived in that area before school.

BTW, I'd never heard of Buena Vista as 'Banana Belt.' But I guess that's relative to other similar remote areas out that way which are a mile high+ in elevation. It's at ~ 8000'! So, there's no getting around that and some wild weather at times. I've driven through BV during winter and it can get pretty darn cold and snowy. But its beautiful country at the foot of the Rockies along with small towns like Poncho Springs and Leadville.

Derek

[509]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

We go up there a couple of times every year to buy at the Thorp fruit stands, and always have a meal and some Dutch Bros. coffee drinks. They have a surprising number of good restaurants for a small college town. We actually looked at a house to buy there once, on 5 acres, but the low price turned out to be for a good reason. It was away from town a couple of miles, desolate sloped lot with no trees, just tumbleweeds, and really windy. We later looked it up and found the average wind speed there to be 16.4mph, more than double what it is here. Ellensburg has the best ice cream, at a place called Winegar's (it's homemade).

For a couple of visits, you pretty much nailed it.


ALL of Kittitas County has ALWAYS been a "suburb" of western Washington. It really is the ONLY county in eastern Washington that is "captive" of western Washington economic interests.


I did write an economic history of Kittitas County for a Federal EIS.



I actually found it pretty funny, that whatever reason King County needs at the moment, it was important for Kittitas County to provide for King County needs!!! From coal to hay to timber to recreation to second homes to subdivisions for commuters!!



I really like Ellensburg, but that wind!!!



AND the Governors of Washington have overruled local county zoning ordinances banning Industrial Wind Areas.



No way, am I going to live next to a Industrial Wind Area.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Ellensburg is fine, but still in the eastern Cascade cold range. Temps there are cold well into May and come around in early October. If you like a colder climate then go for it.

Agree is cold in the winter and hot during the summer months.

[happygrrrl]

My first view of Ellensburg was no view. The wildfire smoke was so thick that you could barely breath or see. It was also hot as hell. A client of mine had his grandson from Ellensburg spend summers with him to get out of the smoke. It's cold & windy in winter. It's a good place to buy produce