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Moving to Washington in the next year or so

S

ScottyT

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Apr 7, 2008
Messages
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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Sorry that this is a little off topic, but I don't know where to find good info besides my brothers in arms here at OCDO.


My wife and I will probably be moving to Washington within the next 12 months or so and I have some questions!

We will initially be renting, probably in the Seattle area (give or take 20-30 miles) while my wife finishes up school. When she is done, however, the time will be upon us to buy (read: build) a house and have kids! I would love to stay and settle down in Washington, but don't know where would be the best for us.

What I am looking for:
- Fairly rural (read: affordable and quiet)
- 1/2 to 2 acres
- not more than 1 hour away from a larger city (Costco, WalMart, etc...)
- Near mountains -- in the mountains would be fantastic, but not more than 20-30 minutes away from hiking and camping


Can you guys give me any ideas on where to start looking? We would love to buy the land ASAP (like when we first move up there) so we can start paying on it right away.

Can you recommend any good Real Estate sites I could look at?
 
S

ScottyT

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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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thewise1 wrote:
Where do you plan to work? That will be key to a good location decision.
Click to expand...

Been thinking about a career in Law Enforcement for a long time, so that could be anywhere. I do photography and graphic design currently, which I can do from pretty much anywhere. My wife is a painter and makes pretty good money doing that, so not more than a couple hours out of Seattle would be nice to grant better access to the art scene for her...

Thanks for the website!
 
John Hardin

John Hardin

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Jul 29, 2007
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Snohomish, Washington, USA
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ScottyT wrote:
thewise1 wrote:
Where do you plan to work? That will be key to a good location decision.
Click to expand...
Been thinking about a career in Law Enforcement for a long time, so that could be anywhere. I do photography and graphic design currently, which I can do from pretty much anywhere. My wife is a painter and makes pretty good money doing that, so not more than a couple hours out of Seattle would be nice to grant better access to the art scene for her...
Click to expand...
This is wierd. My wife and I moved up here from SLC, and she's an artist, and I tinker at amateurish graphic design... :)

Let me plug south and central Snohomish county: Lake Stevens - Snohomish - Monroe - Clearview area. Perhaps further up Highway 2 if you want to be closer to the mountains.

Having you work for the SCSO might help me out someday... :)
 
T

thewise1

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Moscow, ID
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I live in Lake Stevens, myself. I love it there, but I'm not too hot about my commute to downtown Seattle every day. That said, I have a house in Lake Stevens that I could never afford in Seattle, and a yard for my little girl to play in, so it's 100% worth it to me.

So in summary, move to Lake Stevens, and if you get into law enforcement, and ever need to pull over a guy in a red GTO, cut him a break, ok? :celebrate
 
J

joeroket

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It seems to me that you may be wanting to look in the clearview to index area or snohomish county on the northend, Issaquah on the east side, and Bonney Lake area on the South side. I know people that live in all three areas and out of them all I prefer Index. It is very rural still yet close to shopping and the hiking/camping you want but still close enough to Seattle to manage a commute.
 
B

Bear 45/70

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May 22, 2007
Messages
3,256
Location
Union, Washington, USA
imported post

ScottyT wrote:
Sorry that this is a little off topic, but I don't know where to find good info besides my brothers in arms here at OCDO.


My wife and I will probably be moving to Washington within the next 12 months or so and I have some questions!

We will initially be renting, probably in the Seattle area (give or take 20-30 miles) while my wife finishes up school. When she is done, however, the time will be upon us to buy (read: build) a house and have kids! I would love to stay and settle down in Washington, but don't know where would be the best for us.

What I am looking for:
- Fairly rural (read: affordable and quiet)
- 1/2 to 2 acres
- not more than 1 hour away from a larger city (Costco, WalMart, etc...)
- Near mountains -- in the mountains would be fantastic, but not more than 20-30 minutes away from hiking and camping


Can you guys give me any ideas on where to start looking? We would love to buy the land ASAP (like when we first move up there) so we can start paying on it right away.

Can you recommend any good Real Estate sites I could look at?
Click to expand...
Meets all your criteria. Shelton, Washington.
 
J

joeroket

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Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
3,339
Location
Everett, Washington, USA
imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:
ScottyT wrote:
Sorry that this is a little off topic, but I don't know where to find good info besides my brothers in arms here at OCDO.


My wife and I will probably be moving to Washington within the next 12 months or so and I have some questions!

We will initially be renting, probably in the Seattle area (give or take 20-30 miles) while my wife finishes up school. When she is done, however, the time will be upon us to buy (read: build) a house and have kids! I would love to stay and settle down in Washington, but don't know where would be the best for us.

What I am looking for:
- Fairly rural (read: affordable and quiet)
- 1/2 to 2 acres
- not more than 1 hour away from a larger city (Costco, WalMart, etc...)
- Near mountains -- in the mountains would be fantastic, but not more than 20-30 minutes away from hiking and camping


Can you guys give me any ideas on where to start looking? We would love to buy the land ASAP (like when we first move up there) so we can start paying on it right away.

Can you recommend any good Real Estate sites I could look at?
Click to expand...
Meets all your criteria. Shelton, Washington.
Click to expand...
Oohhh good cal Bear I forgot about Shelton.

You might want to look at http://www.windermere.com for an agent.
 
Bill Starks

Bill Starks

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Nortonville, KY, USA
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Now that the Super Walmart is in Yelm I'd suggest McKenna or Yelm. You have Tacoma or Olympia on either end & about the same distance.

I remember Yelm having only one stoplight and no fastfood joints.
 
S

sv_libertarian

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Messages
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Location
Olympia, WA, ,
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Now Bear, don't be turnin' unsuspecting decent folk onto Shelton:p

Actually I agree, Shelton is a nice area, lots of affordable land, a goodly bit of "normal" people, plus you get the mountains and Puget Sound all in one place.

I was going to suggest Yelm or Rainier myself. Tumwater mebbe if you wanted to be close to Oly. Yelm would allow for a commute to Tacoma if needed.

Snohomish County has a lot going for it, or Skagit County. Island County is getting too expensive.

I think folks offering suggestions are all very fond of where they live, so you may not be getting much help... :D But we got it narrowed down to the Puget Sound region for ya!

Then there is Bremerton....

Heh heh.
 
J

joeroket

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Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
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Location
Everett, Washington, USA
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sv_libertarian wrote:
I think folks offering suggestions are all very fond of where they live, so you may not be getting much help... :D But we got it narrowed down to the Puget Sound region for ya!
Click to expand...
Oh c'mon. I didn't suggest he move to Everett. It's too far from the mountains for his liking and the schools suck.:p
 
S

sv_libertarian

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Aug 15, 2007
Messages
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Olympia, WA, ,
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joeroket wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
I think folks offering suggestions are all very fond of where they live, so you may not be getting much help... :D But we got it narrowed down to the Puget Sound region for ya!
Click to expand...
Oh c'mon. I didn't suggest he move to Everett. It's too far from the mountains for his liking and the schools suck.:p
Click to expand...
Of course I didn't specifically say Oly either... place is too weird at times. And that's without me....
 
J

joeroket

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Messages
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Location
Everett, Washington, USA
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sv_libertarian wrote:
joeroket wrote:
sv_libertarian wrote:
I think folks offering suggestions are all very fond of where they live, so you may not be getting much help... :D But we got it narrowed down to the Puget Sound region for ya!
Click to expand...
Oh c'mon. I didn't suggest he move to Everett. It's too far from the mountains for his liking and the schools suck.:p
Click to expand...
Of course I didn't specifically say Oly either... place is too weird at times. And that's without me....
Click to expand...
So Oly is normal when you set sail? You should probably let OPD know when you do so they can stand down for a little bit.;)
 
B

Bear 45/70

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Union, Washington, USA
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M1Gunr wrote:
Now that the Super Walmart is in Yelm I'd suggest McKenna or Yelm. You have Tacoma or Olympia on either end & about the same distance.

I remember Yelm having only one stoplight and no fastfood joints.
Click to expand...
Damn, I'm old, I remember Yelm with no stop light.
 
B

Bear 45/70

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Joined
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Union, Washington, USA
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sv_libertarian wrote:
Now Bear, don't be turnin' unsuspecting decent folk onto Shelton:p

Actually I agree, Shelton is a nice area, lots of affordable land, a goodly bit of "normal" people, plus you get the mountains and Puget Sound all in one place.

I was going to suggest Yelm or Rainier myself. Tumwater mebbe if you wanted to be close to Oly. Yelm would allow for a commute to Tacoma if needed.

Snohomish County has a lot going for it, or Skagit County. Island County is getting too expensive.

I think folks offering suggestions are all very fond of where they live, so you may not be getting much help... :D But we got it narrowed down to the Puget Sound region for ya!

Then there is Bremerton....

Heh heh.
Click to expand...
I don't live or work in Shelton. Just that it is close to Oly, which has all the services andit is very close to the mountains, the Olympic and Puget Sound is all over the area. Yet it is far enough out to not have too much population so far. There is lots of dirt available.
 
S

sv_libertarian

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Joined
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Messages
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Location
Olympia, WA, ,
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Bear 45/70 wrote:
M1Gunr wrote:
Now that the Super Walmart is in Yelm I'd suggest McKenna or Yelm. You have Tacoma or Olympia on either end & about the same distance.

I remember Yelm having only one stoplight and no fastfood joints.
Click to expand...
Damn, I'm old, I remember Yelm with no stop light.
Click to expand...
You probably remember Yelm with no people either... :p
 
B

Bear 45/70

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Union, Washington, USA
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sv_libertarian wrote:
Bear 45/70 wrote:
M1Gunr wrote:
Now that the Super Walmart is in Yelm I'd suggest McKenna or Yelm. You have Tacoma or Olympia on either end & about the same distance.

I remember Yelm having only one stoplight and no fastfood joints.
Click to expand...
Damn, I'm old, I remember Yelm with no stop light.
Click to expand...
You probably remember Yelm with no people either... :p
Click to expand...
No, there were alwaysa bunch of rednecks there.:D
 
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