Thanks for all the replies! Keep them coming.
I think a number of people are interested in this subject.
It can be overwhelming picking a place to live, so this information is very much appreciated.
Our son and his family live in Issaquah Highlands. It’s a wonderful area, around 25 miles due east of Seattle. That east/west drive is less congested than north/south commutes into the city. The Highlands area is very pedestrian, with lots of parks and open spaces. The major obstacle is what you might expect - housing costs. It’s very expensive.
Thanks! I'm going to check it out. Is there a particular neighborhood you would recommend that is safe and walking distance to walking trails?
But, given the home prices, I expected the rent prices for Issaquah to be even higher. I'm not sure that the difference between Portland area and Seattle area house prices is the same as the difference between Portland area and Seattle area rent prices. But, it's hard to compare apartments from different places without seeing them because you never know what an apartment looks like. I'm going to try and check some apartments on my exploratory trip.
My son and his family left Renton, Washington, just outside of Seattle, because the apartment rents were skyrocketing and crime was getting bad in the city. Do some research before you go.
Unfortunately, rent prices are skyrocketing in most places. Where I currently live is particularly bad. I don't know that there is a way to anticipate which cities are going to have the highest increases in the coming years. That would be helpful to know.
Redmond city has lots of Microsoft build up, but shopping and dining is pretty good along with lots of apartments.
With one exception, taxes are OK. If you have high capital gains, the state found it legal to make an income tax for the rich, despite law against it. So, specific capital gains >250K/yr is taxed. if you are living off of investments, make certain you can qualify for exemptions, or take no more than the non-taxable income limit.
Your home sounds wonderful. You mentioned Microsoft build-up. Are Redmond, Bellevue, and Issaquah dominated by the tech companies? Will I feel like an oddball not knowing about tech? And will I feel like an oddball if I don't have lots of money?
Do you (or anyone else) have suggestions for places for me to see or visit in Redmond (or elsewhere on the Eastside) so that I can get a good sense of what it would be like to live there?
Sadly, that capital gains tax will not be an issue for me. I don't think I'll ever have more than $50-60K in capital gains in a year. But, when you add that to IRA withdrawals and a 16K taxable pension, for someone like me the state income taxes in Oregon may offset a lot of the higher living costs in Washington. The Oregon income tax is not very progressive and has a low standard deduction. If I understand correctly, I'd be in the 9% state income tax bracket even if I earned just $12K a year.
But, if Washington is going to enact state income taxes that would apply to traditional IRAs, pensions, or Social Security, that would make things very different. Is that something that is fairly likely?
While it is true that rents are going up and high, there are recent laws restricting the increases or limiting based on notice periods. We own a few rentals.
How much can landlords increase rent per year in Washington and Oregon? For a renter like me, that would be good to know. I was under the impression that rent control was illegal in Washington and that there is a modest form of rent control in Oregon, but I guess I got that wrong.
Let me recommend Olympia, WA on South Puget Sound.
This state capital is a lovely small city with vibrant, walkable downtown, urban apartments as well as suburban. Great arts, theater, farmer’s market communities. Abundant outdoor life, trails, parks. Within reach of Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks, state parks, less than an hour to Pacific Ocean towns.
One hour south of Seattle, one hour-forty minutes to Portland.
Take a look.
During my drive from Portland to Seattle, I think I'm going to stop for a day and check out Olympia. My biggest concern about Olympia is its size and whether there is access to sufficient good health care. One of the biggest problems with where I currently live is that there is not sufficient access to health care and I expect that to be a greater concern as I age.
Are there any particular areas I should check out while I'm in Olympia?
I live in a nice neighborhood in NE Seattle about a mile north of UW and a mile west of Lake Washington. I5 and the north/south light rail line is a mile east. Very walkable / bikeable with good restaurants and amenities in the area.
Ravenna park is here with some nice in-city trails and the Burke Gilman trail on the west side of the lake runs from Bothell to Ballard. Thornton Creek has been restored with pockets of forest that are fun to explore. Magnuson park nearby on Lake Washington has good beach access and a number of trails and a restored wetland with trails running south to Husky Stadium.
Unfortunately housing is very expensive although the market is correcting a bit from what I hear. There is some homeless presence in some of the parks and green spaces but I've never had any problems with crime and these folks are friendly for the most part despite their troubles.
Some other places of interest farther afield that might interest you:
Bothell / Woodinville
North Bend
Wenatchee
Bellingham
Spokane (2nd largest metro on the east side of the state)
WA is a gem! If you can swing it, I think you'll be very happy here.
Thanks! I'm going to take a look at some of the Seattle neighborhoods, but I'm not sure there will be many viable options. I need a place with laundry in the unit (which seems to be much more rare in the city) and the prices are high.
Are there any particular places I should see in Bothell and Woodinville to get a sense of these towns? Any particular neighborhoods that would have apartments walking distance to walking trails?
I have similar concerns about Bellingham as I do about Olympia.
I think Spokane and Wenatchee are too far east for me.
Suggest you also check out Vancouver WA--across the river from Portland. Decent size city (approx 200k) with major healthcare centers across the river in PDX. Enjoy the benefits of no income tax in WA and no sales tax in Oregon. Avoid the crazys in downtown PDX and SEA both with large homeless populations.
Thanks! I'm going to check out Vancouver while in Portland. Can you recommend any neighborhood that would be walking distance to a good, safe walking trail? Anywhere to go to get a good sense of what it is like to live in Vancouver?
You mention shopping in Portland, but is it a hassle to get into the city? Is there good public transportation? How often do people really go into Portland from Vancouver to shop? I'm trying to get a sense of how Vancouver compares to someplace like Beaverton, aside from taxes.
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In either place, you'll have to feel comfortable with the Northwest weather. Yes, winters and summers are relatively mild, but there are long periods of overcast/rainy weather in the fall, the winter and part of the spring. I've known people who found it depressing and moved back to California. Seattle and Portland would be a lot more overpopulated if the skies were clearer!
If my personal circumstances were different, I'd be in Portland.
Good to know. I lived in a very foggy part of San Francisco and it didn't bother me. I hope that living in drizzle and overcast skies will be fine. Overcast skies won't bother me. If the rain prevents me from getting out and walking, then that might be a bit of a concern. I think I'd definitely prefer gray and drizzle to someplace like Florida or someplace with lots of snow. I love the San Francisco area, but it is out of my price range.
I'm interested in knowing the weather differences between the Portland area and Seattle area. Not just rain and clouds, but also summer heat.
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Avoid downtown Portland. Most suburbs will have what you are looking for, the whole Portland area has tons of biking lanes, parks, trails, etc. Good light rail/bus systems. Beaverton/Hillsboro is full of IT types, Sherwood/Newberg is a growing sleepy/farm area, West Linn/Wilsonville/Lake Oswego area is more spendy. Oregon City is a mix with some beautiful areas overlooking the river.
Avoid Gresham, used to live there, would not again.
PM me if you wish.
Thanks! Can you think of any particular neighborhoods in Beaverton/Hillsboro or any of the other Portland suburbs that are walking distance to walking trails where it would be safe for a woman to walk alone during the day?
Aside from the IT factor, can you give me a sense of the main differences between Beaverton/Hillsboro and other suburbs like West Linn and Oswego? What about Tigard?
Interesting thread as we are also researching these areas. We find the Phoenix heat less tolerable as we get older. Also the sun is so intense here even in the winter it tends to sting if in it for more than 15 minutes. We also miss the greenery of SF Bay area we grew up in
Spouse has vitiligo so thinking a place with less sunny days might be a good thing.
Are there places to avoid due to drought or climate change up there?
Best place you can buy a single family home for 300k to 400k?
How are property taxes and insurance cost?
Best place for three season weather? If one is looking to avoid snow?
OP hope you don't mind me asking more questions here. I figured they might help us both. Have you watched any YouTube videos on relocation to Washington and Oregon? Lots of good information there too.
I don't mind more questions about these areas. The more information the better. And there probably are others looking for similar information.
I've watched a few youtube vidoes, but they are from real estate agents and I'm not sure that they are that helpful. Aside from the fact that I will be renting, they seem geared toward people with a ton of money and are focused on the housing and not what it would be like for a typical person to live there. I'm wondering if they are giving me a distorted view of some areas.
If you have good recommendations for youtube videos, please post them here or PM me.
Thanks everyone!