Relocating to the PNW

[TomT509]

My neighbors moved to a remote area near McCall, I spoke with them at length prior to their departure. Bottom line according to my neighbors is the cost of living is about a push compared to here. But every year with our rising taxes that is starting to favor Idaho. Yes, Idaho has an income tax, sales tax is in the 5% range, here it is 9.8% and property tax is climbing. Similar house, outbuildings and acreage to what I have here is just under or right at $2,000.00 a year property tax in Boundary county Idaho. Here we are $6,500. And expecting a 25% increase in valuation from the county soon. Every weekend the private jets are coming in for a weekend of wine tasting, or perhaps setting up a new winery. Downtown buildings are being purchased on speculation. Great if you are selling a building, not so great if you are a businessman seeing the valuation on his building he is renting go sky high resulting in his rent going up.
I am all for the American way, free enterprise. Supply and demand. But the downside is we are not too far off from the people who serve up the wine, and wait the tables having to live 10 to 20 miles out to afford housing. Add to that the continued effort to put a carbon tax in play, this year it is being billed as a carbon "fee" on the ballot. And the constant push by the west side of the state to tell us how to live, well a guy starts thinking about all those tall trees and a bit of isolation.
Reality time, I have too may ties here to move, but I really enjoy thinking about it.

"enjoy thinking about it" - yes, we are recently retired with moderate funds and think about moving somewhere that is, well, more green. But where? Don't say the SE, I don't like humidity and bugs.

My prognostication is for the prices to continue upward due to people relocating to regions with water and temperate climates (our current 100+ degrees notwithstanding). People will be leaving CA and the SW as the northward migration begins in earnest.

New houses here now start at, with reasonable landscaping etc, $350k. In the TC, for crying out loud! Sheesh.

The westside of the state is virtually unaffordable for any household making less that $100k/year.

I too, @oldb, worry about how this will shift our quality of life.

 

[Squatch]

Like their homeless problem. My wife and I thought it was bad in Portland, but we went up to Seattle last Summer for the first time in probably 12 years. I was blown way by the homeless situation up there. It's beyond how bad it is in Portland!

Snohomish County is dealing with the same issues. The changes to the areas around here are incredible...

 

[afmoto]

Funny, I'm also contemplating my escape from Commiefornia and Silicon Valley but some of the comments about "Californians" are so far off the mark. This state pretty much hates me: I fish, hunt, own quite a few firearms, take my Jeep and dirtbikes off-road. From a climate standpoint, my current location is nearly impossible to beat, but the fact that I own a home about 2 miles from the new Apple headquarters means that I'll hopefully do the 'Cali-cash-out' and get away from the insane politics. Lots of people escape to the Reno area and the PNW, but I'm also considering Idaho. Sadly, I'm prepared for the possibility that I won't be received with open arms by some Americans living in other states, but I really just have to get the heck out of this madhouse as soon as I can!

 

[JMT]

I'm looking at Spokane, WA area. I also looked at Anderson Island (@Squatch, not far S of you). Anyone live over there? seems too be out of the expensive zone for WA and nice.

 

[Chris]

Snohomish County is dealing with the same issues. The changes to the areas around here are incredible...

Oh wow, it's happening there as well? It's going on in Salem too. Not on the scale of Seattle, but it's still really crazy down here. The homeless have a massive tent city built in the forest at Wallace Marine Park that is like nothing you've ever seen before.

 

[Chris]

Sadly, I'm prepared for the possibility that I won't be received with open arms by some Americans living in other states, but I really just have to get the heck out of this madhouse as soon as I can!

It's not the Californians like you that we don't want here. It's the snowflakes in the Bay Area that we don't want. You know perfectly well which ones I'm talking about

 

[JMT]

Funny, I'm also contemplating my escape from Commiefornia and Silicon Valley but some of the comments about "Californians" are so far off the mark. This state pretty much hates me: I fish, hunt, own quite a few firearms, take my Jeep and dirtbikes off-road. From a climate standpoint, my current location is nearly impossible to beat, but the fact that I own a home about 2 miles from the new Apple headquarters means that I'll hopefully do the 'Cali-cash-out' and get away from the insane politics. Lots of people escape to the Reno area and the PNW, but I'm also considering Idaho. Sadly, I'm prepared for the possibility that I won't be received with open arms by some Americans living in other states, but I really just have to get the heck out of this madhouse as soon as I can!

We'll accept you in TX, with open arms!

 

[afmoto]

It's not the Californians like you that we don't want here. It's the snowflakes in the Bay Area that we don't want. You know perfectly well which ones I'm talking about

Ya think?! lol They're the main reason that I really want to get out of here! I stopped watching the news because it was driving me crazy, just when you think stuff can't get any more ridiculous, they prove me wrong, again and again and again. I definitely won't be moving to Portland or Seattle though, I don't want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. I just want a small piece of land with a modest house, and a state and local government that will leave me the heck alone.

btw, I came to the US as a little kid in the early 80's after we were granted political asylum (we defected from communist Romania) and it absolutely blows my mind that we will have to essentially "defect" for a second time in our lives. There is no more freedom of speech in the SF Bay Area, you can easily commit career suicide if you have different political views than the majority of people, and I have to be super careful about letting anyone know I have guns and hunt or do anything that doesn't fit in with the majority's agenda. Such bs...

 

[afmoto]

We'll accept you in TX, with open arms!

Thanks man, I was at COTA for the MotoGP races and I love Texas, but your summer heat would kill me. Same with Arizona. Anything over 90 degrees and I'm just miserable. I can live with cold and snow a lot easier than with extreme heat and humidity.

 

[Chris]

Ya think?! lol They're the main reason that I really want to get out of here! I stopped watching the news because it was driving me crazy, just when you think stuff can't get any more ridiculous, they prove me wrong, again and again and again. I definitely won't be moving to Portland or Seattle though, I don't want to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. I just want a small piece of land with a modest house, and a state and local government that will leave me the heck alone.

btw, I came to the US as a little kid in the early 80's after we were granted political asylum (we defected from communist Romania) and it absolutely blows my mind that we will have to essentially "defect" for a second time in our lives. There is no more freedom of speech in the SF Bay Area, you can easily commit career suicide if you have different political views than the majority of people, and I have to be super careful about letting anyone know I have guns and hunt or do anything that doesn't fit in with the majority's agenda. Such bs...

Oh yes... if you live and work anywhere in the SF Bay Area, you're better off keeping your political opinions / views to yourself. The moment you start sharing with others that you have a different opinion than theirs, that's the moment they'll cut you out, unfriend you, and your job / career may also be put at risk.

My observation is that people with this mentality and political view point only flock to large cities. They don't like to live in the smaller cities or rural areas (they wouldn't survive without Uber Eats delivering them food). The problem with those smaller cities / towns is that the political agenda and laws in a state really come down to the most populous cities in that state. For instance, we live in Salem, Oregon (the capital of Oregon), which is very moderate in terms of politics. It's a nice, place, no one is extreme here, and you could publicly express any political view you wanted without fear of retribution.

However, the politics in Oregon are primarily decided upon by the people who live in Portland (the largest city in Oregon), and therefore those politics are extremely, extremely left. That of course leaves the people in the smaller towns with no real voice.

Salem is nice anyhow. I'd never live in Seattle, Portland, or San Francisco though... you couldn't pay me. I don't blame you for wanting to take the "Cali Cash Out" and get out of there! With that house you've got, you could cash out big.

 

[JMT]

Thanks man, I was at COTA for the MotoGP races and I love Texas, but your summer heat would kill me. Same with Arizona. Anything over 90 degrees and I'm just miserable. I can live with cold and snow a lot easier than with extreme heat and humidity.

FYI, the humid sections are along the coast and extend from Houston to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. West of that its dry. Lots of people retire where I live because of the dry air.

It does get hot, but just think, we haven't had 100* days for a few years, and this year, everyone seems to be getting them, not just us! We play in the rivers a lot, and hang out in the AC! Extreme heat I would put in Nevada and Arizona!

 

[Squatch]

There are so many statements that @afmoto has made in the last few posts that qualify him as someone I think most of us would love to have as a neighbor. As for feeling like he has to defect for a second time (first Romania, and now California), I have often wondered if some people ever feel like that. Now I know, and it flat pisses me off. Someone legally enters into the US to build a better life for themselves, and then this shit happens. Sorry...touchy subject for me. I hope you find someplace that better suits you, my friend. It's waiting for you, somewhere.

 

[KMG]

Thanks to all for the input. I don't want to live in a larger community. Five acres outside of a 20,000 population town within 200 miles of Seattle would be perfect. I currently live in the brass buckle of the bible belt. Full of a lot of christian conservatives that act like neither. If you aren't an ultra right winger, the midwest can be very frustrating.

 

[Mrgreg66]

I know this is last year's thread, but wanted to add my two cents. We left northern California 13 years ago for all the reasons you guys noted and moved to North Idaho. Income was a struggle for a few years but more important than taxes or income was the lifestyle, the outdoors and the community we found here. Never regretted the move for a minute.

 

[Twopoint]

I am over in the Kitsap peninsula, a crossed the sound from Seattle. But you can get their by ferry.
Pricing is a lot cheaper over here. depending on what you like, check out Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Kingston or Port Ludlow and Port Townsend (they are over the hood canal bridge)

 

[ac_]

I am over in the Kitsap peninsula, a crossed the sound from Seattle. But you can get their by ferry.
Pricing is a lot cheaper over here. depending on what you like, check out Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Kingston or Port Ludlow and Port Townsend (they are over the hood canal bridge)

Good wheelin there too! Tahola? I think I remember getting some pretty slippery wheelin in there.

 

[Twopoint]

Tahuya, yup!

 

[ac_]

Tahuya, yup!

Sorry for the spelling haven't been there in like 15 years. I am shocked I still remembered it all, but I do remember it was one of the funnest wheelin in the state of WA.