I hear ya brother. I commuted via the ferry system for about 25 years. If I never ride on another ferry as long as I live, that will be just fine with me.

 

Thanks guys, you've given me a lot to consider.

A quick index check does make housing in the Kitsap area a lot more reasonable. About 2/3rds the cost of where I'm at now. Snohomish seemed a bit higher. Does seem about right, houses in my area are selling for about twice what I think they're worth and the index puts them as twice as high as the area I moved here from.


Well, I'll have to spend some time over there and see how big of an issues dealing with the Sound would really be. I recon it will cross it about the same as I am now, so it depends if I'm finding what I'm looking for over there. If only it was 80 degrees...

Still a pretty big move, lots to consider. Thanks again.

 

I retired and sold my place in the Cathcart/Clearview area about a year ago. I liked the area but we wanted to get back to the midwest for grandkids growing up time. I had quite a few friends in the Snohomish area and they all seemed to enjoy living there. I hope you find just the right place at a decent price.

 

The Kitsap/N. Mason area gives your great roads, less people, lower cost of living, lower taxes, yet still close to major civilization.

I grew up here in the Allyn area and have seen quite the changes since the early 70s. Moved away after high school and ended up in the Puyallup, then Tacoma, areas before moving to SW Colorado for a couple years. When we moved back to WA there was no way I wanted to be on "the other side of the water" and deal with the people and the traffic.

 

I'm just outside of chehalis, about 20 minutes south of Olympia. very conservative, farmers and loggers, lots of blue collar. pretty depressed little area which is why I work up in woodinville.

during riding season the roads in Lewis county area are amazing. very well maintained with very little traffic. I travel the backroads to the ocean and the pass, also around Mt st helens.

the thing I like the best is that it seems like the hub of everything.
about 2 hours to white pass
hour and 15 to seattle
hour and 10 to portland
1.5 to ocean shores
2 hours to longbeach/seaside

but like I said, depressed little area for economics. we go to olympia for costco, lots in olympia.

land and housing hear cheap compared to everywhere else. olympia is nice, but thurston county is more expensive for taxes

 

oh I forgot. we have a pretty chunk of land on 10 acres with trees and 2 ponds. out in the country here is nice. theres still enough in town to get by, home depot, walmart, ect

 

I'll definitely need to check out somethings to the south, and across the sound. I'll make a few trips when the weather is a bit more fun. Lot to consider to find that balance I guess.

Thanks guys

 

I used to live in Issaquah and totally despised that place couldn't wait to get out, moved across the hill to Wenatchee and that was a huge improvement not a bad place to live. I live in North Dakota now and will never leave here this place is awesome! winter can test you at times but I am here to stay!

 

The cost of housing is a bummer around here. I check things in my neighborhood when they come up and it's always more than double I think the house should cost, even on the high end.

I actually don't mind the traffic around here too much, mostly because I'm on a motorcycle and ride aggressively. But whenever I had to go into Seattle with the work truck... that's a different story.

What didn't you like about Issaquah? I've only ridden though it a few times, beautiful place but never spent any real time there.

I came from out in Wyoming, I know what you mean about the winters. I laugh at what they call a winter out here. Part of me does miss it out there, it can be a little too sugar coated sometimes out here in Washington. Hence my hope of maybe getting out a little farther to find what I want. There are a lot of awesome things out here.

 

Hey there capt. awesome! The thing I didn't like about Issaquah it was too close to Seattle! too many people! I grew up in N.D. In a town of about 400 people and was the biggest town for about 70 miles in any direction! so King county in general was a bit of a shock after growing up where you never locked your doors not even when you left home for a few days and never pulled the keys out of your car ever. Back in N.D. again to stay! but winter can suck forecasting about 6-10 inches more snow over the next 24 hrs