What are best growth areas next 5-10 yrs?

[SoCalXplant]

Wife and I are looking to buy and settle in the Greater Puget Sound area once the market bottoms out. Anyone have any opinions/research on which communities have the best projected growth? We're primarily interested in regions north and/or west of the city proper. Much thanks!

[biliruben]

What do you mean by growth? Price growth, or a bunch of Californians moving there? ;

I don't think you can count on price growth in any area over the next 5-10 years. Down for 5 and flat for 5, is my guess.

Pop. growth - dunno. Downtown. Ballard. Pioneer square. Fremont. Ravenna. Lake City. Rainier Valley. Prolly Bellevue and Kirkland, though I don't haunt those areas. In-city, any where they are tearing down SFHs and building condos and townhomes.

The hinter-lands have a bunch of new developments going in, if you are interested in that sort of thing. I don't know much about it.

It might help to understand why are you asking the question?

[biliruben]

Re-reading - Winslow, over on Bainbridge Island has had a bunch of new condo development. I really like it. If you don't need to commute daily, Bainbridge could be for you. Lot's of excals.

Kingston - again pretty close to island life. They had a ferry downtown for a bit, but it got nixed.

Port Townsend - artsy community, but farther from Seattle.

Non-island:
The town of Snohomish is nice. Not sure how much more they are building up there. There are a number of new tracts going in around there.

Bellingham - college town on the water up near the border. A fair amount of building up there, I hear.

The Skagit Valley has a bunch of cute little towns - La Conner, Mt. Vernon, Anacortes. I don't think there's too much growth up there.

I just don't foresee a huge influx of population, even the forecasters disagree. Washington is an acquired taste, and many people come here, don't like the weather, then leave. We are currently over-built I think anyway.

[SoCalXplant]

thx for your input, biliruben...

to specify, I'm interested in population growth. Don't really care where from. Interested in up and coming areas promising for starting a local business; a place where middle-- and upper-middle income families are settling...

doesn't have to be too close to Seattle, but we prefer the Sound area, and hope to find something with a nice view -- water, mountains, or both....

left California for many reasons; not eager to re-surround myself with fellow Xplants.... Washingtonians seem friendlier and more real from recent experience on trips here... like that about here, but sorry if you feel territorial about the state. Our attitude is Americans are free to move to and live in any city or state that suits them. Consider myself a Washingtonian now, and have been a Seahawks fan since mid-eighties, so I'm very happy to be here now, and hope to live out my days in the Pacific Northwest.

[biliruben]

I don't feel territorial at all. I'm socal born (though Buffalo raised), my wife went to UCLA, my in-laws are in the bay area (heading down this weekend for Bay to Breakers race), so I'm not your typical cali hater (though you will encounter some). The more the merrier. I just think the population projections that I've seen for the coming decade are very optimistic. Only about a 3rd of the Puget Sound region population is actually from here, so it's not like we don't see a love if in-migration, but we see a lot of out-migration too. It takes a certain personality to live in this weather.

A lot of the towns I mentioned cater to a bit of a tourist crowd. Not sure what kind of business you are talking about. It sounds like maybe island or peninsula (Olympic or Kitsap) life might be for you, depending on how far you want to be from Seattle. If you are going to be relying on retail bricks-and-mortar trade, however, your choices are a bit more limited.

Places with water views that I like, from closer to farther from Seattle are Winslow, Edmonds, Mukelteo, Kingston, Anacortes, Clinton (on Whidbey Isl.), Bellingham, Port Townsend.

You could also consider some of the San Juan Islands, or Bremerton, Sequim, Port Angeles. The last 2 seem to be getting a bit of growth, particularly retirees as they are in a the rain shadow of the Olympics. Take some weekend ferry rides and see if anything strikes your fancy.

[TJ_98370]

SoCalXplant

I agree with billiruben with respect to Sequim. I do believe there is going to be a significant influx of retirees to that area during the next ten years or so.

[Ubersalad]

Wow, those are cities I would never consider moving to...in fact living here for 15+ years, I never even been to any of those cities you have listed. Growth? Sure, from nothing to little bit of something. Not my cup of tea.

[TJ_98370]

Ubersalad - maybe it's an urban / rural preference thing?

[biliruben]

Read the original post, silly, wilted ubersalad. He said north and/or west of the city proper and he also said on the water. Why even bother with spewing your bile in this thread if you've never been either north or west of the city in 15 years. Maybe you spend all of your time in Woodway or behind the gates of The Highlands, but other than than that, I think I gave a pretty comprehensive list of his options.

I can't even fathom never getting on a ferry or I-5 N in 15 years in Seattle, but to each his own, I guess. It's a wide world out away from your X-box, dude.

[Cougar]

SoCalXplant

"doesn't have to be too close to Seattle, but we prefer the Sound area, and hope to find something with a nice view -- water, mountains, or both...."

I've lived on the Eastside (Bellevue) for 45 years with a brief stay in Bremerton for 5 years and I suggest Gig Harbor (new Narrows Bridge makes traffic much easier) or Anacortes. Both of these are attracting middle-- and upper-middle income families with the view you are requesting. Of course I love Kirkland, with homes starting at 500k it tends to be upper, upper class and you would need deep pockets to compete.

My areas of choice to start a business with growth are Smokey Point or Monroe. Both areas are attracting middle-- and upper-middle income with a solid business core and good schools.

[SoCalXplant]

We live in Kirkland, too, in Bridle Trails neighborhood. It's very pretty here, but we want more house for our dollar when we buy, and don't need to be this close to the city.

Last summer we came up and spent ten days touring the Sound. We like Gig Harbor, but too far south, and getting pricey. Prices are decent in Bremerton/Pt. Orchard region. Is that because of military bases or are there more negative reasons? Found a great restaurant there -- Gino's. Still can't forget the salmon I had there!

Poulsbo was interesting area, but not much available at the time. Pt. Townsend was nice. Maybe a possibility. Sequim has the sunshine, but is not much to look at. Also quite remote. We love all the trees here, so the rain and cloudy days we consider a fair price to pay for all the beauty and clean air you get in return.

Drove through Anacorts and Whidbey Is. Had a positive vibe while passing thru Oak Harbor. Anyone know that area? Bellingham seems nice, albeit an older community. What's Camano Is. like?

Retirees not really our target market, so looking more for areas where families with kids are settling. And I'm on the waiting list for Seahawks season tix, so don't wanna be too far from Qwest field, I suppose.

Thanks for everyone's input!

[ira s]

Oak Harbor also has a military presence, the Naval Air Station, which maybe does contribute to lower housing prices.
I kinda like Vashon Island, and think that if anyplace appreciates over the next 5 years, it may be Vashon. Think of the islands closest to Seattle: Mercer and Bainbridge. Vashon is far less expensive, and still retains something of an rural, artsy, hippie/redneck vibe.

[cheapseats]

"Think of the islands closest to Seattle: Mercer and Bainbridge. Vashon is far less expensive"

Bainbridge may be a fair comparison, but to include Mercer (IMO) as part of a value comparison is a dis-service. Mercer Island is bridge connected to Seattle and Bellevue, no ferries etc... It only takes like 5 minutes to get to Seattle...

[Ubersalad]

[TJ_98370]

SoCalXplant -

Camano Island is very pretty and worth a visit IMO. My impression of Camano Island is that it is a place that retirees move to. In fact, I have some relatives who did just that, but had to downsize because they couldn't afford the taxes on their original place.

I think real estate prices in Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale, are "decent" because the Navy is pretty much the economic engine for that whole region. If you live / work in this area, you either work for the Navy or you have some "service" type employment.

At first, I didn't recognize the "Gino's" restaurant you mentioned. It's in Port Orchard, right? It used to be known as Twetens. It is an excellent restaurant. We had to reserve six months in advance when we had Thanksgiving dinner there a couple of years ago.