Young family thinking of moving to Vancouver (Seattle, Yakima: crime rate, house)

[AnonymousMoi]

Hey guys, my husband and I, along with our 11 month old son are thinking over moving from Yakima to Vancouver.
Big reasons: lower crime rate, closer to more work for my husband (he's an electrician), more things to do, closer to the ocean....
I was born and raised in Yakima and the crime is just getting to be too much. The only thing I think I'd miss is Ron's Tacos and burgers and being so close to Mt. Rainier.
If any one has any incites Id love to hear them. I've never actually been to Vancouver but statistically, it has a lower crime rate, a lot of job openings for electricians, better housing prices etc...
Good/bad things about Vancouver?

[silibran]

You aren't that far away. Why don't you visit for a few days? Consider it research for a change in your life.

There are two threads already started about what people don't like about Vancouver, and what they do like about the city. You could start by reading those.

There are other threads which talk about the quality of the schools and which neighborhoods are safest.

For the two of us who moved here this summer, it seems like a really nice place. We like it.

I do think that the price of housing has taken a tick up. But the cost of money is very good right now, if you want to buy a house.

[NWbyNW]

I would take a quick 2hour some drive from Yakima through the beautiful Columbia Gorge and do some research on Vancouver. Not a good idea to move someplace based solely on the internet. You need to visit it. Also, are you sure you want Vancouver? There are many other cities in Washington State you might want to consider.

Vancouver does have a lot of perks though. Vancouver is a growing city (one of the fastest in the state of Washington) and with that boon, you get new business, and hopefully a lot of job ops in the future. The housing market was hot here a few years back, then fell apart. It is starting to rise again, and the city has big plans downtown including a waterfront project and light rail tram. With all these new projects and housing subdivisions going up, there will certainly be a big demand for electricians!

There are good services in Vancouver, and a lot of fun attractions nearby including Fort Vancouver, The Columbia Gorge (Fun to drive on the WA side for stunning views), Mt. St. Helens, and you are about an hour away from the sandy beached coast (Long Beach or Seaside)! You are also not much further from Mount Rainier either, it is about a 2 hour and 37 minute drive to Longmire on the mountain. Besides, in Couver you get to see Rainier, Mt. Adams, St. Helens, and Oregon's Mt. Hood!

You are also close to tons of shopping, even more just south on Hayden Island and in Portland metro (tax benefits), and you are lucky to be near a major airport for vacations. PDX International Airport has enough flights destinations to keep you suited, but SeaTac in Seattle is far larger with more choices. There are also good schools around in the city.

So with all the new development in Couver and the vicinity of Clark County, I would think that electrician jobs are of high demand.

[nwmo3]

I would definitely do some research and visit areas. We moved here recently from Snohomish, WA. My husband took a job in Portland. We have 3 kids ages 3, 8 and 10. The schools in OR aren't that great so we chose to reside in Vancouver. We live in SE Vancouver and have been searching for a house for months. Inventory is really low so finding a nice house is hard. We are looking in the 350k-450K range. Since my DH has to commute into PDX we are looking at SE Vancouver or Camas only. So far we aren't thrilled with Vancouver or Portland. Both have their share of trashy, run down areas. We really haven't seen any one area that doesn't have some negative elements. Camas is probably the closest we've seen. Homeless on every street corner and housing is overpriced for what the area has to offer. Vancouver has large areas that are run down with questionable population. I'm suprised that the crime rate is low. Fisher's Landing area in SE Vancouver is decent, great public schools and a quick 15 minutes to Portland.

[irishma]

Hi there, Having recently moved to Vancouver, Camas area in June from Southern Oregon, I love it. I chose the area we live in for the schools. That would be Union High School. The academic ratings were excellent. We had considered various areas around Portland, but as I researched further, I found that the majority of Oregon schools are lacking in financial assitance and are cutting programs right and left, including the better areas such as Beaverton, Lake Oswego and Hillsboro. Unless you are interested in private schools, Washington has not experienced the funding cuts like Oregon. It seems that Wa has prioritized education. If you look into what special area you want children headed towards in High School, then I would seek that middle school and elementary school if you want long term friendships for your kids. Moving is hard on them. We've had to move many times, and the older they got, the harder is was. Looking back, if I knew then what I know now, I would find an area that I love that has the education requirements I want for my kids looking forward. And this area is convenient enough that if you need to change jobs, you still don't have to move, as Portland is only 20 mins away. The Running Start program is fabulous, but only if your child can fit. I personally believe that High School can be alot of fun if your child gets involved some how, whether thru academics, sports or other activities. I've raised 4 kids, my oldest is 30, my youngest 16. They all have different needs. I love all this area offers, on both sides of the river.

[silibran]

Originally Posted by nwmo3

I would definitely do some research and visit areas. We moved here recently from Snohomish, WA. My husband took a job in Portland. We have 3 kids ages 3, 8 and 10. The schools in OR aren't that great so we chose to reside in Vancouver. We live in SE Vancouver and have been searching for a house for months. Inventory is really low so finding a nice house is hard. We are looking in the 350k-450K range. Since my DH has to commute into PDX we are looking at SE Vancouver or Camas only. So far we aren't thrilled with Vancouver or Portland. Both have their share of trashy, run down areas. We really haven't seen any one area that doesn't have some negative elements. Camas is probably the closest we've seen. Homeless on every street corner and housing is overpriced for what the area has to offer. Vancouver has large areas that are run down with questionable population. I'm suprised that the crime rate is low. Fisher's Landing area in SE Vancouver is decent, great public schools and a quick 15 minutes to Portland.

We have experienced the low inventory prob ourselves, esp. since we wanted one level only. It took us 3 months to find our place. We come from the St. Louis area, where we lived in a nice far suburban area. What I notice about Vancouver, is that older subdivisions exist in close proximity to newer, nicer subdivisions and there is quite a bit of undeveloped land in between. We stayed on the east side, but a little to the north. I think Vancouver is fine. I feel safe, and I am thankful for our house, which is solid and roomy.

Camas, has newer developments, and seems to me to be a city for families. Living on Prune Hill was not what we, in retirement, wanted for ourselves. And the RE taxes are higher there. I really do like Vancouver, although it isn't perfect by any means.