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I am thinking about relocating my 81 year old mother off of Camano Island and Vancouver is #1 on the list right now.
She and her husband retired to Camano about 20 years ago, but since he passed during the pandemic, she is pretty isolated up there. She has no real ties to the area; my non-involved sibling is in Seattle but hardly ever visits. Seattle has become too big, scary and expensive for her.
I have a home in California she can move into, but the heat here in the summer is something she can't abide and for tax purposes she's wanting to remain a Washington resident. She's looking for a small (3B/2b) single story, minimal yard, good access to doctors, groceries, transportation in case she can no longer drive. Under 500K. I'm looking for good access to an airport so I can get to her quickly, if need be. Paine Field isn't cutting it.
The idea is she will keep her house on Camano as a rental to fund a new place in WA. SE Vancouver seems to fit the bill. I've found what she's looking for there, but how is the area? Google maps, crime stats only tell you so much.
How is Vancouver for a senior citizen? Are we missing any other areas we should consider?
She's also a hoarder, so this will not be an easy move and why she doesn't want to rent first. A minimum 2 car garage is a necessity.
It really depends on the person even in their senior years in terms of how much they want to get out vs. accessing the basics such as shopping and medical care. There are so many options including 55+ communities vs. living alone. Does she really need a house that large? Maybe it would be easier in terms of hording and all that stuff. But it might also be a good time downsize and shed the weight of all those 'things.' Though not easy, I know, from moving parents myself.
Regarding SE Vancouver, there are good parts and not so good parts. So, its a buyer beware kinda thing. We live in what I consider one of the nicer parts with fewer crime issues and better schools (those go together many times). So, yes, its buyer beware and important to perform your due diligence vs. going off of price alone or thinking of SE Vancouver as all pretty much the same. It definitely 'is not.' Also, its important to get more than one opinion on neighborhoods, especially if that it coming from a 'sales' person.
Its also important to keep in mind that unlike Camano Island, Vancouver is apart of a larger sprawling (Portland) metro which has its unique set of pluses and minuses. For example, we enjoy taking advantage of many of the great features and amenities available including easy access to an airport for travel. There is pretty much every kind of shopping you will ever need. And there are more medical services available than smaller or even mid-sized cities.
The downside is, since its so spread out, traveling typically requires a car and you have to be willing to drive across town or across the river for certain amenities. Again, this varies depending on the services needed. There are shopping centers and medical facilities here. Though if you need to see specialist, that may take more driving.
That said, we have seniors living in our immediate neighborhood. Though I don't know them well, their health or support system including family nearby or not. One elderly women next door has helped us with our gardening decisions. She loves her garden and it really shows. So, it would be harder for her to live in one of those senior condos with no yard. But everyone is different. So, it really depends on many factors including personal health and mobility among other things.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, being further south and more inland, it will be warmer here than Camano Island which is a good thing during winter, but not as good during summer. Vancouver will get into the 90s with a few 100+ degree days. Those temps can be deadly especially for the elderly who do not have A/C in some of the older homes here. That's something we hear about every summer, warnings on the news for the elderly in these older homes. Also without good A/C, they will have to deal with very bad air quality at times from fires out east. That is why we're extremely thankful for A/C and would not live here without it. Today is a perfect example with terrible air quality due to fire smoke blown in by strong easterly winds. Some summers are better/worse than others. But its a fact of life here one needs to be aware of and plan for.
In all honesty, I think having family closer by such as yourself is worth far more than any 'tax savings' in these later years especially after losing her husband like that. That's what I would strongly encourage her to do. Is living alone what she really wants stuck on Camano Island or somewhere else with only old memories at this life stage? However, if she insists staying in WA, then Vancouver is a nice place to live with easier access for you. Good luck and sorry for your loss.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 09-10-2022 at 04:19 PM..
There are some very nice looking over 55 senior neighborhoods in East Vancouver in the Fishers Landing area called Fairway Village. I ride through it on a daily basis on my bike. I don't know the prices or have any first-hand reviews but it looks nice and is very close to shopping and dining.
PDX is less than 10 min away across the river for super easy access for you and the Fishers Landing Transit Center is next door with express buses to Portland and other destinations.
There are some very nice looking over 55 senior neighborhoods in East Vancouver in the Fishers Landing area called Fairway Village. I ride through it on a daily basis on my bike. I don't know the prices or have any first-hand reviews but it looks nice and is very close to shopping and dining.
PDX is less than 10 min away across the river for super easy access for you and the Fishers Landing Transit Center is next door with express buses to Portland and other destinations.
Interesting, yes, I remember looking there when we first moved here. I don't think we realized it was a 55+ community at the time driving around. I agree that somewhere further south 'closer in' would be better like that. Fisher's Landing and Cascade Park are in a bit of a goldilocks zone closer to 14 and PDX with lots of shopping nearby off 164th. When our kids move out and we eventually downsize, we'll probably look over that way more ourselves.
I just checked that link and the only home currently for sale is a 3/2 for $700k on a tiny lot. Man, have prices changed. It's a rough market out there right now.
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Vista del Rio is a preferred 55+ MHP in Fisher's Landing. We've moved several seniors there, all homes are very nicely set so that they are handicap accessible. And good community support and activities. But not walking distance to any services, and near freeway noise.
We also help seniors who have really enjoyed living at or near this little community, walking distance to Fred Meyer 164th https://www.cafsl.org/. I'm sure there are others. Fairway village has been popular with active retirees for about 30 yrs, and a few friends we had there aged out to assisted living care, or passed away.
It is really too bad Vancouver area does not have a Senior Housing Coop (yet). I only know of one in Bellevue, + a few smaller private ones in Olympia (retired teachers only) and Bremerton (single ladies only).
Vista del Rio is a preferred 55+ MHP in Fisher's Landing. We've moved several seniors there, all homes are very nicely set so that they are handicap accessible. And good community support and activities. But not walking distance to any services, and near freeway noise.
We also help seniors who have really enjoyed living at or near this little community, walking distance to Fred Meyer 164th https://www.cafsl.org/. I'm sure there are others. Fairway village has been popular with active retirees for about 30 yrs, and a few friends we had there aged out to assisted living care, or passed away.
It is really too bad Vancouver area does not have a Senior Housing Coop (yet). I only know of one in Bellevue, + a few smaller private ones in Olympia (retired teachers only) and Bremerton (single ladies only).
SR, Those places must be popular. Similar to Fairway Village, there's really nothing available right now. It may be due in part to there not really being enough of them in the Vancouver area, perhaps. Like the nicer assisted living facilities, there can be waiting lists making it difficult for seniors to get housing when needing a place for mom/grandma.
Regarding Senior Housing co-ops, I've never seen those before. Though it sounds like an interesting option. Is that something between 55+ 'active' senior communities and retirement homes with assisted living services available when needed?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Actually, if you network within these communities you can find vacancies, or be the first to know when one might open. Similar to desirable neighborhoods and private communities, the openings will never be publicly listed, and these communities prefer that. (minimal screening, advertising, hassle, and no vacancy gaps.
Senior Housing Coop come in various flavors. Most are condo or individual house and not medical or care assist. The first in USA were NYC for rent control, one of the first outside of big cities was 7500 York (Edina, MN). Now into it's 3rd generation of owner / members, and has expanded to add assisted living and memory care in adjacent units.
Here is a pretty traditional list of the Midwest type senior coops. Housing List – Senior Cooperative Foundation
This is one of the national organizations.
There is special HUD funding for senior housing Coop, this a few specialist developers.
Here is another favorite as an example (a good friend was previous manager here) https://becketwood.com/
Housing Coop is far more popular in Canada, and especially Denmark and The Netherlands.
Some of my favorite housing co-ops are in Davis, CA. One we toured was 9 families who had lived on a culdesac and raised their kids... They said "Why lose these great neighbors?", So they built a housing co-op. Separate cottages, all facing a courtyard, no traffic or cars in front. Shared community / activity / excercise center with common commercial kitchen (occasional shared or catered meals) + apartments for guests and hired caregivers if needed.
I here there is a similar place near Stanwood, WA.
My vision was to build a senior housing co-op on a parcel near Van Mall, with a nearby wildlife lake. I lost that parcel to a developer, so we now have 12 more "me too" homes in Vancouver. Nice lots, great fertile soils (previous veggie farm, as were many acres along Burnt Bride Trail, including several japanese owned truck farms commandeered during WWII)
OP can check resources at Vancouver Housing authority, and senior services. But consider future moves / care needs.
There are a few aging in place private facilities in Vancouver, but near PDX. As well as pretty good senior services options.
Actually, if you network within these communities you can find vacancies, or be the first to know when one might open. Similar to desirable neighborhoods and private communities, the openings will never be publicly listed, and these communities prefer that. (minimal screening, advertising, hassle, and no vacancy gaps.
Senior Housing Coop come in various flavors. Most are condo or individual house and not medical or care assist. The first in USA were NYC for rent control, one of the first outside of big cities was 7500 York (Edina, MN). Now into it's 3rd generation of owner / members, and has expanded to add assisted living and memory care in adjacent units.
Here is a pretty traditional list of the Midwest type senior coops. Housing List – Senior Cooperative Foundation
This is one of the national organizations.
There is special HUD funding for senior housing Coop, this a few specialist developers.
Here is another favorite as an example (a good friend was previous manager here) https://becketwood.com/
Housing Coop is far more popular in Canada, and especially Denmark and The Netherlands.
Some of my favorite housing co-ops are in Davis, CA. One we toured was 9 families who had lived on a culdesac and raised their kids... They said "Why lose these great neighbors?", So they built a housing co-op. Separate cottages, all facing a courtyard, no traffic or cars in front. Shared community / activity / excercise center with common commercial kitchen (occasional shared or catered meals) + apartments for guests and hired caregivers if needed.
I here there is a similar place near Stanwood, WA.
My vision was to build a senior housing co-op on a parcel near Van Mall, with a nearby wildlife lake. I lost that parcel to a developer, so we now have 12 more "me too" homes in Vancouver. Nice lots, great fertile soils (previous veggie farm, as were many acres along Burnt Bride Trail, including several japanese owned truck farms commandeered during WWII)
OP can check resources at Vancouver Housing authority, and senior services. But consider future moves / care needs.
There are a few aging in place private facilities in Vancouver, but near PDX. As well as pretty good senior services options.
Given that the OP lives in CA, maybe some of those like the one in Davis would be worth further exploration.
The only real benefit I see with staying in WA after her husband died is maintaining 'no income tax.' IMHO, grandmothers/widows normally prefer to be in community with their family or at the very least another group of friends/peers vs. isolated in an 'anytown USA' neighborhood. It sounds like Camano Island is now a place of isolation vs. comfort or enjoyable, per se. I'm not sure how Vancouver or anywhere else in WA would be more beyond having better airport access.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 09-11-2022 at 09:57 PM..
OP, another thought. Since you would like her to be near you but she doesn't like the heat of Temecula, how about somewhere closer but near the coast. Maybe north SD county somewhere like Oceanside. Or you could go north a bit up toward Ventura, maybe even Santa Maria on the Central Coast. Then she gets the cooler weather and closer proximity to family. I know CA is more expensive. But there might be some senior options or a smaller place that could work further south.
She is not particularly social at this stage in her life. She enjoys thrifting (it's a problem), reading, some sewing, a little gardening. Knee pain makes walking on uneven surfaces tough. She was in a quilting group on Camano but most of her friends passed away. I think if there were groups available, she might join in a new location.
I'm thinking, she will most likely stay with me if her health goes downhill, and we can hire people to come in if need be.
Fairway Village is exactly where I've been looking. There have been quite a few under $500K for sale over the past couple of months. All of those houses you listed, I forwarded to her last week. Lol
Now, family members want her to move to Olympia. Ugh.
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