Ocean Shores here we come (Seattle, Aberdeen: fit in, real estate, 2014)

[justrobert]

I must be very optimistic, Freddy and others really do not have much good to say about Ocean Shores. I am glad I am renting before we decide to buy because of the threads on here.

I have this picture of kayaking off my dock most mornings.

Watching the awesome storms come in, in the winter.

Riding our bikes to the beach and just hanging out with our three kids.

Sitting on my deck and drinking coffee while reading a book watching the rain.

Getting back to a simple way of life. I am tired of the rat race.

I am hoping to play some holdem also.

I also enjoy seeing my parents and relatives in Aberdeen. I would like to get to know my neighbors and actually know their names. Smaller towns seem to be nicer. I have lived in many places, including Portland OR recently, while it was ok, it is still a bigger city. Before that we lived in Austin TX, never again, that is another planet.

We may be crazy, but we are really looking forward to our move. I will look for the best and deal with the issues as they come. No place is perfect and we may not end up staying in Ocean Shores for good, but I want to make the most out it while we are there.

[slan490]

Well that's a great attitude! I agree with you on missing and wanting that small town feel

Good luck with your move!

Check out Art Fusion Gallery and Tsunami Beads...I love both shops and the owners.

The Mexican restaurant has some cool pottery and ceramics in a shop inside the restaurant.

BJ's is fun for mini-golf and bumper boats.

[justrobert]

Slan490

Thank you for the tips. We look forward to the move and the experience. It is funny, I have seen some great places and found people that can't appreciate what they have; I have even been one of those. I think a lot of life is what you make it.

Wish you well!

[cjg5]

Check out the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center too. Pretty neat place. I once donated a whale bone I found on Roosevelt Beach to the place.

Go to Copalis and walk the beach from the park near the Green Lantern to the mouth of the Copalis River. Long walk but well worth it.

Vendor Village (next door to the Green Lantern), if it is even still operating, is a neat place too.

Visit Westport. Also a neat place.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by justrobert

I must be very optimistic, Freddy and others really do not have much good to say about Ocean Shores.

You misinterpret my posts.

I love Ocean Shores.

I would love it even more if I was the only person living here.

If it were not for the cold, wet climate and unimpressive shore line, this area would already have fallen victim to the Greed and Stupidity of Development of the type that ruined the California and Oregon coasts.

But, it will only be a matter of time since the city is controlled by the real estate, development, and tourist interests.

There are forces constantly at work to develop every lot, and make Ocean Shores into a gated community.

[justrobert]

What do you love about Ocean Shores? I may be one of the aspects you do not like, we are moving here because of the development, without the new development I am not sure we would have a place to live.

We are vagabonds, in ten years we have live in Boise ID, Nampa ID, Austin TX, Portland OR, back to Boise, and now Ocean Shores. If I go back to before that I have lived WA, TX, FL, HI, and Scotland. With many moves within these areas. I have traveled for work all over the world. S. Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Shanghai, and Japan in Asia. In the military, I spent a lot of time in the middle east and Europe.

I am not worried about negative parts of OS; just would like to make the best of it. We will probably not be long-term tenants, but who knows, we will be there at least a year. We only have one car, no extra RV's of any kind. We like to bike and walk. We home school and generally keep to ourselves. We would like to be part of a community, but I am worried since we are not retired and we have three children. My aunt says we won't fit in because we are conservative Christians, who home school and are younger than the mean age by more than a decade. I understand we are probably not the norm, but hopefully there are other areas we have in common.

Freddy I look forward to hearing your view point of what you love about OS, maybe you are just being pessimistic on most of the posts to keep people out. I understand that also; some one us definitely do not help build up a community in the way others want it.

[ShellNic]

Originally Posted by justrobert

What do you love about Ocean Shores? I may be one of the aspects you do not like, we are moving here because of the development, without the new development I am not sure we would have a place to live.

We are vagabonds, in ten years we have live in Boise ID, Nampa ID, Austin TX, Portland OR, back to Boise, and now Ocean Shores. If I go back to before that I have lived WA, TX, FL, HI, and Scotland. With many moves within these areas. I have traveled for work all over the world. S. Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Shanghai, and Japan in Asia. In the military, I spent a lot of time in the middle east and Europe.

I am not worried about negative parts of OS; just would like to make the best of it. We will probably not be long-term tenants, but who knows, we will be there at least a year. We only have one car, no extra RV's of any kind. We like to bike and walk. We home school and generally keep to ourselves. We would like to be part of a community, but I am worried since we are not retired and we have three children. My aunt says we won't fit in because we are conservative Christians, who home school and are younger than the mean age by more than a decade. I understand we are probably not the norm, but hopefully there are other areas we have in common.

Freddy I look forward to hearing your view point of what you love about OS, maybe you are just being pessimistic on most of the posts to keep people out. I understand that also; some one us definitely do not help build up a community in the way others want it.

I wanted to bump this thread to current because I'm interested to know if these folks made it and what their impression of Ocean Shores is.

MANY years ago, my mom had a house on Ocean Shores Blvd. and I have to say, I've daydreamed about living there ever since. I'm not blind to little issues here and there, but after looking at a couple of real estate sites, I feel like this area is more affordable than I EVER could have imagined for a Pacific Coast dream. And yes, a DREAM...the weather, the water and everything that's close...

In 2014, what are the cons? Don't say rain or tourists...love the rain, can deal with seasonal crowds... but what else? I've read a few old threads about tsunami warnings and flood zones...that seems to go with the territory. If one could swing employment (say, working from home as I'm trying to accomplish now)...what would be the downside? I just can't imagine...

[Fairwinds]

If it was me, I'd pick the Pacific Beach area just north of Ocean Shores. It's less populated, higher terrain, easier to evacuate from a Tsunami and not far from Ocean Shores.

[Fairwinds]

Oh, the downsides? Check for high speed internet, it may not be available there. That makes it tough to work from home! You will have to be self-employed, retired on a pension or have a big savings account to live in Southwest WA near the beach. Jobs are few and far between. The few jobs that do exist are mostly seasonal retail, minimum wage.

[ShellNic]

Originally Posted by Fairwinds

If it was me, I'd pick the Pacific Beach area just north of Ocean Shores. It's less populated, higher terrain, easier to evacuate from a Tsunami and not far from Ocean Shores.

That's good info...I haven't been to that particular area in years so this is good stuff!

Originally Posted by Fairwinds

Oh, the downsides? Check for high speed internet, it may not be available there. That makes it tough to work from home! You will have to be self-employed, retired on a pension or have a big savings account to live in Southwest WA near the beach. Jobs are few and far between. The few jobs that do exist are mostly seasonal retail, minimum wage.

Well, high speed internet would be the ONE thing I'd need to make the "work from home" option work. I thought it was pretty rare for a well paying job to come along...and then the competition for it would be fierce, I'd think.

I may have to extend that dream to Seattle, which I've looked as well, but I guess I was wandering off into fantasy land...I just never know what may come my way though, so gathering info is key!

Thanks!