Moving to Bremerton (Seattle, Silverdale, Port Townsend: real estate, lease, mortgages)

[happygrrrl]

Be sure to eat at the Boat Shed in Bremerton. I love that place!

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by happygrrrl

Be sure to eat at the Boat Shed in Bremerton. I love that place!

I have many memories from the Boat Shed!

[Returning2USA]

Originally Posted by preston39

Thanks to everyone for the information. It seems like staying on the opposite side of Gorst is the way to go given traffic, so I'll narrow my search to those areas.

Is Bremerton considered the closest thing to a "big city" in Kitsap County or the immediate area? Also, my wife will most likely be working in Seattle, and I've read that the ferry would be preferable to trying to move halfway between Bremerton and Seattle and drive both ways. Would you all agree with that?

Halfway between B-town and Seattle is Tacoma.

Faster foot ferry commute from Brem to Seattle much better, IMO.

[matpp]

I've lived in Bremerton with my wife and kids for 5 years now. Originally from Illinois.

I commuted to seattle for the first 3 years, the ferry can be longer, but as a commuter it's sooooo much better than driving around. You're on a boat with people from your home town, they serve ****ty food an beer. You're free to talk, walk, read, stare out the window. I've seen orcas, whales, dolls porposies, everything. Sightings are not frequent, but if you're on the boat every day and pay attention regularly you'll see something. Unless you're anti-social the Washington state ferry is better than the fast ferry even if it is longer. Especially with kids. Plus you don't have to deal with reservations.

It's a great jumping off point for weekend getaways or day trips like the olympic peninsula, or even some off-the-beaten path places on the kitsap peninsula itself. There are a fair number of small events downtown when there aren't pandemic restrictions and the two local theaters (the admiral and the roxy) often have shows that the kiddos like to attend. The folks at the downtown library are great. As far as venues, events and night life go though, it's pretty quiet. If you're looking for bigger 'city things' to do I like Tacoma much more than Seattle, I like Port Angeles more than Tacoma. (Someone is bound to come in and try to contradict my opinion on PA and Tacoma. They are small cities yes, but there is enough to do, they're easier to get around in, and the scenery is nicer)

The housing prices have gone up quite a bit in the last five years and it very much feels like the secret is out. Lots of Seattelites and Californian's moving in. Not knocking them, we live downtown and all of our neighbors are great. But they come from an income bracket or two above us As a result, the community is rapidly changing.

Now onto stuff that isn't Bremerton-specific.

The homeless, crazy, and drug problem was a really jarring aspect to west coast living when compared to the Midwest. Bremerton overall is safe, but my wife has been hassled and followed when running at dusk and we don't let the kids play in the yard by them selves. The oldest is 11 and they all have to stick together. It's probably once a month he shepherds the younger ones inside because a tweaker or someone having a mental crisis is walking down the street screaming obscenities. The cops are nice, but aren't going to do anything other than tell someone to move along unless you're in immediate danger. We've seen some pretty wild stuff. I never dialed 911 in my life before moving here, I'm currently up to 13 calls (admittedly half lot of them are for non-emergency needle disposal). You can get away from that in some places like Poulsbo or gig harbor, but you're going to pay a premium for it.

Also, people don't seem to go out of their way to get to know you. We're pretty forward, mostly amicable folks, that walk a lot so we've met everyone in our neighborhood, but if you don't initiate it, you won't meet too many people. I think this is a west coast thing, but I'm not sure.

There is a lot of petty crime, you can't leave your kids wagon in the yard without someone walking off with it. No gang violence. A good number of tweakers. Check the sex offender maps provided by the state. But you're going to get that anywhere in Washington. If I had to live in a city/town and money was no option I'd live in gig harbor or Poulsbo proper simply for the lack of drugs and homeless. Seabeck is alright too. Other than that Bremerton is a decent compromise, would do again.

Overall, Bremerton is alright. We're in the process of relocating to a more rural community out of state, but we had a great time here. If you're the weekend warrior type that likes to drive and check out towns around western Washington, or go pound some trails, or dink around by the river you'll do alright. It ain't all roses, but there is plenty to do if you're up for it. We have 4 small kids and haven't had a down weekend in years man. Beats the hell out of the big cities or even the suburbs proper. If I were in your situation I'd stay in Bremerton, at least until I had an opinion on all the surrounding communities.

Go check out gig harbor. Get some snow shoes and go check out hurricane ridge on a Friday when the lift isn't running (ask folks at the park about avalanches, don't be a dummy. check the road conditions on the hurricane ridge twitter). The Olympics are better than the cascades, don't let anyone tell you differently. Go fishing for surf perch on the coast. Go dig razor clams with the kids, it's a ****ing blast. Go kill lazy Saturdays in the summer at scenic beach in Seabeck or Marrowstone island. Go eat Olympic mountain ice cream at the coffee shop Hoodsport (the sell it all over the place, but the trip is fun). Go eat oysters at Hamma Hamma. Go get your salmon at Suquamish seafoods near Poulsbo. Go to an event at the union marina. Go have picnics on the Skokomish river. Go check out the turn of the last century forts. Get a bite to eat in Port Townsend. Take the ferry to Whidbey island.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling answer. Good luck with the move.

edit: added some more ferry information and made some grammar corrections.

[preston39]

Wow. Thanks to matpp for the in-depth response, as well as everyone else. I’ll definitely make a note to check out the Boat Shed.

So from my understanding, Bremerton and Silverdale are the more “dense” areas of the peninsula/county? What are the pros and cons of each area?

[matpp]

Originally Posted by preston39

So from my understanding, Bremerton and Silverdale are the more “dense” areas of the peninsula/county? What are the pros and cons of each area?

Silverdale is typical suburbia. Not much character but all of the shopping, zero walk ability. Not to mention they could have a super cute old town, but unfortunately they haven't done much to make it interesting. No joke, just hair dressers and attourneys to the point if being comical Personally, I wouldn't live there as it has no character and I dislike all the shopping (the town is literally subdivisions around a shopping center and a freeway interchange). But you definitely have fewer crazies out wandering.


Bremerton, at least downtown proper (basically the area between 6th and evergreen park, from the water to park Ave), feels like an actual neighborhood where you get to meet the all the shop owners and what not. (Manette, feels much the same but with a slightly smaller number of tweakers). They're trying to sell it as an art scene, but it's still in it's infancy. You get things like Friday art walks all the shops participate in, and some decent small events (which are all basically the same) down in the marina. Trade off is crazies at night. I'd still pick Bremerton over sliverdale, but don't get me wrong it's is a real trade off and shouldn't be down played.


If you've never lived in a place with a lot of homeless, I'd highly recommend renting over buying until you get your feet wet

[happygrrrl]

Maybe you should look at Seabeck, which is by the Hood Canal. I know of 2 people who bought houses in Seabeck & worked in Silverdale.

[MechAndy]

Not a bad idea happygrrrl.

[Diana Holbrook]

My idea would be to live as close as practical to where you'll be working. It's just easier that way when everything is new, especially if you're moving in winter when days are short and long drives will all be in the dark. Rent first, and learn your way around before committing to any area and any commute from further out.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by matpp

Silverdale is typical suburbia. Not much character but all of the shopping, zero walk ability. Not to mention they could have a super cute old town, but unfortunately they haven't done much to make it interesting. No joke, just hair dressers and attourneys to the point if being comical Personally, I wouldn't live there as it has no character and I dislike all the shopping (the town is literally subdivisions around a shopping center and a freeway interchange). But you definitely have fewer crazies out wandering.


Bremerton, at least downtown proper (basically the area between 6th and evergreen park, from the water to park Ave), feels like an actual neighborhood where you get to meet the all the shop owners and what not. (Manette, feels much the same but with a slightly smaller number of tweakers). They're trying to sell it as an art scene, but it's still in it's infancy. You get things like Friday art walks all the shops participate in, and some decent small events (which are all basically the same) down in the marina. Trade off is crazies at night. I'd still pick Bremerton over sliverdale, but don't get me wrong it's is a real trade off and shouldn't be down played.


If you've never lived in a place with a lot of homeless, I'd highly recommend renting over buying until you get your feet wet

It's a matter of preference. A good friend lived in Silverdale, on a forested dead-end road. His property was on the Hood Canal, though steeply sloped woods to the water, he had amazing views of the water and Olympic mountains. Yes, you need a car to get anywhere but it can be worth it, and the Kitsap Mall area just down the hills from his house provide just about anything you want or need.