Investing in Ellensburg area, pros and cons?

[pnwguy2]

Ellensburg is an area that is poised for growth. That said, who knows when this will actually occur. I think this will eventually happen. Could happen within two years but may not. It is a gamble at this point.

[MtnSurfer]

Real estate is *always* a supply and demand proposition. So, if there is more land for sale with fewer buyers, there is a reason for that. Like mentioned earlier, there are many reasons E'burg isn't in as high demand compared to many other locations in the PNW including those more popular spots east of the Cascades. Ten years ago, its population was 18k; now its 21k. While that's 'some' growth vs. flat, its not exactly rapid either like other areas in WA and OR.

It's not like parts of CO where people are fighting to get their hands on property and build, subdivide, etc... The population and demand is just not that high. Whether things change and it begins to experience greater demand is speculative. Maybe it will... or maybe things will simply remain the same with slow growth for the foreseeable future.

Buy in Tri-Cities, Wenatchee or even Cle Elum and it will be different. If you're looking for the next 'hot spot' in WA, I don't think E'burg is it. Though that doesn't mean it would necessarily be a bad fit for you vs. the next guy.

Let us know what you find once you get a chance to see it in person. Just keep in mind you are going during their goldilocks season (not the bitter cold of winter or heat of summer).

Derek

[Hemlock140]

There is no big demand in Ellensburg for the reasons on the first 3 pages of this thread. Cle Elum, on the other hand, is close enough to buy a great weekend 2nd home for the people of Issaquah, Bellevue and Sammamish, at just over an hour drive. That has driven up the prices, and the huge success of Suncadia there has motivated other new developments. It's actually only about 1/2 hour commute from Cle Elum to Ellensburg if something there is on your list of needs, such as lakes, river, mountains and woods.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

There is no big demand in Ellensburg for the reasons on the first 3 pages of this thread. Cle Elum, on the other hand, is close enough to buy a great weekend 2nd home for the people of Issaquah, Bellevue and Sammamish, at just over an hour drive. That has driven up the prices, and the huge success of Suncadia there has motivated other new developments. It's actually only about 1/2 hour commute from Cle Elum to Ellensburg if something there is on your list of needs, such as lakes, river, mountains and woods.

I think Cle Elum would be much closer to a Colorado type mountain or others cities in CO and more interesting (better access to nature) vs. Ellensburg. That is unless you head further out onto plains toward Kansas in smaller towns where they do a lot more ag, ranching and rodeo. They would need to be far removed from Denver to get a 'similar' kind of remote environment feel.

Derek

[Wheatridger]

But I haven't selected Ellensburg on its merits. It's never been on my future homes list (and I do have one!) My wife took a job there, remotely, and it's sorta close to our daughter in Kent, and sorta affordable, so it's sorta appealing. I have a huge crush on Northern Exposure, so the Roslyn area calls to me. But we don't want to be isolated on some remote cabin. We've always lived in cities. We're in our sixties, when it can be difficult to make new friends. Living near town we could easily attend CWU events and get a toehold in a new community.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

But I haven't selected Ellensburg on its merits. It's never been on my future homes list (and I do have one!) My wife took a job there, remotely, and it's sorta close to our daughter in Kent, and sorta affordable, so it's sorta appealing. I have a huge crush on Northern Exposure, so the Roslyn area calls to me. But we don't want to be isolated on some remote cabin. We've always lived in cities. We're in our sixties, when it can be difficult to make new friends. Living near town we could easily attend CWU events and get a toehold in a new community.

Yeah, I hear ya. Small mountain towns tend be very transient as well including 20 somethings pouring in for ski season or summer rafting trips, etc... Then, a smaller number of locals are left with year round lives. Or, they come there for a second home to escape the city.

That's why I couldn't retire to smaller mountain town either although they sure are fun to visit.

Family trumps other nice to haves. If you have your daughter closer by and your wife enjoys her new job, that's a lot going for it right there!

Plus, it is more affordable. So, maybe that would free up some funds to enjoy other things including travel?

Derek

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Yeah, I hear ya. Small mountain towns tend be very transient as well including 20 somethings pouring in for ski season or summer rafting trips, etc... Then, a smaller number of locals are left with year round lives. Or, they come there for a second home to escape the city.

That's why I couldn't retire to smaller mountain town either although they sure are fun to visit.

Family trumps other nice to haves. If you have your daughter closer by and your wife enjoys her new job, that's a lot going for it right there!

Plus, it is more affordable. So, maybe that would free up some funds to enjoy other things including travel?

Derek

Generally places like Ellensburg, Wenatchee, even Moses Lake, will thrive in coming decades due to home employment. If workers can work from home then this makes living in these areas a total win win.

[gitsy]

I grew up in Ellensburg ("E-burg" or "the burg" as some locals call it). As an adult I lived in Seattle for decades but we moved back here in 2013 to keep an eye on my elderly mother. She passed away this year and we are looking to leave, considering the area between Everett and Bellingham, or the northern CA coast. I am done with the cold, the heat and the smoke.



The wind here is pretty relentless, Indian summer into fall is the nicest time of year. The windiest month of the year is July, but it blows from March to August. The wind is both more frequent and blows harder than it did when I was a kid in 1960s.



It was 17 degrees yesterday with about 4-5 inches of snow, but winters are not as cold as they once were. It would get to sub-zero some years when I was young but that doesn't happen much now. When I was a kid, fires and smoke were a real rarity, but for the last 10 years it's almost every summer. Even when the fires are not close the smoke can get trapped here for weeks. Kittitas county has the worst air quality in WA state, not just from wildfires but from inversions that keep pollution in the valley (traffic from town and I-90, smoke from wood stoves etc). 60% of the places in town are rentals. The county is very conservative but the city of Ellensburg is fairly progressive. Cle Elum and Roslyn are becoming less conservative as more people from the west side of the mountains move into the area. Housing prices have become pretty high in the last few years, but that is the case in much of the west



On the plus side, having the university here means that there are cultural events, a local art scene etc. A lot of people move to the valley to have their little ranchettes where they can have some horses etc if that's your thing. All in all I will not miss the place when we leave.

[SusVelo]

Originally Posted by gitsy

I grew up in Ellensburg ("E-burg" or "the burg" as some locals call it). As an adult I lived in Seattle for decades but we moved back here in 2013 to keep an eye on my elderly mother. She passed away this year and we are looking to leave, considering the area between Everett and Bellingham, or the northern CA coast. I am done with the cold, the heat and the smoke.



The wind here is pretty relentless, Indian summer into fall is the nicest time of year. The windiest month of the year is July, but it blows from March to August. The wind is both more frequent and blows harder than it did when I was a kid in 1960s.



It was 17 degrees yesterday with about 4-5 inches of snow, but winters are not as cold as they once were. It would get to sub-zero some years when I was young but that doesn't happen much now. When I was a kid, fires and smoke were a real rarity, but for the last 10 years it's almost every summer. Even when the fires are not close the smoke can get trapped here for weeks. Kittitas county has the worst air quality in WA state, not just from wildfires but from inversions that keep pollution in the valley (traffic from town and I-90, smoke from wood stoves etc). 60% of the places in town are rentals. The county is very conservative but the city of Ellensburg is fairly progressive. Cle Elum and Roslyn are becoming less conservative as more people from the west side of the mountains move into the area. Housing prices have become pretty high in the last few years, but that is the case in much of the west



On the plus side, having the university here means that there are cultural events, a local art scene etc. A lot of people move to the valley to have their little ranchettes where they can have some horses etc if that's your thing. All in all I will not miss the place when we leave.

This is more of what I expected to hear about Ellensburg, given that it's a college town. I expect it to hit higher than other towns it's size, with regard to cultural activities, food, etc.