Why Living "Close" To the Job Doesn't Always Work in WA (Bellevue: for rent, crime)

[SusVelo]

At some point if you don’t like everywhere you’ve lived, it’s probably not a location problem. You might need to look inward and figure out what would make you happy. Everywhere is going to have something not ideal, frankly.

[MechAndy]

DY have you looked into the Ozark’s or some of the areas of Tennessee?
The wife and I spent time there looking for a place.
We like semi rural with lots of nature and out door activities.
I need water and could settle for fresh water if I had to.

We found some very nice places that were amazingly priced 6 years ago and came close to making an offer on one.
They were actually not all that far from healthcare, jobs and minor things like that.
We are old school liberals from the San Francisco Bay Area and cringe at certain viewpoints so it wouldn’t have worked out for us.

[DallasYankee]

Interesting comments, indeed!
There is a widely quoted expression that I am sure most of you have heard :"You can't go home again", which to me reflects the passage of time and how people change and evolve, so much so that the place where you once happily lived is no longer the same as when you left it and your desire to be in the same space also alters. For example, we moved from Texas in 2004 at that time very much against our will because my husband had been unemployed for 16 months and we had simply run out of alternatives.
DallasYankee reflected my perception of myself when I joined these forums but is no longer valid because I now, as a moderate independent, find the current politization of all aspects of life there distasteful and do not feel I would fare well in 100+ degree summer heat at this point.
We loved Colorado for 4 years and then in 2014 everything began a precipitous decline that continued until we were able to sell our second house and leave.
So, obviously I don't wish to return there.
We shall see what options present themselves to us and see, as my great-grandfather, according to my late mother, often wondered aloud, " what tomorrow will bring forth."

[homesinseattle]

In a general sense, living closer in with smaller spaces can often lead to a much better work/life proximity balance. Do people really need as much space as they think they do?

[DallasYankee]

We have all strayed far from my original thread content thanks to my lead, which was to merely state that it is often better to be closer to everything else besides the job that one deems important in their life.
Unfortunately, we all decided to put in our two cents worth of opinion and counter thought about the cons of living in Western Washington and I plead the fifth, LOL!
I saw a real estate flyer yesterday touting the pros of buying property in Issaquah , which stressed something like "convenient location near a myriad selection of restaurants and shopping choices along with easy access to gorgeous parks and outdoor activities, etc."
While we are not foolish enough to try to buy here (as we unwisely did do in Colorado), we are fortunate enough to be able to rent a 3100 sq.ft. ranch all on one level with a little less than half acre lot on a very quiet street near the very attractive downtown.
I think one thing we all forgot in our various tirades is that in WA especially, Convenience is Golden.
And with my husband's current job and company not appearing to be long-term, the necessity of living nearer to Renton may disappear altogether.
All this and more will be revealed to us in good time.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by DallasYankee

We have all strayed far from my original thread content thanks to my lead, which was to merely state that it is often better to be closer to everything else besides the job that one deems important in their life.
Unfortunately, we all decided to put in our two cents worth of opinion and counter thought about the cons of living in Western Washington and I plead the fifth, LOL!
I saw a real estate flyer yesterday touting the pros of buying property in Issaquah , which stressed something like "convenient location near a myriad selection of restaurants and shopping choices along with easy access to gorgeous parks and outdoor activities, etc."
While we are not foolish enough to try to buy here (as we unwisely did do in Colorado), we are fortunate enough to be able to rent a 3100 sq.ft. ranch all on one level with a little less than half acre lot on a very quiet street near the very attractive downtown.
I think one thing we all forgot in our various tirades is that in WA especially, Convenience is Golden.
And with my husband's current job and company not appearing to be long-term, the necessity of living nearer to Renton may disappear altogether.
All this and more will be revealed to us in good time.

It's always good to learn from one's past missteps. Sometimes, folks get lucky in spite of foolish mistakes. When it comes to RE investment, I always wonder how much success was due to dumb luck. Or someone just being at the right place at the right time. When it does, they look like a genius.

In the case of long-term employment being in flux, renting is definitely the smart move unless one has a crystal ball. With the market pushing its limits before the next drop and the uncertainty of length in a job, having more flexibility is the smarter move. No need to be locked into to something and then have to scramble to sell while paying all the transaction fees.

I know renting is generally frowned upon by the masses. But it can also be quite liberating and a wise decision in the right circumstances.

While we did stray a bit from the initial topic, it's not just about a question in these threads as it about real human lives and situations which don't always fit generic molds or truisms for the masses. It sounds like you are on a better path to enjoying QOL now for your family in the near-term while the longer-term becomes more clear. Hopefully, the having closer amenities improves things for the better.

All the best!

Derek

[rantiquity]

When living in Idaho and I was hired on to work at Renton Boeing I moved from Idaho to Renton to work on the 707 at $1.371/2 an hour. That was in 1966. Over the years I continue to live in Renton (four different homes all on East hill) but worked in just about all the Boeing plants thru out the Puget Sound area. I couldn't see moving as most stays at different plants were rather short as I moved up the latter. I ended up on a travel crew (25 years) as an aircraft technician and traveled to about 80 different countries. And Renton continued to be my home base until I retired in Jan 2000. I now live in Sequim.

[CalWorth]

I don't know anything about Renton except going there to visit the grave of Jimi Hendrix, but I have to travel frequently to Issaquah for medical care & I think it is lovely. I am guessing you will like it there.

[DallasYankee]

Mtnsurfer and CalWorth, thank you for the insightful comments!
We never followed others' advice about buying vs. renting until we did and I believe we paid a heavy price just to conform.
We simply don't fit the common mold and honestly, my best memories are those years we rented as opposed to bought.
And, as you rightly pointed out with the job possibly in future jeopardy, why would anyone even consider buying here?
CalWorth, I already have doctors in Issaquah, and you are so right -it's a lovely little town with a lot to offer!
Sorry rantiquity, I don't get the appeal of Renton - too rough-edged and hardscrabble for my taste.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by DallasYankee

Mtnsurfer and CalWorth, thank you for the insightful comments!
We never followed others' advice about buying vs. renting until we did and I believe we paid a heavy price just to conform.
We simply don't fit the common mold and honestly, my best memories are those years we rented as opposed to bought.
And, as you rightly pointed out with the job possibly in future jeopardy, why would anyone even consider buying here?
CalWorth, I already have doctors in Issaquah, and you are so right -it's a lovely little town with a lot to offer!
Sorry rantiquity, I don't get the appeal of Renton - too rough-edged and hardscrabble for my taste.

Unlike Issaquah and Sammamish, Renton is very diverse economically. There are downtown/west areas that are rather sketchy, and while we stop often at the Dutch Bros. there, but then back onto the freeway. The Sonic Drive-in next door has closed up, and we wouldn't go to that Walmart. Still, if you look at the areas like Maplewoood Heights in the center of Renton or Maple Valley Heights in the SE part, and much of the east highlands it's very safe, quiet and scenic, much like Issaquah.