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Old 11-22-2014, 01:21 PM
 
44 posts, read 73,689 times
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We're looking for an old house with 20 acres or more not too far from a friendly little town (pop under 2500) in the Vancouver or Olympia areas. Any suggestions? If not near Vancouver or Olympia, where? We want to be WA residents, but not be too far from Portland.
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Old 11-22-2014, 03:10 PM
 
Location: WA
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You might look in the Amboy / Yacolt area.
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Old 11-22-2014, 04:31 PM
 
Location: Olympia
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Have you considered Centralia?
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Old 11-22-2014, 09:53 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdelena View Post
You might look in the Amboy / Yacolt area.
Green Mountain area (similar to above)

What do you want to use the 20 Acres for? (that makes a very big difference in Vancouver area) Rain ranges from 20" - 120"/ yr in different parts of the county, and growing season (temps, inversions, and wind) / soil conditions vary similar.

Large animals? if so... cows or horses? (very different needs for soils / terrain)

WSU extension has soil conditions and growing maps for each county. helping you to decide where fits you best.

Next... make a visit to the tax assessor. I have properties less that 1 mile apart and they vary in taxes by 10x (Both have similar cost basis, but not valuation). They do have different school and fire / EMS districts.

I ahve had acreage in Centrailia and Chehalis, there are some nice small towns near by.

How far from an airport?
Hospital?
I-5?
Shopping (Costco / equivalent)?
College?
Internet important? (Hope not!)
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Old 11-23-2014, 10:40 AM
 
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Thank you all. Rabbit, we want the acreage for privacy and beauty, not to farm or raise animals. A rambler or farmhouse on wooded or park-like land would be ideal. As to your list, the farther from an airport and I-5 the better. It would be nice to live within a half hour of shopping, a hospital, and a college, but not a must. Our internet is for entertainment only, how bad is it?
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Old 11-24-2014, 12:23 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,764 posts, read 58,200,174 times
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Originally Posted by johnwmackay View Post
Thank you all. Rabbit, we want the acreage for privacy and beauty, not to farm or raise animals. A rambler or farmhouse on wooded or park-like land would be ideal. As to your list, the farther from an airport and I-5 the better. It would be nice to live within a half hour of shopping, a hospital, and a college, but not a must. Our internet is for entertainment only, how bad is it?
Mtn or flat? (National forest type park, or manicured 'city-type' park?)
High or low? (do you like snow? weather is very elevation dependent)

Look near Morton / Rainier and Packwood (For least expensive, but near Mtns, with chance of some 'flat / meadow type land'). BEWARE of low land / wet / poor drainage near the lower sections of valley in Chehalis / Centralia.

Near Woodland (on Cowlitz county side / up as far as Cougar, WA) is a good choice.

I really like my Columbia Gorge digs, but land is generally pretty spendy. Beauty / access to Portland. Mt Hood, Columbia River, and quick access to drier parts of PNW is very good (1 hr to NICE OR coast (100% public access, unlike WA, restricted)). I have bought 5 in Columbia Gorge for under $100k, all are very nice 'keepers'. (Except for taxes)


BTW: I really like to find an "OLD HOUSE" on acreage under $100k. Not many people have that vision / interest in working through the issues. I specialize in hunting and buying 'wrecks' / abandoned mobile homes / dying homes on view acreage. You get the Well, Septic, Power, Road, Fences, Gates, Out Buildings, mailbox... and approved building site. That stuff will cost you dearly to start from scratch. (Time and money). I have bought 3 this week. *for winter projects... not in we_tern WA. One place was from a widow who's husband had passed 3 yrs ago while they were building their dream-house, but not done yet. She needs to now move out of state. I will finish it this winter, but 'ick'... cat smell, so... a LOT will get ripped out / sealed. This will be a HUGE test for me, as I hate cat and dog smell, none of mine have every graced their presence in a PEOPLE HOUSE, I only have had farm cats and dogs. I might have to burn the place down and start over. It will be too bad, as it is sheetrocked and only needs paint and trim. (and tile and floors / and electrical / plumbing trim...).

Internet... How bad?

I'm 20 min from Portland, and ONLY have Dial-up (Pay-per-byte). That is pretty bad! A You Tube video would cost me a fortune (if I could even view it in 5 sec buffered segments). Definitely entertaining! "boing, boing". Waiting for SOMETHING to happen!
No cable, no dsl, no satellite dishes or cell towers allowed.

Fiber ran directly in front of my house 3 yrs ago. Libraries and schools only. Hands OFF
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Old 11-25-2014, 05:12 PM
 
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I would love to not have a TV within a hundred miles of me, Rabbit, but dial-up? Why? Who wants you to keep your hands off the fiber?
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Old 11-30-2014, 01:48 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Fiber was funded by a USDA rural E.D. grant.

Cannot access (nor can we have cell towers or dishes (even the small ones).
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Old 12-01-2014, 12:40 AM
 
28,115 posts, read 63,749,983 times
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Found my little piece of paradise on 17 acres in Thurston County... park like setting.

Only shock was when my property tax went up 80% 18 months after I bought... it was assessed at the price I paid...

I had done my research and then I-747 was struck down which opened the floodgates...
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Old 12-01-2014, 07:29 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,764 posts, read 58,200,174 times
Reputation: 46265
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post
Found my little piece of paradise on 17 acres in Thurston County... park like setting.

Only shock was when my property tax went up 80% 18 months after I bought... it was assessed at the price I paid...

I had done my research and then I-747 was struck down which opened the floodgates...
Same here ...now my WA property taxes are $14,400/ yr, were $800/yr same house, no improvements, built for under $100k. ANOTHER court date in Olympia to fight taxes next week.

yup... I share the pain, as do many WA long-term residents who are being taxed out of their own homes. (I was taxed off of my Colorado ranch in 1970's due to California capital flowing into Colorao (Back when you had to invest ALL your proceeds from sale of your primary residence)

I bought a place in high property tax TX. (same purchase price as WA. taxes are $1200. yr)
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