Darrington Info (Seattle, Everett, Marysville: real estate, loans, houses)

[AppaloosaCrazy]

My best friend is planning a move to Darrington late summer of 2019. I'm going also. Where would be the best places for me to look for property where I can have horses, goats, etc. I'd like to not be more than a 1/2 hour away from Darrington. I'd appreciate any advice. I will have to buy, but I can't afford anything over $300,000.


Thanks so much!

[sll3454]

Are those your only criteria, or will you also need to get a job?



Arlington is about half an hour from Darrington, but since both of them have addresses covering a large area, you can't go by that.


The best way to find someplace is to search one of the real estate sites for property. You can set the search to only include houses with at least 5 (or whatever you need) acres. Then look at what's available on a map view.



You might find something like this: https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/


Or you might not. It just depends on what people are selling at that time.

[Blondebaerde]

Can't imagine much going on there, but yep I'd do a search for property and pay some visits. Let's see:

Half hour west and civilization is Arlington, itself a bit out there on the I-5.

Half hour north is near Concrete (intersection with Hwy 20), definitely rural WA.

Half hour south is shut down a good part of the year due to snow, but is one quite interesting Adventure bike ride for (guessing) 25 miles so so. The road isn't that rough when not snowed in, seems to me, but I don't take my 2wd offroad onto gravel either. That takes you Monte Cristo, itself absolute end of the line on Mount Loop Hwy and at least 45 min to Granite Falls on on unforgiving, treacherous paved road that the Stillaguamish River is always trying to reclaim.

East of Darrington is the Cascades, no roads I know of other than (maybe) fire trails. I bet OP will find something, that will be some real rural living. Pull up or buy a 3'x5' topographic sheet of WA, I bought one twenty years ago to find Adventure bike trails (tons of those!), if you want to see how waaay out Darrington really is. Otherwise that's the town that time forgot, AFAIK with the whole coal mining history and etc. Can't imagine what people do there now, I personally don't find it too romantic or picturesque, more like an outpost in the wilderness.

If that Shell station ever shuts down, end of Hwy 530, lot of people will be way out of luck because that's only gas I know of nearby.

[Hemlock140]

Stick to Darrington. Arlington has become too expensive now that people buy there to commute to Everett and even Seattle. You would have to go all the way to Marysville to meet your budget closer in, and that’s more like an hour with no traffic.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by sll3454

Are those your only criteria, or will you also need to get a job?



Arlington is about half an hour from Darrington, but since both of them have addresses covering a large area, you can't go by that.


The best way to find someplace is to search one of the real estate sites for property. You can set the search to only include houses with at least 5 (or whatever you need) acres. Then look at what's available on a map view.



You might find something like this: https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/


Or you might not. It just depends on what people are selling at that time.

And for just a little extra money ($315k), unless you can negotiate them down:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/

[AppaloosaCrazy]

Thank you to each one of you who took the time to answer my post! I really appreciate it. I will look on Zillow.

[CrazyDonkey]

If willing to rough it: https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/

[ScottStielow]

Darrington, is a good choice if you are not working, or if you are, do not commute too far.

I drove through there back in 1999 when I was stationed in Everett Naval Base. Liked the remote area and the
Feel of the area. But it might be out of financial range right now. Maybe I will win the lottery someday.
Best of luck with your move.

[CrazyDonkey]

Here's another one (5 acres/$325k):

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/

"Shop" could be converted to a horse barn.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Here's another one (5 acres/$325k):

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/

"Shop" could be converted to a horse barn.

Just an FYI.. that is a single wide mfh, and single wides won't finance with conventional, FHA or VA loans.