Potential Move to Camas (Seattle, Tacoma: homes, neighborhood, school)

[october2007]

I live in Seattle and am contemplating a move to Vancouver or Camas area. I really want out of all this congestion and super liberal politics. Camas especially sounds nice but as a single older woman (62) would I be out of place? Is it all families?

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by october2007

I live in Seattle and am contemplating a move to Vancouver or Camas area. I really want out of all this congestion and super liberal politics. Camas especially sounds nice but as a single older woman (62) would I be out of place? Is it all families?

No, not really. Especially the downtown area. A lot of the housing though is large single family houses except for some smaller stuff around the downtown area and along 192nd so depending on what you are looking for in terms of housing your choices may be somewhat limited. If you want a 3000 sf 4 br house there is a ton of that here.

You might also expand your search to the east Vancouver area (east of I-205 and south of Mill Plain) for more options in housing if you are looking for somewhat smaller places.

[StealthRabbit]

Add Washougal for more senior events and people.

also use this resource:
https://www.cityofvancouver.us/messenger
https://www.cityofvancouver.us/messe...r-young-hikers

For Camas, consider a 'Walkable' location to library / downtown. Bordered by Crown Park, east to Cemetery, South past Safeway (Train noise) and west to little league ball fields.

Home prices are a tad crazy, so best to rent. I had (4) active seniors in my Camas 4plex $750 - $800 for 2 bedroom (new owner retained pricing and he has (4) other 4 plexes in same block (Near Crown park / Pres Church).

Home prices will adjust (again). someday...
You can always put your RE equity in something that will make 10 - 12% income rather than a home that will only get you 3% on equity. (If you are lucky).

There are a lot of active (young) seniors in Camas and Washougal. Do check at the library for events and meet-ups.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

No, not really. Especially the downtown area. A lot of the housing though is large single family houses except for some smaller stuff around the downtown area and along 192nd so depending on what you are looking for in terms of housing your choices may be somewhat limited. If you want a 3000 sf 4 br house there is a ton of that here.

You might also expand your search to the east Vancouver area (east of I-205 and south of Mill Plain) for more options in housing if you are looking for somewhat smaller places.

Thank you....probably prefer a condo or small house. I will look more in East Vancouver. Any opinion about Washougal?

[StealthRabbit]

Washougal is fine, you just need to be more selective with neighborhoods (many Camas 'working class' had to flee the high housing and utility prices and went to Washougal (5 min) and Stevenson).

There are plenty of acceptable neighborhood in Washougal.

Do you have recreation interests? (I.e. Golf) there are a lot of active seniors living on the golf courses in both regions.
I prefer east Washougal for access to Columbia Gorge. We keep a 2,000sf view apartment as do most our neighbors, and prefer age 50 -70 singles, who appreciate the surroundings. Since most of us travel a lot (>50% of time)... it is nice to have someone around to watch the place.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Add Washougal for more senior events and people.

also use this resource:
https://www.cityofvancouver.us/messenger
https://www.cityofvancouver.us/messe...r-young-hikers

For Camas, consider a 'Walkable' location to library / downtown. Bordered by Crown Park, east to Cemetery, South past Safeway (Train noise) and west to little league ball fields.

Home prices are a tad crazy, so best to rent. I had (4) active seniors in my Camas 4plex $750 - $800 for 2 bedroom (new owner retained pricing and he has (4) other 4 plexes in same block (Near Crown park / Pres Church).

Home prices will adjust (again). someday...
You can always put your RE equity in something that will make 10 - 12% income rather than a home that will only get you 3% on equity. (If you are lucky).

There are a lot of active (young) seniors in Camas and Washougal. Do check at the library for events and meet-ups.

Thanks for the info. I hate paying rent but that’s not too bad! I will be coming down next week to check out the area. Sounds nice.

[texasdiver]

Honestly downtown Camas and the dowtown/uptown area of Vancouver are the only really walkable areas of Clark County. The rest of it is all pretty car-centric suburbia or rural.

Despite the giant papermill, downtown Camas is pretty gentrified and quite nice. You have a large selection of restaurants, coffee shops, retail, farmers market, and even a grocery within a couple of block core that is very nice and walkable. In your shoes, I'd look there first. You can even get bus service into Portland but it isn't direct. Buses run from downtown Camas (and Washougal) to the East Vancouver transit center where you can connect to express buses to downtown Portland, downtown Vancouver, or buses that connect to the Parkrose Transit Center across the river where you can connect the Portland light rail system. And there is Uber/Lyft so you aren't prisoner to a car if you don't want to be.

Washougal is the next town further east and has decent bones and a downtown core with some restaurants and shops. But it isn't so upscale as Camas. It is slowly trending in that direction though as more and more people are pushing eastward and fleeing Portland. I don't think there are really any parts of Washougal that are "bad" but there are areas that are pretty modest and blue collar.

You'll just have to drive down and visit and see what you think. There are no real secrets. What you see is pretty much what you get. If you aren't trying to commute to downtown Portland or worried about what schools your kids are going to attend then you have a lot of options. Prices in the Vancouver/Camas area will probably be about 20-25% lower than Seattle area for comparable houses and neighborhoods.

[Gaylord_Focker]

This thread has been very educational. didn't know there were so many Seattlites looking at leaving.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Washougal is fine, you just need to be more selective with neighborhoods (many Camas 'working class' had to flee the high housing and utility prices and went to Washougal (5 min) and Stevenson).

There are plenty of acceptable neighborhood in Washougal.

Do you have recreation interests? (I.e. Golf) there are a lot of active seniors living on the golf courses in both regions.
I prefer east Washougal for access to Columbia Gorge. We keep a 2,000sf view apartment as do most our neighbors, and prefer age 50 -70 singles, who appreciate the surroundings. Since most of us travel a lot (>50% of time)... it is nice to have someone around to watch the place.

Stealth,

The more time we spend here, the more impressed I am with Washougal in terms of a great place for livability, scenery and access to the great outdoors. I'm actually thinking after the kids are grown and flown and we approach retirement, we'll look for a smaller place over that way. I like that its a bit further out from Portland and downtown Vancouver but still not too far. There seems to be more wide open spaces including river access for walking, biking, paddling, etc...

Here's a few shots from today in Washougal. It was gorgeous out!!


















Derek

[nestvine]

Originally Posted by Gaylord_Focker

This thread has been very educational. didn't know there were so many Seattlites looking at leaving.

We have met quite a few Seattlites that have made the move to Camas. We moved from West Seattle. We feel very fortunate considering the West Seattle Bridge closure.