Still appreciation left here... (Seattle, Vancouver: real estate market, to rent, houses)
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... in buying into the Clark County area real estate ?
Not looking as an investor but as a retiree relocating from Honolulu, Hawaii because of the outrageous
COL here. I was born and raised here on Oahu, am of asian descent (Japanese), have a toddler and younger wife (Filipina) to be responsible for their well being and safety.
Are there any concerns I should have, being asian, as far as schooling and job opportunities for her ? She is an RN, but English is not her first language but does speak and understand.... She has mostly done care home/assisted living and home healthcare here in Hawaii as it seems to be difficult to obtain employment in a hospital to receive the type of experience they want and also the process seems very political. What I mean by that is it's "who you know" that will get your foot in the door for an opportunity.
We have been there to look at areas and feel the Felida, Salmon Creek, Fishers Landing, Camas areas would be a good and safe place for living and purchasing.
In our experience there, we noticed a considerable lack of asian restaurants and grocery stores available in the area and was wondering if we would need to travel to Portland to fulfill those needs ?
While the race question can be a raw one and seems at times to bring a lot of tension to the conversation, an honest perception of the situation will be heartfelt on our part as this is very foreign territory to us and we would like to know exactly if this could be more frightening than exciting.....
We appreciate any and all feedback you have to offer.... it is all welcomed !
Thank you for taking the time in furthering our knowledge and sharing some of yours !
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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This Fil-AM group is very active in Vancouver and quite helpful. (And very fun events) Home
You are talking RE Appreciation?
Don't overpay... wait if possible. We are 10 yrs into a RE cycle that usually lasts 7-8. (I use the 1% of cost rate to determine... $300k place must be able to rent for $3k/ month, or I don't buy it).
Vancouver, WA area will remain desirable, so unlikely to crash hard.
This will be a very ez and welcome move for you. (prepare for cool and wet winters, wood stove REALLY helps to warm you!)
Vancouver is tied at the hip to Portland in terms of real estate markets so whatever happens in Portland will spillover to Vancouver. Who knows what the future holds. There are arguments both ways. On the one hand it is a west-coast city and there aren't very many options. San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area, and Seattle, which are all more expensive so Portland gets a lot of the spillover. On the other hand, the Portland area has some visible flaws compared to other west coast cities. There is no major university fueling tech startups like you have in the Bay Area and Seattle. So it is way behind in terms of the tech economy. The port is a complete basket case so there are international trade and shipping constraints compared to Puget Sound and the California cities. The largest employers like Nike, Intel, Daimler, etc. are all in stable rather than growth mode So it is kind of hard to visualize where future economic growth will really come from.
So who knows as far as real estate goes. I think it is still a decent place to buy but like Stealth says, we are at the end of a long growth period so don't buy for quick gain but buy for your permanent home and you'll be fine. Interest rates are still low so it is still a decent time to buy. If Vancouver is the right place for you don't be afraid to buy but be picky.
I spent a year substitute teaching in the Vancouver area and Camas. The schools with the largest Asian populations that I taught in were Mountain Vew (Fishers Landing and Cascade Park area), Union (East Vancouver and a small slice of the western edge of Camas) and Camas HS. I haven't been in the schools over in West Vancouver like Columbia River and Skyview which cover the Salmon Creek and Felida areas. But at Mountain Vew and Camas when you get into the upper level AP type classes many of the sections are majority Asian students. Which is perhaps a stereotype, but holds true. It's a mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, etc. My daughters are in the Camas schools. They have lots of Asian-American friends. It's a giant melting pot. I can't really comment on what it's like to be Asian and live in this area, but you'll have lots of company.
I can't provide any advice on the nursing jobs. The first step would be to get a WA nursing license. I'm sure the state has a web site that details what is involved. My wife works in a clinic in Vancouver. There are both Filipino doctors and nurses in her clinic. Actual Filipino immigrants, not like 3rd generation Filipino-Americans. So the do hire both foreign-trained doctors and nurses.
Most of the good Asian restaurants in the Vancouver area are tucked away in nondescript strip malls all over the place. You kind of have to know where to go. But there are a ton of Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese places. Also lots of sushi and higher-end Japanese steak houses. But they are just tucked around in random places. For example these are some of our favorites:
Of course Portland will have everything you could want. Crossing the river for the occasional shopping or dining trip is really no big deal as long as you aren't doing it during rush hour with the flow of traffic.
Are the State govt. coffers that bare or output and input are so out of balance ?
Thanks for the heads up !
State of WA is in good shape financially. Better than Oregon. Schools and universities are substantially better funded on the WA side. As are highway projects although WA does have its share of boondogles like the new multi-billion dollar tunnel they just built through downtown Seattle.
This Fil-AM group is very active in Vancouver and quite helpful. (And very fun events) Home
You are talking RE Appreciation?
Yes, but I see that you've answered here with your thoughts... thank you !
Don't overpay... wait if possible. We are 10 yrs into a RE cycle that usually lasts 7-8. (I use the 1% of cost rate to determine... $300k place must be able to rent for $3k/ month, or I don't buy it).
Vancouver, WA area will remain desirable, so unlikely to crash hard.
This will be a very ez and welcome move for you. (prepare for cool and wet winters, wood stove REALLY helps to warm you!)
Thank you StealthRabbit for all the information you provide here for all the newbies... a favorite poster of mine for sure.. !
Vancouver is tied at the hip to Portland in terms of real estate markets so whatever happens in Portland will spillover to Vancouver. Who knows what the future holds. There are arguments both ways. On the one hand it is a west-coast city and there aren't very many options. San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area, and Seattle, which are all more expensive so Portland gets a lot of the spillover. On the other hand, the Portland area has some visible flaws compared to other west coast cities. There is no major university fueling tech startups like you have in the Bay Area and Seattle. So it is way behind in terms of the tech economy. The port is a complete basket case so there are international trade and shipping constraints compared to Puget Sound and the California cities. The largest employers like Nike, Intel, Daimler, etc. are all in stable rather than growth mode So it is kind of hard to visualize where future economic growth will really come from.
So who knows as far as real estate goes. I think it is still a decent place to buy but like Stealth says, we are at the end of a long growth period so don't buy for quick gain but buy for your permanent home and you'll be fine. Interest rates are still low so it is still a decent time to buy. If Vancouver is the right place for you don't be afraid to buy but be picky.
I spent a year substitute teaching in the Vancouver area and Camas. The schools with the largest Asian populations that I taught in were Mountain Vew (Fishers Landing and Cascade Park area), Union (East Vancouver and a small slice of the western edge of Camas) and Camas HS. I haven't been in the schools over in West Vancouver like Columbia River and Skyview which cover the Salmon Creek and Felida areas. But at Mountain Vew and Camas when you get into the upper level AP type classes many of the sections are majority Asian students. Which is perhaps a stereotype, but holds true. It's a mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, etc. My daughters are in the Camas schools. They have lots of Asian-American friends. It's a giant melting pot. I can't really comment on what it's like to be Asian and live in this area, but you'll have lots of company.
That is really nice to hear.... I just worry a little for the daughter... Hawaii is just that... a melting pot where your best friend(s) are of all different nationalities... thank you for sharing that vital information !
I can't provide any advice on the nursing jobs. The first step would be to get a WA nursing license. I'm sure the state has a web site that details what is involved. My wife works in a clinic in Vancouver. There are both Filipino doctors and nurses in her clinic. Actual Filipino immigrants, not like 3rd generation Filipino-Americans. So the do hire both foreign-trained doctors and nurses.
She has obtained a WA RN license already... I was just concerned being that her English AND her lack of quality experience might place her too far behind the 8 ball to begin with.... thanks so much for the information that hopefully encourages her !
Most of the good Asian restaurants in the Vancouver area are tucked away in nondescript strip malls all over the place. You kind of have to know where to go. But there are a ton of Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese places. Also lots of sushi and higher-end Japanese steak houses. But they are just tucked around in random places. For example these are some of our favorites:
Of course Portland will have everything you could want. Crossing the river for the occasional shopping or dining trip is really no big deal as long as you aren't doing it during rush hour with the flow of traffic.
Yes, we've been to a few asian restaurants there and really liked them...
texas diver.... thank you so much for the detailed and very informative post.... I read your posts often and they provide a great deal of useful information ... I appreciate your time and thoughts !
Another favorite poster of mine.. !
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