Washington - Where the Grass Really Is Greener - Relocation Part II

Relocating to a new state, is not for the faint of heart. It takes patience, tenacity, ingenuity and resourcefulness to make a long distance move happen. There are so many factors that come into play when you’ve finally decided to take that dive into the deep end. I manage a lot of people moving to Washington from places like Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago and elsewhere. Because the Puget Sound is a tech hub, with quality education options up and down the state, it’s hard to disagree with the sentiment that Washington is a great place to move to. If you love outdoor recreation, moving to Washington state makes a lot of sense.

Like any state, Washington is vastly different north to south, but even more so, east to west. The Cascade Mountains separate the western side from the eastern side, and the climates are vastly different. From Bellingham to Seattle, Tacoma and down to Vancouver, Western Washington gets a lot of gray days, with ample precipitation, though not as much as people think. Yes, Seattle gets more than 150 days of rain per year, but in cities like Cleveland, and Buffalo it rains far more. And in the South, the volume of rain is much higher than Seattle. Protected by the Olympic Mountains, Seattle doesn’t get as much rain as Olympia or communities closest to the Pacific Ocean. There are many cool and misty days to keep the heat away, even well into May. But once the summer arrives, there are fewer prettier places to visit during the Summer than the Puget Sound.

Cost of living can certainly be an adjustment, if you’re moving to Seattle or Tacoma. Though Washington has no state income tax, we do rank in the middle of the pack on property taxes and top five in gasoline tax nationwide. If you have to commute for work daily, it’s worthwhile looking into electric car alternatives to save on gas tax. When it comes to groceries, Washington and specifically Seattle rank in the top 10 most expensive places to buy groceries. Though there are an incredible number of options to save on your grocery bill by shopping at discount grocers or even growing some of what you need in your own backyard. Washington has a temperate climate for locally grown produce, right at home. We even have an ample number of farm to home delivery services you can subscribe to, that delivers farm fresh produce, directly to your door from a local grower.

Civic pride is another benefit I have found relocating to Tacoma. Because Tacoma is a mid-size city of about 250,000 residents, there’s a feel of community here that is often lacking in larger cities. Whether you support the arts, culinary, or any number of nonprofits, I have found that Tacoma residents are supportive and engaged on many local initiatives, giving back when needed.

The state and county help to create and maintain green space for parks that give locals ample access to recreation within minutes of where they live. Seattle is ranked in the Top 10 nationally with more than 12% of its land used for parks. Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is a 760 acre large urban park on the northwest end of the city, boasting a zoo, aquarium, miles of trails and even Fort Nisqually, the first globally connected settlement on the Puget Sound.

This is a continuing series on relocating to Washington state, so look out for more content in the coming months as I break down commonly asked questions.

If you’re thinking about relocating to Washington, I invite you to drop me a text or email to discuss your goals and plans for making Seattle, Tacoma or anywhere along the Puget Sound, your next home.

As your Tacoma based Realtor, it’s my job to inform & educate on many homeowner topics. If you have any questions, please click the link below to connect, or text me directly @ (206) 643-8845