So You"re Thinking of Moving to Tacoma

So, you’ve been thinking about moving to Tacoma or the South Puget Sound, but you don’t know much about the area other than it’s really green, it looks like it rains a lot, and Seattle seems to get all the attention.

While most of that is true, like any place, there’s always room for deeper conversation.

I relocated from Las Vegas years ago, after living along the Washington coast during my teens, right before Nirvana became the center of the music scene. What I didn’t know then was that microclimates exist, and not everywhere is as drab as the coast. I wasn’t sure what to expect moving to Tacoma, but I knew it wasn’t going to be 294 days of sunshine like Las Vegas.

Having built a successful real estate business for years before moving, I knew I was transitioning into a completely different market. I define it as moving from a transactional market into a generational market—where people move less often and stay in Tacoma much longer. My home in the West End was built in 1951, and I recently met a woman who spent her childhood in my house, living there right after it was built. That’s what I call generational.

Tacoma completely surprised me when I first visited in 1987. It feels well-worn, like your favorite shirt you never plan to get rid of. Once you stop gasping (or don’t) at the views of Mount Rainier, Commencement Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and the Narrows Bridge, you begin to appreciate the quieter character Tacoma truly embodies. It feels blue-collar and hardworking. Signs of a bygone era of major shipbuilding and sawmills still echo around the area, almost as if you can still hear them today. Yet the Port of Tacoma and the tide flats still buzz with industry and activity, moving materials in and out on trains and ships just as they always have.

Tacoma has hills—and lots of them—allowing homeowners in the North End and Old Town to peer down onto Commencement Bay, Vashon Island, and beyond. In the West End and Five Views neighborhoods, residents enjoy sunsets over the Puget Sound, with views of Gig Harbor and, on clear days, the Olympics. In Central and South Tacoma, you’ll find cool shops and vintage establishments that feel quintessentially Washington. Grab an amazing cup of coffee, watch a tattoo artist at work, or sample a beer at one of more than 100 brewpubs in the area.

Tacoma is wonderfully diverse and revels in its quirky, independent nature. Tacoma likes progress—just not too quickly. We prefer a slower pace of life, often choosing a walk or bike ride over driving. I’ve heard people say Tacoma feels like what Seattle did when it was actually cool—before Google and Amazon arrived and changed the character of their city. And yet, Tacoma still feels like it has some growing up to do.

As you’d expect, October through May is the rainy, gray season, with December being the wettest month. Yes, it can be overcast for weeks at a time, just like it’s sunny for weeks at a time from June through September. It’s far more gray than rainy, and more cold than warm. Regardless of the time of year, you can almost always count on a cool night—even if the day’s temperatures climbed into the 80s.

It can take newcomers some time to make friends. While many people have heard of the “Seattle Freeze,” it’s not quite the same in Tacoma. I’ve always felt like smaller towns bring friendlier people, and Tacoma checks that box. Still, I tell new residents to take their time, be intentional about making plans, and follow up. We stay busy here—whether it’s work, family, yard projects, civic duties, or just being out and about. In Tacoma, we engage with our surroundings and tend to keep our friend circles smaller.

If you’re thinking about moving to Tacoma, or anywhere along the South Puget Sound, I welcome your questions on my site at www.luxurypnw.com

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