My road trip to CA with a few friends (LA => Richmond in 18.5 hours!) I passed through WA. I think it looks like a nice place to live, and Vancouver WA really reminded me of here. I like the whole rainy Eddie-Bauer-style outdoor-ness to it. I dunno, it's hard to explain, but it seems like a nice place.
Does anybody here know what it's really like to live out there?
How's the job oppertunities?
How's the crime?
What's a good place to live?
Thanks!

 

It would be a great place to live, just tell us how to get a green card. Awhile ago I saw an add in the paper for different nationalities that can apply for the green card but I didn't see Canada on that list. Although you could buy some property down there and stay 6 months of the year, rent it out in the summer and fly south like or with your bird in the winter. I have a friend who has a trailer in Washington State. They go down there for weekends and holidays, that's about as close as we will get to becoming american. Doesn't matter cause I'm more proud to be canadian.

 

Hey wait a min We have enough problems with Cali people coming up here We dont need you guys coming down. lol (joking)

 

Vancouver is an alright place to live. It's considered "hickville" by just about anybody in Portland, even though I rarely see any rednecks here. I like it because it's a slower pace and people seem to be more easy going and laid back, less uptight etc.. Of course this is an over generallization, not EVERYONE in Portland is like that, but this is just what I've observed from living in Vancouver for the last 8 years. I like t-shirt and jeans and a more laid back lifestyle so Vancouver suites me just fine. Plus, living on the coat tails of Portland has benefits too. Portland has just about anything you'd want. They have an international racecourse, two places to drag race, roundy round racing, SCCA road and autocross events etc..

Crime in Vanouver is worse in some areas than others, just like anywhwere. I'd say there is far less serious crimes in Vancouver than Portland. Just comes with living in a smaller community.

There are other benefits also. Wa, has a sales tax where Oregon has a state income tax. I see more of my paycheck in the form of $$ every month than if I made the same money working in Portland. Homeowners here don't pay nearly as much property taxes and a 200,000 home here would cost 275,000 in Portland. My money just goes further here even with the sales tax. Plus, Washington state is not in financial ruins like Oregon is. Oregon is likely to get a sales tax to go with their income tax.

Job market is picking up. Oregon now has the third highest un-employment rate (instead of #1) in the nation right now, but it's getting better. I think overall, the economy in the US is making a comeback. It's the whole 10 year cycle thing if you've ever studies economics.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

Mike

 

I have to agree with Mike. I just moved here to Vancouver in February. I really like it here. It doesn't seem to be much different of a pace of life here than in Idaho where I came from.

 

We should get some guys to invest in some recreational property in Washington where we can camp out, drink cheap beer and fill on cheap gas on the way home. Property prices haven't gone up as much across the line, yet! To pay $275,000 US to live in Portland seems like a bargain compared to Vancouver, Canada where the average selling price is close to $600,000. can. To live in Vancouver Washington sounds alot like living in the fraser valley where prices are still affordable and the pace of living is more relaxed.

 

We should get some guys to invest in some recreational property in Washington where we can camp out, drink cheap beer and fill on cheap gas on the way home. Property prices haven't gone up as much across the line, yet! To pay $275,000 US to live in Portland seems like a bargain compared to Vancouver, Canada where the average selling price is close to $600,000. can. To live in Vancouver Washington sounds alot like living in the fraser valley where prices are still affordable and the pace of living is more relaxed.

 

Oops, I double-dipped. sorry.

 

There is places like that just over the border.

 

You're probably thinking of the Green Card Lottery. You are correct. Canadians can't enter that. I think any country that has more than 50,000 immigrants to the US can't enter that. Nice little lottery though. Free to enter, pretty decent prize too.

WA is good if you need an MRI. There are more of them in Seattle than there are from Manitoba through BC. Drumhawk should take a 95% paycut so the province can afford some more of them.

What is the sales tax in Washington? I seem to remember it being quite high.

 

Depends on where you live at I do believe in seattle its like 9% tacoma its 8.9 Where I live its 8.4

 

I live in SE washington in a little town called walla walla. The only notable things abot are town are two colleges, Walla Walla College and Whitman Universiyt. Oh, and the state penn is here, too. Climate wise, walla walla is an oasis in the middle of the SE WA desert. its pretty nice here, but real hot in the summer. Economically, about the same as vancouver above. Kinda boring around here though. But, i m a student still so its all good im sure i wont settle here. hope that helps

 

I've got a green card.

Neaner neaner nearer

 

I live in the Middle of things out here. 2hrs From Portland, 2hrs from seattle 2 hours from Good Beaches, 2hrs from the Ski area & 4hrs from Canada.


Oh more important 1.5hrs from both drag strips.

Pretty nice area to live in. Lots of military families.

 

That's the one Gord.