WA rainshadow

[MARYDVM]

Anyone homesteading in this part of WA? Are land prices any cheaper than the rest of western WA due to its remote location? And does it really get more sun, or just less rain with the same winter clouds as the rest of the coast?

[snoozy]

It's not remote. It does get have more sunny days than the surrounding areas, which are rather higher in rainfall than say, Seattle. As for land prices, go to the seattle craigslist and search for real estate with "Sequim" in the search box.

[Janis Sauncy]

I've never been to Sequim, although I've heard great things about it.

I love the ocean and the beaches and have often thought I'd love to live near there (the ocean) but was afraid the rain would drive me bonkers. I'm about 125 miles inland and about go crazy with the rain I get here.

So, Sequim has always sounded like the best of both worlds to me (except for maybe the summer tourism).

Unfortunately, I saw a program a while back and it sounds like the word has gotten out about its desirability. The program talked about how the population of the area has increased tremendously and the land prices have skyrocketed in just the last few years.

[snoozy]

Well, my own opinion is that it feels like a very large old folks home...full of non-PNW retired people with not much to do, went there for the not-sun and brought with them not-much of any other reason to be there. And few trees. (Comparatively speaking. We have a lot of trees here, so if a place looks like a windswept subdivision with just a few lonely trees still hanging in there, I call that bleak.) But I am prejudiced: I like rain. I like moss. I like forest.

If you want sun, go somewhere else. If you want dry, go somewhere else. In fact, go to eastern WA if you want that. Land's cheaper there, too.

[Janis Sauncy]

Originally Posted by snoozy

If you want sun, go somewhere else. If you want dry, go somewhere else. In fact, go to eastern WA if you want that. Land's cheaper there, too.

Before I found this place, I was looking at the Goldendale area.

I don't know what it's like now, but four years ago you could find a place on twenty acres - with a home - for less than $100,000.

I had an offer in on one place (on 20 acres) that was listed for $79,000. It did have trees (scrub oak). Unfortunately, the day I made my offer, someone else (from California) also made an offer - full price/cash - which I couldn't beat.

I looked at another place in the Centerville area, also on 20 acres, for $64,000. That place had no trees (my kids hated it) but when the people who were renting it at the time learned there was someone seriously interested in the place (me), they decided to buy it.

[snoozy]

Originally Posted by Janis Sauncy

Before I found this place, I was looking at the Goldendale area.

I don't know what it's like now, but four years ago you could find a place on twenty acres - with a home - for less than $100,000.

I had an offer in on one place (on 20 acres) that was listed for $79,000. It did have trees (scrub oak). Unfortunately, the day I made my offer, someone else (from California) also made an offer - full price/cash - which I couldn't beat.

I looked at another place in the Centerville area, also on 20 acres, for $64,000. That place had no trees (my kids hated it) but when the people who were renting it at the time learned there was someone seriously interested in the place (me), they decided to buy it.

Dang, that is cheap! Goldendale is down near the Columbia River, isn't it? Nothing up here like that! Where are you now?

[Janis Sauncy]

Originally Posted by snoozy

Dang, that is cheap! Goldendale is down near the Columbia River, isn't it? Nothing up here like that! Where are you now?

It's about 30 miles up from the Columbia (if I remember right) off Highway 14, across from The Dalles (Oregon), which is where I grew up and where my brothers still are.

It looked to me like it was becoming popular for wineries and that was one thing I was hoping to do with the property in Centerville......possibly contracting with a winery to plant part of the acreage in grapes.

I'm in Lewis County. I fell into a sweet deal four years ago for five acres with an older double wide on it. It had been a rental for years and the owner (now former owner) lives in Missouri and was very, very motivated to sell.

Honestly, if I had had more time, I would have continued to try and find a place around Goldendale but the place I was renting temporarily (in another county) sold and I had to move ASAP.

So, here I am on my little hillside homestead......with lots and lots of trees.

[mayfair]

The rain shadow is around Sequim, Port Townsend and Anacortes, Camano Island as well as part of Whidbey Island.

These areas can all be expensive unless you get far out (which you can't do an Whidbey but could do in the other areas). They're desirable because they get less rain and most of them have a lot of retirees.

Water is also short in some of the areas like Camano/Whidbey because of development and limited fresh water in the aquifers. I hope that helps!