Happy Holidays 2019

May your holidays be filled with joy. Take note I have added a communities page here. I'm taking a bit of time off so here is a post from the past that remains relevant today. This post was written in June so pay no mind to the reference of sunny and warm weather ;)

This was originally posted here, by Rod Sager, June 4th, 2014

Real estate tends to perk up this time of year. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the temperature is warm. It is easy to get sucked into the greatest summer weather on this planet. But what about winter? Many retirees would love to have a little winter but hate the idea of shoveling snow. Here in Washington State we have options for your winter wonderland. There are places in the Evergreen State like Mount Baker, that have snow so heavy it rivals anywhere in the world. Fortunately those are places people visit rather than live. East of the Cascade Mountains delivers sunnier weather that is warmer in the summer and colder in the winter than this side here in the west. There are many areas that offer an in-between winter experience.

Here in America's Vancouver we have a very mild winter. It gets chilly but rarely gets truly cold. Heavy snow is a twice a decade event and light snow is sporadic every year throughout the winter from late November to early March. Not much shoveling here. As you move up in elevation so your shovel moves up in usage. Those gorgeous view homes up above 1000 feet will see on average double the snowfall down in the city. Move up another 1000 and it's triple.

West of the Cascades you will find the legendary Pacific Northwest clouds and showers. East of the Cascades is California Dry.

East of those mighty Cascade mountains the mercury will plunge down below zero at times and they tend to stay cold from December through February. The good news over there is that those same mountains that block the warm moist air of the Pacific Ocean also block allot of the clouds. Precipitaion on the eastside is dry, dry, dry. So it does snow often but in small doses. Again places like Ellensburg and the Tri-Cities don't have a heavy snow shovel workout.

Spokane will give you a healthy dose of snow with nearly 4 feet falling annually and that rivals Minneapolis. Spokane is not quite as bitter cold as Minnesota and has a shorter winter. If you hate the shovel stay out of the far eastern part of the state.

In case you are looking around in Washington State I have all these little charts for you to consider regarding snowfall and temps. Data was collected from the Western Climate Data Center.

Happy Holidays!

Hey it's Christmas Day so I'm taking it off. I won't leave you empty handed however, take a look at this article from the archives about climate in Washington's wide ranging spaces.

This was originally posted here, by Rod Sager, June 4th, 2014

Real estate tends to perk up this time of year. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the temperature is warm. It is easy to get sucked into the greatest summer weather on this planet. But what about winter? Many retirees would love to have a little winter but hate the idea of shoveling snow. Here in Washington State we have options for your winter wonderland. There are places in the Evergreen State like Mount Baker, that have snow so heavy it rivals anywhere in the world. Fortunately those are places people visit rather than live. East of the Cascade Mountains delivers sunnier weather that is warmer in the summer and colder in the winter than this side here in the west. There are many areas that offer an in-between winter experience.

Here in America's Vancouver we have a very mild winter. It gets chilly but rarely gets truly cold. Heavy snow is a twice a decade event and light snow is sporadic every year throughout the winter from late November to early March. Not much shoveling here. As you move up in elevation so your shovel moves up in usage. Those gorgeous view homes up above 1000 feet will see on average double the snowfall down in the city. Move up another 1000 and it's triple.

West of the Cascades you will find the legendary Pacific Northwest clouds and showers. East of the Cascades is California Dry.

East of those mighty Cascade mountains the mercury will plunge down below zero at times and they tend to stay cold from December through February. The good news over there is that those same mountains that block the warm moist air of the Pacific Ocean also block allot of the clouds. Precipitaion on the eastside is dry, dry, dry. So it does snow often but in small doses. Again places like Ellensburg and the Tri-Cities don't have a heavy snow shovel workout.

Spokane will give you a healthy dose of snow with nearly 4 feet falling annually and that rivals Minneapolis. Spokane is not quite as bitter cold as Minnesota and has a shorter winter. If you hate the shovel stay out of the far eastern part of the state.

In case you are looking around in Washington State I have all these little charts for you to consider regarding snowfall and temps. Data was collected from the Western Climate Data Center.

Where to Retire in Washington State

So Washington State is a tax friendly state for retirees but only average on taxes over all. The reason for this is that retirees are most effected by income tax. Having the fixed pension and social security benefits 100% free of state level taxation is a huge plus for the retired. Washington however has other expenses that are average or above average.

The largest and most glaring expense is housing costs. West of the Cascades retirees will find real estate to be very expensive. East of the Cascades however pricing tends to fall at or just above the national median.

East of the Cascades will provide dry weather with 250 or more sunny days a year. This dry weather carries the cost of much colder wintertime temperatures. Not North Dakota cold but sometimes extreme cold sets in on the Eastside in places like Ellensburg, Spokane, and Wenatchee. The Tri-Cities area is the most mild of the bunch east of the Cascades.

The western side of the Cascade range is the iconic Washington State. Lush and green with a steady flow of rain over the course of 5-9 months of the year. But the western half is flanked by the moderate Pacific Ocean climate that keeps snowfall to a minimum in the winter and summertime heat at bay in the summer.

It is truly hard to beat Washington State for scenic beauty.

In Southwest Washington State retirees have the advantage of being adjacent to Oregon. Unlike Washington which has no income tax, Oregon has perhaps the most aggressive income tax in America. But Oregon has no sales tax. Living in Southwest Washington makes playing in Oregon close and easy and grants the retiree the best of both.

Here is my general data for selected cities in Washington State. Included is a rounded population figure, relative location to Seattle, Average temps for winter and summer as well as other climate data  from the Western Climate Data Center. Median home price. The political climate measured as, left, split, right, etc.

Bellevue

• Population : 135,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Lake Washington, Coastal, Forest, and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 800 feet
• 10 miles east of Seattle via I-90
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 10 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 /78
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 8.9
• Median home price : $751,300
• Median household income : $92,942
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 72.1% (King County)

Bellingham

• Population : 80,000
• Greater Metro : 212,000 (Whatcom County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Coastal, Forest, and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 800 feet
• 89 miles north of Seattle via I-5
• Nearest major city : Vancouver, BC, 54 miles north via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 30 / 44
• Average July low /high temp : 50 /68
• Average annual rainfall inches : 36.5
• Average annual snowfall inches : 8.9
• Median home price : $348,700
• Median household income : $39,301
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 54.9% (Whatcom County)

Ellensburg

• Population : 19,000
• Greater Metro : 42,000 (Kittitis County)
• Locale : Leeward Cascade Mountains, Dry Valley, Agriculture
• Elevation : 1,500 feet
• 107 miles east of Seattle via I-90
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 107 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 19 / 34
• Average July low /high temp : 54 /84
• Average annual rainfall inches : 8.9
• Average annual snowfall inches : 22.4
• Median home price : $217,900
• Median household income : $26,978
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 53.7% (Kittitis County)

Everett

• Population : 108,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Leeward Olympic and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 600 feet
• 28 miles north of Seattle via I-5
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 28 miles south via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 33 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 53 /73
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.7
• Average annual snowfall inches : 7.3
• Median home price : $303,500
• Median household income : $50,874
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 54.3% (Snohomish County)

Friday Harbor

• Population : 2,160
• Greater Metro : 16,200 (San Juan County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Islands, Touristy
• Elevation : Sea Level - 200 feet
• 103 miles northwest of Seattle via I-5 and WS Ferry
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 103 miles southeast via I-5 and WS Ferry
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 46
• Average July low /high temp : 49 /71
• Average annual rainfall inches : 24.97
• Average annual snowfall inches : 4.5
• Median home price : $439,300
• Median household income : $41,242
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 66.6% (San Juan County)

Long Beach

• Population : 1,350
• Greater Metro : 58,000 (Clatsop County OR / Pacific County WA)
• Locale : Pacific Ocean Beach, Coastal Mountains, Forest
• Elevation : Sea Level
• 171 miles southwest of Seattle via US 101 and I-5
• Nearest major city : Portland, OR, 112 miles southeast via US 101 and US 26
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 49
• Average July low /high temp : 52 /66
• Average annual rainfall inches : 79.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 1.1
• Median home price : $224,100
• Median household income : $27,916
• Political climate : split - swing
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 50% (Pacific County)

Olympia

• Population : 50,000
• Greater Metro : 297,000 (Thurston County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Coastal, Forest, and Coastal Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 500 feet
• 61 miles southwest of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 61 miles northeast via I-5 
• Average January low / high temp : 32 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 / 77
• Average annual rainfall inches : 50.8
• Average annual snowfall inches : 16.0
• Median home price : $258,000
• Median household income : $49,864
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 53.2% (Thurston County)

Port Angeles

• Population : 19,000
• Greater Metro : 73,000 (Clallam County)
• Locale : Straight of Juan de Fuca, Coastal, and Olympic Mountains, National Park
• Elevation : Sea Level - 200 feet
• 82 miles northwest of Seattle via US 101 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 82 miles southeast via US 101 
• Average January low / high temp : 32 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 56 / 75
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.9
• Average annual snowfall inches : 11.0
• Median home price : $167,067
• Median household income : $40,035
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 47.6% (Clallum County)

Seattle

• Population : 684,000
• Greater Metro : 4.5 million (Seattle CSA)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Leeward Olympic and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 300 feet
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 0 miles 
• Average January low / high temp : 37 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 / 77
• Average annual rainfall inches : 36.2
• Average annual snowfall inches : 11.0
• Median home price : $609,100
• Median household income : $70,172
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 72.1% (King County)

Spokane

• Population : 213,000
• Greater Metro : 698,000 (Spokane-Cour D'lene CSA)
• Locale : Interior high plain, Interior Mountains, Forest
• Elevation : 1,800 - 2200 feet
• 279 miles east of Seattle via I-90 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 279 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 22 / 33
• Average July low /high temp : 56 / 84
• Average annual rainfall inches : 16.3
• Average annual snowfall inches : 45.5
• Median home price : $176,900
• Median household income : $39,385
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 49.9% (Spokane County)

Tacoma

• Population : 208,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Olympic and Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 400 feet
• 34 miles south-southwest of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 34 miles north-northeast via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 34 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 54 / 75
• Average annual rainfall inches : 37.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 6.4
• Median home price : $241,400
• Median household income : $50,807
• Political climate : split - lean left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 49.7% (Pierce County)

Tri-Cities

• Population : 194,000 (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco)
• Greater Metro : 253,000 (Metro)
• Locale : Leeward Cascade Mountains, Columbia River, Interior Lowlands, 
• Elevation : 550-700 feet
• 219 miles southeast of Seattle via I-82 and I-90 
• Nearest major city : Portland, OR, 216 miles west via I-84
• Average January low / high temp : 26 / 40
• Average July low /high temp : 60 / 91
• Average annual rainfall inches : 7.5
• Average annual snowfall inches : 9.5
• Median home price : $244,100
• Median household income : $67,496 (Richland)
• Political climate : right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 59.3% (Benton County)

Vancouver

• Population : 170,000 (275,000 pending annexations)
• Greater Metro : 2.2 million (Portland-Vancouver Metro)
• Locale : Columbia River, Columbia Gorge, Urban River, Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : 25-500 feet
• 165 miles south of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Portland, 7 miles south via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 33 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 54 / 79
• Average annual rainfall inches : 39.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 6.5
• Median home price : $275,000
• Median household income : $47,379
• Political climate : split - swing
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton/Trump 46.3% tie (Clark County)

How Important is Weather to Retirees?

Weather certainly plays a significant role in determining a location to move when one decides to retire. This is quite evident when looking at places like Southern California, Arizona, Las Vegas and Florida with their huge population of people in the over 55 crowd. But how important really is weather? I have spent a fair amount of time trying to get to the bottom of it and the results thus far are quite interesting, but not really surprising.

People who spent the bulk of their lives in places like New England and the Upper Mid-west seem to have the highest desire to retire in the sun-belt. That seems like the classic, "no-brainer". People from these areas have lived through what I called "Kill-U-Cold" winters and often faced snow and ice covered roads for months on end. So when perusing the forums and reading comments I find these folks be the ones saying things like; "I'm not shoveling snow anymore" or "I'm through being cold".

When I looked at the comments and postings from people in more mild climates the weather suddenly fell way down on the list of things that make a community desirable. Suddenly it was more about taxes, activities, proximity to family, etc. These folks talked about weather without the same demanding tone. It's more about the extremes than really. They don't want "Kill-U-Cold", but a little snow and rain isn't a deal breaker for them.

This may explain why I keep finding communities in Washington State falling onto "top ten best" lists for retirees. The latest one I found was "Top Ten Best Beach Communities". It appeared as a link form a retirement oriented lifestyle blog. Port Townsend, Washington made the list. There are no palm trees in Port Townsend and you won't likely have to worry about heatstroke... ever. Yet there it is; a top destination for retirees looking for a beach/waterfront experience. Port Townsend isn't even on the Pacific Ocean, it actually fronts the Puget Sound. It is a great town however.

A few posts back I listed general climate information for a variety of locations in Washington State. Take a look at them here.

In my experience as a Realtor®, I find that there are two overriding things that bring retirement age people to Washington State. Proximity to family and taxation. This is somewhat anecdotal but I think it holds true to reality. Washington State is not only a great place to retire, but it is a wonderful place to raise a family. Our schools are highly rated and our state constitution has some of the strongest pro-schools language in the nation. Washington has also weathered the roller coaster economy better than most areas in the country. This brings families to the the state and many retirees want to be close to those adorable little grandchildren. I have blathered on a great deal about taxes so by now you know that we stand strong in that arena for retirees. See more info in this post.

There is a third interesting anecdote I find recurring; many people who come here from California cite a desire to experience four seasons. Most Californians only have two season and many have only one. These folks don't want to live in the bitter cold winters, but they have suggested they feel like they are missing out on the four season experience. I can relate to that as I like having four distinct seasons. I actually wish Vancouver got a little more snow each year.

There are many reasons to move to Washington no matter what stage in life you are at.