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From cost savings to cleaner air, living in a small town certainly has its benefits. In this blog post, we cover the advantages and disadvantages of putting down roots in a small town to help you decide if small-town living is for you. We also suggest a few places that have the small-town feel that could be a good fit for you.
Choosing a location to live can be one of the most important factors when deciding on a home to purchase. You’ll need to think about the neighborhood and the environment that you want to live in, such as a quieter street in a small town or the hustle and bustle of a more urban environment. Opting to live in a small town has its benefits and can offer a lot of cost savings. However, adjusting to the smaller-town pace has its challenges.
That said, we’ve gathered the advantages and disadvantages of living in a small town to help you decide if it’s the right move for you. Plus, we’ll go over a few places with a small town feel that you can check out for yourself.
Lower cost of living – When moving to a small town, almost everything from groceries to property taxes is going to cost less than what they would be in the city. That means you could most likely purchase more home or land yet spend less than you would if you made a home purchase in the city. Since property values in Washington state are continuing to rise, being able to get more for your money is very beneficial.
The opportunity to build or buy a pre-existing home – In a smaller town, you have more options for your dream home. You can purchase a pre-existing home, or there may be more empty land that you can purchase to build your home on. There may even be more options for you if you are interested in purchasing a fixer-upper.
Less traffic – in the big city, you’re bound to run into rush hour traffic while commuting to work or even doing errands on the weekends. Buying real estate in a small town could alleviate the time that is wasted sitting in your car and inching towards your destination.
Lower crime rates – You can expect less crime in a smaller town than in an urban environment. Children will be safe playing outside, and you most likely won’t need to leave the inside of your car spotless every night in order to deter any break-ins.
A better sense of community – In a small town, there may be more community events to participate in or volunteering opportunities to get involved in. There is also a chance that you would be able to get to know a larger percentage of the town population than in the city.
Cleaner air – In the city, the quality of air may be poor, but in a smaller town, you can count on taking a breath of fresh air. You also won’t have to worry about light pollution either, so you will have a good view of the stars.
Fewer job options – Living in a small town may limit your job options or career opportunities. You will find smaller companies and fewer occupations than you would in the city. Depending on your occupation, you may need to commute into the city for work.
Lack of Public transportation – In an urban environment, public transportation is a way of life for a lot of people. In a small town, it’s less likely that there will be a bus or subway system, let alone one that will be running frequently. Thus, you can pretty much count on driving to get where you need to go.
Less walkability – Typically, amenities in small towns are more spread out than in the city, which makes it harder to walk from place to place.
Now that you have a better idea of the pros and cons of small-town living, it’s time to ask yourself, are you ready to give the small-town life a try? If so, then here are a few cities in Washington state that offer the small-town feel but still have a metropolitan center, which actually eliminates a lot of the drawbacks mentioned above.
Bellingham – Bellingham is located in Northwestern Washington on the coast and about 20 miles from the US – Canadian border. Bellingham and its surrounding area offer an outdoor playground all year round. To the East, there is skiing at Mount Baker during the winter. In the summer, there are hiking, biking, and running trails to explore and much more. There are also museums, art galleries, and shopping. Not to mention the tasty food and brewery scene as well.
Bellingham’s economy has been primarily based on agriculture, fishing, and timber, but also includes retail trade and educational services.
Home values in Bellingham have increased in the past year, and the average home sale price is about $663,338.
Vancouver – Vancouver, Washington is located on the Columbia River and is the largest suburb of Portland, Oregon. There is a variety of outdoor activities you can enjoy all year round from, wine tasting to snowshoeing at Mount St. Helens.
Vancouver’s economy is made up of primarily construction, retail trade, and health care and social assistance. There are even more job opportunities in Portland, which is a short drive away.
Home values in Vancouver are on the rise, and the median home sale price is about $497,407.
Spokane – Spokane is located in Eastern Washington and is one of the largest cities in the state, but still offers cozy suburbs in its surrounding areas. In Eastern Washington, you’ll experience all four seasons with hot summers and snowy winters. From golf to snowboarding to shopping to Gonzaga University basketball games, there are many activities to do in your spare time.
Spokane serves as a hub for health care with its many hospitals and clinics. The remainder of Spokane’s economy is primarily made up of manufacturing, retail trade, food services and accommodations, and educational services.
Home values in Spokane have risen over the past year and should continue to. The median sales price for homes in Spokane is about $400,131.
Do you have questions about home loans? Are you ready to apply for a mortgage to buy a home? If so, Sammamish Mortgage can help. We are a local mortgage company from Bellevue, Washington, serving the entire state, as well as Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado. We offer many mortgage programs to buyers all over the Pacific Northwest and have been doing so since 1992. Contact us today with any questions you have about mortgages.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.