All Forum Posts by: Megan Shay

Welcome @Matt Juran! I also urge you to consider Kitsap County. It's much more affordable, and with the fast ferries from Bremerton and Kingston into downtown, the commute is actually quite nice. A ferry ride is more pleasant than being stuck in traffic. ;-) Ping me if you'd like to know more about Kitsap! I live in Poulsbo. Moved over here from Mercer Island last year and we love it. 

@Jim Gleon, I managed a handful of rentals in Seattle a few years back, right as all the new laws were going into place. Got out of Seattle right after getting all of them registered. Now I recommend to my investor buyers to avoid the City of Seattle. From the property manager perspective, a lot of those rules make me very nervous. I want to be able to use my best judgement when selecting tenants. I second @Jake Alger -- 1031. And might I recommend North Kitsap (specifically Poulsbo). :-) I'm biased because I live here, but it's still affordable here, and the ferry commute is much more enjoyable than being stuck in traffic. Ping me if you'd like more info on Kitsap.

Ha! @Andrew Hodgson, good one. :-) There are glimmers here in Kitsap, too. But not nearly as bad. Perhaps people are still scared off by the ferry commute? I find it much more relaxing than being stuck in traffic, however. Also, you can enjoy a pint on the ferry home. 

@Megan Wildhood -- sounds good! Feel free to ping me if you'd like some market stats/other info. :-) 

@Eugene Cho, consider Kitsap County as well. Close to Seattle but still affordable. Solid military employment base--and healthcare. Fast ferries from Bremerton and Kingston to downtown Seattle. Let me know if you have any questions about Kitsap! I live in Poulsbo and love it here. :-) 

@Megan Wildhood I have a handy blog post that sums up our story--but apparently I can't post the link here. ;-) It was actually a kind of backwards approach for us to move this way (see blog: inpeakproperties.com/why-poulsbo/), but the affordability was certainly part of the equation. Plus, Poulsbo is a lovely small town. Think of what Ballard was like 20 years ago. Bremerton is certainly rougher around the edges, but even more affordable than Poulsbo. Unfortunately, there are reasons why. But it's still a solid rental market there. Feel free to hit me up for my direct email/phone to chat more. 

@Megan Wildhood welcome back (soon)! Are you familiar with Kitsap County? It's still quite affordable over here (for now), and there are fast ferries from Bremerton and Kingston, which makes a commute to downtown Seattle do-able. Even to the Eastside, with buses and future light rail. Ping me if you have any questions about Kitsap life! I live in Poulsbo, and love it. Moved here from Mercer Island last year. 

Welcome, @Nick Sehy! Check into Kitsap County. Fast ferries from Bremerton and Kingston make the commute bearable, and it's much more affordable than Seattle. Can take the ferry to downtown, then hop a bus to MS campus--or light rail when that's done. :-) 

@Dallas Thomson, welcome! If you are interested, I can tell you about a 4-plex in Silverdale. Let me know what your budget is. 

$.75-$1/sf seems to be the going rate in Bremerton. I'd go conservative, closer to $.75/sf.  @Bjorn Ahlblad, I spent a few months in Bremerton living on my boat last year. It's pretty rough, especially closer to the ferry dock/shipyard. Though I'm sure rents will rise as the area gentrifies, especially with the planned development going in there...