Reasons not to live in North Bend...

I hate to start on a bad note, but here is a news flash...not every town in America is perfect!

Hi everyone, Brian Davis here of Snoqualmie Valley Real Estate.

And today I’m sharing with you the 6 reasons North Bend might not be for you. 

If you haven’t watched my other video showing the 6 reasons you will love living in North Bend, make sure to watch that video as well. 

Before we get to the list, let's take a quick refresher on North Bend.

North Bend is located about 30 miles east of Seattle. North Bend has a population of about 15 thousand people. With just around 7 thousand people living inside city limits and the rest in unincorporated areas.

North Bend is situated in the beautiful Snoqualmie River Valley and is at the base of the famous Mount Si and the Cascade mountains.

The Snoqualmie Tribe have called these lands home from the beginning, and are an active part of the community around us. We are fortunate to be a part of the rich history of this Valley.

North Bend is unique, but not for everybody and I’m going to share some reasons it might not be a good fit for you.

So let’s get started!

Reason #1-Rainforest

    There is no sugar coating this first negative of living in North Bend...You ready? It Rains. A lot. Like Rainforest levels of rain. Seriously at almost 70” of rain per year this is not to be taken lightly. 

    For perspective Seattle averages about 35”. So it's double the downpours here in North Bend.

    My recommendation is that you get high quality outdoor gear. You can visit our local Pro Ski and Guide shop for great gear! Tell Martin and his crew that Brian sent you.

    We also have elevation changes in the neighborhoods around town so there are almost microclimates to our area. The good news is you also get days like these...

Reason #2-Affordability

With the proximity that North Bend provides to the Eastside and Seattle region, you also get affordability issues.

For current market numbers go to my website snoqualmievalleyre.com for up to date states. But as a ballpark King County and North Bend averages are going to be well into the high 8s and 9 hundred thousand range.

Historic low inventory and desperate buyers continue to impact home prices. Homes rarely last more than a week on market in our area.

But...don’t always believe the hype. I’ve helped hundreds of clients secure homes and properties in this market before and will continue to do so. And there are plenty of choices for homes in every price point. Trust me.

There are always off market opportunities available, you just have to ask! I can help!

Reason #3 This is not City life

Next reason on our list is for anyone that loves City life, North Bend might not be for you. Let’s call it rural-suburban vibes and nightlife out here.

A little context for you. I’m a family guy with 2 young kids. My exciting nights these days are when the kids are asleep by 730pm.  

So if you need the nightlife or the clubs or the party bars...I’m not saying they don’t exist in North Bend, just not to the level you might think. We do have bars. We do have festivals and wine walks. We have live music venues. 

So we do have choices! Take a look on my website for a detailed list of restaurants and bars in town.

If you really want you can head up the road to the Snoqualmie Casino or go to Bellevue and Seattle and get all the excitement you need past 10pm.

Reason 4-The Weather

Another potential negative for some...the Weather!

You might be wondering “didn’t you already talk about the rain?” Yes. Yes I did. And now I’m going to tell you about the rest of the weather. It's windy. We get snow. We also have 2 distinct seasons-grey and not grey. And if you're used to hot weather or need a warm climate for health reasons, North Bend is probably not a good choice.

Now I’ll say this too...cloudy days need appreciation too and when its a beautiful spring or summer day you’ll be hard pressed to find more enjoyable weather. 

We don’t have the heat and humidity that makes your eyelids sweat.

Bonus tip! We don’t have snakes that are poisonous. We don’t have bugs that will try to eat you (except the mosquitos and even they aren’t that bad) and we don’t have hurricanes or tornadoes.

So its all a trade off. 

Reason 5-Lack of the Big Box

Now this might sound like a positive, but to some people the lack of big box retail is a negative to living in North Bend.

So hear me out. If you want big box stores, they are in Issaquah. All your big chains live there: Costco, Home Depot, Target, Trader Joes, Michaels, Best Buy, and more. 

From the house I help you fall in love with, you would be, give or take, 15-20 minutes away from these retailers.

The trade off is that our town has a thriving economy and amazing local boutiques, stores and artists. 

        We have a lumber yard and a hardware store for your DIY projects.  We have a historic one screen movie theater that everyone loves! We have a local bakery with a line out the door on the weekends. We have a seamstress, grocery stores, coffee shops, and more!

So if you think you can’t find that one thing you are searching for in town, I encourage you to look again!

Reason 6-Growth

Another potential negative to living in North Bend, depending on your perspective, is the G word...GROWTH!

This is a sensitive topic in our town and the Snoqualmie Valley as a whole. We have families that have roots all the way back to the early years of North Bend.

Some people feel the growth is out of control and that the building needs to stop.

As a real estate professional I am often caught in the middle.

So Hear me out. 

I love our small town of North Bend and the Snoqualmie Valley lifestyle. I love the open spaces that surround us.

Without going too far down the rabbit hole I’ll say this about growth & “new construction”.

Each home in North Bend and the Snoqualmie Valley is built on dirt that used to be “owned” by a farmer, a logger, a railroad company or ancestral lands of the Snoqualmie Tribe. 

So a little perspective is needed. Add to the fact that we live in a private property state, leads to a discussion with complicated answers.

I always like to ask...Who gets to be the last to close the gate on a town? Who gets to be the last to move in? And finally, if you had the land to sell what would you do? Let’s not pretend that there are easy answers here.

I don’t claim to know the answers and I also don’t claim to completely agree or disagree with whether to grow or not to grow or even what the means. 

I do know that there are plenty of towns and communities across the country that would love to have the problems of North Bend. 

I know that we have a community that lives on the edge of wilderness and we have thousands of protected acres around us. I have a sense that no matter how the next few years progress, North Bend will forever be a place people want to live.

Conclusion

        So there you have it. 6 reasons why North Bend might not be a good fit for you.

Maybe you are relocating from out of state or already here in the PNW but I know we can find the right place for you.

Go ahead and message me today and we can get started on matching the right home for your lifestyle!

Click on the links in the description for more detailed information.

Make sure to give me a follow and take a look at my other videos on life in North Bend and the Snoqualmie Valley.

And finally if you know someone interested in real estate in North Bend or the Snoqualmie Valley please send them my way.

I look forward to hearing from you soon! 

Be Well! 

Brian Davis

Snoqualmie Valley Real Estate

206-595-1521