I grew up and went to school on the Island, I have been thinking of comeing back, I lived there in the 30"s and 40"s , Graduated in 48, I would appreicate any imformation, Irene

-- Irene Orsborn (tkorsborn@cs.com), May 09, 2001

Answers

We live North of Bainbridge Island. Unless you are really rich you cannot afford to live there. It is where many of the high income Seattle folks live.

Amy

-- Amy Richards (amysgarden2@earthlink.net), May 09, 2001.

REALLY expensive. It is one of the exclusive areas where rich folks can live and still commute (via ferry) to Seattle. It's like the San Juan Islands only closer. It is really tough to comprehend. I have lived in the Seattle vicinity since the early 50s. I can hardly recognize anything anymore.

If you have a lot of money, you might really enjoy it. It's still beautiful, albeit rather "gated." Maybe check out Windermeer Real Estate or John L. Scott or one of the other tony agencies around here on the web. See what you think of some of the properties, etc. Probably 25% of the ads in the Sunday papers with homes offered around Puget Sound are > $1 million these days. If you want to buy a house for under $200k, you need to move at least a county away, and north or south along the I-5 corridor or back further up toward the Cascades. 'Course there's always exceptions. Good luck to you, whatever you chose!

-- sheepish (the_original_sheepish@hotmail.com), May 09, 2001.

I don't want to discourage you from coming home, but can give you a couple examples of what is known as the "Bainbridge Attitude". I used to have my own house cleaning business. The average price was $45.00 per house. (this was in 1989) When I got a client on Bainbridge, she insisted on paying me $85.00, because what would "everyone" think if she paid less than then they were. It was great for me, because she liked the job I did, and gave me quite a few referrals, all at the $85.00 or more. The other example: Like most kids, when my sons first started working, their first jobs were at McDonalds. As soon as they were trained, they transferred to the Bainbridge store...at B.I. McDonald's, kids start at $7.50 an hour, every other one around starts at minimum wage. If it's been that long since you've been there, the traffic on 305 will shock you. But it is beautiful, and if price is no object, you will want to return, I'm sure. But it has changed incredibly since the 50's. Kathie

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@worldnet.att.net), May 10, 2001.

I have lived in this area for many years, and indeed it has changed.. I heard a statistic that 90% of the Island population has been here less than 10 years! But don't give up.. The thing to do is check out areas north of Bainbridge.. like between Poulsbo, Kingston, and all the way out to the Hansville area.. Many people are still 'close to the soil' around there..I have family that found 25 acres at a reasonable price (for them). Things are pricey in the area compared to other parts of the country,that's for sure, but once you get off the Island, they are better.. Taxes, too.. The ferry fares are going through the roof, unfortunately, so if commuting to the Seattle side is in the picture.. it is a consideration... Oh well, it is still 'home' to me... Suzanne :-)

-- Suzanne L (SuzanneL@webtv.net), May 10, 2001.

Just crossing the Agate Pass bridge to north Kitsap will drop property prices massively -- Poulsbo, Indianola, Kingston, Hansville are all much less expensive, and an easy drive to whatever you might want on Bainbridge. I have only been in Kitsap County 3 years, but from what I know of Bainbridge in the 40's -- well, but is any place the same as then? Of course not. Bainbridge exemplifies "Nice", but there is not the genuineness that probably was the core of this "niceness" 50-70 years ago. I think you would be disappointed. It is still very pretty, most of it, but rich people build large houses with blank eyes and are too busy to talk to their neighbors. (I'm trying to be nice here....)

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), May 16, 2001.

Irene -- here is a prime example of current Bainbridge behaviour: I saw a notice for Kinder goats for sale at our local feed store. i went to check them out, over on Bainbridge Island. A family is being muscled by their nextdoor neighboors into getting rid of their two goats & newborn kids. Quote "They say, we didn't build their house to be next to a barnyard." A funny way to go about that, considering they built their house in an agriculturally-zoned area. Bainbridge regulations in fact encourage maintaining and intensifying the rural & agricultural aspects of the island. But the rich folks complain about "the smell & the noise" and are threatening legal action. And although it would seem the sour neighboors wouldn't have a leg to stand on, the goatkeepers don't have the money to spend on lawyers, and the woman is capitulating. All she wanted was to have the farm experience for her kids. That's the new Bainbridge.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), May 30, 2001.