East King & Kittitas County Experts. With over 25+ years of experience, we are happy to help you reach your real estate goals! If you want to know everything about living in Washington State, tap the bell🛎 for notifications so you can be the first to learn about our local markets.
Brought to you by the team BigDogRealty.com, your guides to the vibrant real estate scene in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Focusing on lifestyle and highlighting communities along the way, join us as we this channel showcases the unique charm of Washington State's luxury homes, communities & lifestyle; as our creative marketing style focuses on the human element of real estate marketing.
Part of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury:
Call or Text Joe: 425-677-5381 Email: Joebigdogrealty@yahoo.com
Call or Text Heidi: 425-417-4716 Email: heidibigdogrealty@yahoo.com
Subscribe to our channel for personal stories and the lifestyle that Washington state offers.
Traffic is definitely getting worse during the summer months through town on Fridays going east and on Sunday going west, I can’t wait for winter 🥶 and traffic will be much lighter, I live in Cle Elum and go to work in Ellensburg and rarely take I-90 to and from work, as for grocery shopping we go to Ellensburg, Yakima/Union Gap and sometimes to the Wenatchee Costco.
Such a beautiful Main Floor Primary Suite opportunity in this well maintained home, and the Privacy & Quiet Setting makes it a little Oasis here in The Burg near CWU !
Thanks for the video! We are putting an offer on a house with acreage in Ellensburg this week. We have some family history in the yakima area, but we are from the west side of the mountains, so this will be a big change for us. We don't want to change anything about Ellensburg, instead we very much looking forward to being absorbed by the community!
Sounds great! Congratulations, very exciting, I hope your offer gets accepted and you close 🎉 This is an awesome place to have acreage! Seriously try the headphone trick on the windy days! Glad for you guys to be moving into our favorite community! It really is all about the people! For instance, we went to Fred Meyer to get groceries today and ran into 5+ people we know and chatted with!
@@LivingInWAState Yeah, the small town vibe was really apparent. From those we talked to it seemed like everyone knew each other. Lots of people were already offering to get us in contact with people who can help make our new home enjoyable, such as local milk farms, electricians, people to help us with our farm plans, etc. Like many others we've driven through Ellensburg many dozens of times and typically stopped there for gas and coffee, but never explored beyond that. Feels like a hidden gem in Washington (there are a few others as well! We've heard good things about the Christmas events in Cle Elum) and I hope it stays that way for a long time. Maybe the wind and occasional wildfire/smoke will help keep the new housing growth to a minimum. Aside from feeling a lot safer in Ellensburg, one of the biggest draws for us was the hope that more people are open to intentional relationships or just more socializing with their neighbors/community. It feels very socially cold on the west side of the mountains, moreso now than ever before, unfortunately. My Wife and I are very social people and it's been draining on us for quite some time now. An example: inviting neighbors over for dinner or other social events and they never accept, but instead engage in small talk only while outside, stuff like that. I'll certainly miss the stormier weather of the westside (I like rain storms), but hopefully the snowy winters in Ellensburg will make up for it. We have a lot to learn about 'rural' living (plowing our own roads, septic and wells, maintaining acreage, etc), but are excited for the new experiences.
@@williammitchell8612 love to hear it! We highly recommend it, small town living with affordable cost of living with 300+ days of sun! Where is home now?
I came to Ellensburg for education in the late 90's and never left. I am a transplanted coasty (grew up in Renton, WA). I found the biggest shock was just how slowed down life is here. I has been a great place to raise kids.
Honestly, who needs 2600 square feet anymore? That's just space to heat, cool, light, insure, and maintain. I'll take a 600 square foot a-frame with a walk around deck any day.
Yes, it's a wonderful little city. I'd invite anybody who's interested to search for the Ellensburg song here on youtube. But please don't move here, we've got enough neighbors. 😂
Full circle for me; went to Central from 1991-94 and lived in several states for my job and me and my wife decided to retire here. Love it, especially the wind and small town atmosphere. I sure hope the cost of living won’t be like west of the cascades but unfortunately, that’s up to more people moving out here.😳
@@LivingInWAState “show”got that right! EVERY place I’ve lived, initially was a sleepy hollow, and within a couple of years, was invaded by people having the exact same idea as myself….to leave the big, stress filled cities for affordable housing. “Progress” you don’t have a choice in this world.
@@deantrainr seems to be the case! Regardless we sure love it here! & if you went to central in 91-94’ seem to retired early in the best town possible in WA state!
@@LivingInWAState yes, I loved it here when I went to college and occasionally skipped class and windsurfed at Vantage. Always loved the wind here and I keep telling people if you hate the wind, try windsurfing or kite boarding, then it won’t blow near as much as you want it to.
@@Viconius maple valley is beautiful though! Have family & friends who live there! Let us know if you are in the market to buy or sell! We’d love to help you reach your goals!
Cle Elum is my hometown, lived there 1961-1968. My grandparents lived there 1949 until they passed away in the 90s. I remember when Cle Elum had no traffic lights. lol
Well done. Not many "This is 'x' (town, city, area)" videos include the negatives as well as the positives. I don't really care about nightlife, and, as a certified old person, job opportunities aren't important to me personally. I've visited Washington several times, and find it very attractive. A dozen years in Colorado taught me to love the outdoors, so central Washington's climate suits me. Unfortunately, compared to the Midwestern area I live in now, it's probably out of my reach financially.
@@rayschoch5882 thank you! Tried to keep a very honest down to earth opinion of both sides of living here! And very nice, we love the outdoors! Where in the Midwest? Joe played baseball in Iowa for a time.
I lived in shitattle for 2 years. too much human poop on the sidewalks and needles in every public park. Seattle/tacoma are disgusting. not to mention all the loser unemployed protestors.
Worst part of Ellensburg is the growth. I remember Ellensburg in the 80's and it was perfect when I would ride th bus over and babysit my cousin for a week.
Major CON increasingly difficult if not impossible to get homeowners insurance it is a matter of time when Cle Elum Ridge will burn not If it will 🔥 Straight from the DNR.
You live in town? It’s been a huge topic of conversation people are having an extremely difficult time renewing their homeowners insurance due to legacy insurance companies rating of the area and its fire danger. Lots of one-way in one-way out no escape roads, including everything past Roslyn headed up to Lake Cle Elum.
@@beaunicholls8856 been hearing lots about this, actually just spoke with an insurance broker about this issue and will be bringing it to light soon. Very tough situation
Yeah, probably worth mentioning in your video. You might be able to buy a home but a real possibly of not being able to be adequately insured by a name brand company.
I struggle to find traffic being manageable. I recently brought property out that way and am living out of a camper while I build my home. I juggle living in both Gig Harbor while I work in SeaTac a few days out of the week on land I’m renting and living off of my land during my off days in Cle Elum in the mean time. When do you feel the Highway may because “easier”?
Have heard that it’s going to get better once the Construction is finished. At least that’s what WASDOT says. Construction is supposed to be near completion sometime next year I believe, but you know how those timelines go. I’ll do some more accurate digging for you though!
Every liberal who moved to cle elum in the past decade is exactly what's wrong with Cle Elum. Bunch of rich losers who ruin everything they touch. Move back to Seattle with Inslee
Affordability hahahaha OK too busy here anymore its not the cle elum I grew up in can't go anywhere on weekends with bumper to bumper traffic. So stay away people
It's important to have these kinds of discussions. If you aren't willing to believe that the city is good place to live it never will be. Everything stated is true and Cle Elum is a wonderful place to live.
Ive lived in cle elum for my entire life. It is hard to live here. Ive been pushed out of affordable housing these last 5 years due to AirBNBs, vacation rentals, cost of goods skyrocketing. Many many locals have called this place home their whole lives, and are being priced out of living here. The locals cherish this place and despise when people disrespect our little town. They are not fond of the gentrification. Alot of us small town folks are barely able to afford one home, while others buy a second home for 1 million plus and raise the property taxes and the market value. Our infrastructure is not designed for the amount of people flooding here. Healthcare workers and veterinarians are shortstaffed, overworked, and few. We have one grocery store. We have 4 stoplights. The winters here are much harder than you described.
Affordable housing? Sure. Maybe, if you compare it to Seattle. There are very few places to rent or buy that are actually affordable. Only wealthier folks can afford the housing here. Ederra is a con just by itself. That, and 47 Degrees North and Suncadia pander only to the rich folks that keep moving out here. Developers keep cutting down our forests, which is making Cle Elum less beautiful and overcrowded. I love how beautiful it is, and I love hiking and fishing, but that might not last very long. It’s bad enough we have a constant fear of wildfires. Once the kids are grown up, we’re getting the hell out of here and finding a place where is isn’t turning into a tourist trap or traveling nightmare. I can’t even go to the ONLY grocery in town on the weekends, because of the tourists.
Comments like “traffic is brutal if you’re trying to get back to the west side” is so hard to hear. Imagine trying to get out of your driveway or just going to the store as a local. The folks visiting are bringing the problem they’re complaining about!
A major pro is the small town. This is not a limiting factor. There is a theater, THREE hardware stores, tons of restaurants, etc. this was kind of silly actually because it’s why people come and why people live here. If you need a mall or Trader Joe’s, it’s probably not for you. But please keep telling people how bad it is because Cle Elum doesn’t need help getting people here. YES, the infrastructure is NOT ready.
