DH is possibly getting a dream job offer at a company in Bellevue that he has to be in the office for.
I’m fully remote so contemplating moving with him or staying at current farm.
Give me the good and bad about boarding vs buying my own farm in the area. I’m already researching about schools, etc. for my middle/high school age kids.
not your locations but for over a decade I commuted from Fort Worth to Chatsworth, Ca flying from DFW to Burbank.
After looking at the cost of living increases and the cost to relocate my family to LA it was determined to be break even cost wise for the company (my company had our own travel agency to arrange flights at deep discounts)
But for over ten years it worked well for me, my family and the company
If he gets the offer, he’s most likely taking it. Just figuring out logistics if the 5 hour plane ride is worth it or we just move the family.
Trying to do our due diligence and gather info about moving my horses and goats.
I just flew over two to three times a month staying for two to four days, however often I was at our plant in Nogales, MX or one of the other offices
Moving my family there with the seven horses and four kids was not really going to happen
No ‘farms’ in Bellevue. Others in the Seattle Metro can chime in but real estate there is crazy expensive. As far as boarding, there are lots of options but you’ll drive to them (Redmond, Monroe,etc.) which can be dicey with traffic. This is not my area, so I’m not terribly knowledgeable, but there are great H/J programs as well as boarding options, but expect to pay a lot. Not sure where you’re coming from so maybe it’ll be comparable.
Buying your own farm in that area is very, very expensive. And it would be a small plot of land. I lived in Seattle, worked in Bellevue, and rode in Redmond. Lake Washington makes getting anywhere very difficult, as there really are only two ways across it, both with high traffic and one very expensive. Granted, everything out there was very expensive.
To board, it helps to travel around the rush hour times (7AM-9:30AM; 3:30PM-7PM), so if your remote work is flexible that’s less of an issue. There are some great barns out there if you don’t mind driving, and it was a great place to be an eventer.
Coming from Northern Virginia but I think Bellevue is even more expensive. I’m not selling current farm so that limits my options greatly.
I’d love to keep board and partial training under 1800.00 a month. Currently at an eventing barn and enjoy it. My horse is a ASB so most H/J barns are not fans.
Plus I have a retired pony that needs a dry lot, I’d like to keep his board lowish cost if possible. Then I need to figure out what I’m doing with my two goats. They might get boarded with a friend.
I’m remote and core work hours are 7:30-4 eastern time, so I’m thinking I could figure out something off hours or take late lunch.
I know nothing about this area so appreciate the insights.
@ASBJumper is in Vancouver area I believe? She breeds ASB/WB crosses for dressage.
I was in Bellevue back in the 73-74? Loved the area. Ate a lot of salmon. Was staying with someone who worked on the boats. So it was 50 ways to eat your salmon.
I should have stayed and bought real estate 
ETA I was in Bellingham further North and why I was thinking of Vancouver area MY BAD. It was a B city and it’s been yrs ago.
Wouldn’t that mean that you’d be working from 4:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.? (I’m NOT a morning person.)
You may look into Gig Harbor/Port Orchard/Bremerton/Silverdale areas for a farm if you want the horses at home. Lots of people commute from there on the ferries, may be an option too?
That was my question because yarf
To OP, there are a lot of “suburbs” around Bellevue, and all of them are “Seattle greater”…sorta… Anyway, Seattle Sprawl is what it is. All those cities down there abut each other now, it seems. Another poster is making the same possible trip soon, if you search the forums. We hooked up via FB and I messaged her several hunter barns, which is what she was interested in, but eventing is big here. Ditto dressage. It’s richly horsey down there. Depending on where in Bellevue your DH will be working, he can easily commute because it seems most people do. Traffic can be AWFUL, the I-90 to 405 interchange especially so IME, which is right in the area you are probably going to be looking.
BUT.
The good news is the horse park, where there is quite a bit of eventing, is only 1.5 hours from Bellevue so yay.
Can’t comment on schools. I suspect around that area, they are going to be pretty decent, good tax base.
Thanks for thinking of me @pony_grandma, but i’m allllllll the way at the opposite end of the country in Ottawa, Ontario. I’ve never lived out West. 
But I do breed ASB/WB crosses for Dressage, lol.
Best of luck, luvmyhackney! I hope you find a good place to board! The Pacific NW seems to be a very friendly area for ASBs from what i’ve seen - a lot of good breeders out there, namely Antigo in Bow, WA, which is an hour outside of Bellevue. https://palominosaddlebred.com/antigo-home
My neck of the woods, and horse friendly.
A lot will depend on WHERE in Bellevue he has to commute to - north, south, east, west. There are lots of suburbs/farmettes and schools in either direction. You just don’t to commute across Bellevue proper to get anywhere regularly, the area is hemmed in by mountains and water and is a choke point for traffic. When looking at a map try looking in the following areas:
North side - Monroe, Woodinville. East side - Redmond, North Bend. This area has lots of barns and access to trails. South side - Renton, Black Diamond. West side - there’s the water of Lake Washington and then Seattle, so not really an option if you want critters in your back yard. There’s a great eventing facebook page for the area.
I don’t recommend commuting to Sea-Tac on a weekly basis. The rental cars are off site and Sea-Tac to Bellevue is through some of the worst traffic in the area. And if you are currently in a different time zone than PST, the suck factor will go through the roof.
Having moved farms across the country multiple times, its less daunting than it seams with modern social media, apps and boards like this offering help and making connections in new places easily.
Those would be my working hours. I’m ok with it, I used to work 3AM-1PM for an EU company when my kids were little for years. I loved it.
I’m not sure where his office would be. Off to go look at maps.
I’m fine boarding or getting a farm, just depends on commute. DH prefers city life with limited commute. I’ll make anything work for a few years.
Just went there with a friend to buy a horse… owner is batshit crazy hoarder, horses are walking skeletons… nothing is registered in the last few years. Suspecting mental illness or maybe dementia but I would steer clear 
Oh no, oh no… that’s so sad and awful. 
I am a real estate agent based in Kirkland. As many mentioned, it will all depend on budget. Likely starting around 2+ million for a small farm, factoring in your wants and needs, unless you are ok with driving an hour or more out of town. The above poster is correct that you will need to go East, starting in Redmond and Woodinville to find property. We have an equestrian division at my company that I am a part of, see www.windermereequestrianliving.com.
Board at a decent place will range from 1-2K, training is an add on. Turnout, location and indoor arenas are the main variables. There are some Eventers out in the Duvall, Carnation and Monroe areas. For the most part, we have highly rated public schools. I board my horses here: https://www.gold-creek.com/your-horse-at-gold-creek.
Despite the grey weather over half the year this area is a fabulous place to live!
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