Relocating Information

Relocating to Washington

Let us introduce you to some of the top Realtors® in Washington providing you with the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

Washington became the 42nd state to join the Union on November 11, 1889.

Washington was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States, and is the only U.S. state named after a president. Washington is often called Washington state or the State of Washington to distinguish it from the District of Columbia. However, Washingtonians (and many residents of neighboring states) normally refer to the state simply as "Washington" while usually referring to the nation's capital as "Washington D.C." or simply "D.C."

The state boasts vast tracts of forested land, and timber production is naturally one of the state's economic assets. Nicknamed "the Evergreen State", Washington values its forests for their contribution to both the economy and to the region's ecosystems. The official state tree, the western hemlock, can attain towering size and beauty.

Powerful rivers run through the state, providing natural habitat for one of America's best game fish, the steelhead trout. The mighty Columbia River is home to one of the world's most massive masonry structures, the Grand Coulee Dam, which provides 30% of the nation's hydroelectric power.

From the unique temperate rainforests of the west to the apple-producing orchards of the east, Washington is a state of fantastic natural beauty.

More facts about Washington

Washington's capital -hOlympiaSSa's capita-

Border states - bordered to the north by British Columbia, Canada, to the east by Idaho, to the south by Oregon (partially across the Columbia River), and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

Nickname - Evergreen State

Washington covers 66,544 square miles.

Washington is a leading lumber producer. Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa and white pine, spruce, larch, and cedar. The state holds first place in apples, lentils, dry edible peas, hops, pears, red raspberries, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries, and ranks high in apricots, asparagus, grapes, peppermint oil, and potatoes. Livestock and livestock products make important contributions to total farm revenue and the commercial fishing catch of salmon, halibut, and bottomfish makes a significant contribution to the state's economy.

Manufacturing industries in Washington include aircraft and missiles, shipbuilding and other transportation equipment, lumber, food processing, metals and metal products, chemicals, and machinery.

Washington has over 1,000 dams, including the Grand Coulee, built for a variety of purposes including irrigation, power, flood control, and water storage.

Among the major points of interest: Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks. Mount St. Helens, a peak in the Cascade Range, erupted in May 1980. Also of interest are Whitman Mission and Fort Vancouver National Historic Sites; and the Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle, in Seattle.

Washington State offers a cornucopia of destinations as varied as its topography to fit the taste of almost any traveler. The urban-oriented traveler will find a host of attractions and activities including concerts, festivals, dance and theatre. The outdoor-oriented visitor will enjoy a wide variety of activities including bicycling, hiking, backpacking, mountain climbing, boating, sailing, kayaking, rafting, skiing, cross-country skiing, and downhill skiing. More pastoral pursuits will be found among wheat fields, tulip fields, apple orchards and vineyards.

The Puget Sound region is home to the majority of Washington State citizens who live in the bustling cities and suburbs which extend north to south from Stanwood to Olympia. Most Puget Sound communities lie either side of the north-south Interstate Highway 5 corridor that serves as the major traffic thoroughfare of the state.

Puget Sound itself is a body of water lying east of Admiralty Inlet, through which ocean waters reach inland some 50 miles from the Pacific Coast to provide all-weather ports for ocean-going ships at Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia. The waterway is a complex and intricate system of channels, inlets, estuaries, embayments and islands.

Common usage has broadened the Sound's description to include the surrounding lowlands extending east to the Cascade Mountains and the various cities and towns lying therein. Such usage also includes Whidbey, Camano, and Fidalgo islands as well as the Kitsap Peninsula.

Outside Admiralty Inlet and beyond Whidbey Island to the north, lie the popular San Juan Islands between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia. This small group of islands are a favorite playground and weekend get-away destination for residents of the region and their northern neighbors in British Columbia, Canada.

Seattle, the state's largest city, lies in the center of the Puget Sound region and sits between Elliot Bay and Lake Washington. Across the Sound is Bainbridge Island, the Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Peninsula. To the east, and across Lake Washington, is Seattle's near neighbor Bellevue..

Other major cities situated on the Sound include Everett, Olympia and Tacoma. On the west side of the Sound are the cities of Bremerton, Port Orchard and Shelton.

The Puget Sound area offers a rich variety of vacation, recreational and holiday pursuits including big-city life, island retreats, cozy bed and breakfasts, romantic country inns and first class resorts. There is plenty of sightseeing, hiking, kayaking, and boating activities to keep in shape and make one wish for a longer Puget Sound holiday.

The Long Beach peninsula is located at the southwestern tip of Washington State.

Measuring 28 miles in length from north to south, it borders the southwestern edge of the Olympic Peninsula, which is known for its unique temperate rainforest and exotic mix of ecological habitats.

Olympic National Park, situated at the northwest section of Washington state, spans nearly one million acres. With more than 500 miles of trails, it offers an almost unlimited potential for backcountry activities, group hikes and nature exploration.

Mount St. Helens is a volcano in the Cascade Mountains of Washingtonstate and for decades had been a favorite destination for local outdoor enthusiast without receiving much attention from outside the state.  This treasured anonymity, as well as the serenity of the surrounding forests, was shattered the morning of May 18, 1980 at 8:31 a.m. with a cataclysmic eruption that had a devastating effect on nearby communities as well as forests, lakes and rivers.

Auburn - Bainbridge Island - Bellevue - Bellingham - Bothell - Bremerton - Burien - Edmonds - Everett - Federal Way - Gig Harbor - Kennewick - Kent - Kirkland - Lacey - Lakewood - Longview - Lynnwood - Marysville - Mercer Island - Mill Creek - Olympia - Pasco - Pullman - Puyallup - Redmond - Renton - Richland - Sammamish - Seattle - Shoreline - Spokane - Tacoma - University Place - Vancouver - Walla Walla - Wenatchee - Yakima

Home - Request More Information - About Us - Buyers Information