What People Wish They Knew Before Moving to Puyallup

Ask people who moved here what surprised them and the answers repeat. I hear the same ones from clients often enough that I can list them from memory.

None of these are reasons not to move here. They are the things that are easy to fix before you buy and hard to fix after.

1. I did not know my address was not in the city.

This is number one by a wide margin.

Puyallup is the postal city for five ZIP codes. Much of that territory is unincorporated Pierce County. If you buy on most of South Hill, in Summit, or in Frederickson, your mail says Puyallup and your government is the county.

What changes outside the city:

• The Pierce County Sheriff responds, not Puyallup police.
• Permits come from the county.
• Water may come from a mutual water company or a well.
• Sewer may be a septic system.
• You pay non-resident rates for city recreation programs.
• You do not vote in city elections.

None of that is bad. It is just different from what people assume. Check any address in Pierce County's About My Property tool before you make an offer.

2. I should have picked the location first and the house second.

People fall for a kitchen and then discover the drive.

A home deep on South Hill can be 20 minutes or more of stoplights from the nearest freeway on-ramp in the afternoon. A similar home near State Route 512 or near the train station gives that time back every day.

The fix is simple. Before you tour a house, map it to the two places you go most. Then drive it at the real hour. If the drive fails, skip the tour.

3. Meridian is slower than I thought.

Meridian, which is State Route 161, is the spine of South Hill. It carries local shopping traffic, commuters, and through traffic toward Graham and Eatonville, all through a long series of signals.

Locals learn the parallel routes. Newcomers learn them the hard way. When you look at a home, ask yourself how many of your daily trips would require Meridian and at what time of day.

I wrote a full post on South Hill traffic and how residents work around it.

4. Nobody told me about septic.

In many parts of the country, a house in a subdivision is on sewer and that is the end of the thought. Here, a large share of homes outside the city run on septic systems, including homes in ordinary-looking neighborhoods.

What that means for you as an owner:

• The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department expects regular inspections and pumping.
• The system is sized by bedroom count, so adding a bedroom can require upgrading it.
• You cannot build, pave, or park over the drainfield or its reserve area.
• Replacement, if it ever fails, is expensive.

A well-kept system is nothing to fear. Get it inspected during your purchase, and ask for the records.

5. The sirens scared me the first time.

At noon on the first Monday of every month, Pierce County tests its outdoor warning sirens in the Puyallup River valley. The test uses a chime and a voice announcement.

The sirens exist because the valley floor is in the path a lahar from Mount Rainier would take. The county says people in at-risk areas could have as little as 40 minutes to as much as three hours to reach high ground after a large lahar is detected.

If you buy in the valley, learn your route uphill and sign up for Pierce County ALERT. If the idea bothers you, look on South Hill or the other upland areas, which sit outside the zone.

6. I assumed my insurance covered that.

A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. It does not cover earthquake. It generally does not cover mudflow or earth movement, which is the category a lahar falls into.

Each of those needs a separate policy or endorsement, and each has its own cost. Ask your insurance agent the specific questions before you close, not after.

7. The first November was rough.

People visit in summer, fall in love, and move. Then the gray arrives.

From late fall through winter the skies are overcast most days, it rains lightly and often, and the sun sets in the late afternoon. Some people barely notice. Others need a plan: a hobby that works in the rain, lights on a timer, a trip somewhere bright in February.

If you can, visit once during the wet months before you commit.

8. Our house needs more maintenance than I expected.

Moisture is the constant. Things that are optional elsewhere are routine here.

• Roof moss. Normal, and it needs gentle treatment, not a pressure washer.
• Gutters. Fir needles fill them fast. Plan on cleaning more than once a year.
• Drainage. Downspouts should carry water away from the foundation.
• Crawl spaces. They should be dry, with an intact vapor barrier.
• Exterior paint and caulk. They work harder in a wet climate.

I have posts on roof moss, gutters, and crawl spaces if you want specifics.

9. I did not read the HOA documents closely enough.

Most newer subdivisions have a homeowner association. The surprises are almost always in the rules, not the dues.

Common ones:

• No parking a boat, trailer, or RV in the driveway
• Limits on fence height, style, or color
• Approval required for sheds, paint colors, or solar
• Caps or bans on rentals

Washington law requires the seller to give you a resale certificate with the governing documents, the budget, and pending assessments. Read all of it during your review period. If you own a boat or plan to rent the home later, read it twice.

10. The school on the listing was not our school.

Listing data is entered by people and can be wrong or out of date. School boundaries also change as the district adds schools and balances enrollment.

The only reliable source is the district itself. The Puyallup School District publishes boundary maps and has staff who answer boundary questions. And remember that some Puyallup addresses are in other districts entirely.

Verify before you write an offer if the assignment matters to you.

11. Fair season is a real thing.

For about three weeks around Labor Day, the Washington State Fair brings close to a million visitors to grounds just southwest of downtown.

If you live nearby, you will learn which streets to avoid, when to run errands, and whether to rent out your driveway for parking. If you do not live nearby, you will mostly notice extra traffic on Meridian and State Route 512.

Most residents come to love it. A few plan vacations around it.

12. The hill and the valley have different weather.

South Hill sits several hundred feet above downtown. When it snows, the hill usually gets more, and it lingers longer. The roads that climb between the two, including Meridian, Shaw Road, and others, can be difficult when it sticks.

It only happens a handful of days a year. On those days, where you live relative to where you need to be matters.

13. I underestimated the property tax changes.

In Washington, voter-approved school and fire levies sit outside the state's limit on annual tax growth. When one passes, the bill goes up.

If you pay through a mortgage escrow account, your monthly payment adjusts after the fact, sometimes with a shortage to make up. Budget some room for it. I explain the mechanics in my post on why property taxes go up.

14. Childcare took longer to find than the house.

Parents moving with young children are often caught off guard by waitlists. Start calling providers as soon as you know your target area and timing. Washington's Child Care Check site lets you search licensed providers and review their history.

15. I wish I had talked to the neighbors.

Ten minutes with a neighbor tells you things no listing will: which way the water runs in a storm, how the street handles snow, whether the association is easygoing or strict, what was there before the houses.

Knock on a door or two before you remove your inspection contingency. Most people are glad to talk.

16. Utilities are a patchwork.

In one part of the area, the city bills you for water, sewer, and stormwater. A mile away, a mutual water company bills for water, the county or nobody bills for sewer, and a different hauler picks up the garbage.

Garbage service inside the city is required for occupied homes and is handled by the city's contracted hauler. Outside the city, you choose from the haulers that serve your address.

Before closing, ask for the name of each provider and a year of bills. It makes setup easy and gives you a real monthly number.

17. Sales tax is on almost everything.

Washington does not tax wages. It taxes purchases. The combined state and local sales tax applies to most things you buy other than groceries, and the rate depends on where the sale takes place.

Newcomers from states with low sales tax notice it most on big purchases: furniture for the new house, appliances, a vehicle. Build it into your moving budget.

18. The best light is at the top of the hill, and so is the snow.

Homes on the slopes and ridges often have territorial or mountain views, and buyers pay for them. The same elevation that gives you the view gives you a steeper driveway, more wind, and a harder time on icy days.

If you are looking at a view lot, drive up to it in the rain and picture the two or three worst days of the year. Then decide whether the other 360 make up for it. For most people they do.

19. Air conditioning is no longer optional for everyone.

Many older homes here were built without air conditioning because summers were mild enough not to need it. Recent summers have brought hotter stretches and occasional wildfire smoke that keeps windows shut.

If a home has no cooling, price a heat pump or at least plan for portable units. It is a common upgrade and Puget Sound Energy has offered rebates for it.

The good surprises

In fairness, here is what people say they did not expect and are glad about.

• How much they use the parks and trails
• How often Mount Rainier stops them in their tracks
• How quickly the fair, the parade, and the farmers market become their own traditions
• How easy it is to reach Tacoma for dinner or a show
• How mild the summers are

Turn the list into a plan

For any home you are serious about, answer these before you offer.

1. City or county?
2. Sewer or septic? If septic, when was it last inspected and pumped?
3. Flood zone, lahar zone, or steep slope?
4. Association? What do the rules say about the things you own or plan to do?
5. Which schools, confirmed by the district?
6. How long is the drive to work at the real time?
7. What is the actual property tax bill?
8. What will insurance cost, including the coverage a standard policy leaves out?

Eight answers. That is the whole list, and it covers nearly every regret I hear.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to know before moving to Puyallup?

Verify whether the address is inside city limits, test your commute at the real time, find out whether the home is on sewer or septic, check hazard maps, and read any homeowner association documents.

Is all of Puyallup inside the city limits?

No. Much of the area with a Puyallup mailing address, including most of South Hill, is unincorporated Pierce County with county services.

Are homes in Puyallup on septic systems?

Many homes outside the city limits are. Homes inside the city are usually on sewer. Check the specific property, because it affects maintenance, additions, and bedroom count.

What are the lahar sirens in Puyallup?

Pierce County operates outdoor warning sirens in the Puyallup River valley for a possible volcanic mudflow from Mount Rainier. They are tested at noon on the first Monday of each month.

Is winter hard in Puyallup?

Winters are mild in temperature but gray and wet, with short days. Snow is occasional. The lack of sun is the adjustment for most newcomers.

Related reading

• Moving to Puyallup: What to Know Before You Go
• Puyallup Mailing Address vs. City Limits: Why It Matters
• Hidden Costs of Buying a Home in Puyallup
• How Bad Is Traffic on South Hill?

Equal Housing Opportunity. Austin Robertson, License # 21036843, Austin Robertson and Allena Robertson Real Estate Brokers, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, insurance, lending, or construction advice, and it is not an appraisal of any property. Robertson & Co. supports fair housing and does not describe or recommend neighborhoods based on who lives there. Costs, rates, and rules change. Confirm the details with the sources linked above before you act.