10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle
Dustin (@tyr) on 03 7, 2006
Where do you find inspiration?
Out of all the places to find inspiration for a blog post, my current favorite is deep within the RCG stats where I can find the search terms that people use to reach this site. Today, someone came to RCG looking for: [things+you+should+know+before+moving+to+Seattle], and while we likely disappointed that particular visitor, I would like to make amends by offering up this list of ten things you should know before moving to Seattle:
1) It rains.
2) No really, it rains a lot here. Despite what they say about it raining more in Atlanta, Boston, or D.C., the rain in Seattle can be like a slow trickle that never turns off. But the rain is okay… really… because one day… some day… it stops. And on those first few warm, sunny spring days, all of life is good in a way that Californians will never understand (unless they move to Seattle).
3) Seattle isn’t always comfortable being a high-tech town. Sure we design operating systems, sell stuff online, try to appraise every home in America and stream lots of music and movies, but a substantial portion of the population relates much more to the art of building airplanes.
4) Consensus Rules. Just agree with me on this one or I’ll never be able to get to #5.
5) Traffic Rules. People in Seattle talk a lot more about traffic than the weather. Depending on where you are moving from, traffic will either be horrible or a non-issue. Most blue-state people will laugh at Seattle traffic because you can normally get between any two points in the City in under a half-hour at all times of the day. Red-state people see the parking lot known as SR 520 and wonder why we haven’t build another bridge yet (see #4 for a hint at the answer).
6) Seattle is not that big. We have all the stuff associated with life in a major city: Theaters, traffic, ballets, sports teams, traffic, skyscrapers, music, etc., but you really don’t have to travel far to feel like you are in rural America.
7) Seattle is closer to Asia than Mexico. If one of the staples of your diet consists of cheap and tasty Mexican food, then you will eventually replace that staple with Pho. The sooner you accept this (and the sooner you stop saying “The Mexican food is so much better in California”), the sooner Seattleites will let you know about the good Asian restaurants. (And by the way, since we’re talking about good food, I feel obliged to mention that the Mexican food I remember growing up with in California was so much better than anything you can find in Seattle…)
The intersection of NE 50th St and 40th Ave NE is about a mile away from 50th Ave NE and NE 40th St. In the Seattle area, all the street names are numbered and given one of nine directions (NW, N, NE, SW, S, SE, E, W or blank). The numbers begin at 1 in downtown Seattle and radiate out wards. The directions also radiate out, but are city specific, unless, of course, they aren’t… Like at the intersection of 244th St SW, 100th Ave W, N 205th St and 8th Ave NW. There is logic to the entire street system and if you live here long enough, you will understand. Until then, you will be confused and miss appointments, meetings, birthdays, etc.. On a related real estate note, if you are new to Seattle, do not attempt to search for a home without a real estate agent. The street system was designed by a committee of real estate agents who wanted to ensure that you need their help to locate a home. 
Also on a related note, Redfin has proposed new street names (featuring real names) for all streets in a effort to ensure the viability of their business model, but at this point, they are still very far from getting consensus on their proposed naming convention.
9) Paul Allen.
10) Despite what you might have read in Wired, Fremont is the Center of the Universe.
Have I covered everything?
About the Author: Dustin Luther
- Author's website: http://www.raincityguide.com/
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[...] 10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle [...]
Seattle is really a paradise. Its quite nice to live and raise a family because of the “10 great reasons” stated above. But of course, aside of considering those things, it is more important that you have friends and peers in your place that you can mingle with.
For great mexican food go to white center…Taqueira Del Rio.
And thanks for the link” the other day. I should be answering there but the post was so great I thought it deserved a thoughtful response. That thread warrants more attention…it’s right on.
Yes! That is very true..white center area is like the ‘mexican town’ on the far west side of Seattle, & the east side is ‘china town’. Which is pretty funny when you think about it! hehehehehe!
Interestingly, I just took down a comment from someone who was pretty darn unhappy with the service they received from a real estate agent… The comment (with the agent’s name removed) follows:
Beware!!! One thing you should know before picking Real Estate Agent if moving to Washington- Beware of dealing with [XYZ agent]. One of the most unprofessional experiences of my life. Was only interested in commission for the deal. This agent was not only inconsiderate, flakey , and foul mouth. But wasted so much of our time in our search for a new home. Only sharing this to help others avoid what we went through.. We missed several opportunities because of her lack of response and effort. BAD NEWS!!!
It is a blog and I encourage comments, but I just can’t see keeping up a comment that bashes another agent… If someone disagrees, I’d be interested in hearing their reasoning.
I use agents and it would be really nice to know who NOT to work with. I don’t have time to waste. I don’t think bashing is the way to go about telling others your opinion about someone or a company. Like any business out there offering there services, USUALLY the unspoken norms is courtesy, respect, being consious of doing a good job to earn and keep your customers. I know when I’ve stayed at hotels for example, they always give you a place to offer your opinion. They want to know how they are doing both good and bad. Potential guests can see and hopefully make a decision to say at their Hotel. That is how they impove. EVERYONE should know word of mouth is the best advertisment-good and bad! If a person or a company is not performing up to standards, or they don’t care about how they treat people, they should be pointed out so others don’t waste their time, money or talents….that’s the way it works. If you want to keep your customers or get new ones, are you unprofessional, inconsiderate, flakey or foul mouthed?….If you were, I would want to know that. This agent needs to know she blew it and lost a customer.
I think that the blog is no place to bash someone… especially since the blog was generally informitive and thoughtful. BUT, since it is also important how to not waste time, I think simply leaving a link to an Angie’s List comment (where you bash her) probably would be best.
I personally think that hiring a real estate agent is a huge waste of money. With the technology that we have today it is not hard to research for yourself where you want to live. Real estate agents are just glorified door openers. They sell the fact that they work for you but both the buyers and sellers agent benefit from a higher priced home because they each receive a percentage of the sales price. Most only negotiate seller paid closing costs, the purchase price (which again the higher the better for both of them) and draw up the contract (filling in the blanks on a preprinted form) and for that they make an unbelievable amount of money. They believe that their role is to be rude and demanding to the other people involved in the deal that actually earn the money they make. I have been in the mortgage industry for 15 years and although there are plenty of people in mortgages that are dirtbags too..Real estate agents take the cake. It would take a normal functioning human being one afternoon to learn how to do what a r/e agent does..save your money folks..you can negotiate a much lower purchase price if the seller does not have to add 7% to the purchase price to pay both agents.
Friend, you could not be more mis-informed. I work in the real estate industry (I am not a realtor) and am certainly no apologist for agents, however I work with them every day. The good agents are worth their weight in gold. Bad agents are worth nothing. There are complex contractual issues that come up that must be handled and it is not as easy as “filling in the blanks” when it hits the fan. There are resale issues to consider, where the average person has no clue. Inspection issues. The list goes on and on
Sounds like 10 great reasons to live in Seattle to me! Rain, lots of rain, more rain, wonderful asian food, traffic we can all complain about (but not really have to endure), a visionary like Paul Allen, and the Center of the Known Universe! How do you guys pack it into just one city? I don’t think you do! I think you share all these things with Portland!
Remember, Seattle and Portland are suburbs of each other if you go by air. In fact, I can get from Portland to Seattle faster than I can cross town during rush hour in Portland. I’ve been to Seattle in rush hour, so I know its true there too!
False! I live in Portland and it doesn’t and will NEVER hold a candle to Seattle!!! And that’s a fact!
Bloomberg Magazine listed Portland as the number one most depressing city to live in… Number one in front of Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, and Cincinatti. Seattle? Not even in the top 20… So… If Portland is a suburb of Seattle, then it is the BAD part of town…
This is all a matter of opinion. You couldn’t pay me enough to move back to Seattle now that I’ve experienced Portland. So, I think this statement should read, “I used to live in Seattle and it doesn’t and will NEVER hold a candle to Portland!!! And that’s a fact!”
Kathy,
You’ve definitely hit upon a good topic for another post… 10 Reasons to Live in Seattle.
I’m sure that would hit upon the most positive reasons for living in Seattle (and it would probably be more appropriate for a real estate site anyway!)… So, I’ll start work on that right away…
Any inspiration you (or anyone else) want to share for the “reasons to live in Seattle” list?
A few more points…
11. Seattle is a football town, unless the Seahwks are struggling. Then we become a baseball town, unless the Marineers are struggling. In which case there’s always the Sonics & Huskies. You will not find a more rabid set of fair-weather fans and bandwagon jumpers anywhere else in the country.
12. It’s hilly downtown. OK, it’s not San Francisco bad, downtain Seattle has it’s fair share of hills. If you drive downtown, drive a car that has an automatic transmission. Your clutch will thank me later.
13. Regarding to #6, living in the suburbs is great because downtown is close enough to visit, but far enough away that you don’t have to deal with it every day. You also have a head start if you want go visit the Snoqualmie Valley or points east.
14. Summer begins on July 5. (After the soggy Independence day fireworks)
11. Beware the Seattle Freeze.
12. It is likely the most casually dressed city in the country.
13. The Eastside is not Seattle.
14. We’re very liberal and, as a city, fairly corrupt. Most of the city’s larger projects are dictated by a few rich people, even when referendums have already gone the other way.
When I am washing dishes at my kitchen sink in Kirkland, looking directly at the Seattle skyline and the space needle, it sure feels like I’m in Seattle, Ben.
Makes me a bit homesick. I’m in San Francisco now, which is a great city. No question about it. However, just getting across town and finding parking takes some serious planning. Seattle is just the right size for all you really need in a city yet not big enough to be a major hassle. Good posts on your site as well. Cheers.
I want to move to Seattle to be with my family who just moved there.
I’m going to be very sad about the no mexican food thing. But how is the city in terms of demographics? Are there a lot of diverse people? Or how does it go? It’s not whitepeopleville is it? I hope not.
I’m going to miss the sun.
I am a San DIego girl.
Anything else I should know before making the move?
Anything that will be drastically different from SD?
WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM WITH WHITE PEOPLE?
She never said she had a problem with white people.
I am white, and I live in Grayling MI…(don’t come here)…originally from the East Coast,
but I sincerely miss the diversity I had growing up.
Unless, you go to a rare Chinese food place here,(if there is one).
There is no other ethnicity in the area.
There is nothing but rednecks, lowlifes, white trash, and hicks.
So, she just wants to know if WA has cultural diversity. To answer her question, yes.
Their second language is Japanese. Unlike CA which is more of a Hispanic community.
But, there people of all different kinds of ethnicity.
Where here did your family move to and what nationality are you/they?
Wow, I type in “Should I move to Seattle” into Google and I get this little bit of serendipity. I too, am a San Diego girl looking Northward. What’s up there? More importantly, how can I find a job?
Andrea,
Sorry for glossing over your great questions… We have a fair bit of information on northwest neighborhoods on this site, although there are a ton of resources, but it really depends on what you are interested in…
What type of community are you looking for? What type of job do you want? Seattle is a big enough city that it probably has a neighborhood/job to fit just about everyone!
Hi,
I’m moving to Seattle next year alone. Been in NYC my whole life and feel like I need a change. I love Seattle and fell in love with it the first time I was there in 1993. I’m currently looking for employment, want to obtain a job before I move there if I can. Any good websites for job hunting in Seattle you can recommend? Also searching for an apartment. Also, what areas are best for young single people such as myself? Thanks!
This is a bit odd, lots of San Diego remarks in here…I just finished my undergrad in San Diego and would like to move to Seattle but have never been so I do not know the where-to and where-not-to live in Seattle. Any suggestions on safe-for-running-solo, fun-people, unique neighborhoods?
Second, I would really like to get an environmentally oriented career going…whether it is educational outreach, private industry, state or federal. Any suggestions on finding an environmentally oriented job?
Thanks!!!
I live in Seattle, here’s your answers…
1. Safe-for-running-solo/fun-people = Green Lake or Freemont
2. Environmentally oriented career = start at UW, really, they love the trees there.
There are lots of great neighborhoods in Seattle and if you can get yourself around Greenlake, then you can join the thousands of others who use the pathway around the lake for running on a daily basis. I’m sure there are other neighborhoods that would work equally as well, but Greenlake sticks out when I think of good running places because I’ve seen so many people out there rain or shine.
In terms of an environmental-oriented career, I just don’t know. My gut reaction is to say try to get in with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation since they are local, have billions in funding and are looking to solve some very important world-wide problems. Most of their stuff is not environmentalism along the lines of Greenpeace, but I’m under the impression they are making a wonderful difference in the world.
What about schools South of Seattle, say Puyallup, Kent, Sumner area? What are the best elementary and middle schools with gifted programs?
[...] March 7: 10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle [...]
Hi
Im from Mexico City and my husband, my baby and I we will moving to seattle in January. He’s going to work in the UW. What neighborhoods recommend me to live? What should I do at first? Sorry for my english…I am terrified…
HOLA,
I AND MY WIFE ARE MOVING TO SEATTLE AS WELL AND YOU WILL LOVE IT, SHE IS FROM VERACRUZ! GOOD LUCK!
Cecilia,
Welcome to Seattle… And your English is just about perfect so far!
It doesn’t really matter where a family is coming from, the questions you ask are pretty darn universal!
There are so many different factors that go into the most appropriate place to life, there is no way I could tell you the right neighborhood right off the bat. Assuming you want something somewhat urban, then you will either want to stay within or close to the boarders of the City of Seattle.
In terms of first steps, it would probably be a good idea to talk with my wife. Her name is Anna and you can find her contact information on this page. I imagine that she is going to recommend that you rent a place for a while to get the feel for the City, and she can give you some tips on where to look for rentals. Both Craigslist and Move.com (my employer!) are good places to start. Craigslist has more single-unit places while (I believe) Move currently has a larger selection of condo-type rentals.
Hope that helps! Don’t be too terrified… The people in Seattle are really nice!
Hi Dustin,
I’m planning on moving to Seattle next year, probably in May 2011. I’ll be moving there alone, been in NYC my whole life and need a change, plus I love it there, fell in love with Seattle the first time I went there in 1993. Is is alright if I contact your wife as well for some tips? I’m currently looking for an apartment as well as a job in non-profit. Thanks in advance for your help!
Alison
I am thinking about moving to Seattle in June from the midwest (suburban Detroit). I am really excited about the change, but also very nervous. I don’t know anyone in seattle and am expecting my first baby right before the move.
I feel that I fit the Seattle relaxed personality, but worry about meeting people and starting afamily. I wonder whether the continuous months of cloudy weather will make me depressed.
Everyone worries about the depression. I can tell you for fact that my daughter was more depressed in sunny L.A. than she is here.
Amen. Leaving L.A. after many years here. For all the sunshine, there is a definite freeze here, and I’m not just talking Botox. People are shallow and superficial. Intelligence is in short supply. The weather really isn’t enough of a reason to live here, and really, how much time do you spend OUTSIDE? With the known effects of sun damage on the skin, sunshine is over-rated. Although I’m a bit concerned about the rain I’ll face in Seattle, at least people won’t be fake.
Amen to that! I’m originally from Philadelphia and “fake” doesn’t sit well with me. Not a big fan of liars either.
I’m with Ardell on the depression part… My sister (who now lives in Seattle) was not nearly as happy in Las Vegas (and there is a LOT more sun there!).
My wife and I are moving there from Boulder, CO in the summer and yes, this is another weather-related question…
Is it literally continuously cloudy/drizzly/gray from Oct to May ??
Does the sun come out at all during those months ??
Please be as specific and truthful as possible…. Thanks !
it’s worse than that.
rain is mostly misty, sprinkly stuff that seattlites don’t even carry an umbrella for
and it is cloudy, grey, and “rainy” quite often from Oct until July 5.
Yes, the sun will come out for a day. or an hour. or 10 minute intervals.
I’ve even seen it rain here when the skies were blue and the clouds were white
“we don’t need no stinking clouds”… LOL
We call this month “JUNE_UARY” for a reason.
this spring has been particularly nasty.
Yes, for all who asked the grey/wet can be very depressing if you are a sun lover
like myself.
Greg,
It is overcast for much of October through May… The sun will pop out every once in a while, but we found that it really helps to plan one “sun” vacation in the winter!
To the lady thinking of moving from Detroit, I know alot of Michiganders that couldn’t hack it. Most didn’t make it 3 months.
Wish I had read this before moving to Seattle from Metro Detroit. It would have saved me two years of figuring it out on my own. What isn’t mentioned is the Nice/Ice , The Seattle Freeze. If you are planning on moving to Seattle don’t expect to make friends outside of someone holding the door for you at the grocery store. I’ve lived all over and have always made friends quickly, here in Seattle I’ve just given up. I was an outgoing, confident person now I’m a shut who tries not to use her hands too much when talking, doesn’t expect people to actually come over, doesn’t know the name of a single neighbor in my apartment complex, and buys things off of QVC just so the UPS guy will knock on my door so I can hold him hostage long enough so I can have someone to converse with. Seattle is great if you are a loner. It’s also a beautiful, clean and safe place to be. Not so good if you are an assertive, friendly person. I think the high depression and suicide is more from lonliness and lack of contact than the weather. Rain I can handle, the Seattle Freeze is a killer.
I been living here for about two years and I love it here…love my job, love my apartment, but the Seattle Freeze is just killing me…its the only reason I am considering to come back to California…
What activities have you done to meet people?
Generally, I’ve found the best way to meet people is to volunteer (I volunteer at the Seattle Metaphysical Library these days, but I’ve done many other volunteer activities), attend a class (there are thousands of classes) or get involved with civic groups, including community councils and activist groups. There are hundreds of different organizations that are focused on making Seattle a better place to live. Once you get to know people, by working with them, not only will your social life be better, but you will have people in your life that you share values and interests with.
I tried to do a Meetup group once, but found too many of the people weren’t really interested in the subject, they just wanted to meet other people who were interested in the subject. Going to a meeting once a month won’t cut it, you need to actually get involved, go over to people’s houses, invite them to your house, etc.
Im going to give everyone the straight dope on living here, no sugar coating. The gray, clamy, rainy weather is depressing and forces you to be inside 9 months out of the year. Anyone who tells you it isnt, is lying to you. Within a few years, no matter how tan you are now, you will have a white pasty complexion. You end up owning a lot fleeces and hoodies. I moved here from St Louis 9 years ago to work at SBUX as an analyst and stuck it out ot get into the software industry and now its time to go back to my original plan – move to San Diego. In the 9 years I have been here, I can count all of my freinds on one hand and they turn over as people leave or flake out on you. Most people walk around staring at the ground with a permanent grimace on their face. Very much a city of loners, accentrics and introverted intellectuals. You will literally never find such a concentration of wierd, creepy people anywhere else on earth. Dont even think about moving here by yourself and think your going to have a great network of nice new friends, that doesnt happen for anyone. I agree the suicide rate comes from the loniless and isolation. People actually sit at the bars here and read books, not looking at or talking to a soul!? Where have you ever seen that? And it actually starts to wear off on you, you find yourself closing up and thats when its time to go. As for the outdoors stuff which is what really drew me here: If you like skiing, hiking, biking, golfing and camping in the cold and rain (and you really wont like it) thats what you will get. The snow is like skiiing through frozen yogurt and I have never met so many early retired skiers from ACL injuries. It takes an hour and half to get anywhere worth hiking (walking through the woods for hours to reach one actual view) or skiing and a $30 ferry ride combined with several hours of driving to hike the Olympics. Gas prices are the highest in the country. What you dont pay in income tax you will in sales, gas, liquor (state operated), candy, bottled water and cigarette taxes. The food is overpriced and dull. I hope you like asian because thats all there is. A Thai restuarant on every corner. There are no good BBQ, Mexican, Italian or Steakhouses here. Period. Want snow and Mountains? Move to Denver. Want sunny happy people? San Diego. Want to hide behind a computer, have no friends and meet all of your wierd, quirky dates online? Welcome to Seattle.
Gosh, John!
I’ve been thinking of relocating to Seattle from a Socal Coastal town where I operate a contemporary art gallery. I have many art-related friends and a pretty active social life, but would like to try someplace new. Originally from San Francisco, but that City is now overcrowded, expensive and a nightmare traffic-wise.
You just scared the holy bejeezus out of me!
Unfortunately – Jon has it right. I’m experiencing the exact same thing and I love outdoor activities. I’m planning to head back to a more sunny and coastal area.
Spot on Jon. Been here for 3 years now and you’ve described it exactly. Aside from the beautiful 2 months you get, it is crazy sad here. Oh and making friends is hard. The outdoor is nice but anything worth while is at least an hour drive away. If you don’t mind hiking, camping in the slightly cold and wet then there is good outdoor stuff.
I strongly agree……especially with this comment…want to hide behind a computer, have no friends and meet all of your wierd, quirky dates online? Welcome to Seattle…If love being a loner, Seattle is the right place for you….
John,
How do you explain the people I have known who moved to Seattle and have alot of friends and meet people without problem and wouldn’t live anywhere else? Any city in the country can be that way socially. I live in Dallas, and your Seattle social description could have just as well explained Dallas as well. You have to get out and join the community, clubs, etc. You may have clouds/mist, but try not even being able to go outside from June-Oct b/c it is so HOT and humid. We haven’t had rain here in almost 2 mos the land is dry and barren. We have had 50 days straight of triple digit temps. I will take Seattle weather anyday. All in all, no place is perfect and not every location is going to suit everyone. You just have to do your research, visit places and see what works for you. I wouldn’t expect anyone that wants to live in San Diego to like Seattle. IMO, San Diego has unfriendly, “strange” people, but different strokes for different folks!
Wow.
What a lot of pathetic whining!
Unfortunately, it’s people like John – transplants – who are and have been in the majority for a few decades now in Seattle.
Rain doesn’t hurt. Really. It builds character. It’s depressing if you are weak, and NOTHING forces me to be inside 9 months out of the year.
Damn. Go be happy and sunny in SD. Please!
I agree with the comments “When” made about making friends in Seattle. It is not easy making friends in Seattle, you can live in an apartment for years and never get to know your neighbor. I moved to Seattle alone from Atlanta 13 years ago; I was bubbly, friendly and outgoing. After years of trying to make friends and get connected and people making plans of hanging out but never happening, I just shut down and started keeping to myself. The weather in Seattle is bearable if you have people to share and hangout with. Many of your days are spent lockedup indoors if you don’t have families or friends here. Depending on where in Seattle you live, most people here are stuck you and unfriendly, even the foreigners. Yes Seattle is a beautiful, safe and good place to live and raise a family but, Seattle has changed alot since I moved here.
When,
Sorry to hear you’ve had such a hard time meeting people… I remember for the first few months when my family moved to Seattle, we had a hard time adjusting to life without our usual friends. However, it didn’t take too long for our Ballard neighbors to open up, invite us to weddings, parties, etc. Sorry to hear you’ve gone introverted because it sounds like you don’t enjoy that lifestyle. Do you have any hobbies you can use to meet people? I enjoy cycling and have used that in the past as a way to meet new people. If you join a group like Team-in-training, not only can you get some good exercise, but you get to do some “good” while meeting lots of new people. Just one idea because I happen to know this group is active in Seattle.
Hi,
My friends want me to move to seattle ASAP. My only worry is finding a job. I don’t have degree but I do have fours of experience in HR services. With that being said, do i have a fighting chance in such an academically driven environment……side question, are the woman diverse?
Brian,
Everyone has a chance in Seattle!
I honestly don’t know what the market for HR service people is like in Seattle, but you can always check around Craistlist’s HR postings to find out.
I live in Ventura County California. Beautiful, but superficial and not a wholesome place to raise children. I lke grey and cloudy, but every day? Is it ahrd to adjust? Are people friendly? Is Mukilteo a good place to settle?
Hi all: an East Coaster here, Pittsburgh and NYC, both of which I will always love. alas and alack, something is missing…oh yeah! a city that is a bit green, a bit nice, and good and nurturing, especially for a boy with an MS in interior design. (Im not into making rich folks’ homes more decadent, though, more into design for the masses) So: I like Seattle from afar – with what I’ve said above, does Seattle seem like a good match? Im super liberal, gay, tend towards quietude, and love urban living. I need to get the hell out of NYC, despite loving it. you can only run on fumes for so long.
To both L and Quinn,
43 years in Philly Area and came here from Manhattan Beach. To both of you YES!!! Sincerely…I am known for straight talk. That is no agent BS.
To Quinn a RESOUNDING YES on all counts…hands down. If you know Bucks County and Philly I can draw specific comparisons.
L…not as resounding…I moved here because of the people and YES on that one. You know what I mean and I know what you mean on THAT one. Mulkiteo? Why Mulkiteo? I don’t know a lot about it and will ask Mulkiteoans to answer that one LOL
Hard to adjust? I found a few things that made it easier, without them yes, from Ventura, from some other places not so much. You lose me at Mulkiteo…so let’s let someone else weigh in here.
Thank you Ardell. I do know Bucks, Main Line and Philly. tell me more.
Hello ~
Not planning to move to Seattle (from Northern California) until either the end of this year or early part of next year. What’s the public transportation like there? Do busses run late…here in Sacramento after 10pm you have to take a cab, drive or call a friend if you miss the last bus. What is the average cost of parking downtown. Here it’s $185/mo or $18/day.
Compared to Sacramento, the public transit is pretty darn good (I’ve done extensive transit planning work in both cities in a past life!).
At least within the City, transit is pretty darn good and if you are commuting to Downtown, it will very shortly be the *only* option in Seattle. I took the bus downtown from Ballard just about every day for three years and found it to be shockingly consistent. I’m the type of transit rider who tries to time it real close and that turned out to be a mistake in Seattle as I often caught the tail end of a bus because I was a minute late!
I say it will be the *only* option shortly because there are some major projects underway and/or planned that will seriously disrupt auto capacity in Downtown Seattle in the near future. Some things that come to mind are: (1) the existing 3rd Avenue Transit project (which has brought over 100 buses per hour to surface streets while they reconstruct the light-rail tunnel under downtown) and (2) Replacement of the viaduct (SR 99) which will cause a ton of through traffic to go either on Downtown streets or on I-5. There is also rumblings of seriously changing around the I-5, but hopefully that project will wait!
Anyway, the good news is that a lot of money is being spent to prepare the transit system for a massive increase in riders.
Hi Quinn,
Sorry, got side tracked. If you tell me where you would live in the Philly area/Bucks County area, I can draw comparisons.
Like Bothell is to Langhorne as Redmond is to Upper Langhorne (toward Newtwon) Bellevue is to Philly Downtown as Capitol Hill and Belltown are to South Street.
If you can pinpoint pretty much any where in the Country you have enjoyed living and why, I can draw parallels that give you a frame of reference visual.
To describe it ALL, what you would like and what you wouldn’t…would be about ten volumes
Let’s make it relevant to what you like, for my sake. You can email me if you like…or do it here…your choice, but I don’t get emails when you post here, as I do on my articles, so I may miss your comments under the heavy string of talk. If they fall out of the sidebar “get rained on with other comments”, I will miss it. I only get nofications on my articles. Maybe I’ll write an updated article of this nature from my perspective so people don’t have to keep going back to March of 2006.
[...] Ten Things I love about Living in Seattle January 17, 2007 Ask ten people and you get ten different answers. So I thought I’d give my take on Dustin’s topic from last year. Maybe every Frequent Contributor can do one on the ten things about living in Seattle that they think are worth knowing. [...]
My husband and I are considering a move to Seattle from Atlanta. I have gotten lots of answers to questions based on posts already read. I am a bit concerned about the Seattle freeze-We currently have really great, considerate neighbors. We actually go to dinner once every two weeks with one couple who have sort of adopted us ( they are much older) I tend to be a little introverted, and the idea of grey skies and a book sound like heaven to me but I’m not sure about it everyday….Anyway, even thought I am a bit introverted, especially if I am new to an area, I like to have nice people around. I want to make friends, what can I expect out in Seattle? Is it really that hard?
cct,
My family found it quite easy to make friends and this thread is actually the first time I have ever heard of the “Seattle Freeze”.
My experience was that we moved to Seattle from the Bay Area in the fall and it was a relatively slow winter where we made only a few friends with our neighbors. However, when Spring rolled around, it seemed like all the adults in our area were outside tending their garden and the kids were playing on the sidewalks (riding bikes, scooters, hopscotch, etc.). It became really easy for us to make some great friends with our neighbors and we ended up having weekly barbecues during the summer and weekly game nights during the following winters… If you’re open to meeting new people, my guess is that it won’t be very hard for you to make friends in Seattle!
Man, I don’t what kind of people these folks are meeting that are unfriendly and cold, but I sure have never met them. In the city proper (which is where I live, so I can’t speak to areas farther out) everyone is pretty open. Could it be they’re meeting some unfriendly former Californians
… Anyway, the city itself is a great place to live for someone who is looking for a place they will be accepted no matter their lifestyle (well, maybe not so much the “red” folks – Seattle tends be pretty “blue”).
To Quinn – you definitely need to check out Capital Hill to start with – it’s gay mecca. To anyone else new in the city, a great place to meet friendly people is your local neighborhood bar or coffee house. They’re usually full of regulars who can tell you all kinds of inside information.
As for the weather, yes, it rains and is cloudy often, but we don’t have mosquitos the size of cats or creepy, crawly poisonous things, the temperatures are pretty moderate, the humidity is bearable, and Hawaii is only 6 hours away. We’re surrounded by water and mountains (real mountains, not those hills from the midwest), and if you like to camp or hike, you can’t do much better. For us locals, summer in Seattle is enough to carry us through the gray. Today, for instance, it’s blue skies!
Anyone coming to town to check it out, I’m happy to meet up at the Roanoke (small friendly place on Capital Hill) and give you the scoop.
Dear Adrianna,
You appear to be a highly intellegent person with honest opinions; therefore, I would prefer to confer with you if you don’t mind.
My name is Chuck, 53 years of age and recently divorced (without children). I am well-educated with two college degrees in International Relations and Geography. I currently live in the ‘oil belt’ area of Texas and Oklahoma and I can’t stand it. As a conservationist/evironmentalist and ‘green-tech’ want-a-be, I have been wanting to live in an area which is more progressive then my current “red-state” dungeon; can you mention TX Gov. Rick Perry — more insanity! All that Texans want to do is to tear down every beautiful forest and poison the Gulf of Mexico, just to make more money for a few ‘at-the-top’.
I have traveled to all points of the globe, but I have spent too little time in Seattle to judge it. I am looking for an environment which is much more international, educated and intellegent, and open-minded to new ideas and people. A loner much of my life — Texas is not easy, I am looking for a city with friendly and outgoing people who I can bond with. (I have heard about the seattle-freeze, but is it true?) I must confess that I love the sun and especially the nudist resorts that dot the oil belt, but the high temperatures in the oil belt have created three heat stroke for me and I am looking for outdoor activities in a cooler climate, but preferrably not an ice rink. I’m not necessarily a snow skier, but I love to jog, walk, hike, and water activities. I am concerned with the weather in Seattle — being too cold during winter, and ice…
Are jobs difficult to find in Seattle for administrators, salesperson, technical writers, etc. — someone not an engineer? Can a person reinvent himself/herself there?
I welcome your strongest opinion.
Thanks for listening,
Chuck
Thanks for the great offer Adrianna…
I hope some readers take you up on your offer!
[...] I was going to just add this to my blog album…but after reading recent comments on Dustin’s post: 10 Things You Need to Know Before Moving to Seattle … I thought the photo might be more appropriate here. [...]
Alright, so how’s the music scene up there? I’m in Orlando and I love playing out, so this is a pretty important aspect. I like folk/pop/rock type stuff. Is grunge still king?
Dan,
Check out the links at the very end of this article. I think you can get some current info on the music scene in those.
To Dan -
Definitely grunge is not king. Ever hear of Death Cab for Cutie? The Shins will be the next big thing out of Seattle. As for folkie stuff, The Tractor Tavern in Ballard is the place to go. They also have great alt-country and rockabilly stuff, as does The Sunset, just a few blocks up. Harder edged music is downtown (Showbox or Crocodile) or on Capital Hill, but we have it all. Just not so much grunge!
[...] Guilty of Slandering Seattle January 27, 2007 Irony only goes so far and apparently, my list of things you should know before moving to Seattle was only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the way I’ve been known to slander Seattle… [...]
I’m moving to Seattle with my husband, who is originally from Seattle, my son and I come from Sydney, Australia. I’m really concerned about the weather, I love my sun. Are there any coping strategies anyone can suggest? I was also wondering where the best place to locate jobs in Seattle is, if anyone has any ideas or help that would be great!
Thank you
Dear J Wilson,
You come from my most favorite city in the world and the city that I most want to live and move to. Unfortunately, the Aussie Gov’t in Canberra has made it more difficult (in recently years) for 53 year-old Americans to relocate, especially since I want to work, reside, start a new life, and find ‘love’ there.
From an attitude perspective, I believe that Seattle and San Francisco are the two major U.S. cities most like Sydney, which is why I am considering a move to Seattle — without all of the gov’t interferace. (If I can’t have Sydney, then Seattle may have to do.) I, too, am concernced about the weather, as I love the sun and nudist resorts; but I am afraid that Seattle may be more like Wellington, NZ or Hobart in “Tazi” from a climate perspective. Sydney is still my first choice. Do you know any good immigration lawyers in Sydney?
And with an 11% unemployment rate, a 50% college education level for adults, competition must be fierce in Seattle!
Hopefully, Seattle will be a good place to reinvent yourself. Best of luck!
Thanks,
Chuck
I think where you live is very important. When I lived in Bridal Trails with all the tall pine trees everywhere, I didn’t see enough sun even in the summer. I moved to a much, much smaller lot high up in Kirkland with long distance views over the lake, and the weather’s just fine here. That’s why I say “It’s Always Sunny in Kirkland”.
I would think being low in downtown surrounded by tall buildings would have the same “darkening” effect as being in the big tall pine trees. I also work in a room that is all windows and has grow lights…no problemo.
The alternative is lots of short weekend trips to SoCal.
…Or…during the summer if you want hot temps and blazing sun just go to the Gorge and catch a concert or to Lake Chelan or something. You don’t have to leave the state in order to get sun. You will still need to take a “sun” vacation during the winter or just deal like the rest of us broke folks.
I may be moving to Seattle a lot sooner than I expected. Possibly by this summer. I don’t know anyone there and my only source of information is the internet. One of places where I found an affordable apartment is in First Hill. All the stuff I’ve read online makes it sound like a pretty good place to live. I’d like to hear opinions from people that live in Seattle. Is First Hill a good area to live in?
First Hill is just off Capitol Hill on the South Side. If you like City living and night life, you’ll probably have fun there. I’m assuming you are a younger person.
Younger? Hmmm…definitely not a kid anymore. Thanks for the info!
Definitely need to start having fun again…this is good info to know.
Thanks, Ardell!!
I’m looking for apartments to rent for a young couple with a 6-month old newborn. We’re moving to Seattle and my husband will be working in the University of Washington.
1. Could you recommend me some family-friendly neighborhoods nearby U of W?
2. I looked over on Craig’s List, rent.com, move.com and forrent.com… Any other places to look into?
Thanks!!!
I know a lot of U-dub students rented at Green Lake, which is a great area for strolling aroung the Lake with the baby. A lot of the rentals there are just little red “for rent” signs. Many on the Linden Ave side, some with lake views, but I like the side down by 65th Street near where the Albertson’s is, or used to be. Not sure if it is still there.
Easier to find a rental after you are here, or send your husband ahead to secure one before you arrive. It shouldn’t be very hard, but it is a “do it yourself” project for the most part of driving around and looking for the little red signs. A lot of small complexes in that area that don’t need to advertise other than a “for rent” sign in the window.
Wow – there is some good info here!
My husband and I are moving to Seattle asap as he just got a job in Redmond. We are both from NYC but spent a misereable 18 months in Salt Lake. We are excited to get back to a real city. Everyone is saying we should live on the east side. I read on here someone doing a comparison to Bucks County (which made me laugh). I’m originally from Hunterdon County, NJ and spent quite a bit of time in the Lambertville/New Hope area.
Any insight into the real estate market up there would be helpful. Where are the best areas to live that would be affected the least in a down market? How is the real estate market up there. Back East it’s terrible. Are there any natural disaster issues to be aware of? I ask that because everyone talks about the big earthquake that is suppose to hit SLC soon. Does Seattle have a tendency to flood a lot? As you can see, I’m not a risk taker!
I love West Seattle. Puget Sound waterfront homes in our neighborhood did flood this past year…but there are many great areas where flooding is not an issue.
I did the Bucks County analogy. Used to sell in Newtown/Yardley/Washington Crossing back in the early to mid 90s.
If Redmond equals Microsoft you will be assigned an agent by them who will pay Microsoft 35% or so of the commission to help cover your moving costs. Many Microsoft people want to live really close to work, so the market there is hot and strong.
Market and issues here very similar to Bucks County and North Jersey…Princeton area. Some basements, some not. Some wet basements, some not
If you already know the Company, ask for the agent assignment now so you can plug into info early on.
If it is Redmond and not Microsoft, know the market in Redmond is still driven by the same forces.
If you like mexican, nothing here compared to the SFO bay area (N Cali) until I tried Ooba Tooba, especially for the Veggie stuff. Try the one at 555 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 opposite the transit center.
Personally I would not recommend anyone to move from the sunny places (California, Florida, Phoenix, Texas, etc), the weather does drag one down somedays.
Amit
http://oobas.com/
i am planning to move to seattle from kansas city and i am sure it would be a better place than here.. i am an asian guy and i have always felt a racist attitude amongs the midwestern ppl, i hope seattle is much diverse and i wont be looked down as much.. any comments??
Tom,
I think the agents are going to shy away from answering your questions for the reason that there is simply no “safe” way to talk about diversity without treading on dangerous legal grounds. The reality is that Seattle has a large Asian population, and I imagine it has a slightly more tolerant attitude than the typical midwestern city. I wish I could say more, but the type of people you associate with in Seattle really depends a lot more on you than anything else since there are all kinds living in Seattle! I hope that helps!
Sorry Dustin, I was playing with the Bubble People
Tom…there are more Asian dudes and dudettes around here than any place I’ve ever been. Indian, Asian and everything else. I LOVE Seattle for its diversity.
About 10% of the population looks down their nose at people…so just enjoy the 90% and ignore the rest…feel sorry for them even.
My favorite are the chinese girls. They are funny as hell when buying property. Feistiest group of women I’ve ever met.
OK…I was bored…so I’ll chip in my 2c on regional differences based upon where I have lived.
First…with regards to the “SEATTLE CHILL”…it’s chill you guys…it is not so much of a chill but more of a “realness” to the people. Idle meaningless shallow chit chat is not fed into as it would be in a place such as Los Angeles where I currently am. When I was living in Seattle…what made it “real” was that someone could go into a bar dressed in yuppie attire…put 50c on the pool table…end up shooting a game with a tatooed biker type (at a bar like the Blue Moon or the Meet Me Here tavern in the early 90’s)…and find out that you are both just a couple of people and it is what’s on the inside that matters more than what is on the outside.
Being an educated city…there will be some amount of the “intelligencia”…but big deal…just pass them up…I found that if you are cool…and humble…that the natives are very welcoming…at least that was my impression. Sure…you can absolutely find droves of lame people at certain “watering holes”…but as you get your feel for the city…you’ll know what to avoid.
I won’t start commenting on particular neighborhoods as I know them all and would take a million years to describe them. Sure…some have changed since I moved away 7 years ago…but I still spend plenty of time there. I personally think that the Ravenna area is a nice family area for in city Seattle…and Capitol Hill…just like was mentioned above would be the West Hollywood/Castro district of Seattle…but with a Seattle flavor…which is better in my opinion.
Here are some aspects of Seattle vs Manhattan…It’s kind of like a Manhattan “light”…but not quite there yet. Prettier for sure. Still expensive though if you want to live “urban”.
Seattle vs. The South.
I lived in Columbia MO for about 5 years…there certainly was a midwest “friendliness”. It almost bordered on creepy nosy neighbor kind of friendly. When I lived in the teeny tiny urban core…I couldn’t walk a block without someone wanting to know “how things were going”…like they could really care less…it’s not that I’m being a curmudgeon…but people that hardly knew you would act like this…for those that are used to growing up in a western city…the “southern hospitality” thing can come across as a bit invasive…give people their space…if you don’t…you’ll feel the chill.
Coming from Cal?…Keep your mouth shut…don’t tell anybody…this is your chance to make up something exotic…tell people that you are from Lebanon…Lebanon Missouri that is. They’ll never ask where you are from again. Nobody will be impressed about the beach club that you belonged to…or what celebrity you may have seen while shopping in Beverly Hills…You live in Seattle now.
With respect to Culture…Seattle can hold it’s own in many ways. Speight Jenkins runs a pretty respectable opera, the PNWB is also good. Museums and other art sadly fall behind places such as NY and LA but c’mon…really. The music scene in general is top notch as far as I am concerned. Once again…it may not compete with NYC & LA again…but it will be less expensive…and when one compares it to something like 6th St. in Austin…Seattle wins hands down.
welp…that’s my verbal diharrea for the day.
You really should start a blog, EconE
EconE, You really should have a blog (I think I’ve suggested that to you before as well)….I would not call your blog “verbal diharrea”….just my 2 cents!
Well, I think I have come closer to my decision to move. I’m a software dev/game artist. I’m currently stuck in the southeast (alabama to be exact). Every since I moved here with my parents 10 years ago, I’ve wanted to leave. I used to live in Alaska, so northwest has been my goal all along. I’ve found a tentative job opening in Seattle, so now its all up to me. I just turned 24 and I need to decide!
Not so worried about:
I hope that I fit in. I truley am sick and tired of the static environment and lack of personality that this area has to offer. The people here are super nice and all, but if you have met one person here…then you have met them all. While, I know that sounds ridiculously 1 sided and completely asinine (and it is)… I’m more or less just bitter from the lack of open, outgoing, diverse, laid-back, intelligent people.
Worried about:
The only thing that I am stuck on is this. I currently own my own home here. Obviously, there is going to be a significant change in real estate, as I can own a 2300sq/ft home in the city here for 160k. I’m a little worried as to what I’ll be able to afford. It’s a little scary seeing numbers like 350k
200k – 250k is alright, but wow… Some of the numbers I’ve seen are scary. I seriously dont care too much about space. I dont really have all that much stuff. I could easily live in a 900sq/ft townhome/condo, but I want it to be in a safe area (obviously) and hopefully near some form of public transportation. Renting is an option for the first year, but I’d still want the comfort in knowing that I can afford to BUY something soon after. 
Thoughts?
I’m a social person. I really like to meet new, diverse, unique people. I like to mt. bike and do some hiking from time to time. I’m a huge art and music geek….so in general I am really excited about Seattle, and if I dont get this job… I may just hunt down another one, because it seems that Seattle has alot of what I want.
Thanks for the help and the great input. Its a hard decision for me, because all my family is here.
-Jason
I live in Atlanta, GA currently, and I am tired of living in a parking lot. I do like a fast-paced environment but not the cold distance felt here (racial tensions I can do without also, on both sides). I visited Seattle over new years and the temperature was the exact same as Atlanta, and even WARMER at night. One huge difference I noticed was the air quality, when stepping off the plain in atlanta all i could smell was dirt and gas. Atlanta’s airport is the biggest, but geesh, its ugly and those security women scream so loud it will make you go deaf. Seattle’s airport is waayy nicer, people hugging, nice normal families everywhere. Oh yeah, not as many FAT people as here in the south.
I am a gay civil engineer, am thinking of capitol hill. I like the alternative types, and unlike atlanta lawyers don’t own all of downtown seattle, I think i can find a job in downtown. In seattle i feel like i can walk to work and people won’t stare me down like i’m crazy like here in the fat stupid south. Sorry for the attitude but i’m burnt out, and i need get out of this hellhole.
Lots of great comments here recently… Jeff and Jason, it definitely seems like Seattle may work for you guys in the near future. Very cool.
Jason, in terms of affording a place… Ardell has a recent article that describes about finding a home for one guy with some very specific requirements. The take-home from Ardell’s post is that if you are disparate and act of desperation, it will always be hard to find a good deal… But appropriate stuff is out there.
Dustin,
Thanks a ton! Luckily, I wont be desperate… I have been looking online and I have many condos that I could afford to purchase. Location is my biggest hill to climb at the moment. I found Condos all over and outside the city! I found one .3 miles from work and another 40 miles from work. Comforting, but confusing
The potential difference between .3 miles from your work…and 40 miles…can be huge. If the .3 is in Seattle and you work there…fabulous.
If the 40 mile range is south and puts you in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma…that means that every bit of research you have done has been in vain.
40 miles north…well…you are out of the convergence zone so expect more grey days.
40 miles E/NE/SE…you are in what was formerly known as the boonies…the sticks.
40 miles west and you’ll be on a ferry if you want to come to the city…also former “sticks”
People that you would once find in “the sticks”, “boonies”,…or just plain old BFE…are still there. They haven’t changed and some can be a little strange…and some don’t take to kindly to strangers…think ‘Deliverance’.
If you really really want to buy…hook up with a realtor…but in reality…you really should at least rent for a couple months until you REALLY understand the demographics/culture of different areas.
Jason, I live on Capitol Hill and can highly recommend it. I’ve also done the ferry commute, which I don’t recommend, and the walking to Belltown from Capitol Hill commute, which was really nice.
If you haven’t found a place yet, give ShackPrices a whirl (I’m one of the owners). We let you see what’s nearby each place, including public transit, which should give you a good feel for the specific area you’re looking at. Here’s a good starting point.
Oh, and the hiking is accessible from Capitol Hill – I-90 is just a little south and the music scene is great – I’m walking to Camera Obscura at Neumo’s tonight and walked to Of Montreal at the Showbox on Friday.
Rent for a little while until you get a feel for the area. There are affordable places easily within walking distance of the Pike/Pine corridor.
EconE, ‘Deliverance’ think ‘Alabama’ haha. Thanks for the informative geographical post. Actually, I figured anything west was out of the question simply because of the Ferry. I figured it was not a good idea. Most of what I saw was north around “Everett” and “Mill Creek”. I most likely will consult a realtor soon in order to get comfortable enough before making the decision to go. Thanks for posting.
Galen, I was actually going to ask that as my next question. Which areas are close to public transit. I’ll give your site a whirl. I’ve heard alot of good things about Capitol Hill. Thanks for the help.
Either way, I’ll be most likely renting for a bit. But, my main goal would be to purchase within a year of moving.
My obvious main concerns would be:
crime areas (which I havent even looked into yet)
close to public transport (researching now)
price 250k max
MK…post #54
Big earthquake in SLC? wow…maybe it’ll bring a little excitement to that city…I can imagine that it would have been a tough place to live…unless of course you were in Little Cottonwood Canyon and are a ski nut.
It seems like everybody has their earthquake threat…the midwest has the New Madrid fault line…here in Cali we have the San Andreas (and many others)…In the PNW you are in a location that is in what is considered the “Ring of Fire” which is a giagantic underwater faultline in the Pacific.
One thing that you should consider in Seattle with regards to earthquakes is “liquefaction”…it’s not a typical landslide per se…but rather where the soil takes on the “characteristics” of water and will flow like a river. That of course is a pretty unscientific explanation. A perfect example of where “liquifaction” has affected Seattle in the past would be the Perkins Lane area of Magnolia.
With regards to flooding…well…from what I have heard from friends up there as of recent…some of the riverfront property could possibly get a little “hairy” at times…but don’t worry…you will see nothing in Seattle like you see in places such as Indonesia and Bangladesh. The most memorable “flooding” I remember from my time in Seattle was in the mid 90’s where Lake Sammamish rose so much from the rain & snow melt that all the boat docks and much of peoples lawns were underwater. I’m not sure if the houses were affected though. Lake Washington doesn’t have the same problem as they are able to lower the lake (which they do every year during the winter) by using the locks.
Galen,
I found some great “looking” places on your site. All falling within my price range too. Thank you very much for the plug.
Thanks Jason! Let me know if there’s anything that we could do to improve your experience.
Wow, what a great site. Thanks! In May, I’m moving to Seattle from Cleveland, Ohio. It’s a good thing I love rain, geographically smallish cities, and trolls.
I’ve never been to Cleveland, so I can’t make any direct comparisons, but I imagine that Seattle will offer a ton of new opportunities! Seattle is looking forward to your arrival! and let us know how the move works out for you!
Dear Dustin,
You sound like a man who knows things. I am wanting to move from Dallas, TX ASAP, but I do not know what city to relocate to. All these Texans want to do is drill for more oil, destroying the Gulf of Mexico — if need be — to do it.
As you know, Texas is a ‘red state’, and the facist Gov. Rick Perry — do I need to say more.
I consider myself a ‘progressive’ and I would like to get out of the “Oil Belt” and reinvent myself. I have two college degrees in International Relations and Geography, but I have worked in the oil industry, construction industry, and state and Washington, D.C. Govt. and politics as sales representatives, legislative and political analysts, technical writers, and administrators. Since Seattle is so highly educated and “progressive”, I think that Seattle might be the place for a 53 year-old divorcee’ (without children) to reinvent myself. I would really like to work in the ‘Green Technology’ field. What do you think?
I don’t mind commuting by ferry, as I like the water, but I would like to live in an area that is “FUN” and somewhat close to downtown. Can you make any suggestions?
Thanks,
Chuck
Morgan,
Use the NE to NW conversion method. It never gets AS cold, and when it snows there it rains here. So instead of one season of snow and one of rain…we have two of rain
Though we did have a bit of snow this year too. Spring and Summer are about the same…we just have two Falls, less rain in summer and more in November. All in all, much better than Ohio weather.
Hi. My husband and I are just starting to think seriously of relocating from upstate NY out west. He grew up around here and I hail from the Main Line outside Philly. We’ve both been to San Francisco (in fact my brother and sister both live there) and we really love it there, but the cost of living seems outrageous. We are looking for somewhere with a similar vibe, but more costly. I have never been to Seattle, but for some reason, I am ridiculously attracted to it not even knowing that much about it.
I will be the one having to scout out places since I have more vacation time than my husband does. I am a school teacher and he works at a Harley-Davidson dealer. We don’t have much money to spend, but would very much like to find a way to move. Do you have any comments, suggestions, ideas, or anything that would help us? Whatever you’ve got is greatly appreciated.
Yeah, I’m really tired right now. Just to correct what I said before, I mean we’re looking for somewhere LESS costly to live. Sorry! :-\
Rannah,
Moving to a new city is almost never an easy thing to do. You end up leaving behind a support network and stuff you know. However, for excitement of trying new stuff and meeting new people outweighs the consequences of doing nothing! And it sounds like you and your husband might be on the verge of a breakout move.
The benefit of Seattle over other west coast cities (with the exception of Portland) is that it has many “big city” benefits (live theater, music, museums, etc.), without the city becoming overwhelming. It’s not a long trip from Seattle before you are in mountains, farms, islands, etc. far from the city lifestyle.
In terms of the financial aspect… There is no denying that a cross-country move will cost you some money. The obvious costs, like hauling and travel, are only the beginning as there are all kinds of costs/fees associated with turning on/off services. My experience has been that moving is still expensive even when an employer is picking up the tab (there is only so much they will cover!), and it doesn’t sound like either of you will have that luxury.
With that said, if you’ve never lived on the West Coast, then you are definitely missing out! When you do make it out here, I’m sure Seattle will welcome you with open arms!
Rannah,
I’m not a real estate agent, but I am a homeowner in a town called Edmonds which is in Snohomish County, just north of the Seattle city limits. A couple of things I might consider if I were you:
1) Do you have or are planning to have kids and do you want them to attend a public school? We have a state exam the kids take at regular intervals called the WASL test (Wash Assessment of Student Learning). Check out the school WASL scores for SURE.
2) Where will you work, and how long do you want your commute to be (in hours and also in miles).
3) Is your husband planning on working for HD here? If so, there is a HD dealership in Lynnwood near where I live, but there are also HD dealerships all over. If not, maybe you’re following YOUR job, in which case, do you know which school district you’re leaning towards for teaching?
4) I like shackprices.com for use-ability in terms of home searching.
Keep us posted!
Ok guys, me again. I’ve looked a little via shackprices and other sources and I’ve come to terms that it looks like I will be able to afford a condo. Luckily its just me, myself and I, so the size restraints of less than 1000 sq ft arent going to be an issue!
I looked at crime index vs my current city and I was seriously appalled. I think my bottom jaw hit the floor. Seattle (from my two sources) looks incredibly safe as a big city. Yea, they had higher rates for stolen vehicles, but the big ones like murder, rape, assault were so low for a big city!
I’ve seen a few people suggest capital hill. Approximately, how long would it take to get to 4th street from this area. I know thats probably a vague question. Just looking for a ballpark number. I’d really like to NOT own a car for a while, but if need be then I can.
Everyone here is so helpful. Thanks again.
Hello all,
Will be moving back to the Northwest from the Boston area soon. My wife will be working at the Seattle Cancer institute in the UW area. What are some good unique areas within 15-20 commute to the UW area? How is the public transportation system. and how long would the commute be from Woodinville?
Thanks
apowens,
15 to 20 miles is a huge range and an appropriate “unique” area really depends on the type of neighborhoods that appeal to you. I would have started with the urban areas since that is my preference, but if you are leaning toward a more rural area like Woodinville, then just about anything is on the table. You’ll really have to give me a little more in terms of what neighborhood characteristics would interest you before I can nail down something for you!
In terms of the public transportation… If you’re looking to go to central locations (i.e. Downtown Seattle, UW, Bellevue, etc.), then the transit system is pretty darn good for commuting. I wrote a whole post on commuting to Seattle a long time ago, but I just checked and many of the links are still working and may be helpful!
Hello again,
to give you some more info I was looking for 15-20 min. our plan is this my wife will be coming out in 2 weeks while I stay back to sell our house and my daughter will finish the school year and we will come out in June. My daughter has one more year of high school left and from some research the Woodinville high school is very good. After her last year we will buy a home in the city some of the areas we like are Ballard and Fremont and around green lake.
Thanks for the info
Woodinville is 35 minutes to UW on a good day and 45 on a bad day. If you are looking to be some where for one year and than move, I would strongly consider renting for that year. Too short a timeframe to absorb all of the costs involved on the way in and out with any degree of certainty.
Seems Lake Washington High School or Bellevue High would would make more sense for a lot of reasons, commute being one.
Yes we will rent for that year and buy the next summer. How are those 2 high schools compared to Woodinville. 35-45 isn’t that bad she is driving 1hr each way currently. but that 35-45 min is shorter in miles im sure.
Hello Everyone, this has been very informative. I am seriously considering moving from New Hampshire. I have had a number of life changes in the last 2 years and really need a change. I hike, mt. bike, road bike, backpack, ride a motorcycle and kayak, so I think Seattle and the surrounding area have what I need in that aspect.
My background is in clothing design, and from what I have seen and researched there are a lot of cottage industry ’sewing’ places in or near the city.
How about healthcare? I am a breast cancer survivor, but with my family genes, I have a pretty good shot at recurrence, and want to know if there is someplace comperable to Dartmouth Hospital, which I can not say enough good things about.
I have lived in Maine, NH, Anchorage Alaska and Chicago. I like the idea of Green Lake as so many have suggested because I am now single again and want to feel safe in my surroundings. I hadn’t thought about the renting for a while before purchasing idea, but that makes perfect sense. What about the tax ramafacations? I will need to sell my house here in New Hampshire first, how does that work, sitting on that $$ before purchasing again, on your taxes?
Thank you for the great site and suggestions!
Oh, I was toying with the idea of working at Pike Place as a handcrafter, any thoughts on that?
Thanks!
Chinook,
So many interesting places to take a response… I can’t claim to have any experience with cancer treatment in this area, but my understanding is that the cancer research facilities at UW are top notch.
In terms of outdoor activities, you really don’t have to travel very far out of the city to get to some pretty great trails, waterways, etc. (and there are even some beautiful hikes WITHIN the City of Seattle!). All in all, this are should definitely work out.
You’ll definitely want to talk with a tax attorney to confirm anything I’m going to say, but I believe that the first $250K ($500K for couples) in profit on a home that you’ve lived in for at least two years is tax deductible. This is how I interpreted what my tax guy told me, but please, please confirm this with someone else. Assuming that is true, then you should able to put a huge chunk of the money from your existing home into something relatively safe (like a money market account) until you are ready to buy with very little tax implications.
In terms of a handcrafter at Pike Place market, my only warning would be that the competition is quite stiff! There are some amazing artists there and many of them have been there for years! That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to stick out, but be prepared for an extremely fast-moving pace!
I hope that helps!
To add to Dustin’s comments…My processor is a stage 4 breast cancer survivor who swears by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (Fred Hutch/UW). http://www.seattlecca.org/patientsandfamilies/adultCare/clinicalProgs/breastCancer/
Thank you both for the quick responses!
I found the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance on the web and it sounds very comperable to Dartmouth, with any luck I will only need them for screening.
I have been a handcrafter for 30 years, so I am not that easily intimidated!
But really it is good to know that some of the shops have been there forever, good to know people CAN make a living out there doing what I do here.
I think the best thing for me to do now is get out there for a week or two on vacation to scope out all of the areas and such. The more I really think about this, the more ’stuff’ I realize I have, (and would need) to run my own business. I believe renting an apartment for a spell, and then buying a house in an outlying area may be my best plan of attack. I will check with my accountant about the taxes, just trying to do the wisest thing. (The X is an accountant, so he always handeled the finances…)
Thanks again.
I’m moving to Seattle from Chicago in June for grad school at Seattle U. and don’t know a soul. I’m excited. I’m a laid back 25-year-old and will be living in grad school apts until Aug., when I will need to find a roommate at an off-campus apt. Do you think it will be difficult? Also, Chicago is super-gray during the winters. Are the cities comparable when it comes to gray skies? Thanks guys
Karen,
If things are a little quiet here, it is because most of the real estate professionals who read this probably don’t have a lot of experience with the roommate market. In terms of comparable skies, I’ve only been to Chicago once and it was a blue-sky day in the summer, so I really not very helpful today! Sorry about that…
You might find a little bit more luck on the roommate question on the Craigslist housing forum…
Best.
How about dogs, is Seattle a dog friendly town?
chinook,
The quick answer is yes! When I first moved to Seattle, I was shocked at the level which the city is dog-friendly compared to other places I’ve lived. Someone with a dog would be better to answer the details, but if being close to a dog friendly area is super important to you, I’d recommend getting close to one of the many off-leash dog parks. The parks are an active hub and I used to take my daughter to a local dog park (even though we didn’t have a dog) because it is so much fun to watch all the dogs run around and enjoy themselves (plus it was only a short, but steep, walk to a beautiful beach!).
I also noticed lots of other dog-friendly amenities all over the city (like dog daycares), but I’m sure there are others who would be more informed on these types of things…
I would have to say dog friendly is very important to me. Next to moving to Seattle, getting another dog is my #2 priority. I will look for a Siberian Husky Rescue Leage in the area. I lost mine a year ago, after almost 15 wonderful years, and am waiting to move and settle in to get another. REALLY glad to hear it is a dog friendly area!
What is April like out there? I am thinking of scheduling a trip in mid April for a week or so to scope out everything and drive around neighborhoods and get a feel for the place. Any wonderful events I shouldn’t miss? Any big festivals or such in April?
Thanks again for the quick responses.
[...] My advice? Enjoy yourself, make friends, get an education, invoke change in yourself, ask questions, play hard, experiment, and, most importantly, be prepared to fail. [...]
Thanks Dustin!! I already found a roommate on Craig’s List.
My new roommate has warned me of the “icy” social scene, though I’m not sure any of you have dealt with the influx of cold, rude people in Chicago. People are very standoffish in the CHI burbs, so I’m hoping that’s not how Seattle will be. The biggest thing I’m worried about is finding a job outside of grad school. I’m a journalist/graphic designer and I know the publishing market there isn’t the best. What do you think?
Karen,
I’m so glad to learn that you found a roommate already! Great news! In terms of people looking for a journalist/graphic designer in Seattle, Craigslist isn’t a bad place to start that search either! While I really don’t know the demand for that type of position, blogging wouldn’t be a bad way to highlight you skills!
Any chance you’re interested in writing about the experience of moving to Seattle? I would love to have someone new to Seattle write an occasional article on RCG about their experiences moving to Seattle. Interestingly, my experience with having Danny and Nina blog about their experience of moving to Denver (on another blog platform) has been a fascinating. They have been able to parlay their move into some interesting press, including radio and TV interviews as well as the mayor of Denver declaring a “Danny and Nina Day”.
Hi Dustin,
Thank you Dustin! I would absolutely love to write articles for RCG regarding my move to Seattle. In fact, I’ve already been chronicling my journey as I prep for the move, which is in June, so I would love to delve further into depth on my actual experiences as I transfer to Seattle. Writing is my No. 1 passion and I would appreciate an opportunity to illuminate readers on the experience of moving halfway across the country – from Chicago to Seattle. I will send you my e-mail address.
hi! we are poor and car-less. are there any safe and cheap areas near downtown? thanks a lot.
Hi,
My husband and I are considering moving to Seattle from a neo-con city in Colorado. We have a wonderful cross cultural marriage. Although I grew up in another country, extremely different from his, we do share similar values and political views. We’d like to move to Seattle because everywhere I go here in this place – probably – because I look different and have an accent, most people try to convert me to their religion. It even happens at work, although, it is not supposed to. That’s one of the main reasons; the other one being the job market. It’s dwindling here.
I have been to Seattle in the summer months and I loved everything about it. I loved the diversity, the culture, and the people, and of course the landscapes. It truly takes my breath away everytime I visit it.
The only thing holding me back is the weather issue. Probably 12 out of 15 people I know have tried dissuading me from moving with reasons such as the 1) rain 2) suicidal rate 3) cost of living. My husband and I are in our mid 20s but we both have bachelor’s degrees and are lucky to no absolutely no debt except for the mortgage on our little condo that we own.
Here are my worries and if someone can advise me that would be great:
1) Does rain really affect people that much and has weather been ruled as a cause for the high suicidal rate in Seattle? (I come from a country where we have monsoon).
2) Are Seattlelites open to different religious beliefs?
3) Do you think we could find some jobs? My specialty is in IT and he’s in international business/finance/management.
4) What neighborhoods would you suggest for a young couple to live? We might even consider living downtown but are wary of cost.
Whoever has spent his or her time to read this long message and chooses to reply, I thank you very much for your time. Time is valuable and I appreciate your spending it on me.
Jamie, I’ll start with your question…
Both safe & cheap is a hard thing to find just about anywhere, although it does depend on a bit on what “feels” safe to you. Most of Seattle is pretty darn safe compared to other big cities, but that doesn’t mean that you’d feel comfortable walking around late at night in many of the neighborhoods… Cheap is also pretty darn relative… Sorry I can’t be more help but there are simply too many unknowns…
Hi all-
I am considering a move with my family-and we have elementary age children. Schools will dictate where we live-hands down as we have one child who is in need of support. I am streesed to the hilt as far as making the right decision. We can afford a decent home, though not quite a million dollar one! Can anyone offer advice? I know it is a bit of a taboo subject-real estate agents wont talk about it too much so any info helps. Even moving from a place that has 300plus days of sun to a place that has minimal sun does not scare me as much as finding the best schools. H-E-L-P.
AHS,
I honestly don’t know where the best schools are in Seattle, but rather than leave you hanging, I do know that the School Guide from the Seattle Times seems very comprehensive. I’ll look for more resources (or hope someone else jumps in), when I get a minute, but hopefully that will get you started…
Will you be working in Seattle or on the Eastside? What type of “support”. Sometimes the higest ranked school isn’t the one with the best support of that particular kind.
You are correct that we can’t give detailed nfo regarding schools on a blog other than links. But email me and I’ll see if I can get some info from parents that meets your objective, or at least point you in the right direction regarding whom to speak with at a few schools.
For those of you looking for school research, this site is excellent in terms of data. Be aware though that data isn’t always everything… it pays to visit schools you’re interested in once you’ve narrowed down the options, to see if it’s a fit regarding the feel and culture of the school as well. I’ll put in a plug for Green Lake Elementary in Seattle!
http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/
Thanks Adrianna! Mom’s know best!
Serene,
I haven’t forgotten about you… It’s just that the answer to your questions are more involved!
> 1) Does rain really affect people that much and has weather been ruled as a cause for the high suicidal rate in Seattle? (I come from a country where we have monsoon).
While the weather definitely affects people, I’ve never seen any statistics that Seattle has a high suicide rate compared to other areas. (I’ve also never seen any statistics to the contrary). More interesting is that the weather (or at least the rain) doesn’t slow people down like it does in other parts of the country. To give you an example, in a previous life as a Bay Area engineer, I would have have people collect intersection volume counts to monitor traffic levels before a big study. If it rained on a day when we were suppose to do data collection, then we would cancel the study because traffic patterns would change so drastically. Not so in Seattle. In Seattle the rain has no noticable affect on traffic!
2) Are Seattlelites open to different religious beliefs?
Seattle is filled with an alternative culture and there are tons of people with all kinds of faiths. As long as you’re in the City Boundaries (it is different in other parts of the state!), I doubt you could shock, or even get people to notice, your religious practices.
3) Do you think we could find some jobs? My specialty is in IT and he’s in international business/finance/management.
IT and Business/finance are hot in Seattle, especially in the start up market. Nonetheless, it would really depend on your background. I highly recommend checking out Craigslist, LinkedIn, Jobster, etc. to get a better idea of the market in your particular areas…
4) What neighborhoods would you suggest for a young couple to live? We might even consider living downtown but are wary of cost.
Cost is almost definitely going to be your limiting factor. Depending on which Monsoon area you came from the costs could either shock you as a deal (assuming California) or WAY too expensive (New Mexico). You’re best off talking with an agent (or reading neighborhood blogs!) who can walk you through your options.
I hope that helps!
Hi AHS,
I live in Edmonds, which is a city that’s just inside the next neighboring county to the north of Seattle.
Seattle is in King County
Edmonds is in south Snohomish County
We have awesome schools in Edmonds, which is one of the many reasons why home values have held strong in this school district. Here is a link to the district site. My kids are at Madrona K-8. It is in my opinion, like having a private school experience inside a public school. Our state academic test scores, the WASL, are the highest at Madrona when compared with other schools in our district.
http://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/
Have the district mail out a relocation package to you so you can study all the schools and their boundaries.
Once you cross the border from King County north into Snohomish County, prices are more affordable. First-time homebuyer range in Edmonds is around $350K.
One of the RCG bloggers, Galen has a very cool website where you can zoom in and then look at pictures of the houses for sale. This will give you an idea of what a $350K home looks like in Edmonds v. other areas.
http://www.shackprices.com
What kind of support does your child need?
Jillayne
[...] “10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle” [Rain City Guide] (tags: Seattle) [...]
Hi Everyone!
I have lived in the Washington DC area for the majority of my life….and I’m ready for a change! I wanted to move to the West Coast and my boyfriend wanted to be somewhere near the mountains, in a city that was neither too expensive nor too HOT….Soooo, we concluded that Seattle would be the best choice! Any thoughts?
We are both looking for jobs out there (which is not as easy as one would expect) and we hope to move out there by the end of the summer. In terms of areas, I have heard a lot about Queen Anne and Magnolia – what makes those areas nice?
I’m a little sad about the Mexican food….but I think my Chicken Enchiladas are pretty good…maybe all the Mexican-food-lovers can just come over to our place!!!
I would appreciate ANY thoughts, feedback, ideas, suggestions, etc…
Mariam,
Seattle definitely welcomes you! and I imagine that you’ll find it a completely different (and pleasant) environment than DC. I think you’re not seeing a lot of response because your question is so broad. There are entire websites (including this one!) that give lots of advice in terms of neighborhoods and ideas for moving, so it is really hard to summarize stuff in a comment field.
In terms of Queen Anne and Magnolia, they are both quite popular! They share some similar characteristics… They are just north of downtown and both have huge hills that make for beautiful views. Magnolia is closer to the water while Queen Anna is a bit more centrally located. Both are wonderful neighborhoods!
Thanks Dustin!
1) What neighborhoods would you recommend for couples in their late 20’s to early 30’s? (Partying days are over, but not quite ready for retirement either!)
2) Also, I’ve read that the temperatures in Seattle don’t go below the 30’s and don’t go above the 70’s – is that really the case?
3) Would you consider Seattle to be relatively supportive of small businesses? (e.g. Are there little random coffee shops throughout the city?)
4) Shackprices.com is a really great website….I started browsing through the other day….what other websites would you recommend for people moving to Seattle?
I am so happy to have found this blog! Everyone is so nice and responsive – and I have learned so much by reading all the entries!
Hi all,
Can any of you delve into detail on the Greenwood neighborhood in Seattle for me? My potential roommate has a townhouse there so it looks like that will be the area I’ll be settling into. I’ve read a few articles, but wanted to hear some of your opinions. Is there a bus that goes into the Capitol Hill area from there? I will have a car, but I’m also interested to know what bus routes will be accessible. Thanks!! Dustin, I look forward to writing articles on my adventure moving out there!
Karen,
My favorite Greenwood experiences are The Annual Classic Car and Rod Show and Yanni’s Greek Restaurant
Included some links and reviews in there for you. Sorry I don’t have bus info. I was thinking of taking a bunch of bus trips and blogging on the “bus experience” and time from here to there this Spring/Summer. But I’ll likely be traveling to and fron Downtown Seattle from the Eastside and maybe from various Seattle neighborhoods to Downtown and the U and not “from Greenwood to Capitol Hill”. Maybe someone else out there has taken that trip and will comment.
If not, after you have done it yourself, can you come back and post it here for the benefit of others? That would be great.
wow, this place is great. I just spent an entire hour reading all this.
I am f, 25 yo, have lived with my family in south florida for the last 16 years.
I’ve decided that its time for me to strike out on my own and seattle draws me, even though I have never been.
I have a BS in International Business and a BA in Marketing. I have spent the better part of the last 10 years in the marine industry, but would like to move over to more of an animal type industry(zoos, aquariums etc.)
Im a photographer and graphic designer also.
I am thinking of coming out to Seattle sometime in May or June to check out the area, can you recommend any places to visit in particular?
I am more into the culture, art and music scene (which is pretty horrible where I am) and not so much the drinking scene (which is 98% of what florida is). I’m very extroverted and love being outdoors.
What would you say are the main differences weather wise between seattle and portland?
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and sorry if it doesn’t make much sense, I just don’t know where to start.
Forgot to specify that I have been self employed and I am used to working in start up and small companies
What kind of music, Erika?
Hi – I’m living in the midwest and plan to relocate to the Seattle area this summer. I have been offered a job in the Issaquah area east of Bellevue. I would like to live in an area where I can walk to the grocery store and dog parks. I was thinking Mercer Island might be an option. That way, I could be a little less suburban than Bellevue, but not quite the commute from Seattle. What do you locals think? Also, if you agree Mercer Island might be an option for me, do you know any specifics about rentals on the island?
Is it true about the lack of good Mexican food? what a bummer. I currently live and teach in an area with a growing hispanic population. We have some great little restaurants around here.
Hi Karen,
regarding comment #115, Greenwood is an up and coming neighborhood. Ballard, which abuts Greenwood to the south, is a very hot neighborhood right now. Lots of new condos, restaurants, and nightlife. Since prices are higher there, folks are discovering Greenwood. Greenwood is mostly residential with all the basics thrown in: Libraries, grocery stores, hole-in-the-wall dive bars, great restaurants, public and private schools, and so forth. I know people who live there (homeowners and renters) and they are all very happy with their neighborhood.
The city has poured millions of dollars into the bus system. The routes you’re curious about do exist and you can find them here.
http://transit.metrokc.gov/
Hi Jessica,
Well, I’ve lived here almost all my life and I don’t see a problem with getting good Mexican food around here. We have plenty of Taco Time restaurants.
Just kidding.
In the last decade, Seattle and Snohomish County (the neighboring county to the North of Seattle) has seen a large number of Hispanic immigrants settle here in the Northwest. Subsequently we have also seen a large number of awesome, family run Mexican food restaurants open, especially in Snohomish County, that serve wonderful Mexican food.
Mercer Island is not as “walk around” as you might think….unless you actually live right in the downtown retail core. Not everyone wants to do that. Mercer Island is known as a place full of old and new money families. There is an attitude that goes along with money and it lives on the Island. I know people who experience mild anxiety attacks if the “have to” leave the island for anything.
Also, Mercer Island is probably one of the most expensive places to live in Seattle.
Issaquah is a popular, growing community just east of Seattle/MI following Interstate 90.
One of my best friends lives in Sammamish which is right next to Issaquah. I can ask him to jump on here and comment on where to look for a place to rent with the ammenities you describe:
Walk to a dog park,
Walk to shopping.
We have many Mexican restaurants! I live in West Seattle and we have plenty of options. Bellevue has a great Mexican restuarant on Main Street in the old part of town–it’s authentic and delish! I’m not sure about Mercer Island restaurants or rentals.
Hi… Jillayne’s Friend here…
Issaquah is actually several communities… There is a real “downtown” Issaquah that has a theatre, butcher shop and a host of quaint little restaurants… and still has a real “Main St.” feel to it.
I live just north of downtown in the city of Sammamish (also known as “The Plateau”). Sammamish is actually an old Indian word that means “White Person Driving SUV While Drinking Latte”… Dotted with ever more MPD (Master Planned Developments) of overpriced cookie-cutter homes… but also woven in with great old neighborhoods and beautiful parks (we live next to Beaver Lake Park, a very special place!). Sammamish also has terrific schools a wonderful civic presence. We are a relatively “new” city since we split from Issaquah a few years back… so there is a lot of talk (and consensus-building!) about what we want our city to be and how we want it to grow (hint: slowly).
Traffic is a huge concern over here… it seems like just as soon as one road-widening project ends, another starts, fouling up traffic for ANOTHER year. But a lot of us (including myself) work in high-tech, so we get to telecommute too… But a car is not even really optional in this area, its mandatory if you want to get around anywhere beyond your immediate cul-de-sac.
There are also communities to the south of Issaquah, such as Maple Valley, Renton and Auburn that are much more affordable, as long as you don’t mind the drive.
The parks here are quite dog friendly for the most part. We have leash laws, but I even saw our Mayor out walking her dogs off-leash in the park here a few weeks ago.
And even out here, you are only a 25-minute drive from downtown Seattle… where you have the best nightlife, music scene and culture that I have ever experienced. We even have our own Women’s Rollerderby team (http://www.ratcityrollergirls.com), with whom I am honored to be associated with (http://www.blauphotography.com).
Come on out, have a latte, watch a bald eagle circle overhead as the sound of little league baseball bats crack on a sunday morning.
Frank,
Thanks for stopping by… Your local knowledge is definitely appreciated!
Hi All, We are moving to the Seattle area from Michigan. My husband is already there with a great job. My concern is that our 12 year old daughter has been very sheltered and raised in a small village in a small school. I was wondering if anyone knows of an area like this? Maybe Port orchard? I am looking for an excellent Middle school district. I am very paranoid to move her out there. I lived in the Bremerton area in the early 90’s and it was awful. What about Bainbridge Island? Anything affordable there? We are just down home folk that are not rich. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Where is your husband working? Is Port Orchard practical for his commute to work?
Ardell,
I like new age, pop, punk.
pretty much open to anything except rap.
But I really enjoy indie bands. One of my faves right now is called Band Marino- you can find them on myspace and youtube if your interested.
I’m trying to plan a trip up there in the next few months to check out the areas. Can you guys recommend a good time to come up? maybe when there is a festival or when the weather is a good representative of the average weather?
Erika: there will be tons of great bands (local and national!) at Bumbershoot. There are tons of other festivals, but that is the one that gets the most local attention!
Angel: I’m sure many of us would be happy to help you out some more… Ardell’s question about a practical commute is obviously a great first question in order to start narrowing down the search.
Hi All!
Thanks Jillayne for your helpful comments and the link! Even though I’ll have a car out there, it sounds like utilizing the bus line might be the better way to get around the downtown sector. I am eagerly anticipating my move date, which is slightly more than a month away. In regards to Ballard, have any of you ever dropped by the Q Café? Any free time I can salvage outside of work and grad school will hopefully be spent volunteering at this nonprofit eatery.
Sounds like Bumbershoot is analogous to Lollapalooza, Chicago’s summer concert staple. I’ll have to check it out.
Hi Karen,
I think the Q is in West Seattle. Is this it?
http://www.qcafe.org/
Different neighborhood, south of the dowtown Seattle business core and over a bridge. Might want to consider driving there as I’m not sure about bus routes to and from W Seattle to Greenwood.
Where will you be attending grad school?
Hey!
If you’re from Chicago… think of Capitol Hill here as Belmont… ie: where the cool things are.
Frank
He is working around the Seattle area but being in the building business this will constantly change. He has no preference. I on the other hand will not have a car out there so will need to use public transpo to work. At this point I am more concerned about my daughter having ” culture shock”. I moved my older kids out there( Bremerton area) 15 years ago and it did not go well.
Hi!
I’m attending graduate school at Seattle University so I’ll be in the heart of Capitol Hill, which will be great. I’m hoping to take a bus there, but it depends on where my job will be located. I definitely am planning on driving to the Q though, it sounds like that is my best bet. Is the Q Café located in a somewhat safe portion of the city?
Hi Karen,
West Seattle is considered relatively safe. The best person to ask is Rhonda: that’s her stomping ground. I will e her so she knows to come here and answer your question.
You could probably bus it, everywhere you’re going but be prepared for transfering buses in and around downtown.
Seattle U has a very good reputation. I am a grad student at Antioch which is located right in downtown, in the Belltown neighborhood.
Angel H,
I live in Edmonds, which is located in Snohomish County, one county north of King County and Seattle.
We have an EXCELLENT public school district, however, this is not a small town. We are suburban. In saying this I must also promote Madrona K-8 Middle School. We only have about 200 7th and 8th graders which is small by comparison to the other middle schools in the same district. This is a very close knit group of families that work hard to keep the kids on track. Madrona K-8 has the HIGHEST state test scores of all of the Edmonds School District schools.
The other nice thing about living in south Snohomish County is that it is at the vortext of two major highways: Interstate 5 and Interstate 405.
I-5 leads to Seattle
I-405 leads to Bellevue.
South Snoho County is where these two highways meet, so if your husband is going any of these directions, he will be able to hit either of these two highways. Also, there is a lot of residential new construction happening way NORTH of Seattle/Edmonds, going NORTH on I-5.
You will find more rural communities way north of Everett, such as Arlington/Smokey Point. However, if your husband has to work in Seattle/Bellevue, this is a VERY LONG commute.
If you decide to live in South Sno/Edmonds/Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace get your kids into Madrona Middle School, and avoid College Place Middle.
http://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/
Hi Karen,
I live in West Seattle and feel it’s pretty safe overall. I love all the restaurants and the sense of community this fairly large neighborhood has. It has a small town within a big city feel to it–almost but not quite an island thanks to the bridge.
I’ve lived in the North Admiral and Alki neighborhoods and enjoy them both. My son goes to Explorer West Middle School http://www.explorerwest.org, which is in White Center.
Jillayne mentioned you had questions regarding the safety of West Seattle. Considering it’s part of a “big city”, I do feel pretty safe. Because we’re a beach community, we do have increased traffic and small crimes increase with nicer weather.
I recommend that you check out http://www.westseattleblog.com. They have a section dedicated to crime. You can also visit http://www.westseattleherald.com and click on the police blotter.
The SW Precint of the Seattle Police Dept. also has crime info: http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Precincts/Southwest/default.htm
Jillayne, Thanks for the info. Where do I go to look for rentals in the Edmonds area? starfyre47@charter.net
Angel, I gave a few rental links in comment 19 that should work for you…
cct (#37) posted a note back in January about moving from Atlanta. I’m curious to know how they are acclimating. Is there a way to get in touch? My husband and I find ourselves in a very similar situation and want to know how things shook out. We are looking for a more open environment, a sense of community, good jobs and a happier life. I guess we just feel Atlanta is tapped out for us. There is not as much culture here as the Atlanta CVB would lead one to believe.
Also, is it even possible to find a decent place in/near Seattle for around $300k? Are there things to do that don’t require valet, huge cover charges, etc?
Define “place”. Single Family home is 98% “out” for $300,000 or less.
Go to any Home Search Site, the one here in RCG or any of the others and put in Seattle, single family (residential vs. condo) and max $300,000 and see what pops up.
We did just help a client find a small single family with three bedrooms on a decent lot for $365,000ish off Lake City Way in Seattle between 120th and 130th. Quiet Street not NEAR Lake City Way. But it took five to six months to find one and get one.
Brooke,
Waiting for Dustin on your Atlanta people question. I think one of us could email them and ask. Not sure. Dustin’s call.
Brooke, It wouldn’t be hard to try to email the person from comment #37, but I feel very awkward about doing that. My gut tells me that despite adding their email to leave a comment, users don’t expect the website owners to actually contact them via that email. Some site have explicit messaging to that effect and so I view it as an unwritten rule.
Am I being too cautious in this case? I’ve never made contact via email with a user unless they explicitly request it…
There is a weird San Diego – Seattle connection. Having lived in both places, I honestly think they’re very, very similar as far as the people are concerned. If you’re a big Hillcrest person, move to Capitol Hill or Fremont. Are you from Bellevue or Queen Anne? La Jolla’s probably for you if you can afford it. Gaslamp people probably belong in Belltown, Ballard people in Mission Beach, U-District/Wallingford people in OB.
Hi Dustin, that’s definitely your call. I would not want my email shared w/ anyone w/o my permission, but wouldn’t mind someone who managed a site that I posted on contacting me and giving me another user’s info (especially if it was a site designed to help folks exchange ideas). At that point it would be to my discretion to reach out to the other user. If you feel it appropriate, feel free to pass along my info to them. I understand either way.
Thanks for respecting everyone’s privacy!
Ardell, thanks for the insight. I have found some places, but don’t think they are actually in Seattle. I really don’t have a feel for what communities are easy to get in and out of the city.
For a 3br, 2ba single family house in a decent area in or w/in 20-30min of the city, can you give me a range of what’s reasonable to expect, or do you need more info? Thanks!
Change that to 3 br 1 ba and crank it up from $300,000 to $375,000 to $400,000 and you would have a doable equation for single family. Newer townhome in city also wants to be $400,000 give or take.
You can do that for $350,000 in Shoreline or Kenmore and have a good sized yard, small house. I’m not as familiar with points south, but have seem some really nice townhomes in that price range there.
Many first price tier homes will be older homes built when one bath was the norm. Some will have added a 3/4 bath somewhere (shower no tub bath) but I wouldn’t count on the second bath if you are sticking to single family.
Personally I’d be for renting first until you figure out the area better and know where you are going to be working, etc… Would you have jobs here when you arrive?
Thank you so much Rhonda and Jillayne for your insight; I am excited to get settled in Seattle in June :=)
Congrats, Karen. Where in Seattle did you decide to settle?
I found a great roommate and she owns a townhome in the Greenwood neighborhood, not far from Carkeek Park. I can’t wait to get out there, it’s going to be such a big change from the flatlands of Chicagoland!
Hi all, We found a rental we can afford on Bainbridge island. The house is shabby but we will fix it up. I have only been there a few time about 15 years ago so I know next to nothing about it. I wanted to live on BI because of the school dostrict but now that we will be moving there I am wondering if my middle school gade daughter will have a hard time because we are not rich and are kind of hippie-ish down home folk. We are in our 40’s and try to get her the best of everything but we drive crappy-looking cars ( paid for) and have no bills other than rent and utilities. Does anyone here hail from BI and can you tell me anyting at all about it? I am nervous about the move. Thanks.
Angel, None of the “regulars” on RCG are from BI as far as I can tell, but I would love to hear how your experience goes of moving there. Please stop by after you’ve settled to let us know how it is going!
Hi Angel,
I will email you directly.
Thanks Jillayne and Dustin. I appreciate the info.
Can I call BS on the “Seattle Freeze”? This concept was invented by East Coasties who assume that the only reason to be friendly is because you like someone. In the Northwest, well, being friendly is just the right thing to do. You are supposed to be friendly to everyone – not just your friends. Easterners for some reason consider this to be “fake” friendliness, as if it is somehow deceptive. It’s just common courtesy.
People in Seattle are def. into doing their own thing – and they’ll assume that you’re doing your own thing too. If you are out simply to meet people – and not doing something that you’d pretty much enjoy doing solo – that is a ‘red flag’ to Seattlites. That much is true. But if you are out living your own life, doing things you personally enjoy, you’ll find us very welcoming.
[...] Making the jump from Chicago to Seattle May 19, 2007 [Editor’s Note: I’m thrilled to try something a bit different on Rain City Guide… Karen Kirr is a wonderfully articulate woman who is moving to the Seattle area who I met when she asked a question about moving to Seattle (#92). One thing led to another and she’s agreed to share her perspective on experiencing Seattle with fresh eyes. If you have a small list of “can’t miss” events or locations, I highly recommend sharing them with her!] [...]
My husband and I hope to move from Orlando, FL (a cultural wasteland beyond Mickey Mouse!) to Seattle at the end of July. We’ve never actually been to Washington before, although we’re sure we’ll love it (especially the dreary days, I love dreary days!), and we don’t have jobs yet. I just received my master’s degree and I’ve been applying for government and nonprofit jobs, but even if I don’t get a job before the end of summer, we think we might just take the plunge and move to the area.
First, do you think it’s possible for me to get an apartment by August starting this late in the game? Normally I plan out further in advance, but I’ve been hesitant to actually make specific plans because I’ve been applying to jobs around the country. Our current lease in Florida ends July 31.
Second, I’ve been trying to decide where it might be best to rent an apartment. I’m wondering what you think of Kent or Des Moines? Do a lot of people who work in Seattle live that far out? I like the concept of moving there because the apartment prices seem cheaper and it’s also between Tacoma and Seattle, which would allow me to be more flexible in my job hunt. MapQuest says it’s only about 25 minutes to Tacoma or Seattle from those cities; is that accurate?
Thanks for any insight you can provide. As I said, we’ve never even visited or know anyone there, but we can’t wait to make our way to the culture and nature that Seattle has to offer.
Hi KatherineM,
I recommend a very short term, month-to-month lease or possibly staying at one of the Residence Inn hotels for a month or two until you’re set with job locations.
Yes, folks commute to Sea from Kent and Des Moines.
Mapquest is accurate in time estimations….as long as you’re clocking the time when there are no traffic backups.
Alot of families try to settle in to a place in the summer, before school starts, so they can jump into their chosen school district before Labor Day. Afterwards, you may see some rental incentives offered in the fall, when people are less likely to move (Nov/Dec).
I think it might even rain more in Orlando than Seattle.
I owned a condo in Des Moines…wish I still had it! I loved living there. Down by the water, it still has a “small town” feel. You can walk anywhere (groceries, restaurants, parks, etc.). When I lived in Des Moines, I felt like I was in the”center of the world”. You can easily get to Seattle, Tacoma, South Center (Tukwila) and you have many different routes available to you.
My office is on the East Hill of Kent. And I lived a few years in Kent as a tot. I prefer Des Moines…but I love being near the water. Kent was recently written as one of the top places to live in the Seattle area… my vote would have been for Des Moines over Kent. Kent has a new “down town center” that is pretty nice. http://www.raincityguide.com/2007/04/08/seatte-metropolitan-magazines-best-places-to-live/
It’s all your personal preference, of course.
Regarding the mapquest time…that totally depends on the time of day that you’re making the commute.
Are you kidding? Kent is a hole. If you are looking at moving to Kent or Des Moines, you might as well move to any random crappy suburb – forget moving to “Seattle”.
If the money is really an issue I’d recommend getting a job first. If money is still an issue, there is always the north end of Ballard, Northgate, Lake City areas where you can get a 2br
I’m so excited that I stumbled upon this great blog. My boyfriend and I are in our late 20s living in Cleveland, OH and we’re itchin’ to move to Seattle because if we don’t do it now, we never will. He’s a chef and I’m in marketing (previous jobs have been at an ad agency and Cleveland Magazine). I’m looking to move into the non-profit sector in a marketing/communications role. Couple questions…
Do employers even look at out-of-town resumes? Moving across the country without a job freaks me out. I don’t want to spend time sending out resumes if I won’t even be considered.
What’s the non-profit industry like? Is there opportunity? What’s a good job board/headhunter to reference? I’ve emailed The Creative Group….
Thanks for your help.
Great site and information. I am looking at moving to Seattle in the fall. Currently reside in Austin, TX, great mexican food and live music. Heard Seattle has the music seen down but not so much for the mex food. Oh well, change is always good. So where would be a good place to live being that I live in Downtown austin. A place that is full of many restaraunts, bars, parks, trails and lakes. I enjoy running and biking along the lake and walking to the local bar to have drinks with friends. Any places in Seattle like this?
Hi Danny,
Here are the names of some Seattle neighborhoods that come to mind:
Ballard, University District, Capital Hill, Belltown
Up on the right-hand side of the page, Dustin has added some neighborhood blog links for you.
I recommend thinking about where you want to work, and how long of a commute you’ll tolerate.
Is Austin the city with the river channels running through it?
West Seattle has more Mexican food than you can shake a stick at! I like The Misson on California, Cactus on Alki…our family favorite, Guadalajara is going to be torn down…there’s a different Guadalajara restaurant off of the Faunteroy Ferry doc that’s suppose to be good…I haven’t tried it yet. There’s another one on California next to Husky’s Deli…and plenty a bit further south in White Center that would be more authentic. I’m biased on West Seattle…
You can bike and run along the Puget Sound…no lakes….tons of parks.
Cleveland,
There are a ton of non-profits in the Seattle area (including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation!), but I honestly don’t know what type of jobs they offer. I’d recommend checking out craigslist for job opportunities and call a few different local organizations up!
Cleveland,
My boyfriend and I were in the SAME EXACT situation back in April. (Check out blog #112.) We looked up all the companies that were headquartered in Seattle and just started applying. We also looked through craigslist, monster.com, careerbuilder.com, etc. We were able to get interviews by early May.
Depending on your industry, 3rd party recruiters can also be helpful throughout your job search.
We now have our jobs and will be moving out to Seattle next week!
Hang in there! It can be frustrating at times, but don’t give up! You’re right! If we don’t do it now, we never will!!!
Another good source for almost everything is http://www.nwsource.com.
Best of luck!!!
Mariam,
My husband and I are in a similar situation to yours in April. We live in Colorado and have been wanting to move to Seattle for the past year. We’ve even gone on an exploratory visit, however, we’re still unsure of where to live. Our goal is to move there by September ‘07.
Can you please tell me which location you finally decided on and what influenced your decision? Also, when you applied for jobs in Seattle from Washington D.C, did you use a local address? If not, what job search tactics did you use to have your resumes not filtered out by recruiters on the basis of an out-of-state address? I’ve applied to a couple of jobs through job agencies and almost all of them have asked me to contact them once I have moved there.
Any suggestions you can provide will be greatly appreciated. If you would rather email me directly, please feel free to email me at this address: tpelden@hotmail.com. Thank you and congratulations on your brave move and your new jobs!
Serene,
Congratulations on the first step – MAKING THE DECISION!!!
I completely understand the “finding a job” challenges involved. Depending on your background and their needs, some companies are willing to relocate you. In our case, we talked to several companies….went through the phone interview process….and told them we would fly out on our own for the interviews and would not require any relocation assistance. Once you have several companies lined up, then you can have back-to-back interviews on your trip out there. Luckily, one of our jobs is helping with relocation – but we would move out there regardless.
We will have temporary housing until we can find an apartment to rent. After a year, if all goes well, we will be looking into purchasing something. The areas I am looking at for renting are: Lower Queen Anne, Belltown, and maybe even Capitol Hill. I want to be close to downtown for the first year, until I get a better idea of the areas.
I also recommend finding a recruiter/headhunter. They can explain everything to the companies, so that your resume doesn’t go through the filter process. Most online applications seem to ask: “Are you willing to relocate on your own?” or something to that extent….so hopefully, it won’t be a problem.
I hope I answered most of your questions. Please feel free to ask me anything else on your mind! I will post all of my experiences during this process for the benefit of others.
Good Luck!
Mariam,
Thanks for your post – it was very inspiring to say the least! I had some more questions but your chat with Serene oddly enough answered them. Congrats to you and your man. How exciting – 1 week away, yikes! What an awesome feeling. I’ll post more questions if I think of anything…damn, I’m REALLY excited now.
What a great site. My name is Akil, I’m 22 years old and I live in Des Moines, IA. I have been planning on moving to Seattle for about 3 months now and I have decided to go in Jan. of 2008. The only issue is that I do not know where would be the best place to live. Des Moines, IA is a small city and I have lived here my whole life. I often feel as if am trapped by its size and its lack of culture, so I feel that moving here is going to give me the chance to really discover myself. I have received my AA from the community college here in Iowa so I am not really too worried about finding a job. I will more or less do anything. I am more concerned with finding affordable housing for a single male, and finding an area for a relaxed community feel to it, but that is still urban.
I am big into coffee shops, relaxed atmospheres (indoor or outdoors), jazz, and hip-hop. Kind of a free spirit. Any advice on a location would be very helpful. And oh yeah, I just love the rain!
Cleveland,
YOU SHOULD BE EXCITED!!!
It’s going to be great! We are all going to have a great time in a new city with new things to see and do….
Think of it this way….we are living what everyone else is dreaming!
Let me know if I can be of ANY help!
I first wanted to thank Jillayne, Rhonda, and MistaB for their answers to my questions about where to live in post 158. Thanks so much for taking the time to offer your great advice!
I also wanted to say hi to CLEVELAND. You and I seem to be in exactly the same place. My husband and I are in our 20s, and our plan is to move to Seattle b/c if we don’t now, we may never get the chance again. (My husband currently works as a restaurant manager and I’m looking for jobs in the nonprofit/government field!)
I wanted to let you know that I sent a resume to a nonprofit and have a phone interview set up with them next week, so it is possible for an organization to look at you if you don’t live in the area yet. I did write in my cover letter that I was planning on moving to the area this summer, so they wouldn’t worry about me asking about moving reimbursement. Also, check out this website: http://www.bridgewaycareer.com/seattle-nonprofits.htm. It has a huge list of Seattle nonprofits. It may be helpful to go to their individual websites to find out if they’re looking to hire. Of course, you probably already know, but http://www.idealist.org is the best website to find nonprofit careers.
KatherineM
Katherine M and Mariam – awesome. You guys rock. I’ll definitely check out the bridgeway site and yup, I am familiar with idealist. How positively refreshing to know that companies do entertain resumes from out of towners. I am so ready for something new, ya know? My one big thing was moving to NYC for college from Ohio and I don’t want that to be the only cool place I’ve ever experienced. Cleveland is great, but I’m antsy for some more of that awesome newness and experience elsewhere! Thanks again guys.
Hi Cleveland,
I’m making the move to Seattle next week! As a single 25-year-old, it’s been my dream for a while now, and I’m finally taking the risk. You’re in the prime of your life in your 20s, and you shouldn’t let anything stop you; it’s the time to be intrepid!
I had a bit of trouble, like many people do, getting interviews set up with my Chicago address. But once I found a roommate and actually had a Seattle address (even though I have not moved yet) I was contacted by companies and have a few interviews set up for when I arrive there. As a journalist/graphic designer/marketing specialist, I’m interviewing with The Creative Group and I know they have several positions available in the Pacific Northwest. Many of the aforementioned sites are great tools as well. Good luck to you all who are considering moving from distant cities. Carpé Diem!
Hi Mariam,
Thank you so very much for your reply. I truly appreciate your insightful suggestions.
It sounds like there are quite a few people sailing in the same boat as my hubby and I. We’re also in our mid to late 20’s – he’s looking for a government job and I’m looking into non-profit organizations and we’re looking foward to living in a multi-cultural city. Knowing that there are other people sharing the same experiences as we are makes us feel braver.
Congratulations to all the new northwesterners!
Serene
Hey, i love the list. I’m writing a story about Seattle and need some geography help, mostly in regards to neighborhoods where large houses (small estates) might be as well as where large houses with acgage might be (outskits…surburbs…)
I also need to get a feel for the downtown area, especially the government center and the business district where the highrises are…
AND (last one I promise) if there was a big concert in November where would it be?
Does anyone have any ideas where i can find this kind of stuff out? Thanks!
All my life I daydreamed about living somewhere else other than Washington State. I am from Tacoma but frequently visited Seattle. I am currently living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Chapel Hill is a nice place but it is nothing like Seattle/Tacoma! I am saving money to move back to my rainy home state. Seattle as an easy laid back pace that I miss! The ethic food in North Carolina is terrible, the humidty will kill you (if the insects and reptiles don’t). True enough the folks are friendly here but I miss the diversity of having friends from all walks of life, race, and religion. Smooth jazz in unheard of is this area and the Sunday activity is church and then going to get ice cream. Also, I learned living in North Carolina either you are a University of North Carolina fan (Tar Heels), Duke University fan (Blue Devils), or North Carolina State University fan (Wolfpack) there is no other variation. Being from a fair weather sport state I found that quite odd. In short, living in Washington State is the best kept secret rain and all!!!
Hi Pamela – My hubby and I are taking a major step (for us) and moving to Seattle in September for a number of reasons. See posts 102 and 168. Quite a few of our friends try to deter us by saying “but it rains every day in Seattle!” Of course most of them have never BEEN there. My hubby and I love the rain so it’s the perfect place for us.
Thanks for the encouraging and inspirational post.
S.
hi everybody.
i too wanna live in seattle. i want to go asap but i think im leaning toward moving there in couple of years. I want to be a teacher and im getting my degree next May, but I thought that it would be better to get a couple years experience/expertise in my field and get my feet wet in this small town area in Virginia I stay in before I make the leap. I want to know how are the teaching jobs in the Seattle public schools system?
I thought it would be better to live in Seattle but work in a suburb but I would assume that working in the city would command a higher salary. Does anyone know what the demand is for teachers overall, and is there a big need for male minority teachers. Any word on diverse middle class neighborhoods would help too. thank you in advance and god bless.
Chris – I can put you in touch with someone who has been applying to work full time in the Seattle schools for the last year – drop me a line at galen at shackprices. My friend has tons of tips that I’m sure would help.
Diverse middle class neighborhoods are sort of the same as the up-and-coming neighborhoods. My initial bets are on: Columbia City and Central Area.
Hello,
I visited Seattle in 2005 and I loved it. It may sound crazy but honestly I even loved the weather there considering I’ve lived in Buffalo, New York for eleven years. Can anyone give me some idea about the job market there? What about the neighbors? What about people, are they nice? Once I can find a company to hire me, I am definitely moving to Seattle. I am in a very similar situation as #167 and #112. Any advice is appreciate. kitnam@hotmail.com
Hello,
Just read this, is it true?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0213/cover.html
It’s long and it takes up a lot of space. Please click the link to read it. Thanks,
Kit,
I don’t think there is an easy answer to your questions… The job market is really healthy in some areas and not-so hot in others.
In terms of the article (”Seattle Nice” vs.”Seattle Freeze”), my take is that it is way too oversimplified. You’ll find all kinds of people in Seattle and the reaction you’ll receive will really depend on the people you choose to associate with. Does that help?
BTW, my experience has been that the more specific the question you can ask, the more likely you’ll get a quick response out of the RCG community!
For anyone trying to get info on neighborhoods and such in the area you are free to order a relocation packet from us that the Chamber of Commerce puts out. The info is fantastic and covers most of the cities in King County as well as local neighborhoods in Seattle. We also provide a large scale map of the area so you can get acclimated to where all the cities sit in relationship to each other. Use this link: http://teamreba.com/relocation_request.htm
http://teamreba.com/images/2006infoguide.jpg
Feel free to order a relocation packet from us that has a fantastic guide from the local Chamber of Commerce. It has all kinds of good information on King County and we also provide a large scale map that helps provide perspective on the relation of each city to each other. The cities are mostly all King County but there are even breakdowns to Seattle neighborhoods. You can find the link here: http://teamreba.com/relocation_request.htm
For 102, 168 and 179,
Yes, it rains a lot in Seattle/Tacoma but not all of the time and I imagine that the cloudy rainy weather can be depressing to some. Like any other place you need to keep busy to ward off depression. I refer to the rain as liquid sunshine. But because of all of the rain Washington State is beautiful and green. Those of us that are from this area just know that it will probably rain and just carry our rain coat and/or umberella. Native Pacific Northwestern folks just take advantage when the weather is nice.
Washington State has beautiful gardens and parks. A day trip to Mount Rainer is always nice. The seafood is unbelievable and the live music scene is out of this world. I am especially fond of the smooth jazz. Downtown Seattle is free entertainment (You never know what you will see “smile”). Tacoma is about 30 minutes south of Seattle and it is a very interesting city as well and the cost of living is lower than Seattle. When I think of the Pacific Northwest these words come to mind “Very laid back” and if you like wearing jeans this is the place for you. Seattle is about 3 hours away from Canada (British Columbia) you can either drive or take a ferry there. While riding on the ferry it is not uncommon to see orca whales (beautiful).
As you can tell I am extremely home sick for the Pacific Northwest and as soon as possible I am heading back with rain coat and umberella in tow.
Hi Everyone!
We are here! My boyfriend and I came out here yesterday to begin our new adventure.
I read some posts asking about the people, neighborhoods, weather, etc….I believe it is all very subjective and no matter where you go, you will always have both positive and negative things. You have to figure out what it is YOU are looking for, then focus on the positives. For example, I have always wanted to be on the West Coast and my boyfriend has always wanted to be near the mountains, so Seattle seemed to be a good choice. We considered the “fewer” sunny days and decided it was not a deal-breaker for us.
Is EVERYONE nice? Well, here’s a good story:
We were waiting to turn left at a traffic light that did not have a dedicated left turn signal. The lady behind us starts honking and waiving her hands frantically in the air, even though there is a “yield on green” sign for us. She pulls around us and storms off very angrily. Ten seconds later, the light turns red before we have a chance to turn. We look over and the guy in the car next to us waves and says hello. We smile and say hello back. At the end of the day, we will remember the guy who said hello!
I will keep adding posts as we continue our adventure….
Mariam (and others!),
I love the moving stories! Ever since Karen started publishing her moving stories, I’ve had multiple people email me asking if they can share their moving stories on RCG. I love the idea of providing a place to welcome new people and hear their stories… and I’m wondering if there is a better way to organize these.
Some options that come to my mind include:
I’ll probably continue down the first path unless someone comes up with an even better idea!
“Those of us that are from this area just know that it will probably rain and just carry our rain coat and/or umberella”
An umbrella is sure fire way to spot a non-native…
Hello Jillayne,
Yes, it has the Colorado River running through it. As for work, I will be relocating with my current employer. Purpose of the move it to be closer to the West Territory that I will be working. During the week, time will be spent traveling to the airport and the surrounding states. So being close to the airport might be of some importance but not a requirement.
I just wanted to say that I love “10 Things you should know before moving to Seattle” and I posted questions/comments on the site (#158 and #173) and received great responses. I wanted to let everyone know that I started my own blog about my moving experiences if anyone is interested in reading. http://beautifulrainydaysahead.blogspot.com
Hello all, We are considering moving to Seattle, well my fiance, myself and our 2 children. We are originally from Houston, TX, but we have been in Las Vegas for almost a year now. My fiance is really intrested in moving to Seattle, I on the other hand have been a little nervous about the RAIN. The tempeture sounds very inviting though. Then there is the whole issue of finding a rental and a job. So does anyone have any advice for me? All is aprieciated!!!! Thanks
Fabulous Blog, Katherine! Yes! Go be a tourist before you leave. Great message. I traveled all the way back to Florida to see “Big Tree Park” after I moved 3,000 miles away. Clearly something I should have done before I left town.
Maybe will start a new group of blogs in the sidebar for people moving to Seattle. I know I’m putting yours and “Just Jenn” in my sidebar.
Keep us posted. I LOVE it!!!
I have a tip on finding rental housing that pretty much holds true no matter where you are in the Country.
Rentals are rarely in a centralized place and also operate on a Monday through Friday operation. Unlike houses for sale, it is not likely you will find a person who will drive you to all the rentals available or even know them all. So the consumer must do most of the legwork.
Some rentals can be found on the mls search sites, but clearly only a small fraction of the properties for rent appear there.
So instead of using the information on rentals to find a property, use that info to find people who deal on a regular basis with rental properties. Don’t pass by a rental ad because you don’t like the particulars of the property such as # of bedrooms. Write down the name and phone number of the property management company if it is the right location.
Often good rentals go quickly and it is more important to have a list of all of the property management companies in the area, than to look at the ads for “the right rental property”.
We’re moving our 2 kids (4 and under) very quickly to Seattle from Venice, CA. My husband will be working in Renton and I will eventually probably work in downtown Seattle. My parents live in Tacoma/Federal Way. We’re looking for a cool, up-and-coming, reasonably affordable neighborhood to rent initially, with an eye for buying in a year or so. We like walking neighborhoods, character (read: not just strip malls, chain stores and new developments), organic/natural foods, yoga, and the wildnerness. Also, a good public elementary school. To give you an idea of the ‘hoods we like, we have lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Mission in San Francisco, and now Venice/Santa Monica in LA. Any ideas on areas we should suss out? Some have said Burien is the new Ballard and Renton is the new Issaquah? Thoughts?
I would not say that last statement is correct in general. I suggest you establish some guidelines for the schools you are looking for before moving from there to which house or neighborhood. Most people with children start at school of choice or schools of choice or some basic minimum school parameter and then define their search areas accordingly.
I grew up in Renton and I can tell you it’s changed quite a bit. I use to belong to the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce and volunteered on the Community Development Committee…I’ll always remember the tour we would do bussing in agents from around Renton…they would be stunned at all that was going on there.
“Old Burien” is cool and you might consider checking out Des Moines (I lived in a condo over the water there for 3 years–you can walk to everything). Both towns offer (more affordable) waterfront living/lifestyle.
Thanks for the info Rhonda. What is your take on how Renton has changed? Is it for the better? I hear they are restoring the downtown area. And might you know anything on the public schools in Renton and/or Burien?
Renton has changed for the better IMHO…I moved from Renton in the mid80’s. They have done a rezoning of the downtown area and now have a public market and a lot of nice restaurants. I lived in “the Highlands” which borders Issaquah (we were off of Coal Creek Parkway).
I’m not familiar with the public schools in Renton or Burien. My son has been going to a school in West Seattle. Here’s a link to a school guide from the Seattle Times: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide/
A couple of other school ranking sites
http://www.greatschools.org/
http://www.schooldigger.com/
However note that when talking about within the City of Seattle, there was a major change in 2009 that would cause historical performance not not be a reliable factor as to future performance.
http://raincityguide.com/2009/11/19/seattle-schools-admit-by-address/
Not sure if and when that “admit by address” went into effect and whether there are any test results that truly reflect that change. I doubt it as it likely only applied to new incoming students and will take years to shake out as to impact on test results.
Renton used to be pretty much of a
manufacturing milltown when Boeing
was the only game in town. It’s come
a long way due to some really good
planning that’s been well implimented.
This Seattle native is quite impressed
every trip to McLendons and/or Ikea.
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