I recently began an ad campaign on google that places an ad when someone searches the term “moving to seattle”…
Did you click on that ad to get to my site?
If so, I’d be especially interested to know what type of information that you are looking for! Is there something specific you would like to know about Seattle?
If you wouldn’t mind taking a minute to write a comment, I would sure appreciate knowing how I could serve you better!
Looking for all sorts of info:
Housing prices, apartment prices, public school info,
neighborhood info, etc, etc.
We used to live in Portland, OR and moved to Atlanta for better paying jobs. It turns out the South is just not for us and we want to come back to the PAC NW. Seattle holds a more promising job market for us than Portland did.
Hey there!
Found this site after doing what you said. I was instantly drawn to look around after seeing the troll in your banner. I just got back from visiting Seattle to get an idea if that’s where I want to live, and it sure is! I just like looking at various Seattle sites, and I’m looking for a nice place to live.
Thanks,
Erik
I found your ad on Amazon after googling “living in Seattle”.
My husband and I are considering a move from South Carolina. We’re planning a trip to visit after the first of the year but I’m doing research now on cost of living, job market, etc. I work in the tech industry.
I’ve been searching the blogs trying to get insiders’ opinions on what it is REALLY like to live in Seattle but everyone seems to want to talk politics! lol 🙂 Mostly what I want to know is it possible for middleclass folks live there comfortably or will we have to live in the ‘burbs an hour away to own a home?
I found your ad on Amazon after googling “living in Seattle”.
My husband and I are considering a move from South Carolina. We’re planning a trip to visit after the first of the year but I’m doing research now on cost of living, job market, etc. I work in the tech industry.
I’ve been searching the blogs trying to get insiders’ opinions on what it is REALLY like to live in Seattle but everyone seems to want to talk politics! lol 🙂 Mostly what I want to know is it possible for middleclass folks live there comfortably or will we have to live in the ‘burbs an hour away to own a home?
Hi Nikki!
I would say that it is definitely possible for middle-class people to live in and/or near Seattle, and many, many people do it every day. Of course, since you are moving from South Carolina, I’m pretty sure you’re going to find the housing prices expensive, but, again, I see middle-class people buying houses (in my neighborhood of Ballard) every day… While I love living in the City, you don’t have to get very far out of Seattle, for the cost of housing to drop substantially. If one of your options includes renting then, it will almost definitely be possible to get a place within a half-hour commute.
So far, my response has focused on housing, but there are many great reasons to move to Seattle! I think you’ll find that there are great museums, festivals, coffee shops, neighborhoods that make the quality of life pretty darn good… and of course, the people in Seattle are pretty laid back and would welcome someone from the South Carolina (especially because you’re not from the Bay Area! 🙂 ) If there is something else you’d be interested in learning about Seattle, just let me know!
I also found your site by searching google for “living in seattle”.
My husband and I may be relocated to the Seattle area early next year and were trying to find information on some of the suburban areas. We would need to be about 40 min to an hour at most away from downtown Seattle. We are looking for a relatively small city (under 30k people) with low crime and good schools.
We are moving from California (although not the bay area) so hopefuly Seattle will welcome us as well.
I also found your site by searching google for “living in seattle”.
My husband and I may be relocated to the Seattle area early next year and were trying to find information on some of the suburban areas. We would need to be about 40 min to an hour at most away from downtown Seattle. We are looking for a relatively small city (under 30k people) with low crime and good schools.
We are moving from California (although not the bay area) so hopefuly Seattle will welcome us as well.
There seems to be a common theme here. I also searched Google for “living in Seattle”.
I’m considering moving from Southern California, but I would be coming with my dog & having to rent an apartment without having a full-time job yet. Do you think I could afford an apartment on temp salary until I found a full-time position, or is that financially unrealistic?
Thanks!
There seems to be a common theme here. I also searched Google for “living in Seattle”.
I’m considering moving from Southern California, but I would be coming with my dog & having to rent an apartment without having a full-time job yet. Do you think I could afford an apartment on temp salary until I found a full-time position, or is that financially unrealistic?
Thanks!
Megan,
That’s a tough question… We moved up from the Bay Area a few years ago and found prices in Seattle to be extremely reasonable… But I had a full-time job, and I know that makes a huge difference.
Some of the factors that make a huge difference are the distance you’re willing to live away from the urban core (rent gets much cheaper as you move further away from area Seattle/Bellevue/Redmond area) and how much savings you have to tide you over. I’ve found that moving always costs more than people think it will…
I’d definitely consider checking out apartment prices and temp job wages on craigslist… That will at least give you a starting point to start running some numbers!
With that said, I think you’ll find that living in Seattle to be a wonderful experience. Having grown up in Southern California, and I can tell you that everything in Seattle will likely feel quite nearby. I know that every time I go back to S. California, I feel like it takes me hours to get anywhere (there’s nothing unusual about an hour and a half trip to get between my aunt’s house and my grandmother’s house). You won’t find anything like that up in Seattle. If you spend an hour in your car, it is probably because you’re going on a major outing!
Megan,
That’s a tough question… We moved up from the Bay Area a few years ago and found prices in Seattle to be extremely reasonable… But I had a full-time job, and I know that makes a huge difference.
Some of the factors that make a huge difference are the distance you’re willing to live away from the urban core (rent gets much cheaper as you move further away from area Seattle/Bellevue/Redmond area) and how much savings you have to tide you over. I’ve found that moving always costs more than people think it will…
I’d definitely consider checking out apartment prices and temp job wages on craigslist… That will at least give you a starting point to start running some numbers!
With that said, I think you’ll find that living in Seattle to be a wonderful experience. Having grown up in Southern California, and I can tell you that everything in Seattle will likely feel quite nearby. I know that every time I go back to S. California, I feel like it takes me hours to get anywhere (there’s nothing unusual about an hour and a half trip to get between my aunt’s house and my grandmother’s house). You won’t find anything like that up in Seattle. If you spend an hour in your car, it is probably because you’re going on a major outing!
any suggestions on cities to live in within reasonable commute time to downtown seattle?
Kate,
That’s a really tricky question to answer… There are so many factors involved in the “reasonable” commute. However, if you’re looking to have a “small town” feel, you definitely have a lot of options.
The first thing that comes to mind is commuting to downtown via Ferry. Someone in my office lives in Port Orchard and commutes into Downtown every day via the Bremerton-Seattle ferry. He has a huge lot (5 acre lot), a beautiful home, an hour commute via Ferry, and he paid half of what I paid for my home in the City of Seattle. If that seems like an option, you should definitely consider it.
I’ve always liked this graphic from the regional government that gives you an idea of the commute time for driving:
Commute Times
I also wrote an article on commuting that might be of interest.
I wish I could give you an easy answer and say “look in this city”… but in reality, all of the communities outside of Seattle are so different, and the appropriate place will really depend on your taste.
Please feel free to ask some more questions. The more you specify in terms of what you’re looking for, the easier it will be to direct you somewhere!
It sounds like you might also be interested in the School Guide from the Seattle Times.
Kate,
That’s a really tricky question to answer… There are so many factors involved in the “reasonable” commute. However, if you’re looking to have a “small town” feel, you definitely have a lot of options.
The first thing that comes to mind is commuting to downtown via Ferry. Someone in my office lives in Port Orchard and commutes into Downtown every day via the Bremerton-Seattle ferry. He has a huge lot (5 acre lot), a beautiful home, an hour commute via Ferry, and he paid half of what I paid for my home in the City of Seattle. If that seems like an option, you should definitely consider it.
I’ve always liked this graphic from the regional government that gives you an idea of the commute time for driving:
Commute Times
I also wrote an article on commuting that might be of interest.
I wish I could give you an easy answer and say “look in this city”… but in reality, all of the communities outside of Seattle are so different, and the appropriate place will really depend on your taste.
Please feel free to ask some more questions. The more you specify in terms of what you’re looking for, the easier it will be to direct you somewhere!
It sounds like you might also be interested in the School Guide from the Seattle Times.
Dustin,
Thank you so much for the information. The links are great. Let me try to give you a better idea of what our needs are. We are in our early 30’s with two small children and a dog. So we are looking for more of a family town with homes that have some yard. I am a stay at home mom and my husband will be traveling most of the time, so a close knit community is ideal. And of course the basic necessities (shopping, hospital, etc..) should be close as well. Any suggestions would be great.
Kate,
I’m having trouble with this question because I simply don’t know the communities outside of Seattle very well… I can tell you that we have a family and we’ve found the community of Ballard (within the City of Seattle) to be wonderful place to raise a family. We have a big yard and great neighbors. There is a great local library, an active community center, and a very lively downtown (lots of coffee shops).
I’ve lived in California, and one of the first things I noticed on moving to Seattle is that it is not all that “big” of a city. In the north part (up by where I live), the streets don’t even have sidewalks (yet!), and things feel much closer to a small town than the communities around LA and SF. From what you describe, I would definitely consider looking into North Seattle, but that is probably because this is the area that I know best.
You also might find it helpful to ask the same question on the Craigslist housing forum since you’ll likely get a much larger diversity of answers there!
Kate,
I’m having trouble with this question because I simply don’t know the communities outside of Seattle very well… I can tell you that we have a family and we’ve found the community of Ballard (within the City of Seattle) to be wonderful place to raise a family. We have a big yard and great neighbors. There is a great local library, an active community center, and a very lively downtown (lots of coffee shops).
I’ve lived in California, and one of the first things I noticed on moving to Seattle is that it is not all that “big” of a city. In the north part (up by where I live), the streets don’t even have sidewalks (yet!), and things feel much closer to a small town than the communities around LA and SF. From what you describe, I would definitely consider looking into North Seattle, but that is probably because this is the area that I know best.
You also might find it helpful to ask the same question on the Craigslist housing forum since you’ll likely get a much larger diversity of answers there!
Dustin,
Thank you so much for the information. The housing forum does seem to have alot of input from alot of different views. I appreciate your time.
dustin,
i’m a 56 yr. old divorced man, young in spirit, and moving to seattle. where do you think is the best place for me to live? is the downtown area to young? it is also time too leave s. cal. what do you think?
thanks for the info
jeff
Jeff,
Definitely didn’t mean to ignore you here… Seattle is a great place to live and being “young at heart” is definitely more important than being “young”. I’m seeing lots and lots of people moving into downtown areas where they can experience things that are so much easier in a dense urban area. Suburban life (as in most of s. cal) is just not all it’s cracked up to be. I say live young and definitely consider the Downtown area. If you want more information on different parts of Downtown Seattle, just ask!
Best!
Jeff,
Definitely didn’t mean to ignore you here… Seattle is a great place to live and being “young at heart” is definitely more important than being “young”. I’m seeing lots and lots of people moving into downtown areas where they can experience things that are so much easier in a dense urban area. Suburban life (as in most of s. cal) is just not all it’s cracked up to be. I say live young and definitely consider the Downtown area. If you want more information on different parts of Downtown Seattle, just ask!
Best!
Hi Dustin,
I found your site through a search for seattle real estate and then did some clicking! My partner and I are moving to Seattle at the end of August. I have a couple questions I’d love your input on!
He will be working at Boeing in Everett and I will be working somewhere in Bellevue (exact location yet TBD). We really want to live in Seattle, not in a suburb over the water, so we realize we will have a commute. We also want to be as close to the center of Seattle as possible, not so far out (like the South) where it is difficult to get to things. We have been looking into Green Lake and Madison Park/Valley because those are areas we loved, but in looking through the property search engines (just to get an idea – we know that mostly nothing we see will still be there in a couple months!), I realize there are so many neighborhoods I’ve never heard of, that must be close to those areas. So, my first question: Can you recommend some neighborhoods that would keep his commute to be no longer than 45min – 1 hour and mine not too far from a half hour?? (I’d love to have options as well – some friends mentioned there being a couple alt routes to Bellevue depending on where we lived).
Also, here comes the part where we might be being naive: We have a dog and ideally would like to have a townhouse or a single-family house with some kind of patio/yard. We really don’t want to consider condos, especially ones that aren’t on the first floor. Our max budget would be 300K. Do you think that in any of the neigborhoods listed we have a chance of finding anything like that?
Thanks so much!! 🙂
Hi Dustin,
I found your site through a search for seattle real estate and then did some clicking! My partner and I are moving to Seattle at the end of August. I have a couple questions I’d love your input on!
He will be working at Boeing in Everett and I will be working somewhere in Bellevue (exact location yet TBD). We really want to live in Seattle, not in a suburb over the water, so we realize we will have a commute. We also want to be as close to the center of Seattle as possible, not so far out (like the South) where it is difficult to get to things. We have been looking into Green Lake and Madison Park/Valley because those are areas we loved, but in looking through the property search engines (just to get an idea – we know that mostly nothing we see will still be there in a couple months!), I realize there are so many neighborhoods I’ve never heard of, that must be close to those areas. So, my first question: Can you recommend some neighborhoods that would keep his commute to be no longer than 45min – 1 hour and mine not too far from a half hour?? (I’d love to have options as well – some friends mentioned there being a couple alt routes to Bellevue depending on where we lived).
Also, here comes the part where we might be being naive: We have a dog and ideally would like to have a townhouse or a single-family house with some kind of patio/yard. We really don’t want to consider condos, especially ones that aren’t on the first floor. Our max budget would be 300K. Do you think that in any of the neigborhoods listed we have a chance of finding anything like that?
Thanks so much!! 🙂
Dawn,
I didn’t mean to ignore you, I was just out of reach for the past few days… I’m pretty sure there is not much for 300K within the part of Seattle that you mention, but I could be wrong. I imagine that there are people who can help you with this question much better than I, so I’ll email you and see if you are comfortable with me passing your name along to a real estate agent who knows a lot more about pricing in north seattle than I do!
Thanks for the questions… I may not be much help, but I’ll definitely find a way to get you the answers!
Dawn,
I didn’t mean to ignore you, I was just out of reach for the past few days… I’m pretty sure there is not much for 300K within the part of Seattle that you mention, but I could be wrong. I imagine that there are people who can help you with this question much better than I, so I’ll email you and see if you are comfortable with me passing your name along to a real estate agent who knows a lot more about pricing in north seattle than I do!
Thanks for the questions… I may not be much help, but I’ll definitely find a way to get you the answers!
I am considering a move from Los Angeles to Seattle within the next 6-12 months. I am a 27 year old single female and I want to be in an area that is full of other young professionals. Are there certain neighborhoods I should be looking at more so than others? I’ve heard a lot about Ballard, Wallingford and South Lake Union in respect to the “up and coming” neighborhoods in Seattle.
Thank you so much for your attention. I look forward to any advice you might have.
This weekend, about 50 young professionals put in a Rental Application for a tiny, falling down, wreck of a single family home in Wallingford near Lake Union.
The owners were totally floored at the response!
This weekend, about 50 young professionals put in a Rental Application for a tiny, falling down, wreck of a single family home in Wallingford near Lake Union.
The owners were totally floored at the response!
Leigh,
Sorry for not getting back to you quicker… Between the seminar today and my job, I’m only getting around to responding to comments way too late at night! 😉
The neighborhoods you mention would all be on the top of my list for places to live in Seattle. Coming from LA, you’re lucky that home prices probably won’t floor you like they do for some people when they first move to Seattle. However, regardless of whether you want to buy or rent, the prices can vary tremendously by neighborhood and if you want to be in one of the neighborhoods filled with young professionals, then you’re likely going to need to pay more.
The driving factor will likely be the price range you are willing to accept and the type of housing you’re interested in (condo, house, etc). The ones you mention are definitely great neighborhoods, but there are plenty more that come to mind like Queen Anne and Fremont.
If you scroll to the bottom of the wikipedia entry for Seattle, you’ll notice that the page include a list of every neighborhood in Seattle. While I don’t recommend reading about every one of them, you could probably get a pretty good feel of your options by reading the wikipedia entry for the neighborhoods we’ve mentioned.
Leigh,
Sorry for not getting back to you quicker… Between the seminar today and my job, I’m only getting around to responding to comments way too late at night! 😉
The neighborhoods you mention would all be on the top of my list for places to live in Seattle. Coming from LA, you’re lucky that home prices probably won’t floor you like they do for some people when they first move to Seattle. However, regardless of whether you want to buy or rent, the prices can vary tremendously by neighborhood and if you want to be in one of the neighborhoods filled with young professionals, then you’re likely going to need to pay more.
The driving factor will likely be the price range you are willing to accept and the type of housing you’re interested in (condo, house, etc). The ones you mention are definitely great neighborhoods, but there are plenty more that come to mind like Queen Anne and Fremont.
If you scroll to the bottom of the wikipedia entry for Seattle, you’ll notice that the page include a list of every neighborhood in Seattle. While I don’t recommend reading about every one of them, you could probably get a pretty good feel of your options by reading the wikipedia entry for the neighborhoods we’ve mentioned.
Dustin,
What would be a better job for the money in Seattle. Nurse, or mortgage industry? I work in the mortgage industry now but want to become a nurse. A nurse can live almost any place and make a good living. Mortgage is hit or miss. How is the Mortgage industry out there? Any idea?
Bridget,
I’m not sure my answer is going to satisfy you, because I’m going to answer the question with another question…
What would you rather be doing? I’m of the (maybe naive) opinion that there will always be a place for both a good nurse and a good mortgage broker in Seattle. Determining which position is better for you is largely dependent on on your skills and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm goes a long way toward success!
Bridget,
I’m not sure my answer is going to satisfy you, because I’m going to answer the question with another question…
What would you rather be doing? I’m of the (maybe naive) opinion that there will always be a place for both a good nurse and a good mortgage broker in Seattle. Determining which position is better for you is largely dependent on on your skills and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm goes a long way toward success!
dustin,
we are thinking of moving to the seattle area from kc missouri. we have 4 small children (infant, 2, 4 and 6) and our main reason for moving is quality of life. in missouri you hide out in the house during the summer because it is sooooooooo hot and humid; the winters are also extreme…cold! also, there is not much to do recreationally. we visited seattlle/ oregon a few years ago and loved the landscape……and weather (is that a shocker.) do you think the seattle area is a good place to raise a family? also, can you reccomend specific areas. we have no problem being as far out of seattle as 60 miles. we really want our children to have a more active lifestyle and connect more with nature etc. are we looking in the right area? we are in a unique position we can pretty much move anywhere in the us. we just seem drawn to the pacific northwest!
thank you! jolie
dustin,
we are thinking of moving to the seattle area from kc missouri. we have 4 small children (infant, 2, 4 and 6) and our main reason for moving is quality of life. in missouri you hide out in the house during the summer because it is sooooooooo hot and humid; the winters are also extreme…cold! also, there is not much to do recreationally. we visited seattlle/ oregon a few years ago and loved the landscape……and weather (is that a shocker.) do you think the seattle area is a good place to raise a family? also, can you reccomend specific areas. we have no problem being as far out of seattle as 60 miles. we really want our children to have a more active lifestyle and connect more with nature etc. are we looking in the right area? we are in a unique position we can pretty much move anywhere in the us. we just seem drawn to the pacific northwest!
thank you! jolie
Jolie,
Four young kids! WOW! We have two kids (infant and 6 years old) and I thought we had it busy!
In terms of quality of life, Seattle is definitely a wonderful area. Because your options are so darn varied, it is hard for me to pinpoint even a subset of neighborhoods that will work for you without knowing the amount of money you can spend. With a 60 mile radius around Seattle, your options are immense! I’ll email you to find out your price range at which point your options should be a lot clearer.
Best!
Jolie,
Four young kids! WOW! We have two kids (infant and 6 years old) and I thought we had it busy!
In terms of quality of life, Seattle is definitely a wonderful area. Because your options are so darn varied, it is hard for me to pinpoint even a subset of neighborhoods that will work for you without knowing the amount of money you can spend. With a 60 mile radius around Seattle, your options are immense! I’ll email you to find out your price range at which point your options should be a lot clearer.
Best!
Hello Dustin,
I found your site via Google and ‘move to Seattle’. My wife and I moved to Denver ~ two yrs ago after she was transferred from Houston. Her job is secure (and potentially transferable to Seattle), but as a chemical engineer, the job market in Denver is terrible for me.
We are seriously considering Seattle as it appears to offer career opportunities for both of us. As far as our home search, we are in the ~$450 range and looking to the East in the Enumclaw/Issaquah/Snoquoalmie areas (www.SeattlePowerSearch has become our default search engine). Things we want in a home are: a descent neighborhood, 1-3 wooded acres, a six-yr-old or newer home, and a reasonable commute to Seattle. No kids here so schools are not important. Do you have any thoughts on ‘desirable’ neighborhoods in this area to focus our search?
Thanks for the site and your effort,
Chris
For $450K, you still have lots of option in the greater Seattle area. If you’re looking for lots of space (i.e. at least an acre), you’re definitely going to be out of town by a bit, so it really depends on your definition of a “decent neighborhood.”. I’m definitely an urbanite at heart, so I’m probably not the best one to give you advice along these lines. Probably the best bet would be to talk with a real estate agent who specializes in these neighborhoods, although they are going to have a hard time commenting on this blog about neighborhoods because of all the Federal rules regarding the Fair Housing Act. Do you want me to put you in contact with a good agent?
Hi there! My husband and I are moving to Seattle at the end of the month. His company is in Renton. We are planning to rent an apartment for a few months but hope to buy a house within a year. We’re looking for a nice family neighborhood within 45 minutes of the Renton area. Also, I am a special education teacher and am interested in learning more about the local school districts. Any comments, suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Dustin,
Try an agent who will do Gold Bar, Arlington, Monroe area for Chris. It’s out there, but I did a search of built since 2000 with one acre or more up to $450,000, and most of the properties sold in the last 6 months that fit his description were in those areas. A few in Auburn. He may need two or three agents in different areas. Nothing my way fits that description.
Sue,
Try the Seattle Times School Guide that highlights info on 27 school districts. See link below.
http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwsource.com/
hi there! i’m moving to seattle by the end of the month from florida. i’ll be working at UW medical center hosp. I would like to have an idea if the university area is a good neighborhood and the average cost to rent a 1 br apt or if anybody have a suggestion on better area/neighborhood to live?? i wouldn’t mind to walkingh to work if the university area is good neighborhood.. tnx
ces,
My gut says rent at Greenlake and don’t walk. YMMV
ces,
It definitely depends on your personality. The UW are is a fun area to hang out and has lots to do, but, at least right near the campus, you definitely feel like you are in a college town.
In terms of cost to rent a 1 bedroom apartment, I simply don’t know the costs or what you are looking for… I’d start with the new rental service explicitly for the UW area: DawgDigs. Other places to look include Craigslist and the company I work for, Move.com. Both Craigslist and Move will have rental options for all over the City (all over the country for that matter!).
Between those three databases, you should have Seattle pretty well covered.
ces,
It definitely depends on your personality. The UW are is a fun area to hang out and has lots to do, but, at least right near the campus, you definitely feel like you are in a college town.
In terms of cost to rent a 1 bedroom apartment, I simply don’t know the costs or what you are looking for… I’d start with the new rental service explicitly for the UW area: DawgDigs. Other places to look include Craigslist and the company I work for, Move.com. Both Craigslist and Move will have rental options for all over the City (all over the country for that matter!).
Between those three databases, you should have Seattle pretty well covered.
Ces, you could also take a look at Wallingford or Fremont and walk or bike to work on the Burke Gilman trail. Greenlake would be nice too.
I would use Housing Maps.com to guide your search.
hello! My husband has been offered a job in the Seattle area. We currently live in Virginia and have 4 small children, 8,7,5 and 3 year old. My husband loves the Seattle area but I have never been there and am very apprehensive about giving the green light to move. I love it here and the schools are awesome! Do you have recommendations on neighborhoods with great schools? Our price range is in the 800’s. We also like to have a nice sizes yard. WE have 3 boys who love sports and play football, baseball, soccer, etc in the yard. Thanks!
Maria,
“Seattle area” can you give us a town. In Seattle? In Bellevue? Where the job is dramatically impacts the advice we would give.
Maria,
Usually the company who is hiring your husband will provide you with temporary housing as well as an agent to service your needs. The agent often pays 35% of their commission to the company to help pay for your relocation benefits.
Have your husband check with the Human Resources division of the company who is hiring him, as we would not want to give advices that differ from your “assigned professional”s opinion. It would be considered “contract interference” in agent lingo for us to disupute in any way, his/her recommendations.
Dustin,
I am thinking about moving to Seattle for a change and just because I have always been intrigued about going there since I can remember. I live in Madison, WI right now and work at the mental institute here as a psych technician. No college degree, so far, and I don’t knnow if I want to stay in the same field when I move. I would love to work at a museum or art gallery, something artsy. I am trying to look into renting outside of seattle to bring the price down a bit. Should I be worried about finding a job without a lot of schooling behind me? I pay $631/month right now, but I make about $16/hour so I’m hoping seattle wouldn’t have me scraping by too bad because I feel like I am sometimes right now with car loan and whatnot. Any info would be cool, thanks.
devopin,
You’re definitely asking a tough one that goes way beyond my area of expertise. I’m sure that people are doing just fine in Seattle at $16/hour but I’m not in that world. The reality is that I’d need to know a lot more about what makes you tick to know if you’d be happy and even if I was armed with that information, I doubt that I could help out much.
One of the beautiful things about moving to a new place is that you get an opportunity to reinvent yourself if you so choose. And if you’re looking for opportunities in an art community, Seattle definitely has ample options.
In rereading your question, I can’t help but think that Seattle would be a tougher place to “survive” on a set income than Madison, WI simply because the local (Seattle) economy seems to be kicking in full gear so things like food and rent are likely to be more expensive. With that said, the job environment is probably a lot healthier, so the opportunity to reinvent yourself is out there.
And finally, I may as well not cheat you out of the only advice I can give that may be of some help. If I was looking to break into a new field like art, I would definitely definitely start blogging about it. Start writing about some specific niche in the art world that really interests you. It definitely takes a lot of upfront work, but if you start to interview experts, write reviews, link to interesting articles, etc., you might be surprised how quickly that niche of a community welcomes you into their world and opens up doors that simply would not exist otherwise!
devopin,
You’re definitely asking a tough one that goes way beyond my area of expertise. I’m sure that people are doing just fine in Seattle at $16/hour but I’m not in that world. The reality is that I’d need to know a lot more about what makes you tick to know if you’d be happy and even if I was armed with that information, I doubt that I could help out much.
One of the beautiful things about moving to a new place is that you get an opportunity to reinvent yourself if you so choose. And if you’re looking for opportunities in an art community, Seattle definitely has ample options.
In rereading your question, I can’t help but think that Seattle would be a tougher place to “survive” on a set income than Madison, WI simply because the local (Seattle) economy seems to be kicking in full gear so things like food and rent are likely to be more expensive. With that said, the job environment is probably a lot healthier, so the opportunity to reinvent yourself is out there.
And finally, I may as well not cheat you out of the only advice I can give that may be of some help. If I was looking to break into a new field like art, I would definitely definitely start blogging about it. Start writing about some specific niche in the art world that really interests you. It definitely takes a lot of upfront work, but if you start to interview experts, write reviews, link to interesting articles, etc., you might be surprised how quickly that niche of a community welcomes you into their world and opens up doors that simply would not exist otherwise!
Devopin,
You don’t have to “rent outside of Seattle” as rents are fairly standardized and you should be able to find a rental at about the same price as you are paying now. Check out Craig’s list for a “share” situation to get you started. My daughter paid $400 or so with a Craig’s List share, and it was a very nice place, though she eventually decided staying at Mom’s for free was a better deal 🙂
Artistic talents. hmmmm tatoo artist? My daughter is apprenticing in Venice Beach, and so far she’s only needed three books and a machine. Remember, many different fields include artisitic talents.
Look at real estate. We have had to become photographers and marketing material designers and writers and decorator/stagers. There are many options to apply artistic talents outside of the art industry. Explore. Find something you are passionate about and you will do well.
Dustin and Ardell,
Thank you for responding. I’m sorry if my questions are tough ones. I know it’s probably hard to give me the answers I feel I need. I just love art and felt that it would be nice to be surrounded by it more often. I love to write and take pictures, but I feel that my talents may not lead me too far without the schooling behind it. I do plan on taking classes focusing on my interests someday, but until then I’m just trying to make something work. I am 25 and feel as though my youth is passing me by along with everything that I could or should be doing differently. I’m rambling a bit. Sorry. I will try to research more and see what I can find. I have a little while before I could up and move so time will tell I suppose. Thank you both for your kind words. I appreciate it.
devopin, don’t be so down. Many great people out there do not have college degrees and are well respected in their communities and do just fine.
Not to discourage you from classes, but find something you love to do and you will do well.
Devopin, as long as your fairly thrifty, you should be fine. I lived in a house with 4 housemates on less than $16 an hour and know others who have made it on minimum wage. You’ll find a decent room in a U-District or Central District house on Craigslist for $500 – $600 a month. In fact, a friend of mine used to be a security guard at an art museum and he lived in a house on Capitol Hill. If you aren’t making enough doing what you want to be doing, you can always get a job waiting tables a couple nights a week and make a bunch.
I think there is lots of room for anyone with photography skills to make a career out of taking photos for agents.
Hi,
I am from Pasadena, CA and have a job opprotunity in Bellevue, WA. the only people I know in Seattle Area are in Everett. My first question is what are drive times like in Seattle, is your traffic comparable to Los Angeles?
Also, I have been looking at craigslist for apartment rentals and it looks like I will be paying the same ammount for a one bedroom there as I do here in Pasadena. But there are SO many neighborhoods, they all have something in my price range, but I want to live some where safe and I would ideally like no more a half an hour commute, I also tend to shy away from the mega-apartment complexes of the rest of the country, as I have gotten used to the 15 to 20 unit apartments here in california. Can you recommend neighborhoods and good locations to start looking for a starter home or condo?
Thank you
Diane,
Stay on your side of the Lake LOL. Some very good “starter” condo option on the Eastside that are very affordable and still good values for future appreciation. That can’t be said everywhere.
Where in Bellevue. Skip Craigslist. Get a short term, 3 mo rental to look around first, or buy a cheaper condo from the get go.
Will the company hiring you pay for temp housing?
New job equals lots of time getting acclimated to the job, so stick somewhat close to work, don’t fight the bridge traffic, and stay Eastside initially. My $.02
Email direct if you like Ardell@SoundRealty.Biz
Didn’t mean to “jump” on you, not my style. But I’ve been spending so much time in Seattle these days, I started “frothing at the mouth” at the prospect of working close to home 🙂 I live in Kirkland, next to Bellevue.
Diane,
Stay on your side of the Lake LOL. Some very good “starter” condo option on the Eastside that are very affordable and still good values for future appreciation. That can’t be said everywhere.
Where in Bellevue. Skip Craigslist. Get a short term, 3 mo rental to look around first, or buy a cheaper condo from the get go.
Will the company hiring you pay for temp housing?
New job equals lots of time getting acclimated to the job, so stick somewhat close to work, don’t fight the bridge traffic, and stay Eastside initially. My $.02
Email direct if you like Ardell@SoundRealty.Biz
Didn’t mean to “jump” on you, not my style. But I’ve been spending so much time in Seattle these days, I started “frothing at the mouth” at the prospect of working close to home 🙂 I live in Kirkland, next to Bellevue.
Thanks… they will not be paying for temporary housing per say, but I do get a relocation fee… I want to save more for a down payment before I buy which is why I was looking for rentals first… are there places in the eastside where I can get a one bedroom rental for 775 ish. while I look. I notice there are places in an area called lynnwood, which is between Everett and Bellevue…. Bellevue itself looks a little expensive, and according to my studies very few people who live in bellevue, work there, I can’t figure if it is because the area stinks or because it is so expensive.
Diane,
You can easily get a one bedroom for $775ish without going all the way to Lynnwood. Call me when you get here. Bellevue is a BIG place and you can’t draw any reasonable analogies from statistics there. I only offer “rental” services as a free service to RCG readers. I make ZERO on rentals…so I have no bias.
my 2 cents?
If Ardell is giving housing advice… run with it! 🙂
my 2 cents?
If Ardell is giving housing advice… run with it! 🙂
Thanks Dustin,
I’m clearly not always right about everything…but I’m generally spot on and right as rain about real estate 🙂
Anytime you remove the “money” from the picture and focus on the people…your focus becomes better than most.
Wow, thank you. I will be contacting you via email next week, as I make the preliminary housing scouting mission!!!
Diane,
Trust me. It’s a slam dunk. Worry more about your new job and leave the housing to me.
Ardell-
When you said that there is a lot of room for anyone with photography skills to take pictures for agents, what sort of agents were you refering to?
I think I can help you with that one… She’s thinking real estate agents! 🙂
In reality, so many listings could benefit from a little photography/photoshop skills that I agree with Ardell that there is definitely money to be made helping real estate agents…
I think I can help you with that one… She’s thinking real estate agents! 🙂
In reality, so many listings could benefit from a little photography/photoshop skills that I agree with Ardell that there is definitely money to be made helping real estate agents…
Devopin,
I’ve had agents bring me a disk of their photos to edit and resize for upload. Pretty easy stuff but beyond the abilities of many. That’s a job you might be able to do in your spare time, easy to learn. You could freelance. It’s easy to find the agents that need help…just look at the photos on their listings 🙂
Do agents ever need someone to take the actual photo or just do the editing?
Yes, both. Back in August our mls eradicated the “photo take” option in the mls. Since the beginning of photos in the mls, most mls services around the country offered an option for the agents for the mls to send out a photgrapher for the one required photo.
Given NWMLS is so large, they found the few who still wanted this option wasn’t worth the photographer’s time for such a broad area. Consequently the agents who don’t have or know how to use digital cameras are scrambling to produce the required shot without mls doing it for them.
So even without a lot of skills, you can find work, and I don’t want to convince you to come here, but if you do, I will be happy to train you in the minimal skills needed to do decent work and also help you identify those who may be in need of this service. Why? Not sure 🙂 It’s that Celestine Prophecy thing I do.
In fact if I can track down that camera I lost at Street of Dreams when I was with Robbie, I’ll lend it to you to get started. Anyone know the lost and found number for Street of Dreams?
That would be awfully nice of you to help me out, just to let you know, I can’t move until the end of March 2007 when my lease is up here. So I have some time yet to sort everything out as much as I can while I’m still so far away. I’m going to try to schedule vacation around the beginning of March to fly there to get a foothold on things before I actually move. Maybe interview for some jobs and look at a few places to live and hopefully sign a lease then. For now it’s just me and my laptop trudging through endless information online. I truly believe I am supposed to go there. It’s the waiting game that I now have to play.
That is a much better time, devopin. Traditionally agents don’t hire out as much from now until then, as they do in the four months from April through July. I’m thinking you can supplement your income and build a business while having that hourly job, both at the same time.
Can we have a first name for you, even if it is a fake name? Just put it at the end of your comment.
I put the name Devopin because it is a mixture of my nickname and last name. I use it sometimes for usernames and whatnot. My real name is Devan, I’m a female, sometimes the name is associated with being male so I like to clarify. That would be nice if I could do everything at once. I am going to strive towards art gallery, professional theaters or something of that nature to find my hourly job, if that isn’t in the cards I am sure I could find something else that would suit me and raise my happiness level multiple points higher than what I am doing now. I looked at a book about moving to Seattle and all the different neighborhoods there are and it makes me want to get an apartment pretty close to wherever I will be working, which I suppose is ideal in any situation. Traffic seems as though it may get a bit nasty at times.
Devan (not a fake name:-)
I put the name Devopin because it is a mixture of my nickname and last name. I use it sometimes for usernames and whatnot. My real name is Devan, I’m a female, sometimes the name is associated with being male so I like to clarify. That would be nice if I could do everything at once. I am going to strive towards art gallery, professional theaters or something of that nature to find my hourly job, if that isn’t in the cards I am sure I could find something else that would suit me and raise my happiness level multiple points higher than what I am doing now. I looked at a book about moving to Seattle and all the different neighborhoods there are and it makes me want to get an apartment pretty close to wherever I will be working, which I suppose is ideal in any situation. Traffic seems as though it may get a bit nasty at times.
Devan (not a fake name:-)
I have a neice named Devin…and a grand daughter named Xochitl, LOL I forget where my sister picked the name Devin from, pretty sure that’s how she spells it. She’s about 20. Names tend to go in age cycles. Mine is like “Our Devin” , Our Dell. Italian’s are all named Dell like DellaVecchia, DellaGuardia, DellaLoggia. So I’m “OURdell not THEIR dell” 🙂 Italians are possessive like that. Dell comes from Adele in my case, my Aunt, Adele DellaLoggia Rosati
Devan, drop me a line if or when you decide to move to Seattle. I know of a couple of very cheap apartments in the heart of Seattle that may be open then.
Thank you Galen, that will be helpful. I don’t even know where to start with looking at places. I guess it will depend on the job location for me to narrow it down. It’s so hard to figure everything out from way out here and then try to smooth it all out when I fly there near the start of March. Just crossing my fingers knowing that it will all work out if it’s supposed to.
Devan, trust me on this one. Doing it is very, very easy. Not nearly as filled with the “worries” people superimpose on the relocating process.
One of the reasons I agreed to relocate in the first place, was to experience that which many of my clients were experiencing. The drawback to relocating is having a core of contact people, which is why we welcome you with open arms should you decide to come here.
Diane, it is per se not per say, just so you will be correct.
My wife and I and our two year old son want to leave the smog and terrible schools of Los Angeles behind and move to Seattle. We’ve been getting information online and have really fallen in love with Bainbridge Island. I understand the high school is one of the best in Washington. Besides having to build a life around the ferry schedule and expensive homes is there anything (both positive or negative) else we should know of?
Thanks so much,
Kevin
My wife and I and our two year old son want to leave the smog and terrible schools of Los Angeles behind and move to Seattle. We’ve been getting information online and have really fallen in love with Bainbridge Island. I understand the high school is one of the best in Washington. Besides having to build a life around the ferry schedule and expensive homes is there anything (both positive or negative) else we should know of?
Thanks so much,
Kevin
I moved here from L.A. myself, so I don’t blame you one bit. Don’t know much about Bainbridge Island though. Dustin and Anna can probably find you an agent over there that can clue you in.
Where in L.A. do you live and do you own or rent there?
I currently live in Tucson, AZ. We LOVE Tucson, but the job market here for my husband and I sucks. (Phoenix is so not an option.) I’ve been to Seattle before and would love to live there. I’ve been doing some extensive research on the area, but it’s hard to find out what areas are nice to live in and are ‘affordable.’ We hope to find jobs in DT Seattle. Do you have any suggestions on neighborhoods that are safe with a good school system? We have one daughter who just turned 2 and a dog (so we need a yard).
Good Morning, Kerrie,
The last time I was in Tuscon, I was in my early 20s and it was for a business convention. Good looking college guys were everywhere and my goal in life at that point was to move to Tuscon. LOL.
The question to ponder before we can recommend neighborhoods is: how long of a drive-time commute will you be able to tolerate?
How many minutes/hours into downtown Seattle each way?
Good Morning, Kerrie,
The last time I was in Tuscon, I was in my early 20s and it was for a business convention. Good looking college guys were everywhere and my goal in life at that point was to move to Tuscon. LOL.
The question to ponder before we can recommend neighborhoods is: how long of a drive-time commute will you be able to tolerate?
How many minutes/hours into downtown Seattle each way?
I too found your site under ‘moving to Seattle’. My boyfriend currently lives there after finding a great job. Yes, he would be somewhat of a reason for the move however, we would not live together and I have two boys (12 and 16) and I would like to live near downtown (that is where I plan to work I am in the legal field) so where would a nice quiet place to raise teens be? I will continue my research to find the answer. By the way, I LOVE SEATTLE!
And let me add that I do drive but I don’t want to be farthter from 30 minutes from downtown. I make around $40,000.00 per year.
Ray,
In realizing that others have not answered your question yet… I thought I’d let you know that another thread on RCG has a ton of information and could quite likely answer your questions!
Ray,
In realizing that others have not answered your question yet… I thought I’d let you know that another thread on RCG has a ton of information and could quite likely answer your questions!
Thank you Dustin, I found the other thread very interesting and helps answer my question. Thanks again!
Awesome Ray… There’s so much on that other thread that I was hoping you’d find it helpful!
Hi,Dustin.i am Michael,I am sushi chef over ten years ,now I own one Japanese restaurant,I want open other one at seatlle,because I living Chicago area ,so far from seatlle,can you help me find a good location for Japanese restaurant? Thanks a lot!
I am moving from Minnesota in about a year and I was thinking of living in Freemont or Green Lake I hear so much about. I am a runner so that sounds terrific. I will locate a job in the legal field before I get out there. How is the traffic in these two cities? I will be bringing a car.
Thanks Oh and this site really is Fantabulous!!!!
I live in Suffolk County Long Island, about 90 minutes east of New York City. I’m 27, bored, have an Associate degree, and wish to become a professional writer of some sort. I currently work at an animal hospital.
What is the average income of someone of my status and 1 bedroom apartment fees? Also, how hard is life in Seattle without a car? I’d love to leave mine here! Thanks.
I live in Suffolk County Long Island, about 90 minutes east of New York City. I’m 27, bored, have an Associate degree, and wish to become a professional writer of some sort. I currently work at an animal hospital.
What is the average income of someone of my status and 1 bedroom apartment fees? Also, how hard is life in Seattle without a car? I’d love to leave mine here! Thanks.
I’m a 26 year old looking to relocate from North Carolina. Mostly just for a bit of an adventure before I’m to old to get away with something like this. I’m interested in the bars, restaurants, music scenes, and a place to live near like minded peers. Thanks for your site!
And I’m a 24-year-old looking to relocate from North Carolina. I’m interested in everything stated by Chase, as well as housing costs and the likeliness of finding employment.
I don’t like to hear any traffic at night… Where in Seattle should I live?
Hi!
My husband and I (we currently live in Orlando, FL.) have been wanting to move to Portland, OR. for years, but now he’s on a work contract that might turn into a full hire in the Seattle area. I’m suppose to go with him on one or two of his work visits to try to catch the vibe of the city to see if it’s a place I’d want to live for awhile.
Are there any common bad first impressions that you’ve heard that I should be aware of. I don’t want to write off a potentially great city just because I may have misunderstood something or gone to a bad area.
I am in love with Portland (borderline obsessed). Have you visited PDX? If so, how do Seattle & Portland compare or differ. Also, what do you think makes Seattle special? What are it’s shining moments?
Thank you!
Maybe some topics on culture at large local employers? (ex. Microsoft, University of Washington, Boeing, Amazon, GroupHealth, Bank of America)
Under 30 Guide To Moving to Seattle
Thanks! Your guides are a great place to start!
I would need to learn about driving in snow and protecting myself from wild animals. Im from Hawaii, and if I move, where/who do I go to for this?
Thanks for the tip, I’m moving to Seattle this summer from Dallas to pursue a career in aviation. I visited Seattle a few weeks back and fell in love with the city, I am an outdoorsman, but a big time city boy. It seems to have the best of both worlds , I’m incredibly excited , and before anybody warns me , rain is my favorite kind of weather;) thanks for the tips !
I would like to know whether a Texas concealed handgun license or a Florida concealed weapons license is valid in Seattle.
Stay in Texas Please
Thanks for this guide!
Trying to escape this hell hole Texas.(this is why I replied negatively to the concealed weapon comment by another poster.sorry 😉 )
My wife is a cancer researcher who will work in Seattle but we would LOVE to live by the ocean. We have looked online and are confused.Found out Ocean Shores for example is not that great.Our budget would be up to 400000. No rush. But Thanks for any help.
SAVE US FROM TEXAS!! I am Canadian so Im tired of this furnace. HAHAHA
Hi!
I need some advice- My husband and I currently live in Rancho, Cucamonga CA. We have been looking into moving to Seattle. He is an EMT and I was just currently laid off due my store closing working for AT&T Mobility.
How is the workforce for EMS/EMT’s? Is housing affordable? Gas prices? Also how is the music scene( my husband does positive hip hop)? Church’s??
Please help me out 😀 Any feed back will help me out tons.
-jes
Need to live in a modest sized home up to $350,000, within an easy commute to the University of WA. Hospital.
You aren’t going to sell my e-mail I hope!
Thank you. Hows the housing, a head hunter offered me a nice sign on bonus and great relocation package. Location Bellevue. No talk of housing though. Are apts relatvely easy to find?
Hi ,
Me from eastcoast I been rescearch all about Seattle wonder if downtown great to live in?
What about jobs paying? Can high rise condo lower rent because I would love see look over light city?