10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle
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
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[...] 10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle [...]
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.
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.
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!
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?
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!
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!!!
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…
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!
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.
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 !
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.
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.
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.Â
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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
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.
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!
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 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/
[...] This tells me that unless visitors are coming through the front-page, they are almost definitely going to articles that one of us wrote long-ago. And when you look at the top posts, who would have guessed that articles about removing popcorn ceiling, serendipitous advice for people moving to Seattle, or the closure of a local mortgage company would be some of the top drivers months (if not years!) after they were written. [...]
I’m moving to Seattle from Boulder, CO, in September and have put a hold on a 1 bdrm apartment in Radford Court Apartments. The apartments are single family housing units for the UW, but the public may also rent there. The complex is nearby the Warren G. Magnuson Park. Does anyone have information on that area or has anyone heard good/bad things about Radford Court? I notice on apartmentratings.com the complex received a 28% approval rating, so I’m a bit concerned. Also, is that part of the city relatively far from decent night life, restaurants, etc.?
Unfortunately, I will not have an opportunity to visit Seattle before leasing a place. I will be in a Ph.D. degree program at UW, so Radford Court seems like a convenient complex to live initially. I’ve been told by people at the UW that the best thing to do is go around in neighborhoods and look for “for rent” signs (as others have suggested on this site), but this is not an option for me. I guess I’m looking for some reassurance that Radford Court is in an okay area and with decent buildings – since right now I have committed only a holding fee.
Thanks!
Alex, I wish I could help you but I’m just not familiar with the Radford Court Apartments. I was hoping that someone else would step up with more info, but it is quite possible that none of the regular contributors are familiar with that apartment complex. Sorry about that!
Alex,
I’ve used Apartmentratings.com, and while I’m leery of the opinions, (because they always say if someone actually voluntary gives their opinion for a survey or the like, it’s because they received poor service in some fashion) I’d also be careful if Radford got a 28% on its approval rating. I’ve check out some places that didn’t get the best ratings on AR, and they’ve seemed decent, but then again it’s hard to gauge how the landlords treat their tenants. I usually don’t consider a place unless it got 50% on AR, but that’s just my personal benchmark. I’m not familiar with Radford Court either, but I would just suggest more research or perhaps asking the complex if they have references or tenants you could talk to via phone. It never hurts to ask.
Hi All,
I am awaiting a job offer in Tukwila, WA and I am moving from Northern California(bay area). I have a few questions:
1. Can anyone recomend a good place to live Near Tukwila and also I am single so it would be nice to be in an area where other Single people are vs. families.
2. What should one expect to pay for a good apartment, my searches on Craigslist have shown it to be around 1000 a month or am I mistaken?
Thanks from the IT Guy in Cali
$1000.00 a month? What is that a 2 bedroom apartment, one bath apartment? Seattle is expensive.
Glad I am on the east coast… $200.- 400.00 a month here.
Chris,
In my big fat rental book
I’m seeing Tukwila 2 bedrooms starting at $905, $820, $850. I see one ad showing 2 bedrooms at 1,018 sf to 1,068 sf, but no price on that one.
Looks like 1 bedrooms are less than $200 cheaper, so you might as well go for the bigger 2 bedroom in case you later want to “share”, after you meet people at work.
My “big fat rental book” is from March of 2007. See if you can get the newest version from for rent dot com. I picked mine up in a grocery store and it’s as big as a Sear’s Catalog
LOL,
.
Ok Ardell, Thanks for the update on that and this is something one would pickup at a supermarket in Seattle or the surrounding areas in tukwila? Derek, 1000.00 a month is cheap by bay area standards, I pay almost 1400 dollars for a Junior 1 bedroom(lets just call it a studio for short), 20 miles south of San Francisco and thats considered cheap here
Anyway thanks guys and I appreciate the advice.
Hello – I’m from posts 102,109, and 168. My hubby and I have started to pack for Seattle!
I’m wondering if anyone can tell me about what the plans are for expanding the public transit system in Seattle. From a few visits, I know the bus system there is great. Are there any plans for a subway or a rail system to connect the different towns and neighborhoods? Thank you!
Hi Serene,
There is a light rail system being built that connects Seatac Airport to Downtown Seattle. It will run through Rainier Valley and it’s a few years away from completion. No Subway plans for Seattle, but as you pointed out the bus system is good, although it’s better the closer to the Seattle metro core.
As several have mentioned, Nice/Ice is real. Four years after moving here, being involved in the community, etc. the freeze has yet to thaw. If you’re from California, consider yourself toxic. Even Northern California. We were and were warned about it, but didn’t really believe that it would be that big a deal. Depending on your situation it can be. We settled in modestly and assimilated as quickly as possible. Learn to dread the “so where are you from?” question, or come up with a decent lie. Like the weather here, you may find the questioner’s demeanor changes rather quickly depending on your response.
A good example: my now former optometrist had no problem taking cheap shots once he learned I was from California during the course of my exam. “So you’re the reason our real estate prices are so high,” traffic so bad, etc., etc. This was not good-natured conversational ribbing. It was a harrangue. He (and certain other service providers) are still graciously willing to take the hard earned money we inject to the local economy.
Our office of educated professional is composed mostly of expatriates of one form or another all of whom have similar stories. One long timer has said it starts to get better after about 20 years… No where I’ve lived before here have I ever been referred to as “You” in opposition to “We” when our state of origin is discovered (which of course is never willingly volunteered anymore).
Depending on your situation, you may encounter a number of insular strata here. From my experience, you may witness or experience the schisms between Here/NotFromHere, New Economy/Old Economy, Haves/Have Nots, UWClub/Not UWClub. There are many others.
The irony seems to be the longer you’re here, the more you notice it. Like all things Seattle (which seems to tend toward passive aggression), its subtle, indirect, nonconfrontational and pervasive.
It is a beautiful area and a wonderful place to visit, but the hype only tells half the story. We do know a number of folks who have had a good experience as newcomers, but a common characteristic is they tend to end up in a work-centric social network of similar ex-pats and a few “local” iconoclasts. We know an equal number who after a few years just got tired of it and headed back to San Francisco, Silicon Valley, New York, L.A. and the South whence they came.
I think the key is trying to get in touch with someone in as similar a situation as you are that has been here a while and see if their experience is something that would be a good fit for you.
I was doing research for a class when I came upon your site. What a great site! I enjoyed reading the post. I have been to Seattle and I think it is a beautiful area. I think it is inspiring that so many people have the courage to move from their home to start a new life. I was sorry to read that it has been a tough adjustment for some as to meeting people. I do not think that is unique to Seattle since I have heard that same comment from friends that have moved to other parts of the country as well.
Hi Brent,
We’re glad you found us! What kind of school research were you doing that you happen to stumble upon raincityguide?
Hi Jillayne:
Thanks for the post. Actually it was a “round about way” I found this site. I am a teacher taking an instructional strategies class so I was viewing other states district procedures. Since WA has always been one of my favorite states, I researched school districts there. In doing research “real estate” popped-up so I thought I would check out housing prices versus my state. This site was actually a good diversion from the research I was doing. BTW the last time I was in Seattle for a week, it rained only one day and was sunny or partly cloudy the rest of the time.
Hi,
Just found this post from searching on google. I’m a 28 year-old female moving to Seattle from, yes, California. I’ve been there once and loved it. I’m moving there at the end of August and have been looking on craigslist to find a short term rental as I’m not ready to commit to a one year lease just yet. Can anyone recommend the neighborhood I should be looking at? It will need to be a safe area and has good access to public transportation as I do not have a car and will be job hunting.
Thanks,
bee
Hi Bee,
Ballard, Capital Hill, Greenwood, Phinney Ridge, Freemont, Greenlake, and Wallingford all come to mind. But each neighborhood has a personality. Up on the sidebar right after our pictures is a list of neighborhood blogs. Check them out! For crime stats, you’ll want to check that out with the King County police deparment. Thanks for visiting RCG.
Bee, Jillayne’s suggestions are good. If you know where you’ll be going by public transport, we could give you a better idea of where to check out. Ballard might be a little out of the way if you’re taking the bus everywhere. The bus-exclusive people I know stick to Capitol Hill, the University District and the areas in between like Montlake and Eastlake. You can see general neighborhood outlines on our site, Estately.com, if you have any questions about where those places are.
Thanks Jillayne and Galen. I’ll be job hunting once I get there so I’ll most likely be going downtown a lot. I also have some friends at UW so I’ll be visiting the area often. It’s just difficult to find a place right now since I’m not in Seattle yet. Thanks again for both your help.
You can also use Google transit to estimate the ease of getting around. Wallingford is perfect for the U-District / Downtown commute. You could even do fine with just a bike.
Wow is this a great site! Well, I’m planning on moving to Seattle in March (way off, but I’m planning now) my job is going to be in Redmond (Not Microsoft!) and at the moment, I can only afford about $625, maybe slightly higher (defanitly lower), in rent. I’d like to be near work, but from looking at the median incomes of the areas around it… yeah, not so much can I afford that. So what I wanted to know is if anyone knows of any places cheap enough for me to be able to afford, but safe enough that a single 26 year old female can live by herself with maybe a cat or two. Thanks!
One more thing- I think I’m falling in love with Bremmerton, but my only problem is the hour and a half commute. Is there a ferry or something, then PT to get me to Redmond? Or am I looking for fairies under rocks again?
Before you get too attached, look up the urban dictionary entry for Bremerton.
You can get a one bedroom off 36th and 148th across from Microsoft for about that price. Bellevue Highlands or Bellevue Manor. Totem Lake/Kingsgate, Juanita or Factoria. If you go to the office by the pool area of Bellevue Manor, there’s a kiosk where people post rentals. You shouldn’t have much trouble finding an apartment near Redmond for under $700. It will probably be built in the late 70’s, but safe, nice areas near shopping.
I don’t know anyone who commutes an hour and a half to work
Try going to forrent.com I’ve never been to the site, but I have a hardcopy version that has tons of rentals in it. Mostly rental complexes.
Don’t rule out living close to work. You probably can.
Katy
Bremerton is a great option if you work in Seattle. There is a ferry–1 hour ride to downtown Seattle. Also, everything in Bremerton will be much cheaper than in the Seattle metro area. I’m from the Penninsula and I love it out there. Many cute little towns with amazing views of the city.
As to people commuting 1-2 hours to work, it happens all the time, as anyone that lives across the narrow’s bridge will tell you. Traffic is terrible. That’s why Bremerton is such a good choice, you’re on the cheap side of the Sound, but you have a ferry to take you straight across to the city. If you work downtown, you can even leave the car at home!
Hi, everyone! I’m starting grad school at UW this September and will be living in the Northgate section of the city. What can you tell me about this area?
Thanks,
Chris
Chris,
What do you want to know about the area? Are you curious about housing? Music? Food? There’s lots of places we could go with that question and the more specific you can be, the more likely you’ll get a quick answer!
I was wondering where exactly. People call such a huge area “northgate”. It starts around 92nd and 1st, where Green Lake, Maple Leaf and Northgate come toghether, and goes out past Northgate Mall. Where is important for “walk to” things.
Thanks for writing back, guys. I’m living in an apartment complex close to Aurora Ave and right down the street from Northwest Hospital. What is there to do in terms of this area? Any good restaurants, bars, etc.?
Hi Chris,
A good resource if you haven’t found it yet is the “Seattle Weekly” a free newspaper with info on mostly metro Seattle. There you can find info on bars, music, movies, restaurants, art, politics, and so on. You can pick it up near major bus stops, libraries, groceries, etc. and for those who have not moved yet to Seattle, it can be found online at: http://www.seattleweekly.com
For a more alternative newspaper there is “The Stranger” also availble usually in a kiosk next to The Seattle Weekly or online at: http://www.thestranger.com
I hope you enjoy living in Seattle!
Hello all! I have a few more questions I haven’t managed to find answers to on the internet since I don’t really have an address there yet…
I want to know about utility bills- on average for a 1 bedroom apartment in the Seattle area, what are the electricity, gas, water, and sewer bills? Also, some places have a weird “just because you live here” tax. I don’t know exactly what it’s called, just if there’s something like that in Washington.
Also, is Comcast the only high speed internet provider there?
If there’s any other monthly utility I’m leaving out, PLEASE let me know! I’m moving from Las Vegas, I know what the bills are out here, but I’m a little fuzzy on other states. Thanks!
Katy:
Comcast does cable internet, Qwest does DSL internet. Both are fast and both have bad service.
There is no just because you live here tax.
Electricity in Washington is cheap – $20-$30 a month? You’ll obviously pay more in the winter if you have electric heat.
I’ve never had gas – dunno.
I think a lot of landlords end up paying water and sewer bills; it’s hard to split up.
Others?
Chris,
Other than Northgate Mall, I can’t think of anything up that way. It’s not a Seattle “hot spot”. Likely you’ll be hanging out more at U-Dub, and where you live is where you go home to, for the most part. It’s a convenient location, but not much of a “walk to” spot. Likely you’ll be heading a bit south to Green Lake or Greenwood/Phinney from there. You have to get down from 115th to 80th or so to get to these Seattle Neighborhoods and local restaurants like Duke’s in Green Lake and Yanni’s in Greenwood.
Thanks, Ardell! Would you say that Northgate is a safe area, in general?
I’m going to be over that way this weekend. Email me the exact address and name of complex. I’ll see what I can dig up on it. I spent a lot of time over that way, but there are a few spotty areas. If you give the me address I’ll give you some more specific insights via email.
Hi. My husband is considering taking a job in Seattle (Redmond to be exact). We currently live in the Dallas subburbs. Prior to moving to Dallas we lived in Kent, but this was before kids and houses and things. Now we have two elementary school aged children so great schools and family orientated areas are more important. What areas would you recommend based on our priorities being
1. resonable price
2. great schools
3. short commute time
Any suggestions? Thanks.
Marie, many of the Eastside districts have good schools. I’m not a school expert, but you could try out my site (Estately.com) – just type in Redmond, change “within” to 5 miles so you can see all the homes within 5 miles, and narrow down your price range. You can learn about the closest schools to each home under the nearby tab.
This is a great blog! I have a question…my husband and I are considering moving to Seattle from Oklahoma. We’ve lived in Tennessee and New Mexico, so we can pretty much adapt to any kind of weather, but we need to know if the city is dog friendly. We want to rent for the first six-12 months but we have three dogs that are of medium size (40+ lbs). Everything I read says “Pets Considered” but they only mean tiny dogs and two is excessive to them. Are we going to have to buy a house right away or does anyone know a way to find out who is dog friendly? I definitely will not lie or hide my dogs – we rescued each one from an animal shelter.
Thanks for any suggestions!
Finding a place with three dogs will be tough. I won’t go so far as to say you have to buy vs. rent, but it won’t be easy.
Ardell is right – any time there is a tight rental market, landlords shy away from potentially destructive tenants. That said, I have friends who rent with a 75 pound dog and a 45 pounder. They have found places with fenced yards, but they are away from the city center and end up settling on somewhat less desirable places.
Hello. I am a 35 year old guy from Austin,Tx. I am going to be moving to Seattle in Nov. I am very nice and polite as well, but i do like to engage with people. I was wondering…… just because such a thing as the Seattle “freeze” exists, that can’t mean everyone is like that. I can be laid back, but when a connection is made, don’t the people jump at the chance to open up and have some fun and experience life? Does this mean that the regular everyday families have social dis ease? I am a musician and an artist. I work in IT. I have my activites, but i would like to find a date and talk with women. Will i be a pariah in Seattle if i’m a deep person looking to be human?
Jules–Seattle Freeze exists but it’s not universal. Seriously, if you are a guy who knows how to ask a woman on a date, and if you are the type to go up to people on your own, you’ll do just fine. It’s those who are more reserved who have trouble with the “freeze,” perhaps because they are waiting for others to approach them.
This is a generalization of course. Your mileage may vary.
Jules, you’ll likely find that there if you are open and willing to chat with people that there will be plenty of others that will open up to you. I’ve lived in Seattle for 19 years, having come from the mid-west, and while I’ve always heard people talk about the “freeze” I’ve never had it impact me very much. Yes, there are groups of people that will be the UW/non-UW types, but that exists everywhere for a variety of reasons. Although, I was just chatting with some people last night about their love of “da Bears” both of them having come from Chicago and how Seattle-ites won’t sell them tickets outside the stadium if they have their Bear’s jersey on. But, I’m sure in Chicago you might get the same, but reverse, effect of a Seahawk fan outside a Chicago stadium.
Chris, for the area where you live there are some good options in Maple Leaf, Ravenna, Greenlake, Greenwood, Phinney and more. It all depends on how far you want to go and what you’re looking for. There is a good (and nice) sushi place on Aurora just north of you between 130th and 145th (east side of road). Steel Pig BBQ down on Aurora/92nd has some decent BBQ and good beer when you get the urge, plus they have the games on huge TV’s; there is also a good, cheap BBQ joint by the intersection of Greenwood and 105th/Holman. Just behind the Jiffy Lube. Check out the Greenwood drag down through to Phinney – you’ll find tons of cool shops and restaurants and bars/pubs.
Northgate has been growing and going through a lot of redevelopment, including the opening of a new library/community center, just east of the mall. There still isn’t much of a “nightlife” there as I would describe it in other areas of the city but over time hopefully more good restaurants will come in. You may find yourself heading south a little bit to these other neighborhoods while Haller Lake and Bitter Lake are getting the influx of new apartments and condos.
Dee, you might try contacting some of the local property management firms in town – many of them have clients that are not as concerned about pets because they see pet owners as more responsible. Personally, I’ve got 2 Jack Russells and a flat coat retriever and I know that smaller dogs can do a lot more damage than a larger dog. A good thing you can do too is to put a small bio/resume on your pets together that be given to a prospective landlord. This could help you to show your responsibility as a pet owner and also that your pets are not destructive. Perhaps include photos of your current home environment so they can see that it is undamaged?
Chris, you will be moving to the man coast, but the men are all Microsofties:
http://blog.estately.com/2007/08/17/welcome-to-the-man-coast/
Hi everyone, I’ll be moving to Seattle by the end of the month and I’m sharing most of evryones’ worries here. The weather beign near the top of my list. I’m moving from Venezuela (with nice warm tropical temperatures and nice warm tropical people), I get depressed when it rains and can only think of a nice warm cup of mocaccino (I guess that’ll only affect my weight and sleeping pattern *sigh*) … As I said, beign used to the tropical weather pampers us badly, so how cold is it when it’s cold? how ’bout usually? how much rain is “rainy”??
Any how, I’ll be working in the Redmond area (and living temporarily there), since I’ll move soon enough, some pointers on the neighborhoods nearby, good places to live, shop, and so on would be greatly appreciated… is walking usually done? (I mean not using the car, especially with all the rain?… how’s the public transportation system?) …
BTW: Great site guys!
Hi Alita, welcome to Seattle!
How cold is cold? Well, we have a maritime climate so freezing is not common, although last winter we did have a big freeze so the snow (not very common) stuck around for a few days. We are not very close to “nice warm tropical temperatures”, we have nice mild maritime temperatures instead which mean that it’s not too cold and not too hot, all the better to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee!
We probably get way less rain than you do in Venezuela, but ours comes in the winter as a drizzle that can last for a long, long time.
Walk around neighborhoods are found more in urban Seattle areas than on the Eastside, although downtown Bellevue and Kirkland each have a great core area. Depending on where you will be working in Redmond it could be easy to take public transportation from some areas of Seattle to Redmond.
Alita,
Your concern will probably not be what the thermometer reads, nor the total amount of precipitation (ie in total cm), as mentioned by Deborah. Your biggest enemy, particularly coming from a sunny climate, wlll be our winter permagloom. Constant thick, low-lying clouds with the added bonus of sunup to sundown that seems to last only from 9am to 3pm on the gloomier days in the depth of winter. Be mentally prepared, get UV lights, whatever it takes.
Fortunately, most summers are fantastic, but if you move here in the fall you won’t know that for months. I moved here in early October and after not seeing the sun for a few months, I turned to my wife and asked, with regard to our move – “what have we done.” And I moved from Chicago, not Venezuela. Fortunately, you do get used to the lack of light and, as I mentioned, summers (and early springs) kind of make up for it.
My strategy FWIW – concentrate all of my vacation time between late November and February and go to sunny locations. IE recharge for about one week during each of the winter months. The rest of the month you have another quickly upcoming week off in the sun to look forward to. A word of caution – you may not want to visit Venezuela on your vacations, though as the contrast between your old life and the prospect of returning to your new life in Seattle in January may put you over the edge.
I’m thinking about moving to Seattle. There’s no real reason and the crazier part is that I’ve never even been there to visit. I’ve just always wanted to go. I’m in Chicago now. Can anyone be so kind to detail parts of the city (what’s there, who lives there, general apartment prices)? I am so baffled as to where to even begin on my research (deciding exactly where in the city to move, etc.). I’m planning on flying there at the end of October to see it. Any advice on what I should do during the 5 days I’ll be there to get the most out of my trip?
Abby,
You live in a big city now, so you will be comfortable with anything Seattle has to offer. Here is my advice:
Day 1: Hang out downtown at the Seattle Art Museum and the Downtown library. In the afternoon walk North to the the Pike Place Market and then head up Pike Street to Capitol Hill stopping at funky clothing stores, coffee shops, bars and restaurants on your way.
Day 2: Do whatever during the day. Rent a kayak at NWOC and cruise the houseboats in Lake Union if it’s nice (probably won’t be in October). For dinner, head to White Center and visit one of the two taco trucks or the Salvadorean Bakery. After dinner, cab or drive to the 9 Pound Hammer, a great bar in Georgetown, which is an artsy part of town directly next to Boeing Field.
Day 3: Find something to do in Ballard, Fremont and Wallingford. You’ll need a car, cab or bus to get between them.
Your on your own for the other 2 days. If you’ll be here for Halloween, you should walk around the University District or Capitol Hill in a costume and just let yourself into a party. People will usually be pretty nice about it. Google maps should be able to help you find where all these places are.
Thanks for the advice, Galen. I’m a bit nervous about moving somewhere where I don’t know a soul. I’m sure that everyone fares differently in meeting people and getting over that initial lonliness. Are these places that you mentioned good places to meet people?
Abby, they should be good spots. The library is bustling and the walk to Capitol Hill is filled with coffee shops that will have some people interested in talking (and some just working). I’m curious – please let us know where you meet folks.
My dream in life is to open a bakery/coffee shop.
I’ve also always dreamed of living in Seattle.
I can’t explain why on either of those, but that’s just what my heart tells me.
Can they co-exist?
I know seattle is famous for its coffee. there must be tons of coffee shops already…
What are the chances of a successful coffee shop/bakery?
I think it is safe to say that those two dreams can definitely co-exist…
I can’t imagine there is a major city in America where there isn’t demand for another quality coffee shop or bakery. While there will definitely be competition from both independent and national shops, there are still plenty of areas that are under-served!
We live in Chicago. We turned down positions at the U-Seattle two years ago because of family stuff. But now we’re looking longingly at Seattle now that the family situation is better. We’re heard though the grapevine that folks at the U are still interested in our coming. What are more positives about Seattle? Anyone?
Kim, you should check out Karen’s posts http://www.raincityguide.com/author/karenkirr
She’s from Chicago too and has written about her transaction moving to Seattle.
I love it–I live in West Seattle. I’ve never lived in the East Coast or your neck of the woods. I did spend a couple years in California as a teen.
I’m thinking of moving to Seattle for university next year. I’m a latecomer student looking to take advantage of their architecture program but I’ve never visited the city and doubt I will be able to before I have to move. I’m a New Yorker-cum-New Orleanian, looking to find a happy medium between the two. A cooler summer and a warmer winter would be nice. More laid back than New York, but less laid back than New Orleans [just for the sake of efficiency. New Orleans likes to blame everything on Katrina, but that all happened two years ago and the city wasn't all that functional to begin with.]
Most importantly, I have a car, but I’m an avid biker and I was wondering if the city would lend itself to that. I’m looking for a neighborhood not far from the hustle and bustle, possibly outside of it. Whaddaya guys think?
Dom,
If you’re not getting a quick response from people here, it is probably because the question is pretty open-ended…
But in terms of appropriateness, Seattle definitely might work for you… Biking is definitely an option, especially if you don’t mind riding in wet conditions (When I worked downtown, I commuted from Ballard via bike for over a year). As far as neighborhoods go, you’ll almost definitely want to find a neighborhood in north Seattle if you do plan on biking into campus every day. Although thanks to the Burke-Gilman Trail, you can have a relatively easy ride into the campus from as far away as Bothell.
Lots of students rent on the Linden side of Green Lake. Prices are about the same as Bothell, and it’s not nearly as far. I don’t think outside of the City is a good or needed option. I’d look for a share house closer to the U. or a one bedroom apartment depending on cost considerations.
Dom,
You said “for university”. Our responses assume you mean the Univerisity of Washington. If that is not correct, let us know which College or University you are referring to.
Hi everyone! I have a couple questions. I’m a born and raised orange county california girl. I’m 23. Waitress. I hate california. The shallow people. The sun. I’m considering making a huge change in my life next year. I am pretty set on moving to seattle. I visited for my first time last november with my boyfriend. I fell in love with it. Its strange but ever since I was a child I have had dreams about seattle and have wanted to go there. And now I want to move there. It has been on my mind non stop since I visited. My boyfriend of 3 years will never leave cali and I know this. My familly whom I am very close with is also 10 mins from me in cali. If I do this it is truly on my own. I have already started saving money. I’m a bit torn though. All alone. Studio apartment. New job. No friends. No family. I have wanted this for so long it is a dream. I would soooo LOVE any comments advice or suggestions. Please! A bit of insight on who I am is that I have loved cold rainy overcast weather and hated the sun always. I am content with being alone. I’m an only child and have always been a bit introverted but I love having a good time. I do a tiny bit of modeling. I am scared about finding a good job. Thanks for reading this! Again I hope I can get some good feedback.
great site!
Brittany, get a room in a place with a couple of other people, but make sure they have their own friends. You’ll have the occasional company, but you won’t have to invite them out every time you leave the house. You’ll find houses and apartments filled with fun people with their own friends anywhere between the University District and Beacon Hill – just look on Craigslist. You’ll also find other people like yourself in those areas.
I moved here a year ago from Atlanta and boy do I regret it. The Seattle Freeze is a very real phenomenon. This city has the most unfriendly people I have ever encountered and I have lived in six states and three countries. People go out of their way to make sure that you feel unwelcome. You say “Hi” to someone and they completely ignore you – that has never happened to me in my life before- here it’s a regular occurrence. It’s the weirdest thing I have ever experienced. I have never had to try to make friends before – here I try and try and try. I have given up – something else I never do but it’s just too hard. I am leaving next month and it’s really a shame. I love the clean air and beautiful scenery but I think I’d kill myself if I had to go on living like this.
Dom – Consider Capital Hill if you’ll be biking around and going to the U. Close to downtown as well, and plenty of hustle and bustle. Metro buses have bike racks as well, for when you don’t feel like riding the whole way.
d- I assume you’re just a normal guy or gal not giving off a freaky vibe, so I have to wonder where you’re hanging out that people totally ignore you. Plus, it seems like more and more the people I meet are not natives, so you must be getting frozen out by other transplantees. Us natives are pretty darn friendly! Good luck…
I really am a normal gal. No freaky vibe here that I am aware of although, the reaction I get from people here has made me wonder if I have developed some sort of horrific smell that I am unaware of….
The first time I said “Hi” and was ignored was my very first night in Seattle. I was moving into my apartment and said “Hi” to a neighbor – he walked right by, head down. I thought he was deaf.
I think I am just a little too friendly for the people here. They seems scared when I say “Hi”. I met a guy from England that told me he was having the same problem, felt like he was scaring people by saying “Hi”.
I live in Capitol Hill – probably not the best spot for a single woman but it’s close to downtown. Anyway, I have tried everything, joined groups, started a group, classes, even got desperate enough to try online. Nadda. I know three other people that moved here at the same time I did – they have all moved away because of it. I just don’t get it. Life is too short to live like this. It makes me sad for the people here. This s such a beautiful city with so much to offer but the attitude of the people just ruins it.
I think if you are really introverted and shy or hate people, this city will probably be a good fit but it you are friendly and outgoing – watch out.
Ah – too bad. If you were staying, I’d have invited you to Stitch n Bitch at a bar on Capital Hill…full of friendly folks.
d,
You just have to remind em of it,and sit back and watch the fun.They are usually the shallowist+most insecure,and most entertaining.You have to keep laughing.If you are young,thing to do is hit some neighborhood bars.You are female,sit down and talk to the female bartender,even if you dont drink.When she gets busy,you will find yourself talking to someone.Get to know the real locals.One of my hobbies back in the days was bouncing in bars,and it was how I met a lot of people.Just walking up to someone and starting a conversation is kind of a lost art.I always say,Bikers or Bank Presidents,everyone likes to talk about their favotite thing,themselves.You would be amazed at how even a beligerent over drinker can be disarmed by asking them about their favorite drink,or whatever.Just my two cents,but given that angle,everywhere is the same.I’ll hang up and listen…. 
Places like Seattle are filled w/people who think they are really special.Its like somewhere like Indy,its funny really.Some of those hoosiers act like they live in LA.Sometimes they forget they are surrounded by a huge cornfield.
I’ve already met some very nice people online. Its amazing what a great response I got just by reaching out a bit to complete strangers! My trip to visit is set for november and I am so excited! Time to job hunt and apartment hunt! I hope I love it as much as I did last november! One question though. This is going to sound strage I’m sure but last year when I took my first trip there I stayed in hotels and took cabs everywhere and I don’t know what it was but I got this scary erie feeling from the people and the downtown area in general. Weird? Anyone else feel this way?
Adrianna – thanks, wish I’d met ya sooner
R Duke – thanks but I did that. Planned a group outing to Amber, all six people I invited stood me up, first time in my life I have ever been stood up! I did meet two very nice guys that night who invited me to sit with them and we chatted a bit. They told me to move that all of their single women friends complained of the same thing. One of the guys was from Seattle but he had traveled so knew how to be friendly. The other guy was from out of to CA, I think. Another time I did meet a couple of very nice bartenders, one on 15th and another at a downtown steakhouse (he is from FL, hates it here can’t wait to move).
Brittany – It’s the evil eye – they don’t want you here – don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
All – am too negative to keep posting, I am getting on my own nerves. I have given up and that’s that, off to warmer, friendlier climes… Wish I had a better attitude but the Seattlites have beaten it out of me. Good luck to you all.
Hello Seattle lovers,
I’m from the REAL northern CA (Humboldt County, near Redwood National park) and I’m currently living in Memphis, after a 2 year stint in Indiana. I have always dreamed of living in Seattle and hope to move there for an internship I really want in a couple of years. Anyways, I will be having my first real job (doing my PhD right now).
I am trying to research different Seattle neighborhoods, but am having a hard time. I want great views, a good neighborhood to dog walk, trees, and I love charm. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi Linda,
Most of the neighborhoods close into Seattle (Capitol Hill, Eastlake, Wallingford, Fremont, Queen Anne) have great views, are nice to walk around with a dog, have charm and trees. On the right side of the panel are links to some neighborhood blogs that you might find interesting to dig into.
Other great neighborhoods to look at would be Ballard, Green Lake, West Seattle, and Madison Valley. Have fun checking them out Linda!
I think there will be more and more blogs in the next few years to help you with your research. I would also suggest that you come and spend a few days to experience in person the places that you read about in the next year or so to get a better idea of the different nieghborhoods, and narrow your focus. The hard part may be having to choose!
yikes..I am looking to move to seattle from chicago. originally from FL. I think it should be cool to be near water…evergreen trees, ocean…from what i gather it is a great city. til i read all these posts..
are people there really cold…? just mean? what is up with that?
chicago is cool…just ready for something new.
by the way? what is bellevue like? thanks for any response.
will be coming out in november to check it out for a few days before accepting the position.
cheers.
andy
Andy,Hey man,as for leaving Chicago,its like me right now,anybody but the Yankees.I havent been out west for years,but if I were you,I would go to UL(upper left)in a heartbeat,instead of stayin in Chi town.As for Cub fans,face it,its never gonna happen
When you get to Wash.,you wont believe how nice it is out there.I used to run a big rig all over Country,up to Chi. every night for almost a year,that place is a mess.Dont look in the rearview mirror,the play is in front of you.Go West,keep our friends here working 
Hi Andy,
The “Seattle Freeze”…some people seem to run up against it, and others don’t, depends on the person. Whether not you experience it or not will depend on how outgoing you are and probably what your interests are.
Not sure if Bellevue is that much different from Seattle, but the streets are generally better!
thanks for the posts…I really look forward to coming out to check it out!
Hi,
I am currently a 26 year old Los Angelino (LA GUY) and i will be moving to the Seattle area in November! I am half excited and half worried since I don’t really have a job lined up but I do have alot of work experience and I am not really afraid to try something new! Anyway, my real reason for moving is because my best friend and I are going to start a videography/editing company.
I know others are worried about Seattle people being cold or whatevernot but try living in LA and you’ll definately know what “cold” is…it’s more like “shady” and “plastic”. I enjoy rain and gloom..but I’m not a gloomy guy. I’ve met lots of great people in Seattle, and I find them very friendly. The air quality and cost of living are great too..compared to this toilet bowl in LA.
Anyway, I’m excited. It’s a new change for me and I just wanted to let all the strangers / soon-to-be new neighbors know that I’m bringin’ a lil bit o’ sunshine into Seattle. Oh, and I love coffee.
When people ask me “You live here in Seattle, huh? What’s the deal with the rain?”
I tell them the truth.
“It only rains when people are visiting from out of town.”
(Now, that doesn’t mean that “if people are visiting from out of town, it rains”–because lots of people visit during our often amazingly dry summers here…but let them figure that out.)
The bigger point is that joke is an attempt at self-limiting…which, honestly, I think all of the hullabaloo about the so-called Seattle Chill/Seattle Ice/Seattle Freeze is…
Look at these blog comments. People don’t know why they want to move to Seattle–they just do… They’ve heard about it, they’ve dreamed about it…they want to move to Seattle and take advantage of all of the wonderful things that the people who already live here enjoy.
To those of us already here…that means more traffic, higher prices, more people in front of us in line, crowded entertainment venues…
Seemingly, everyone who successfully moves to Seattle wants to close and lock the door behind them…and turn off the “vacancy” sign.
If you can afford it, this area truly allows most people the chance to do whatever it is they may want to do…and to do so with less stress than other areas that offer the same opportunity. If you’re doing what you love to do, you’ll meet people that are interested in doing that, too…and, if they accept the fact that you’re not here to stop them from doing what they love to do…they’ll get to know you…and they’ll introduce you to people they know…and you can cultivate a group of people that you can, from time to time, do things with…
On the other hand, if you move to Seattle and need to be surrounded by people cheering on your every move (moves they themselves made years ago)…and if you expect to fall into a group of tight friends who can’t wait to spend every free moment with you…well, gosh, it’s rainy all the time here, isn’t it?
pg–moved here from Wisconsin in 1992…left the door open for you.–ballard
Nice explaination pg13! : -)
Hey guys, I (like nearly everyone else on this forum) is looking to move to Seattle. As of right now my move will probably take place in March. A lot of the questions I’ve had have already been asked and answered by other folks here which is fantastic. The one thing that I’m surprised no one else has suggested (or maybe I just missed it, if so my apologies) is putting a link to your favorite social networking site (facebook, myspace). I realize that they are incredibly lame but it would be a great way to get to know each other and maybe have a few friends to thaw that “Seattle freeze” that has been mentioned.
What do you think? Good idea, bad idea?
Well to start it off I’m at http://www.myspace.com/axlrosethedog I’d love to hear from any of you.
Great idea Shaun… I’ve almost stopped visiting my myspace page, but I’m pretty darn active on Facebook.
Hi Shawn,
Glad to hear you are getting a lot of info about Seattle!
My company blocks myspace so you are invisible to me unless I am at my home computer.
Dustin is definitly active on Facebook! Me, I have only just started on Facebook.
I have a Facebook account but I don’t use it as much but if that is what everyone else is on then I can work with that.
http://www.facebook.com/p/Shaun_Herskowitz/506783960
We just moved from Seattle to Hawaii to be close to family as all our family is in Hawaii.
Prior to moving, I knew I would miss Seattle.
If my family lived in Seattle I would have never moved. I actually already miss Seattle and it has been only 3 months.
Of course you can not compare Hawaii to the rest of the US because it is so different.
Seattle is so beautiful! The mountains, lakes, seasons- autumn is so pretty, tulips, islands, etc. It does rain a lot, but it doesn’t get super cold. The rain is a slow drizzle that you can still walk outside- and it is a bit cozy. Lots of nature things to do, hike, ski, boating, parks, etc. Very decent shopping too- Bellevue Mall, Downtown, Westfield (southcenter mall). You can drive to Vancouver, BC, oregon, even to CA.
We lived in Gregory Heights/Seahurst and this neighborhood was great, reasonable priced for King County! It was so close in proximity to a lot of places- downtown seattle, bellevue, airport, north seattle, and the schools in this neighborhood were brand new (elementary). Our neighbors were friendly, but not too nosy. We kind of kept to ourself. It is definitely a walking neighborhood- everyone was always out walking, jogging, gardening. Great neighborhood if you have kids. There are so many nice neighborhoods though: Kirkland, Juanita, Bellevue, Ballard, Queen Anne, West Seattle, Alki, Ravena, Green Lake, Madison, Lechi, U-district, Sandpoint, Magnolia, Normandy Park.
I don’t believe in the Seattle Freeze. Being here in Hawaii, you would think that people were friendly, but I find people in Seattle were friendlier and more likely to say “Hi”. We are Asian and did live in a neighborhood with mostly Caucasian people- did not bother me at all. But I do agree with the 90% good, 10% not-good, but I am sure this is everywhere. I have only lived in Honolulu & Seattle, and can not compare with other places.
Obviously, I am missing Seattle.
Hi Mon,
Sorry to hear you are missing Seattle. Your memories of Seattle and Washington are lovely, and it’s very nice of you to post here to let possible newcomers know of your experience.
I hope you stop by RCG to get your Seattle “fix” when you are thinking of Seattle. Be sure to check out the neighbrohood blogs (Mine too) that Dustin has linked, when you need a virtual visit! Tell us more about what you remember and enjoyed about Seattle, I’d like to hear.
What’s the best area for a single 30 something professional to live?
Hi Sarah,
How close do you want/need to be from where you’ll be working?
Hi all! My boyfriend and I (both in our mid-20s) are looking to move to the Seattle area. We just spent the last week driving from Spokane up through Seattle and spent several nights at the South Bay B&B near Lake Whatcom. We drove up through to Deception Pass and then up to Fairhaven and LOVED it!!
We are both in PhD programs for Biochemistry, so we would likely be looking for jobs in the Pharmaceutical industry.
We adore the outdoors and would be looking to find a place that was close enough to work in the city proper, but live in a more rural area.
Any recommendations?? Thanks so much!
Hi Rachel, I think a lot of the Pharmaceutical companies are nearer to Downtown so you would have a commute to a rual home.
If having a Ferry ride as part of your commute and being close to the Sound are important, then you might think of Bainbridge Island. If hiking in the mountains is important, then Woodinville, Redmond, Issaquah have rural areas in the eastern parts of their cities, and are close to the Cascades.
Actually there are a lot of homes in the outlying rural areas to choose from, so have fun exploring them!
One day trip I enjoy is going up to Mt Baker for a day of Alpine joy, you will have to try that sometime!
Hi Jilliayne,
I’m freelance, so it doesn’t really matter. I guess I would prefer to be closer to the city because I do need to go to clients who most likely will be there.
Hi Sarah,
Dustin has put some neighborhood links up there on the right hand sidebar. I’d check out Ballard, Freemont, Capital Hill, Kirkland, and a neighborhood that’s not up there is Phinney Ridge/Greenlake.
All these are not IN downtown Seattle but near downtown with the exception of Kirkland which is on the eastside of Lake Washington.