Thinking of Moving to Seattle

Updated on July 02, 2009
J.S. asks from Knoxville, TN
12 answers

Hi moms,

We live in Florida and me and my husband has been wanting to move to the NW for a while now. Just have to find a job first. I know it's very different from living here in Florida. We have a 3 year old son and a an 18 month old daughter. I hear that schools are great over there. I know the cost of living there is higher than here. What price can we expect to pay for a 3 bedroom apartment? And in what area should we look in? It doesn't have to be in Seattle, outside of it is fine. We look forward to doing alot of outdoor adventures with our kids as they grow up there. I know Vancouver is only 2 hours away and it's beautiful! My husband says it doesn't snow in the Seattle area because of it's topography. Is that true? Thanks!

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J.C.

answers from Seattle on

Oh, Seattle is fantastic--- I grew up in Albany, Oregon- ( HOT in the summer - though very different from Floriday) Yes, the schools here are great --- including the vast majority of the suburbs and surrounding areas ( Many people. including me - have a real concern about the Seattle Public Schools- but the cost of living is higher in the city, itself- so living in a suburban area such as Kent, Federal Way, ( to the south) or Issaquah, Bellevue, Lake Washington and Northshore ( to the east) or Lake Stevens, Edmonds, Mukilteo or Everett to the North -- are great areas. I retired from Northshore School District two years ago - and it's great- but not the only great district--- I have grandsons in the Kent school district and the Edmonds school district- and they are both getting great school experiences. ( not perfect, mind you--but great-- all schools require parents to be vigilent and vocal if there is a problem) ---

There is no more beautiful and comparitively mild area - no poisenous bugs, snakes - alligators --- nature is comparitively kind here- However-- there are exceptional winters when we have snow--- less than half the time- but there is ususally one snow day when kids are home from school ( not because we have a blizzard- it might only be a few inches- but the drivers here are not accustomed to it- so schools may be closed -) --

No matter what you like to do outside--- ski, hike, snowboard,camp, water rafting--- there are wonderful opportunities; parks, lakes, rivers -- it's incredible. I've lived here for 36 years and would never move.

Blessings,
J. - aka - Old Mom

2 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

J. - Lots of questions!! As the previous poster said we did get quite a bit of snow last winter (we also got about 2 feet!) and the year before that I was stuck for 6 hours in the snow. Very unusual for us, but maybe a new trend is starting...god, I hope not.
It rains a lot here, BUT, I will say that THIS year has not been so bad! Florida heat is very different than NW heat, you are SOOOO humid, it is kind of a dry heat out here.
Rent is pretty crazy in this area. If you live in the city (Seattle) you can expect to pay around $2,000-$2,500 a month for a three bedroom apt. If you live across the bridge in the "eastside" I would still say that you will be looking at about $1500. I live in the north end (Bothell) and we pay $1,400 for a 1,000 square foot house! Our schools are actually pretty great, the Northshore school district is the best in the state.
Vancouver is about 3-4 hours away, depending on how you drive, and how nice the border agents are.
The largest difference for ME, moving up from Southern California 20 years ago, was that there is not a beach to swim in. Florida has some beautiful beaches, lovely sand, hot weather. Seattle has some FREEZING lakes, rock beaches and rare hot days (this week is going to be gorgeous, 75-85, which for us is tank top and short weather!). I remember being so sad when I got asked to go to the beach and ended up at a lake. The coast is beautiful here, but you will NOT want to swim in the water, I swear you could get hypothermia :)
Make sure that you do not move until you have a secure job though!
L.

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W.C.

answers from Seattle on

Well, it snows rarely, but when it does, people don't know how to drive in it, so stay home. Sometimes an inch, sometimes 10 inches. But just stay home. I have lived here all my life--60 years and can tell you that many years we have just a cold wet year, sometimes a dusting, and sometimes a very cold, freezing and snowing year. Each year is different--take it from a native.

Try to live just outside of Seattle, and investigate the various school districts before you buy a house--some are good and some are not. The people are friendly to those they know, but helpful to those in need. Lots of groups to join.

It is neither too hot or too cold. If it get above 85 we melt, the webbing in our toes dries out. If it gets below 28 we start to freeze, the webbing starts to shatters.

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S.W.

answers from Seattle on

First of all, it does snow in Seattle. It doesn't usually snow very much or last very long, but it does snow. We actually had record snow this last winter that paralyzed the city for two weeks right before Christmas. that being said, it's a beautiful place to live. We have everything. We have water, mountains, forests, dessert near by. i think the schools being great depends on where you live. We live in the city and some schools are good and others are not. we are sending our kids to private school.You should come visit and then make a decision. good luck!

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L.A.

answers from Seattle on

It does snow in Seattle - the major problem with it is the area is not equipped to handle it - if it snow during rush hour you're lucky to even get home - will double if not triple your commute time - the natives panic at the first drop so snow.

I live in the city of Seattle - my advice would be to live with as easy as a commute as possible to your job - the commutes here are a little tiresome - there are two bridges that go over the lake - and always a bottle neck.

So stick near a good arterial or public transit hub - commuter rail - and you'll do fine. If your job is on the Eastside by all means live over there. There is a lot of commuting from Seattle to the Eastside - they are even working on a commuter rail for it - but don't expect to see it soon.
Having grown up in the not the best of public school - as far as schools go - Seattle is one messed up school district - they have the weirdist policies and wait lists and reference schools and the likes. That being said - we intend to stay in the city and work with it rather than moving on the Eastside - but I'm so not an Eastside girl. My general impression is there is a lot more keeping up with the Joneses and since we can't we'll stick in the city.

The excellent thing about the topography of Seattle is there are no "bad" neighborhoods - because your view changes so there are lots of pockets of good and bad throughout.

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K.C.

answers from Seattle on

Hi J.,

My husband, daughter and I moved to the Seattle area just over a year ago from Ohio. You've gotten some great advice from other Mamas so far.

I'm still in "sticker shock" with the general cost of living out here. It's a little odd to get used to. There is no state or city level income tax. Instead, we have a very high sales tax (9.5% where we live), and businesses are taxes as well. It definitely means that my grocery bills went up. That said, utilities (power and water) run us less than they ever did in Ohio. I attribute it to the generally milder temperatures.

Daylight hours were another big shock to me. In the summer, official sunrise is around 5:15am, and sunset is after 9pm. But dawn to dusk, daylight lasts from about 4:30 to almost 10. On the other hand, we pay for it in the winter. The doesn't rise until around 8am and sets by 5. But the constantly overcast skies make those times feel much shorter.

Rain? Very little in the summer. And I could count the number of thunderclaps we've heard in the past year on one hand. Thunder is a topic worthy of discussion at hubby's office. Lots of on-again-off-again drizzle and showers during the winter. Weather patterns seem to get stuck for weeks (unlike in Ohio) with a few days of indecision in between.

Snow? That's already been answered well. I'd like to add that weather reports mention snow in terms of elevation. How high do you have to go for it to fall? Most of the winter, people go to the snow rather than the other way around.

The people? I've noticed that people are very polite. Polite. Not necessarily welcoming. I've found lots of good small talk, but no one who'd invite me to Thanksgiving dinner if I didn't have a place to go (if you catch my drift). Finding a good church or moms' group will be essential for you, especially since your kiddos aren't in school yet. There's also a LOT of ethnic diversity in the area where we live. There are Indian, East Asian, Native American, Eastern European, Hispanic...And those are just some of the ethnic groups I noticed at the park today with my daughter.

Outdoor activities? Wow. On the Eastside, there seems to be a park area every half mile or so. The playgrounds are clean and well maintained. There is a stretch of about 30 miles of I-90 from Puget Sound to the Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains. There are children's museums, concerts and all kinds of activities within a short drive. Check out http://www.rubyslipperguide.com/home/Home/tabid/36/Defaul... for family oriented activities on the Eastside. Oh-and in Woodinville, WA, there are wineries and breweries grouped together for the grown ups.

I agree with trying to live close to work. Traffic isn't bad (I consider Chicago to be bad.) during the day, but commute times can be a bear, especially crossing Lake Washington. I would expect to double the time for a highway drive during evening rush hours.

Housing? When we were looking for a rental house, we noticed that living a little farther from the city centers was less expensive. Hubby's employer hooked us up with a service called "Apartment Insider" to help us find a rental. I will say that the experience wasn't the greatest, but they were able to give us some good information about different rental options. You didn't mention pets, but finding pet-friendly rentals can be a bit of a challenge, something I find odd, since people here take their dogs EVERYWHERE!

Best of luck!

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Z.A.

answers from Seattle on

<laughing> Just watch...we're ALL going to hit the snow question first.

It doesn't really snow here. A light dusting (half an inch to an inch) for a day or two is the norm...we had 18 inches for a whole week this winter!!! Yay. Regardless though, the city shuts down when it snows...too many hills...the cars can't get up and down them. We have two mountain passes half an hour to an hour away (Steven's & Snoqualamie)for skiing/snowboarding...and literally dozens of other places to hit the slopes (Whistler being the most popular, but SunPeaks is better for families).

Having moved here from Pensacola (actually I came to visit family and have been officially "stuck" here now for 8 years), I have to warn you the weather is bizarre. (Ohhhhh...I'm so going to get slammed for that remark...but it's true). The temp bounces ALL OVER THE PLACE. It can literally be 65, 79, 57, 84, 92, 65...all in one week. There's no gradual climb up or down, the temp just slams into you, so it usually feels hotter or colder than it actually is because your body hasn't been given a chance to aclimate. Most of the year though, it's in the 40's-70's. Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall...40's-70's. It will dip for a week or two in the winter below freezing, and ditto for the summer it will climb into the 80's and MAYBE low 90's for a couple weeks. The topography just doesn't allow for long stretches of good weather OR cold weather. My first year back "home", though, I never put on a pair of shorts. Brrrrr.

To continue on the weather bent for just a second...it nearly never rains here, ahem, as you would think of rain. It's overcast from september to may, and very very DAMP nearly all of the time...but not actual rain very often. Instead it's drizzles, showers, mist, and more drizzles. You'll very very rarely see an umbrella in seattle. Most of us don't even own one. Half the time the water's blowing sideways anyway. A gortex jacket though, is invaluable.

Schools are okay. 'Fairly mediocre but not bad' is the standard throughout the region. People who have never left western washington think they're fantastic. As someone else said, Seattle Schools have a lottery system that makes them fairly ridiculous, although it is POSSIBLE (just not guaranteed) that you can go to your neighborhood school. Northshore has the best reputation (deserved), Bellevue & Seattle run a fairly close second. Shoreline school district is better to avoid (but, it's still not "bad", just on the very lower range of mediocre...their highschool curriculum in upper elementary/middle school curriculum anywhere else in the country...as far as college entrance they're in the bottom 1/5th...so a 4.0 is equal to a 3.0 at a higher ranked school, and a 2.7 for schools in the highest rank. The other districts usually fall in the 3rd -middle- ranking). There are some fantastic private schools (aren't there always?), all have scholarships, some have sliding scale.

Nearly every school is "safe", as are most neighborhoods. A few in South Seattle/White Center aren't...but we have nearly ZERO gang activity in this city and if you're from anywhere in FL that does...you'll see what I mean. A white chick can walk alone in the middle of the night through any neighborhood and be fine, which says a lot. There are some wannabe asian gangbangers...but they don't amount to much of anything...especially not if you're used to the real thing.

3 bedroom apartments are another RARE thing in this area. (Lord knows why). Actually, so are 3 bedroom houses. Most houses in Seattle at least started off as 2bedroom 1bath bungalows, and many of those have stayed that way, so maybe that's why...but still...it baffles me. 3 bedroom apts DO exist (nearly every complex has a couple), but they're pricey. A 2 bedroom 2 bath easily runs over 1000 anywhere in the city (Seattle, bellevue/eastside, northend, southend), and quite frankly 2 bedroom 1 bath student family housing (subsidized through the UW) is 1400 for 700 square feet. Ugh. www.forrent.com is a pretty good judge of what you can get for what. It's usually less expensive to rent a house than it is to rent an apartment, if you're looking for anything above 1000' square feet. Expect 1500-2500 as the median whether you're looking at a house OR an apartment...although you can always find something for more or for less. Water tends to be about 50 bucks, garbage 50, electricity about 150. First, last, & a deposit of up to about 1000...are pretty typical.

A smattering of other daily prices...things that quite frankly still give ME stickershock: A 2litre of coke is 2 bucks, gas is about 3 bucks, non store brand bread is 4 bucks, 1/2 gallon of milk is 2-4, lunch meat is 8-10 p/lb, chicken 3.50lb, beef 7-10, fish 10-25. Pullups are about 20 dollars per package, and a big thing of laundry detergent is 16-20. If you smoke (the kiss of death in Seattle Middle Class -although common in both the upper class and lower class-) cigarettes are 7-8. Daycare starts off at about 10 dollars an hour. 1600 a month is what's the norm for infant care, ###-###-#### p/m for a child who's potty trained. ((Actually, most of the SAHMs I know stay at home because they can't afford the childcare to work))

Of course, along with higher rents & prices, income is usually a leeetle higher, but seattle duels with SF & NY as which city is the most overpriced for housing/living. Minimum wage is $8.55. So between 8.55-12.50 is the most common generally speaking for random job wages. Medical admin tends to be 2200 a month, nurses make 40-60k, doctors are always well paid ;), and firefighters start off at about 55k. Tech-wise; software developers/ designers/ architects /etc. make between 40k & 150k. Professors about 60k & Lawyers average 250 an hour....although you'll find some for as low as 150 and as high as 450 and up.

Area-wise, we all have our favorites :) "Seattle" is really a collection of about 100 different little towns, and especially for transplants includes a lot more then the city limits. General geography follows Lake Washington. You've got
- the Northend (around the north end of the lake...about half is not "technically" Seattle, but never-no-mind, it includes the University District/ Ravenna/ Freemont/ Wallingford/ Ballard/ Northgate/ LakeCity/ Shoreline/ Edmonds/ LakeForestPark/ Bothell/ Juanita).

- the Eastside (east of Lake Washington...including Kirkland/ Bellevue/ Redmond/ Issaquah/ Factoria/ & Mercer Island). None of the "eastside" is technically seattle, but realistically it's the same city. Bellevue has an entire highrise "downtown" though, so they get offended when they get lumped into seattle. Personally, I really like the eastside, even though I don't live there. It's generally clean and they have sidewalks.

- Central Seattle (downtown, madison, capitol hill, "pill hill" ((hospital district)), the central district, Queen Anne ((super posh)), Georgetown(("not just for hookers anymore")), & the warehouse/shipping/port district).

- South Seattle/Southend (really means south of the 190 bridge, which is one of 2 bridges crossing lake washington, this one empties out right by the sports arenas..., urban, the warehouse/shipping district, as well as Mt. Baker, Seward Park, Renton, & Boeing areas,)

- West Seattle (west of downtown seattle, it's nearly but not quite, an island...and includes West Seattle)

They ALL have SLIGHTLY different flavors, and we ALL get mighty particular about our favorites. Most of Seattle is suburbia sans cul-de-sacs...there's not a lot of actual difference in where we all live. It's mostly the water. There's SO MUCH of it (Lake Washington & the Puget Sound), that any "view" commands prices...so there isn't really one area that's posh...although there are a lot of areas that are poor...they're frequently sandwiched in between two posher or middle class areas.

Eastside is *regarded* as posh
The Southend is revitalizing
West Seattle is a combo of very posh/ & very poor
The Northend is artsy
Central Seattle is urban chic

www.lakere.com has my favorite housing/neighborhood maps (go to interactive search King/Sno county). And of course, mapquest has some great street views.

I realized I may have sounded kind of negative in some of this (the weather and I don't get along, but I love it here anyway)!

Good Luck, & Welcome!!

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M.L.

answers from Seattle on

It does snow here! He's a fibber! :) It doesn't snow a whole lot at a time and there's almost always less than 6 inches accumulation at a time, but it does snow. That's one of the reasons we have multiple ski areas relatively close to Seattle. :)

You didn't mention what you or your husband do, but that might help you determine where you live. If you're basing your decision on schools, I would aim for one of the cities that I-405 runs through or is east of 405. In general, the schools in those districts are better than Seattle. If you want a bigger city, Bellevue is a great option. Traffic can be pretty bad though. Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish and Issaquah are all great suburbs that are a nice size and have pretty easy access to outdoor activities. Really, most everywhere has easy access though. Newcastle (just south of Bellevue) is a tiny city, but is cheaper than the ones listed above and it still has good schools. Renton is even cheaper, but the schools aren't reliably good. If you really don't need to be in the metro area, there are a bunch of really nice cities in Snohomish county where there's also a lot of farmland and it would be much cheaper. They don't have the same ready access to "cultural events", but many of them are still within an hour or so of Seattle. Where you live will definately impact the price of an apartment, but if you look at http://www.archstoneapartments.com/, that should help you compare areas.

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M.S.

answers from Seattle on

Hi J.,

You've asked some great questions so far, some of which are a little difficult to answer.

As for snow, yes is does snow occaisonally here, just not every winter. In fact, this last winter we had a major snowstorm that lasted about two weeks and basically shut much of the Seattle area down (we got close to 2 feet at my house in the suburbs), but that's not the norm. You can usually count on a light dusting each year at the most. Mostly it rains though, to be honest.

About rental prices, it really depends on where you live. In Bellevue, where I live (east of Seattle) rent for 3 bedrooms could easily run several thousand dollars a month, where the cost of living is WAY higher than most of the city. Most of the eastside (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland) tends to be higher rent, but the schools tend to be better. If you go north of Seattle, like Shoreline, Bothell, and Lake Forest Park, the rents are lower and the schools may or may not be quite as good...I'm not as familiar with those schools.

As for Seattle, the rents again depend on where you live. It's really hit and miss, although downtown, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and Belltown can be pretty pricey. The school district uses a lottery system for school assignments (although I think that may be changing) so there is no guarantee that your kids will go to your neighborhood school. I'd suggest you stay away from the central district and the south end because of crime rates and gang issues, but that's just my recommendation.

I assume you mean Vancouver B.C. when you talk about Vancouver, as there is also a Vancouver, Washington, which is in south Washington, near Portland, Oregon. Vancouver, B.C. is very pretty, but keep in mind that the drive to Vancouver is more like 3 hours, and you have to factor in the border crossing!

Anyway, I hope this helps. I hope other posters can give you more advice and help. Hope your move here works out!

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J.W.

answers from Seattle on

J., don't let your husband 'snow' you, it does snow in Seattle, not as frequently as some 'northern' communities, but it does and when it does, traffic is bad because most municipalities are not prepared to handle the amount or the timing. With that sad, the Pacific NW is a great place to live. I don't know what industry your husband is interested in working in/for, but the job market is very limited at this time when it comes to family wage jobs. He should have secured a job before he moves across country.

Depending on where you want to live within the city of Seattle or outside of Seattle in one of the nearby suburbs or other city centers, prices for apartments can vary from as little as $1000 a month for the apartment you're looking for all the way to $2500 a month.. A rental home is another option and with your needs probably a little more available. Schools are great, but you need to remember that education is a collaborative effort, you need to be an active participant in your kids' education, get involved with the PTA, meet with the teachers, work with your kids at home, making time for homework and extra reading time.
Depending upon where you decide to live and then where your jobs are, transportation costs can be affordable or extremely expensive. Parking in downtown Seattle is very high. Public transit is an option, and I would recommend using it, no matter where you work or live. There are park and ride lots around the area as well as bus routes through many neighborhoods. See if your husband's new employer has a relocation service or can provide him/you with additional information about the area where they are located and what services they have (car/van pooling, childcare referrals, education assistance, etc.). I wish you well!!!

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S.S.

answers from Seattle on

Your husband obviously missed that news report about the two weeks of hell we had here over Christmas with all the snow and the airport being closed, etc! It does snow here - it doesn't always stick, but it snows here at least a half a dozen times a winter and at least three times a winter the roads are closed, etc.
For a three-bed apartment, it's about $2,200 on the Eastside (that's in any of the suburbs outside of Seattle on the east side of Lake Washington). Check out www.seattlepi.com for better price ideas and different areas. Not sure about the schools in Seattle, but I know the schools on the Eastside in King County are pretty good. What areas you should look in really depends on what jobs you get. If you get a job on the Eastside (like at Microsoft, for example), I would be looking over there. Not sure what you or your husband do for a living... Living downtown is nice, but if you have to cross the bridge every morning and evening (over Lake Washington), then you'll be faced with bad traffic jams. There are certainly a lot of great hiking areas and a lot of other great outdoors stuff here, though, and it's very kid-friendly. Lots going on... Anyway, good luck in your search!

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D.B.

answers from Seattle on

well first and foremost it does snow in Seattle we had 14 '' in my part of town which is so unlikely because its close to the water so you need to clarify that up . my suggestion to you is what I did when looking to move to Arizona find a real estate agent they will tell you areas in your price range , nearby schools parks, ect costs and job market

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