Possible Move to Snohomish County (Seattle, Everett: apartments, for rent, insurance)

[AirTrev]

Hello all,

I currently live in Utah and I have a potential job offer after I graduate, with Boeing in either Everett or Renton (but most likely Everett). We were just up there a couple weeks ago and loved the area. It was such a drastic difference from the desert of Utah. We got a good taste of the traffic too. Our hotel was in Renton, and we were stuck in dwn town Seattle at rush hour on one day. I currently have a 35-40 min commute depending on the season, but that is usually without any traffic.
We have 3 kids all under 5 so we need at least 3 bedrooms. My biggest concern is will we really be able to afford it. I have been told that my salary would be around $40,000 with more given for work exp. and a higher gpa. Would this be enough to support my family? I make less than that now and my wife doesn't work, but things are cheaper down here. I have noticed that we probably wouldn't be able to find many places for under $900 for the size we want, but it would be nice. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

[mayfair]

Are you looking for an appt. or a house under $900? That will be tough.

[gallo]

No. You, your wife, and 3 kids will not be able to survive on that amount of income anywhere in the metro Seattle area. It would be beyond impossible.

[secret_squirrel]

If you work for Boeing in Everett, look north to Marysville, Arlington, Stanwood. You might be able to get a 3 bedroom duplex for around $950/mo rent. But most places that size rent for around $1250.

I was a single mom of 2 and made about that much. We got by ok, but it will be tight. Groceries cost more here than in the south, too (from what I've heard).

[J99skybird]

It will be tight, but you can find 3 bedroom apartments in the $900 price range in Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, and Arlington. Check out Rent.com to get a better idea.

I don't know what things like groceries cost in Utah, but I can say they are more expensive here than on the east coast which is where we moved from. (Yet housing is more affordable... we were living in a tiny one bedroom and paying $1500 a month back in the NoVA suburbs of DC.)

[AirTrev]

Thanks for the comments. We knew it would be really tight, but with higher pay and insurance that wont cost us extra money, we should have at least $1000 to use just for rent.