Moving to Seattle and needing some help.

[Xanathos]

I wasn't getting on you for not working - that's your business. I simply wanted to succinctly state to you the reality of your situation, because I have found that oftentimes, people tend to not break their situation down into its most basic terms, which oftentimes looks different when summarized. It is not going to be an easy situation for you and your family. I wanted to break it down into simple bullet points so you could see just *how much* you are asking for compared to what your situation can allow. Can't help on the mold thing. Have you looked into ASICS treatment? New or old doesn't really matter, if there's gonna be mold, there's gonna be mold up here.

My point was, EVERYBODY that comes here wants to live somewhere safe in a nice place that's close to town and that's brand new and affordable and etc. etc. etc. It's just not realistic to expect that on a military salary, especially given that this is one of the most expensive places in America to live (and as a former Del Mar resident, I can say that this town is more expensive).

[CarawayDJ]

The military provides a housing allowance and it's actually pretty good when you are stationed in expensive areas. The 2010 average for Seattle is around $1,500/mo. http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/pdc...AH%20Rates.pdf

I applaud you for trying to stay home with the baby. That's what my wife did too. Not everyone can afford to do it though.

[SeattleBoy98121]

West Seattle would be your best choice. The Alki Beach neighborhood could work good for you.

[Waianaegirl]

Originally Posted by SeattleBoy98121

West Seattle would be your best choice. The Alki Beach neighborhood could work good for you.

Alki is nice, but not cheap, neither is Queen Anne.
How about Des Moines? It is by the water, cheap and you can take the back way into Seattle. 45 mins at the most, if that. Low crime.
I also don't work. My hubby does, so we also live on a single income. So we are aware of all the cheap and not so cheap places to live, since we used to live near Alki and had to move when I lost my job, we checked out many places to live that we could afford. We both know the areas pretty well, and have family in the Seattle area too.

[Inkpoe]

Except, both W. Seattle and Queen Anne do have some affordable apts. They're not looking to buy a house.

OP hasn't given us her budget range, so we're tossing out ideas.

OP, since you're deathly allergic to mold, you're just going to have to bring in a specialist. Just because something is new doesn't guarantee that it won't have mold. There have been stories about brand new homes having mold due to bad "quality" construction. If DH is willing to drive up to 45 mins, then that covers a much broader area. I personally would suggest looking south of Seattle (which will be cheaper) or East along i90 (which will be much more expensive, but comes with very minute crime). North of Seattle might soon become too much of a hassle to drive, given the viaduct issue.

[TotalFat]

Here are some fun tools for commute times:
WSDOT - Seattle Area Travel Times
WSDOT - 95% Reliable Travel Times

Surely there must be some way to test a place for mold besides just moving in and crossing your fingers? Good luck with the move!