Young couple wanting to move to Seattle in a few years (Bellevue: rent, neighborhoods)

[Arkanjelu]

Greetings,

Me and my g/f are wanting to move to Seattle after we both graduate college. I have about a year left to go and she has about 2 or 3. We are planning on getting married soon after we purchase a house/move after we have our college diplomas. I am getting my Bachelor's Degree in International Relations while she is getting it in Engineering (going to focus on Mechanical). We are actually both hoping to get our Master's. I am thinking about getting it in Anthropology (since I have a couple of years to kill before she gets her degree) and she wants to do a special program where she gets her Master's in 1 year after getting her Bachelor's. All that being said, we can still assume that we will have our Bachelor's by the time we decide to move. We are from Miami, I am of Spanish (particularly Basque!) and Cuban descent and she is Cuban-Puerto Rican. We want to get the hell out of this city!

All that being said, would it be difficult to find jobs in our fields in Seattle? This is keeping in mind that we are both considered "Hispanic" and she is a female (engineering industry seems to have low numbers of Hispanics and females so her having both is a definite plus). Also, "International Relations" can qualify me for a variety of jobs so who knows.

We are a more relaxed young couple, not interested in the clubbing scene and are more interested in the hanging out/cafe/walks in the park vibe. We are also very big fans of soccer so if and when we do move, we will definitely try to get our hands on a pair of Seattle Sounders FC tickets!

I love big cities and have visited Seattle once, but only really visited downtown. I don't know how many of you know about Miami's layout, but despite being a "big city" you have to drive to get everywhere. We will have cars and (assuming) a good income. We would like areas that are close together (like you can walk to cafes, restaurants, stores, parks, etc) and areas that have a yuppie vibe. So a decent area that is very safe, some beauty, and like-minded people. Any suggestions?

Thank you all in advance!

[eskercurve]

Seattle has you covered in spades. Mechanical engineers are needed by Boeing especially, and among the suppliers in the region like Raisbeck engineering. Seattle firms are also working with firms developing light rail trains and I do know that WADOT will need some people because of the infrastructure programs right now.

So your gf should be covered.

You should be covered too, a lot of consulates are here and there's firms who do plenty of business. You could also probably do some trail-blazing and try to find firms who want to build here - Hispanics are the fastest-growing group in Seattle right now. There are numerous discos down south (and relying on my rusty Spanish, free cover charge!), and there's lots of folks who are working hard trying to make a living. There's also a large number of hispanic engineers at Boeing that i know of.

In terms of neighborhoods, it sort of depends on your personality and where you work. Judging from your personalities, I'd say either Ballard or Wallingford are good fits. Green Lake too. Don't do the U district and not Capitol Hill (though, CH is doable if you live away from Broadway, more like 15th St. is MUCH nicer IMHO).

DO rent first for a year though. I say this for both a) caution (3 years is a long time and I know you two love each other now ... ), and b) Seattle is a very diverse city, not ethnically (technically speaking it's still a very white city), but from its feel and things to do. Renting first will allow you to move where you want after exploring the city, and the suburbs, and you will get an idea of how long it will take to commute to work. Good luck!

[Hemlock140]

I agree that you could both find work here, my son-in-law got a job with Boeing right out of college but he had dual degrees in Mechanical engineering and Business. also, starting pay is based on your GPA so tell her to get good grades. Unfortunately international relations will be harder, where I work that whole group was laid off as non-critical when budget problems required cutbacks. Maybe some of the high techs like Microsoft and Amazon based here are looking for your help expanding to other countries.

I personally would suggest looking at Ballard, Greenlake and Queen Anne areas, also West Seattle. Wait and see where the jobs are, though, you can get around Seattle by bus but it does add a lot of time to the commute.

[tobester]

Three years left for an engineering degree is a long time and a lot of work. Keep working hard and the jobs will be there, wherever you decide to move.

[tandasullivan]

Mechanical engineering will be a good ticket up here. Lots of folks moving in and high-tech is booming right now. Boeing will put you in Renton primarily which is fine but not as trendy as Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland or Redmond. So - get the jobs first and then identify your potential commute bottlenecks and then set a living area. Good luck!

[eskercurve]

tandasullivan, Boeing also has a large presence in Everett. In fact, much bigger, and growing, since they just moved 800 positions from Renton to Everett.

... which explains why it's harder to find parking these days ... *grumble* oh well, the 20 min walk is good for you

And I didn't connect the dots either on the 3 years left ... that's a LOT of time. Many folks I know dropped out after their second years. Heck, I knew a couple who stopped in their senior year! But good luck! Pursue your passion.