moving to Seattle area with $20,000 and no college degree (Everett: house, to buy)

[NorthwestRepublic]

Seattle sucks move to Alaska. The people are more friendly up here.

-seattlebasher extraordinaire from alaska

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by NorthwestRepublic

Seattle sucks move to Alaska. The people are more friendly up here.

-seattlebasher extraordinaire from alaska

Maybe if you weren't a Seattle and a transplant basher, people would be friendly.

[NorthwestRepublic]

i just invited a prospective transplant to alaska where I live. Doesn't sound like transplant bashing to me.

Now on that note i hate most californians and east coasters but who doesn't.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by NorthwestRepublic

i just invited a prospective transplant to alaska where I live. Doesn't sound like transplant bashing to me.

Hmm... I'm talking about the transplants here.

Originally Posted by NorthwestRepublic

Now on that note i hate most californians and east coasters but who doesn't.

I do not... and all the people I know (both transplants and natives) don't.

[Raziel]

Originally Posted by NorthwestRepublic

Seattle sucks move to Alaska. The people are more friendly up here.

-seattlebasher extraordinaire from alaska

There's nothing "extraordinaire" about your "bashing"

[Raziel]

Originally Posted by NorthwestRepublic

i just invited a prospective transplant to alaska where I live. Doesn't sound like transplant bashing to me.

Now on that note i hate most californians and east coasters but who doesn't.

Again, nothing of real value to offer in your post at least you're consistent.

[spurs]

Originally Posted by mrman78

I moved to Seattle a couple of weeks ago after years of planning and with about double what you have saved. I do have a college degree though. I'm thinking your job search will be limited without a college degree, but also I say do what you feel is in your heart. The job market and local economy is not in as bad shape as many other metro areas. Not to be cliche, but life is short and you don't want to waste it somewhere you don't want to be. People will always say it's a risk, etc., but many things in life are a risk and usually things work out. Remember, most successful people didn't get where they are today without taking risks. It's easy for others not in your situation to say you will burn through the cash quickly or it's a risky move, etc.

Honestly, Seattle is not as expensive as many people say. It all depends on how you handle money, the kind of lifestyle you live and what you consider expensive. I moved from Texas (which many consider cheap, but it really depends where you live in Texas).

The biggest things I've noticed that cost more up here are gas and housing. However, I actually spend LESS on gas overall as I can walk pretty much anywhere. Rent is technically more expensive for the size of what you get, but I feel it's a good trade off for living in the heart of the city and the surrounding scenery. For example, I had a 700 sq. ft. apartment in Uptown Houston and was paying $970 a month (including parking) but had to pay for WSG. Here I live in a 550 sq. ft. apartment on top of Queen Anne hill for $845 a month which includes parking AND WSG. It also has a rooftop deck with views of the city and sound. Granted the place in Houston was much newer, it was still 10 miles from downtown and I had to drive everywhere - even though I was techically in the 'heart' of the city. From my apartment in QA, I can walk 5 minutes and be in the heart of Queen Anne, Kerry Park lookout or the Olympics lookout on Highland Drive. I can walk to Seattle Center in about 20 minutes and downtown in about 30 minutes. I don't have to deal with paying for parking. If I don't feel like walking, the bus stop to downtown is literally outside my front door.

People say groceries are more expensive here, but I haven't really noticed that. If they are, they aren't THAT much more. Sales tax is about 1% higher here than Houston - no biggie. There is no state income tax here just like there isn't in Texas. Electricity is dirt cheap here. I mean really, really cheap. My first bill for a month was $13.92!! Renter's insurance is half what I was paying in Texas. Car insurance is about the same - I think mine went down about $10 for six months and I have a new car (2011). Eating out at restaurants is a little more expensive and I have noticed alcohol is also a bit higher. Really though, the only thing that is a lot more expensive here are houses. Property taxes are cheaper than in Texas though. If you aren't planning on buying a house, then I don't see a huge difference in every day expenses - even coming from what others consider a relatively 'cheap' part of the country.

Anyway, you get the point. 'Expensive' is all in where someone is coming from and how they spend their money. It also depends on if you are single or have a family. I could see how having a family would be more expensive here as you are more likely wanting to buy a house than rent, etc.

Well said mrman78! Your message is so precise! Some individual's living standards are so much different than others. I live in Texas and for the past 4 years I've been scouting Seattle, WA for a future move. After so much online research for many months...I decided to visit the city twice this year, as Joshua did around the city of Jericho:-), with the hope that within a few months I can make the trumpet shout sort of speaking:-) and move to Seattle. I have walked & biked from South Seattle all the way to Ballard, up and down each street; north, south, and east of 14th Street. [My toughest climb was around your neighborhood in Queen Anne where climbing those famous last steps around the antena tower to have that beautiful scenic view of Seattle almost gave me a heart attack:-] I have talked to city officials, realtors, planning commission, etc, just to get a feel of the RE market, taxes, and future development in the city. In one of my visit, I'd to challenge what many on this forum say about "seattle being expensive." I departed from TX with $125 in my pocket without any debit or credit cards. I was able to survive five days in Seattle with only $125 for food, lodging, and transportation (which included the $5.50 train fair from SeaTac) Now I am challenging anyone out there to attempt to do the same in any TX city!!!! I had a good time.

I'm like you. I will not be ashame to let friend & family know that I went from a 1,800 sf house in TX to a 540 sf condo or apartment in Seattle. I've narrow down the location where I intend to rent or buy and presently am considering to buy instead of renting near you. Once I move to Seattle, I will have saved $1,200/yr in gasoline, $1,100/yr in car maintance & insurance, and $$/yr in high TX utilities. Don't seem like much but it sends a clear message that your lifestyle, and having control of your finances, can get you to live anywhere.

Go Spurs

[NorthwestRepublic]

you're just bitter that you don't live in alaska and its completely understandable.

do your self a favor op don't move to seattle.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Superbear

Hi all, I'm a 27 year old male living in Salt Lake City,UT but would much rather live in the Seattle area. I have a decent gig working for the Postal Service but I'm not a career employee (which you have to be to get the sweet benefits or to transfer somewhere) and our plant is cutting hours due to low mail volume.

I know I could either stay here working in UT for the next few years, deal with the cut hours and then uproot when the plant closes or I could take advantage of my 20K saving and go now. I have a decent work history with customer service, data entry and delivery driving jobs. But I only have a high school diploma with some community college.
I'm single, with no wife or kids to support, and I dont spend money luxuriously. I think I should be fine, but greatly appreciate any advice or tips from the good people of city-data on affordable areas and any info on the job market.

There was a thread very similar to this a couple of days ago, so I'll give you the same advice I gave the other person.

Try the Univ. of WA employment office. They have their own postal service, they hire separately from the USPS. They also have gardener jobs, a wide variety of jobs. Working at the U is nice. Also try Seattle University, as well as the USPS in that area. (Working at the U is MUCH mellower than the fed postal service! It's like working in a park all day, every day.)

Rents are cheaper in the towns just north of Seattle; Everett, Lynwood, etc., and in my experience people are friendlier. You can get a 1-bedroom for $550-$650. There's light rail transport that takes you into Seattle, right to the university, in fact.

Good luck. I don't blame you for wanting to get out of Utah.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Rents are cheaper in the towns just north of Seattle; Everett, Lynwood, etc., and in my experience people are friendlier. You can get a 1-bedroom for $550-$650. There's light rail transport that takes you into Seattle, right to the university, in fact.

Good luck. I don't blame you for wanting to get out of Utah.

North Seattle doesn't have any Light rail transport at all. In fact, they won't for many and many years (we're speaking over a decade). Right now we have light rail from the airport to Downtown Seattle. In a couple years, the Capitol Hill Station will open, then the University link. But what North Seattle does have is the heavy rail Sounder commuter train but it serves Everett, Mukilteo and Edmonds-- so it would require some transport to those stations.

Rents are also cheaper in towns just south of Seattle as well.