Questions about moving from Dallas (Seattle: apartment, to rent, insurance)

[ThunderCatz]

So me and my fiancé are looking to move to Seattle in Feb '14. We're looking to get away from the oppressive heat (I've lived in Texas my whole life, she has lived here for 8 years), and find someplace with a lot more natural beauty and with a lot more things to do outdoors. We both understand the weather differences and the amount of overcast drizzling days. We both don't mind that and actually like the rain. I'm 30 and she is 27 and we have no kids, but do plan on having some in the future, so good schooling would be an area we would be looking for too down the road.

So what I'm trying to find out is moving up there with 12k in savings enough. This a a decision were making on our own, so we would have to look for jobs once were up there. We will be completely out of debt excluding my student loans, and the move cost would not be coming out of the 12k.

We're looking at moving downtown, and are budgeting for a 600sq ft studio at around 1500-1600 a month. We eat in around 90% percent of the time, and since we would be living downtown we would look for work there as well so as to be able to walk or use public transportation. We would sell one of our cars to cut down on insurance an gas expenses also. I know cost of living is higher but we spend around $300 a month in food.

So rough math would say that we would have 4 months of expenses saved up. I work as a cook, and she is an office manager for an oil and gas company. I know she wouldnt be able to find a job in the same field but her skill base could transfer over into a number of different fields.

So how is the job market now in downtown? Would I be able to find a $9-10 hr cook job fairly quickly, and could she find an office manager/administrative assistants job as quickly also?

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated.

[branh0913]

I make per diem, $40 an hour, and I'm not taxed on $20 of it. So I probably make closer to $55-$60 an hour. Which is about 3 times the salary you plan to make. And I still couldn't afford to live in downtown Seattle, and $1500 rent is WAY too much for me (I bring home 5200-5600 monthly). your rough math is off by a long shot. In either case, you need to be making 80k and above if you plan to live downtown Seattle. You'll only be comfortable pulling in 6 figures. If your two salaries combined isn't comfortably 100k, then I think you need to move somewhere cheaper than downtown Seattle.


EDIT: Seattle is also way more competitive, sometimes this is deliberate. Where your girlfriend may have easily got a job in Dallas (where people are probably more practical and not elitest snobs), don't be surprised if she has a harder time in Seattle. I recently had a phone interview with Amazon for a job I was more than qualified for, but they asked me a lot of stupid question in the interview. Stupid interview questions are pretty common in job interview in Seattle (and in the Bay from where I've heard), so don't be surprised if she has a harder time landing something. You need to plan for at least 6 months of unemployment. And you making $9 or $10 an hour (which is minimum wage in Washington state), isn't going to hold you guys down long.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by branh0913

your girlfriend may have easily got a job in Dallas (where people are probably more practical and not elitest snobs), don't be surprised if she has a harder time in Seattle. I recently had a phone interview with Amazon for a job I was more than qualified for, but they asked me a lot of stupid question in the interview. Stupid interview questions are pretty common in job interview in Seattle

Says the guy who's been evicted twice.

[ThunderCatz]

A lot in your edit I've read about too, so I am expecting it to be harder to find a job and having to take pay cuts. But can you clarify how $3k in monthly expense is not doable? This is the breakdown I've come up with, let me know if I'm missing something.

Rent - $1500
Food - $400
Electricity - $100
Car/Renters insurance - $100
Gas/Public Transportaion - $250
Cable/Internet/Cell - $250
Student Loan - $250
Dog Food - $40

I'm factoring $9 hr for me bringing home $1200 a month, and her making 40k bringing home $2200 a month. That would be a pay decrease for me of $1.50hr and her 14k per year.

We've lived off a budget for years now so were pretty comfortable with watching out money. I'm not doubting you I'm just trying to understand. I know it's tight, but it's been tighter before.

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Says the guy who's been evicted twice.

Oh well, everyone makes mistakes. Unlike you people, I actually didn't come out of the womb making the right decisions. My second eviction was in 2008 (who didn't get evicted that year). And my first was when I was 19. Shot me. That still doesn't really invalidate my advice to the OP.

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by ThunderCatz

A lot in your edit I've read about too, so I am expecting it to be harder to find a job and having to take pay cuts. But can you clarify how $3k in monthly expense is not doable? This is the breakdown I've come up with, let me know if I'm missing something.

Rent - $1500
Food - $400
Electricity - $100
Car/Renters insurance - $100
Gas/Public Transportaion - $250
Cable/Internet/Cell - $250
Student Loan - $250
Dog Food - $40

I'm factoring $9 hr for me bringing home $1200 a month, and her making 40k bringing home $2200 a month. That would be a pay decrease for me of $1.50hr and her 14k per year.

We've lived off a budget for years now so were pretty comfortable with watching out money. I'm not doubting you I'm just trying to understand. I know it's tight, but it's been tighter before.

I guess that could work. Don't be surprised if things like parking, and amenities fees are added into your rent. Anyway, it's doable, I just can't see why anyone would do it. I guess I love having a surplus of cash, instead of having every cent a make go towards some sort of bill. But some people like living this tight. Anyway, you've basically are putting yourself into a paycheck to paycheck scenario. I live paycheck to paycheck too, but I have to admit, I'm a pretty big spender. I don't have to live paycheck to paycheck, you're in a situation where you essentially have to. And god forbids some emergency comes up. you basically can't save.

[ThunderCatz]

Originally Posted by branh0913

I guess that could work. Don't be surprised if things like parking, and amenities fees are added into your rent. Anyway, it's doable, I just can't see why anyone would do it. I guess I love having a surplus of cash, instead of having every cent a make go towards some sort of bill. But some people like living this tight. Anyway, you've basically are putting yourself into a paycheck to paycheck scenario. I live paycheck to paycheck too, but I have to admit, I'm a pretty big spender. I don't have to live paycheck to paycheck, you're in a situation where you essentially have to. And god forbids some emergency comes up. you basically can't save.

All very true. I don't like living paycheck to paycheck anymore than other people, I'm just used to it. We've both just wanted to live downtown in a big city and figured of we're gonna do it we gotta do it now before kids. And I'm not saying we would have to spend that much on rent. If we can find a little cheaper place but still nice we would go that direction.

I know on paper the cost of living is higher but I honestly don't see that much of a difference. If we were to move to downtown Dallas the rent would be the same.

[Ira500]

10 or 15 years ago, almost nobody lived in downtown Seattle except for some very poor people. Since that time, a bunch of fairly expensive new apartment buildings and condos have been built. If that's what you're looking for, you'll find it downtown. But if you're looking for nice, cool older buildings with somewhat lower rents, downtown Seattle itself has very few. And you don't have to very far outside of downtown at all to find these. Places like Lower Queen Anne, First Hill, and lower Capitol Hill are all adjacent to downtown, within easy walking ditance. It may not be what you're looking for- you won't be surrounded by skyscrapers. But those neighborhoods all have some classy older apartment buildings that cost less to rent than the new stuff downtown.

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by ThunderCatz

All very true. I don't like living paycheck to paycheck anymore than other people, I'm just used to it. We've both just wanted to live downtown in a big city and figured of we're gonna do it we gotta do it now before kids. And I'm not saying we would have to spend that much on rent. If we can find a little cheaper place but still nice we would go that direction.

I know on paper the cost of living is higher but I honestly don't see that much of a difference. If we were to move to downtown Dallas the rent would be the same.

I personally don't think Seattle is the city you want to move to. It's really not a great city for people trying to start out. It's very competitive, the cost of living is very high, and you have to be close to the best at what you do to even be considered for a decent job here. I personally can't see where the city is all that enjoyable if you're spending most of your time busting your ass trying to make ends meet.

There is a reason I NEVER moved to NYC. Because I know my quality of life would automatically go down, and I'd spend most of my time trying to pay rent. If I want to pay rent and bills, and work, I could do that in Atlanta. And they same applies to you. If you want to work and pay bills, I can't see why you can't just do it in Dallas. Because if you spent all of your time working, you really can't enjoy the city.

I can only think of 3 really good reasons to ever move to another city (especially one with a higher cost of living than you one you're staying in).

1. Better pay
2. Better quality of life, eg, lower crime rates, more overall money.
3. Better opportunity, and more obtainable jobs


Personally I doubt either you or your fiance are any more employable in Seattle than you would be in Dallas. There are jobs in Seattle, but they sure as hell are very selective in whom they let in them. Seattle has a reputation it must uphold as being a highly educated city, and having the best and brightest. So if you're not the best at what you do, you honestly may have a hard time getting some employers here to throw you a bone. Even if the job itself doesn't require what they're asking for.

Seattle economy isn't that much better than Dallas (Dallas has a very good economy from what I've seen). I mean the honey moon of staying downtown and paying nearly $2000 rent is going to go away fast when those first round of monthly bills come in. And I think 1500 for 600 sq ft is horrible for 2 adults to be staying, which will impact you sooner or later. And when you find yourself never having time to go to Mount Ranier, any of the games, the underground tour, Space Needle and other great city attractions because you're too busy working, then you have to ask yourself if it's even worth it. What more do you gain from Seattle over Dallas besides better weather? Probably nothing, as your situation get's worse and not better. But hey, if you're intent, just understand all that glitters ain't gold.

[Just-Mom]

Water?
sewer?
garbage?
Entertainment?

Whatever you have budgeted , add at least 10% more