Is Seattle being over hyped? (Tacoma, Bellevue: low crime, big home, transfer)

[jm31828]

Everybody has a different perspective. Some hate it because they came here from a place that has warmer/sunnier winters, such as California- and for those people, sure Seattle is probably over hyped.

For people like me and my wife who came here from the upper Midwest, the winters here are great- much more mild, things remain green, and there is little to no snow, so that is a big bonus over the place I previously lived. Add to that the mild, sunny summers, and to us the weather here is good.

For me the scenery and things to see are very important, and of all the places I have been, there is no more beautiful/scenic area in the country. In no other major city can you stand in one spot and see two mountain ranges, a large volcanic peak, and a large body of water. This is paradise scenery-wise.

And outside of that the job market is indeed good here- it's better than much of the rest of the country. Unemployment rate is down to about 5.5% now- that is only about 1% higher than in the times of the booming economy. So not perfect of course, but still better than many other major cities. And the real view of that is indeed good- the company I work for is struggling to find people, they have had to resort to recruiting from the eastern part of the state and even out of state, because there just aren't enough people applying for the position openings. And I have friends looking for jobs, and they are finding multiple good opportunities- definitely not the bleak findings they had a couple years ago.

And housing? Sure it's expensive, but it's expensive in the other desirable cities as well. You can't compare it with cheap cities such as Omaha, Indianapolis, Kansas City, etc. because sure those places are cheaper but they are cheap for a reason. They are not very interesting places to live, there is not much to see in those areas, they have weather that is more harsh, and the pay in those places is lower. I moved from one of those areas, and my wife and I were bored out of our minds there, whereas here on weekends we are always out checking out some of the countless scenic spots in the region or even within the city itself.

And regarding housing costs- people see those figures and think it makes a place completely unlivable for those of us that are very average or even lower income earners, but that is not so true. Sure I couldn't afford to buy a house in Seattle proper or in many of the fancy east side suburbs, but as with most metro areas if you look hard enough you can find suburbs that are at least within reach price-wise. Our combined income is what some on this board would say is poverty level for the Seattle area, but yet we're able to have a reasonable new house (built in 2009) with a comfortable living standard and money left over each month. And it's not like we live out in the far flung exurbs- we are 18 miles from downtown Seattle, I am only 25 minutes from my job in north Seattle, and only 10 minutes from my wife's job in another suburb- Bothell.

So to stop the rambling, in my opinion Seattle does live up to the hype and then some, it's an absolutely wonderful place in all aspects. No place is 100% perfect, if you find one thing here you don't like (such as rainy winters) you may move somewhere else where you hate another aspect (brutally hot summers, for example). So everyone needs to find their own "close fit", but for me and many I know Seattle is truly a gem, it is all it's cracked up to be. We tell everyone we know that we are so incredibly happy that we moved here and as we are out and about we even talk amongst ourselves at times when we are out and about how great it is to be living here.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by wlw2009

You'll get some negative nancys on this board who just hate being here so much (like that one guy up top), but for the most part, ask anyone who has ever been here, I bet 8/10 would say that would love to live in Seattle. I can't tell you how many times I've been on a plane or just in a restaurant across the country where Seattle is mentioned and 1 or 2 people around just turn and talk about how great it is.

It is getting crowded here for sure, but if we can get rid of some of these haters, I think things will brighten up.

Classic example of the attitude of many residents with the "you just don't deserve to live here then..." mindset. Something about this area breeds it more than anywhere else I've ever been. Oh well, like I said, it was a career move for me. I have found that a common theme among transplants I've met here; stay a short as possible and leave when the opportunity presents itself, whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse.

[hello_im_sean]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Classic example of the attitude of many residents with the "you just don't deserve to live here then..." mindset. Something about this area breeds it more than anywhere else I've ever been. Oh well, like I said, it was a career move for me. I have found that a common theme among transplants I've met here; stay a short as possible and leave when the opportunity presents itself, whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse.

I admit my flaws, i'm the same way. I like the mostly white populous. I like overcast and moderate temps with lush green suroundings. I could do with a bit more sun and warmth but So far Seattle sounds damn near perfect for a man of European descent like me with a slight arrogant side. I've never been to Seattle but the people there sound like me, the good and the bad parts of them. I currently live in Philadelphia and feel so out of place. Mainly i cant stand the majority of the people that live here. Call me a jerk, but im being honest.

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by wlw2009

I can't tell you how many times I've been on a plane or just in a restaurant across the country where Seattle is mentioned and 1 or 2 people around just turn and talk about how great it is.

This is so true! When I've been back to California, or before we moved and I told people we were coming here, I saw faces light up and had people say repeatedly, "Oh, I just LOVE Seattle." I've never had that happen with any other place I've lived, even Denver (which is my second-favoritest city).

[blue bird]

I feel Seattle is a decent city, but I wish they were to hype Philly more since it's a much bigger and better city with much more established downtown.

[RunTheDistance476]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Classic example of the attitude of many residents with the "you just don't deserve to live here then..." mindset. Something about this area breeds it more than anywhere else I've ever been. Oh well, like I said, it was a career move for me. I have found that a common theme among transplants I've met here; stay a short as possible and leave when the opportunity presents itself, whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse.

Classic example of some ungrateful transplant who doesn't realize that there are MILLIONS of people that would love to transfer places with you in a heartbeat.

I understand Seattle isn't for everyone, but for someone to move here (by choice) and then slam everything about it? Yeah, we don't need you. Move on back to Hawaii and have fun being able to only drive from one end of the island to the other in an hour. Sounds great!

P.S. "...whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse."

I moved here only 4 and half months ago (that's right in the mild of the rainy season and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!).

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Classic example of the attitude of many residents with the "you just don't deserve to live here then..." mindset. Something about this area breeds it more than anywhere else I've ever been. Oh well, like I said, it was a career move for me. I have found that a common theme among transplants I've met here; stay a short as possible and leave when the opportunity presents itself, whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse.

That's one of the reasons I moved away for a few years. In addition, Seattle really WAS overpriced back in 2007. I recall the times ran an article about how there were only 2 zip codes left in south king county (Kent/Auburn area) that were affordable on a median income. It was pretty dismal to consider being stuck down there because that's where the last of the affordable houses were!

Now, that's not the case. While the highest demand homes are still expensive, they're generally *slightly* less expensive than the were back then both in absolute prices and certainly on a monthly basis. The lower demand homes are FAR less expensive now than they were 6-7 years ago.

[jm31828]

Originally Posted by wlw2009

Classic example of some ungrateful transplant who doesn't realize that there are MILLIONS of people that would love to transfer places with you in a heartbeat.

I understand Seattle isn't for everyone, but for someone to move here (by choice) and then slam everything about it? Yeah, we don't need you. Move on back to Hawaii and have fun being able to only drive from one end of the island to the other in an hour. Sounds great!

P.S. "...whereas long-term residents/natives simply cannot dismount from their high-horse."

I moved here only 4 and half months ago (that's right in the mild of the rainy season and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!).

Yes, great post! Of the people I know, I think the transplants are the ones happier here then the long term/native folks. They came here because they wanted to be here, and they are loving every minute of it.

[RunTheDistance476]

Originally Posted by jm31828

Yes, great post! Of the people I know, I think the transplants are the ones happier here then the long term/native folks. They came here because they wanted to be here, and they are loving every minute of it.

Except that guy.

[Jalhop]

Originally Posted by jm31828

Yes, great post! Of the people I know, I think the transplants are the ones happier here then the long term/native folks. They came here because they wanted to be here, and they are loving every minute of it.

If you're new to a place like Seattle of course you're loving it. Every place you visit you've never seen before, and if it's sunny it's awesome. I met a guy at a Bellevue coffee shop, he was here on a business trip from San Francisco and going on & on about how much more wonderful Bellevue is than San Fran. Now San Fran's not my cup of tea for living there but, c'mon. I told him he had Tourist Syndrome.

If and when the long-term folk move they'll probably be loving the new place for a few years at least. Such is life!