Is Seattle being over hyped? (Pacific: 2013, houses, tech jobs)

[UrbanAdventurer]

Originally Posted by 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.

Exactly. From somebody who came from the "vast middle" of the country, you know better than the whiners from the Orange County, CA (or Phoenix or whatever) what a club med this place is compared

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.

Exactly. From somebody who has come here from the vast middle of the country, you know better than the whiners from the Orange County (or Phoenix or whatever) what a club med this place is compared most of the rest of the county.

Sure, other places undoubtedly have better "this" or less "that", but Seattle as package deal is one of the best places to live in the county in my opinion. Portland is good too. It's even more club med than Seattle in some ways, but having also lived there myself for a good part of my life, lacks some of the "oomph" and "va va voom" of Seattle.

[DevanXL]

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

Exactly. From somebody who has come here from the vast middle of the country, you know better than the whiners from the Orange County (or Phoenix or whatever) what a club med this place is compared most of the rest of the county.

Sure, other places undoubtedly have better "this" or less "that", but Seattle as package deal is one of the best places to live in the county in my opinion. Portland is good too. It's even more club med than Seattle in some ways, but having also lived there myself for a good part of my life, lacks some of the "oomph" and "va va voom" of Seattle.

Exactly! and Hopefully the City leaders work hard to improve those "Imperfections" so this city can truly shine!

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by Jalhop

I've had about a dozen friends over the years who tried to make a living here or withstand the weather. Only myself and one other survived, so far.

People tend to underestimate the weather, but the weather is probably the #1 reason why people pick up and leave, usually within a year or two.

I also think it is that fact - that so many transplants can't handle the weather - directly feeds into the social malaise referred to as the "Seattle Freeze". That is, why invest yourself in getting to know people who are likely to move away?

[RotseCherut]

Seattle is absolutely awesome and perfect.. Any other such response will result in a barrage of attacks from the various legions of City Data Warriors.. Be warned!!!


But, I will share you a little secret, in a very discreet and impartial manner: Seattle has its ups and downs.. Seattle is very beautiful, but also can be described by some as a bit dull. The people can be very polite and helpful, but also cold and distant. The summers are usually very sunny, but the winters are quite cloudy and dismal.

Being a software developer, I personally, love the long grey winters, as I get a whole heck of a lot more work done. If the place was sunny year round, not only would we not have the scenery, but if we did, you would always feel guilty being locked inside having to work those long hours necessary to afford the high prices of living here.

Seattle isn't all roses.. Shhhh.. You don't want to get attacked by any Seattle City Data Zealot for saying such hearsay!

Let's keep this one on the down-low.

[Inkpoe]

Its not that much on the down-low. There are posters here who been saying that forever.


Seattle's been overhyped since the 90s as being the mecca for young people. But you do see that in time that sense has evolved. Even Seattle has evolved, now there's more of a professional, white collar slant to it (compared to before). Given the "healthy" economy tag and the fact that there's lots of aspects (nature, COL for some, ambience, location, et. c), Seattle is definitely going continue to be up there in terms of growing recognition.

OP, if (job) opportunity beckons, why not check it out? Can't really hurt.

[snarkadoodle]

Originally Posted by amaiunmei

People tend to underestimate the weather, but the weather is probably the #1 reason why people pick up and leave, usually within a year or two.

I also think it is that fact - that so many transplants can't handle the weather - directly feeds into the social malaise referred to as the "Seattle Freeze". That is, why invest yourself in getting to know people who are likely to move away?

YES AND YES. I love Seattle. I lived there for almost 20 years. It is a great city with great food, natural beauty, and cultural events. But the weather finally wore me down to the point where I would get depressed right around Halloween, knowing we were headed into 6-8 months of darkness and chill. We moved to a place where, although it isn't always hot, the sun makes an appearance for a good chunk of every day. I have never felt more awake and energized.

That second point is a valid one too. I don't think it's that hard to make friends (through work, your kids' school and activities, etc.) but I can't tell you how many of the people I really liked had one foot out the door the entire time I knew them. They were perpetually unhappy, restless, and hoping to move...until they finally did. It's a little hard to know that your friendship isn't enough to keep your friends close to you - but I get it.

[Rogue Linguist]

I mean, it's a beta city on its way to becoming a beta+ city, and there is a lot to be said about its solid economy and progressive attitudes which attract and retain talent, hence keeping that economy thriving. So while it isn't the most exciting place, it's an interesting place to watch grow and evolve.

The people are hardly xenophobic--you couldn't ask for more socially progressive, open-minded people outside New England.

If traffic sucks, get out of it and take the bus. I'm sure everybody else who is causing the traffic is complaining about it too.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by Rogue Linguist

I mean, it's a beta city on its way to becoming a beta+ city, and there is a lot to be said about its solid economy and progressive attitudes which attract and retain talent, hence keeping that economy thriving. So while it isn't the most exciting place, it's an interesting place to watch grow and evolve.

The people are hardly xenophobic--you couldn't ask for more socially progressive, open-minded people outside New England.

If traffic sucks, get out of it and take the bus. I'm sure everybody else who is causing the traffic is complaining about it too.

Progressive and open-minded are hardly words I would use together, regardless of the location. I have found that the more liberal and "progressive" the city, the less tolerant the populous of opinions other than their own. Same goes for overly conservative locations; different side of the same coin. The "tolerant" or "open-minded" liberal/progressive is a fallacy, and you will run into that here.

Xenophobic is the right word and it does fit the populous here; hence the freeze and reluctance to intermingle with new people. I have never experienced it as often as here. If you haven't lived elsewhere, or have been here for a very long time, then I imagine it can be tough to see that. Neighborliness doesn't exist here, however suspicion of everyone else and "nosiness" certainly does.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Progressive and open-minded are hardly words I would use together, regardless of the location. I have found that the more liberal and "progressive" the city, the less tolerant the populous of opinions other than their own. Same goes for overly conservative locations; different side of the same coin. The "tolerant" or "open-minded" liberal/progressive is a fallacy, and you will run into that here.

I've seen that argument used a few times and the logic seems to be that conservatives want progressives to be "tolerant" of their intolerance.

[thatguy950]

Originally Posted by Seacove

I've seen that argument used a few times and the logic seems to be that conservatives want progressives to be "tolerant" of their intolerance.

Hence the two side of the same coin. Neither side is tolerant of other points of view, although if I'm honest, liberals appear to be even less tolerant. The myths of the "tolerant" liberal and "intolerant" conservative are outdated, both are equally intolerant of various things; only difference being the liberals have media on their side patting them on the back constantly.