For those who have left/are planning to leave Seattle: What prompted your decision? (Starbuck: home, university)

[Seacove]

We left for a corporate move and returned asap. We love Seattle and while our extended families are in Colorado and Nevada, this feels most like home to our family.

[observer]

Originally Posted by Rcsligar

I recently left the Seattle area after attending school there for a year. While I wouldn't say that my time up there wasn't worthwhile, I definitely don't regret my decision to relocate. I am curious to hear from those of you who are following a similar course of action what the deciding factors were that led to your move.
What eventually got me, anyway, was the feeling that I was constantly struggling to "break in" in relationships and other endeavors. Somebody once said that in most parts of the country, people are generally friendly unless you give them a reason not to, while in Seattle you have to give people a reason to be friendly. This statement really resonated with me because I always felt as if I had to prove my worth to the specific type of people out there. As a DJ and electronic music producer, I found the egos of people involved in the music scene to be absolutely appalling. Where I'm from in SW FL, bar and club owners are generally friendly and receptive to people who offer to come in and play on and off night. In Seattle, I received the cold shoulder from venue owners constantly. I understand I shouldn't expect much since I'm not that well established; this is just an example of what I see as a very exclusive and polarizing social climate.
I don't mean to ramble or rehash what has already been outlined in other threads, just wanted to open this up for all movers/prospective movers to share their ideas.
I must say that I do miss the mountains and lush greenery in the area. Aesthetically speaking, I don't think any other us city has it beat.

I am curious, how long after moving to Seattle did you start to feel as if Seattle may not be the place for you. If I remember correctly, about a year ago you were praising Seattle and bashing Florida. So when did it all change for you?

I am not criticizing or bashing you, I am honestly curious. I live in FL but currently in Seattle where I have been spending a good part of my summers the last few years. Even though I like visiting and staying for extended periods of time, I do see the flaws in the area.

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, where did you move to?

My reasons, in no particular order:

The weather, the unfriendly people, the apparent lack of any solid interest in world music and certain jazz forms. (Except for the Folklife festival) This, in spite of a strong Ethnomusicology Dept. at the UW. Without good music, there's no social scene at all. My home town (Berkeley/Oakland) has something good happening on almost a weekly basis, and the crowds attending are full of good, friendly people. (Not to mention all the great music events going on all over the greater Bay Area every weekend.) In Seattle, in 20 years I attended just a handful of music events.

I don't understand why the population in the Seattle area doesn't support more diversity in music and a higher quality of bands. Live music is rare at Seattle clubs. In the Bay Area, there's live music DAILY, and nationally- and internationally-acclaimed performers are on the schedule often.

[civic94]

my reasons. i will probably be out of here in 5 years tops. I like the area since cars dont rust, good air, high wages, strong economy, mild temperatures, low crime compared to other cities of similar size.



the bads-

-rising cost of living, for what seattle offers its too expensive
-I cant bear the darkness, i have SAD and its awful in the winters
-not much other cities around (portland/vancouver is 3 hrs, spokane is 4.5)
-wintertime = either in a casino or a mall (i dont gamble).
-not a deep sports fan city (most folks who wear seahawks or sounders jerseys probably cant even name 5 players on their own team).


so far for me the pros outweigh the cons but i am leaving because of the rising cost of living, I do not want to struggle financially on top of having SAD. in the past i dont have to struggle financially while having SAD, so it is worth it. its all relative and i will get to a sunnier place.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by civic94

my reasons. i will probably be out of here in 5 years tops. I like the area since cars dont rust, good air, high wages, strong economy, mild temperatures, low crime compared to other cities of similar size.

-not a deep sports fan city (most folks who wear seahawks or sounders jerseys probably cant even name 5 players on their own team).

...?

"Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

PS: Hughey, Dewey, Louie, Screwy, and Ed. I think. How'd I do?

[RustinginSeattle]

I haven't left yet (still trying to convince hubby), but being a native I've developed an intense dislike for the crowding of this city. I've also developed SADS (may have had issues with it on and off my whole life) and really want to move somewhere sunnier. I'm feeling a desire for more land/nature (I live in city limits), but the traffic is too horrible to move out any further. I also am struggling with the rising cost of living.

I really feel like I would like to try living somewhere slower, sunnier, and cheaper. At least the rising value of our house would give us a head start in another town. And if I find out I made a mistake by moving (I've never lived more than 1.5 hours from Seattle my whole life), at least I will have tried and I will then know.

I like this thread. I feel like my desires to leave are met with such intense disagreement, like this is the Only place to be and how could I possibly leave. I guess I just don't feel like following the latest trend, even if it's my hometown. There just has to be a better fit for me somewhere. If not, I'm screwed. :-)

[skidamarink]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

3) Too much of a granola culture. Maybe that ties in with the politics. Sorry, but I'm okay with corporate chain stores and occasionally using a plastic bag. I care about the environment, but things like this make me shake my head: Sea Sponge Tampons: Good for Travel and the Environment - Her Packing List
I was in a bar once and two guys were talking about BBQ. Two women overheard them and one scoffed and said "they're talking about eating meat," and frowned. It was at that moment I realized maybe I should leave this city.

In theory, the modern hippie granola culture has good intentions. I don't mind all of that, but the problem is that most people in Seattle who subscribe to this type of culture end up being quite snotty, exclusive, and IMO the least down to earth (you'd think that it'd be the opposite). A lot of them tend to be either older and very wealthy or young people who are just doing it for attention and their image, rather than focusing on the real mission and goals of environmentalism and primitive human lifestyle. Everybody look at me, I'm a vegan! I'm a vegan! I'm a vegan! Unfortunately, it's very difficult to be an urban hippie without having a very high income, which is quite ironic.

[Saberhammonds]

1. Too expensive on my budget.
2. Seattle freeze.

Beautiful setting. I left and don't miss it.

[metoque]

I lived in the Bay Area before moving to Seattle for work during the last recession and because my family lives near Portland. I lived there for 5.5 years before moving to San Diego which is where I'm at now. I liked Seattle a lot at first because I was richer (i.e., no state income tax, cheaper housing) and I love the scenery when it's sunny.

However, the honeymoon phase started wearing off after about 3 years when the weather started making me depressed...I didn't want to do things outside because it's so dark, cold, gray and drizzly so much of the time. I'm not the type of person that can be happy being indoors and I love going bike riding, hiking, golfing, etc. After 5 years, I was about to blow my brains out due to the weather. Other downsides were the people: snobby and judgy if it's not their way, and sort of slow/passive lacking animation and excitement. So many people in Seattle just want to hang out in bars or in their houses and eat and drink.

Traffic is horrible, and Seattle is also getting way too expensive for what you get in lifestyle and weather.

Now that I'm in San Diego after 1 year, I'm SOOOOOOOOOO much happier. I no longer have a Vitamin D deficiency, I have more energy, I'm more positive on life, people here are more outgoing, animated, friendlier and more fun frankly. I also find that the people here are less snobby about beliefs or money. Sure I pay income tax, but house prices are about the same or a bit cheaper.

[Rcsligar]

Originally Posted by skidamarink

1. Lack of available jobs in my field (I'm not in IT) combined with tight competition due to the highly skilled transplants that tend to move here.
2. Boring social scene. I realized upon living here that I do NOT like reserved, aloof people who don't know how to smile. I used to think I was an introvert, but I still enjoyed meeting new people and I still knew how to carry on a conversation. Great city for a hipster, LGBT person, or a socially inept nerd but not for me.
3. I personally think Seattle is not as cosmopolitan or diverse as other large cities. The sense of diversity here doesn't go far beyond a visible population of northern European whites, unassimilated refugees from Southeast Asia or Ethiopia who keep to themselves, some wealthy Asians here and there, and the LGBT community. And these groups self-segregate way more than what you see in other cities. I'm white but I desire more diversity than this.

The rising cost of living doesn't make any of this worth it to live here. I'm leaving next month.

Could have been me writing that. Well said.