For anyone thinking of moving to Seattle.. (Bellevue, Kent: home search, buyers)
Seattle areaSeattle and King County Suburbs
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ah - I thought I might chip in on this one. My first post here, probably a good topic to start on. I am a lifelong Washintonian, yep, born and raised and aside from a couple years spent in the Midwest, and a few years serving in the military, I've been here my whole life. (And I am talking over 30 years)
As to advising families coming here that they might not get to spend as much time outdoors, or rather to get used to spending more time indoors, this comment was troubling to me. To it I can only say - says you.
Growing up here we've always spent about as much time outdoors as anyone anywhere else. Guess what. You don't melt away, you just do things a little different. Cold, rainy, gray? Work on the yard? Sure. Work on the car? Plenty. As a kid we always played outdoors, playing at the beach (gets muddy), shooting hoops (ball gets slimey) or hitting grounders, tromping through the woods, tree climbing, rock climbing, riding bikes, motorbikes, horses, working the farm, thing is, we did all these things in the rain, the wind, and it was a part of the fun of it sometimes, but we just do it and yes it's messy. Either you can or you can't but I don't think the human body is meant to spend the majority of it's time indoors. That's never really been an ethic for Washingtonians either. This place was founded by a bunch of sea captains, gold panners, loggers, farmers, mostly an outdoor crowd. But LL Bean crowd? What the? I wouldn't know LL Bean from a bag of magic beans really, Seattle-Bellevue residents not withstanding.
This brings me to a point though. I think if you have a real profound reason for relocating, such as a calling that serves a great or greater purpose, a life's career or possibly attending college, that's all fair and good and welcome, and it is going to take you awhile, but otherwise, stay home please. If you just come here cuz you think crime is higher where you're at now (shouldn't you be participating in your community to control that) or it's cheaper (how did you all get such an inflated economy) well I think that's pretty poor excuse to follow the tide at this point and really it's a fairly large tide right now, and most of you have good chances of getting lost in it and eventually washing back out to wherever, leaving us the clean up. And the cheap housing and lower crime, well once the dust settles chances are you all just brought those right here with you anyway, think about it. Just trying to be honest here.
I don't mean to sound bitter about it. Many of you are great people, you're looking for a great place, a place to raise your family, a new start, and that's very admirable. I've met tons of outsiders, and will probably really like many of you. But I wanted to voice a couple examples as food for thought. I am wanting those that come here to really want to be a part of, and know what it is they are coming to. Believe me there are transplants that come, lock themselves up in their little warm and dry place, think they can do everything just like they did whereever it was that they were coming from, get frustrated and leave, and if that's you, you might save a lot of time by just staying put.
One thing that's different. We don't typically salt the roads in winter, we sand them. It washes away and isn't corrosive, keep in mind, most of Western Washington is very damp year round. Not a good combination, plus many areas already have a 'salt air' anyway. But if it snows a couple days, the sanding will happen, it'll aid traction some, but you probably should just stay home, unless you need to hit the gorcery store or check on loved ones, because it doesn't hold up as well to a larger commute and gets very messy, it ends up being mud after all. It's not that difficult to drive in, but it's not salting, and really with our volume of runoff we probably shouldn't create a need for salting. Overall it's a different environment and things here are done differently for a reason.
Be prepared to take public transportation. Works great in some areas, horrible in others. It's free in some areas and ridulously priced in others. But you will eventually have traffic problems if you are anywhere near Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Tukwila, Renton, Everett etc. I only emphasise this because up until about 10 years ago this didn't even exist. I can only imagine what waits for people in these areas over the next 10 or 20. Honestly I could care less about the 405 myself, never use it. It's not just the 405 it's the majority of the metro area though. I imagine some of the 405 drivers that voice this are a little self-centered that way.
You will have to shop around. Mostly due to the overadundant rate of new arrivals willing to pay an arm and a leg in Washington dollars for a slapped together, paper-thin walled, overstacked apartment or condo, you will not get much for your money here in the future. Most of the centrally located towns and cities (ie Central Puget Sound) are being very built but cheaply so. The going rate for these cheaply built units is higher than the going rate for the homes and older units that had been torn down to build these ugly things. Most of the original residents are beginning to really resent the transplants and the developers. And a lot of the residents in these newer units are starting to post online the types of maintainence and cheap build, and crime problems, car break ins, and non-existent site management they are finding in these high prices jumbo communities. Like I mentioned it's online, I'm not making it up so have a read about those. The only winner here is the developers and possibly their investors. It's a beautiful place, but it's being chopped up, trampled on, and a nice inflated price tag slapped on everything.
Not much to comment on the SAD thing, yes that affects some, I am sure it helps to be proactive at putting positives into your life, same as anywhere I suppose, and keep physically active outdoors in spite of the weather. You might need to be more careful about your diet here, you will get a Vitamin D deficit if you don't have a well rounded diet. Making sure you drive to all of the different fast food type groups is not a well rounded diet. Growing some of your own foods is a good start, try strawberries, beans or tomatoes, it can be fun.
We are a very diverse mindset, politically speaking, so not just one side or view wins out all the time, it's very left and very right and a lot of in between. It's a bit classist as you get closer to the major Puget Sound cities, I just ignore it best I can, and there's some very good people among any crowd, you just have to look, and that chip attitude tends to dissipate the further you go outward. Our backwoods areas can be very backwoodsy and for all intents I myself am very much a redneck most the time.
There have been many award winning and record setting farming communities through the years, and like other places, the times have been hard on these farms and families. They don't want your Wal Mart or your cookie cutter developments so don't expect them to either. Though they are some of the nicest and most hospitable you'll find here, if you come rounded and grounded. If you just are here to sell a bag of goods, chances are they will find a way to chase you off, and by that I do mean all the way to the county line full backing of their respective community, quite admirable really.
So, there you have it, some input from a real lifer. I have enjoyed it much of the time, don't like the growth spurt at all, in all fairness it can be a great place for families, but has drawbacks too. This place is often referred to on some list as most livable. Sure, just remember we've got some of the biggest volcanoes and fault lines in the country. Everyplace has it's kinks. For me I just call all this home. Try and make sure it's a good fit before you toss yourself in is my advice. There's a whole world out there and just because everyone is pointing to the Needle as the point where all roads lead doesn't necessarily mean it's so.
kmag2000 - as a transplant since the early 1980s and someone who's delighted to live here, I too really appreciate your post. Honest and rational and real. Thank you!
WOW interesting posts. As someone said it is all in what is important to you and what your needs are. I do think attitude is important but the Seattle freeze is alive and well. I do not plan on retiring here as I can not afford it but the city has so much to offer. I do have sad so it can be hard for me but I just try and stay active and do things. The people I work with would do anything for me and every where I go I talk to people and no one has ever been rude. I do think alot of people keep to themselves but they are not rude. It is very beautiful here and their is so much to do and see. I am sorry for you that have had very bad experiences and you feel very negative. I think that can happen anywhere. Actually, I know it can as I have lived in alot of places and can share some not so good things. I am more of a middle of a road person----what you say is not true but not untrue. I am glad we do not think all the same or have the same needs------------we would all be fighting for one area or place to be. I plan on enjoying the good of Seattle and what I do not like I will leave behind when I leave. I do believe however that alot of the good paying jobs have made the prices rise so that you either have money or do not. The middle class is being pushed out. I read an article on this recently. Anyway these are my thoughts.
While were on the topic of weather I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in:
Likes about Seattle/Western Washington Weather:
Mild, does not get too cold, except if you are a pedestrian and get caught out in the rain, then the wetness accentuates the cold exponentially, which is probably why you see so many Seattleites wearing goretex and other outdoor gear. Does not get too hot either, rarely gets in the 90's. Summers here are excellent, except sometimes I miss those 90 degree days that make you want to sip lemonade and jump in a lake.
Another great attribute is weather conditions don't seem to be favorable to breeding mosquitoes! Very nice indeed for outdoor activities!
Dislikes about Seattle/Western Washington Weather:
Yes, I'll admit the rain does get on my nerves. Even though it doesn't often rain terribly hard, I kind of wish it would and just be over with instead of this constant "mizzle" (drizzle and rain as another person said). I miss the raging Midwest storms with crashing thunder and lightning and the smell of ozone on a spring night. If you've ever imagined a sky-god responsible for the weather then the Seattle sky god would be a limp-wristed metrosexual (no offense to homosexuals or metrosexuals, btw)
The rain though doesn't bother me nearly as much as the lack of sun. It is not at all uncommon for one to go 60 days or more without seeing the sun at all. Not only do you not see the sun itself but not too terribly many of it's rays can penetrate through the thick cloudy sheet of gray that lays in the Seattle sky for 4-6 months out of the year. During the thick of this winter the whole city seems to be suffering from SAD to various degrees, walking around like caffeinated zombies. Of course, why else would coffee be so damn popular and so highly associated with Seattle? At least in other places when it's cold you are treated to seeing the sun on a fairly regular basis!
It's not at all common to go 60 days without seeing the sun. That's a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, I would be willing to put money on that there hasn't been a stretch of 60 days without at least 10 days of party sunny weather in the past 50 years. Thats 1 party sunny day for every 6 cloudy days, meaning approx. 1 day a week. Even during that record breaking streak we had back in Jan of 06, there were at least a few days where it was sunny/partly sunny at some point during the day before the showers returned. Now, sometimes it feels like we go a couple months without seeing the sun, but perceptions are different from reality.
Ok Toughguy, I concede that my statement was a little bit of an exaggeration... but not by very much!
Yes, it might be partly sunny for part of the day during that dark grey period of the Seattle winter, but it sure as hell wont last very long. If you're lucky you might catch a little sliver of sunlight on your morning commute or at lunch break, but it's such a quick, unsatisfying little tease that does little to quench ones need for at least partial sunlight. But even you, Toughguy, concede that sometimes it feels like we go months without sunlight, and in this case feeling is what really counts, no?
BTW, this is coming from someone who is in no way a sun nut, someone who stays out of most southern/hot/desert climates to avoid harsh sunlight. Seattle in the Spring and Summer is the best place to be weather-wise, but I don't know if I can handle another Seattle winter... and I grew up outside of Chicago where the brutal winters are legendary.
Sunny days include mostly sunny. Cloudy days include mostly cloudy (partly sunny)
Feb-April 2007: Only 2 sunny days!!!
Feb-April 2008: Only 7 sunny days!!!
Question though, what do they measure scientifically to determine the distinctions?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
