Since it's getting Almost as Crowded and Expensive, how is the central Puget Sound area Better than CA? (Seattle: apartments, condos)

[PanapolicRiddle]

Considering how crowded and expensive the Seattle area has and continues to become, is there much of anything that makes it more appealing than a large CA city like LA or San Fran? To me it really seems like Seattle is becoming very much like the Bay area or LA, but with lousy weather 6 mos of the year.

Despite the dreary weather, at one time the central Puget Sound area had significant advantages over CA. It was less crowded, less expensive, more relaxed, but still had most of the amenities of a larger city. Seattle now just seems like another large urban area, but with lousy weather half the year. It's crowded, congested expensive, and stressful just like LA or San Fran, but at least those cities have decent weather. All of these areas have natural beauty, but it's necessary to go further outside the city to escape the crowds (just like LA and San Fran).

So how is the central Puget Sound area significantly better than LA or the Bay Area? It's getting more and more difficult for me to discern how we're more appealing, and since our weather is so much worse, might we now be less appealing?

[homesinseattle]

Hour and a half to good skiing and excellent hiking, 2 hours to Canada, still more laid-back than the Bay Area, trees, greenery everywhere, traffic not as bad, housing still lower in price, air quality better. There are plenty more things, I'll let the others pick it up.

[Seacove]

Seattle is no where near the density of the Bay Area or LA, not even close to it. It has water, it has greenery, mountains, Puget Sound, a rain forest nearby and it rains regularly with occasional snow. While housing is expensive, it's less than LA and far less than the Bay Area. We just need to keep it that way by not necessarily promoting too much growth in Seattle. My recommendation is for the OP to move to CA and tell their friends how terrible Seattle is. We'll do a wine and salmon toast in your honor.

[Ira500]

So how is the central Puget Sound area significantly better than LA or the Bay Area?
We have fewer Californians.

[PanapolicRiddle]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Hour and a half to good skiing and excellent hiking, 2 hours to Canada, still more laid-back than the Bay Area, trees, greenery everywhere, traffic not as bad, housing still lower in price, air quality better. There are plenty more things, I'll let the others pick it up.

OK, two hours to Canada is a valid point. But 90 min to good skiing and excellent hiking? With minimal traffic sure, but that's also the case for LA and San Fran. Getting outside the city on weekends is often a chore in all 3 cities. Have you ever tried to head for the N Cascades at 9 am on a Saturday? Traffic is often horrendous. Granted not as bad as LA or the Bay Area, but it's getting there.

OK, OK, though. I see you're point. Maybe I just needed to vent.

[87112]

I've noticed the lack of room a lot. I think the OP has nailed it on the head. I know the people who ARE happy are people with old money that bought their homes in the 70s and 80s and earlier and are sitting on tons of paper wealth now. If not its just another rat race city. I see all those condos and apartments in Downtown Seattle and Bellevue and can't see the joy of living in a concrete and glass prison for 300-500k. I rather be in a ranch in sunny and dry place where I don't have to look at traffic alerts to go from one side of town to another.
After the wet winter we just had, I just can't with a straight face say this is a good place to live.

[homesinseattle]

Nope Pana, I'm wise and go to sleep early, get up early and head for skiing or hiking at 6am. Even on weekdays, I beat traffic, often pop in for breakfast or a coffee once I clear town. One of my favorite spots is the tasty Sultan Bakery on the way to Stevens, can't beat those buttermilk doughnuts.

[Tall Traveler]

Still a lot less expensive than SF and a better jobs and pay structure than LA. No state income tax makes it much more appealing for those making $100K and up and it is prettier than either as well.

Otherwise, I agree with OP that our climate is a significant negative in comparison with SF and especially LA.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Hour and a half to good skiing and excellent hiking, 2 hours to Canada, still more laid-back than the Bay Area, trees, greenery everywhere, traffic not as bad, housing still lower in price, air quality better. There are plenty more things, I'll let the others pick it up.

In LA you are 45 minutes to skiing, 2 hours to really good skiing at Big Bear. There is really good hiking basically in the city in Griffith Park and Verdugo Mountains/Santa Monica Mountains and even better true wilderness hiking/camping as close as 45 minutes in the Angeles National Forrest/San Gabriel Mountains. Some of the best road and mountain biking in the country. Beaches. Food. Museums.

I live in LA now and want to get out of here because of cost of living, public schools, traffic etc and Seattle is one place I have been looking but it does seem to be catching up to most of the same problems that it's too late to move there. Now I'm mainly focused on Denver area but even there it's catching up quick in terms of housing costs rising, traffic etc. I feel like the only places left to really escape all the negative stuff is someplace like Idaho or Montana where of course there is no economy to speak of so not an option if you need a job

[perigee]

OP, you mention "lousy weather" twice, for you I doubt Seattle is any better then CA, it's probably worse, why not move, life is too short to spend in an area you hate. We have a great thread about why we love the area:

How about we have a "what do you love about Seattle". Haters, stay on your own side, just for once

I am from CA and you couldn't pay me to move back. No judgement on those that can't stand our weather up here, but seriously weigh the pros and cons of living here and if you need the sun then move.