Follow up poll -- what deters you from Seattle or why would you leave? (lawyer, home)

[Drover]

Weather and cost of living. The latter wasn't an issue about 10 years ago, but Seattle has now become more expensive than even Chicago, which is a vastly more international city.

Distance from family would be a major issue too.

[LordBalfor]

For us, weather without a doubt is why we'll leave.
Already have purchased retirement property in SE Arizona - in an area with a near-perfect climate in my opinion (extremely mild winters, not too hot in the summers, and with essentially the same amount of rainfal (though admittedly in a different pattern) as Sequim - and of course a LOT more sunshine than here in Seattle.

Ken

[jwb123]

And, like Seattle, there's a beautifully mild summer that people know is coming soon.

But you never know when, or for how long. The only month you can REALLY count on to get extended warmth and sun is August.

That's a REAL short summer, when you are dealing with chilly drizzle the majority of the year.

It's interesting and different at first - and then it gets old.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

But you never know when, or for how long. The only month you can REALLY count on to get extended warmth and sun is August.

That's a REAL short summer, when you are dealing with chilly drizzle the majority of the year.

Yeah, summer is generally pretty nice - though not as warm as I would like, but every once and a while - such as last year (and possibly this year from the look of our spring so far) you get a year where the summer really pretty much fails to materialize.

THAT'S what really gets me.

Ken

[tada]

80% weather, 20% traffic for me. My hope is to graduate Autumn '08, leave soon after, and never look back.

[mlv311]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

I think this is another reason I don't like it here. If I was single and no kids I bet I'd get out more...but I feel me and my kids are stuck indoors 80% of the time. I don't want them outside in this drizzle and getting sick. Since moving here they have so many LESS chances to play outside. When it was in the 90s in the summer we were out every day

Exactly. I remember when I became a mom asking other moms, what do you do for fun when it rains, and the typical answer was, "go to the mall." Well, I don't find that much fun so I can't imagine a child thinking that's the best place to play.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

But you never know when, or for how long. The only month you can REALLY count on to get extended warmth and sun is August.

That's a REAL short summer, when you are dealing with chilly drizzle the majority of the year.

It's interesting and different at first - and then it gets old.

Part of the reason I love it here, I don't like hot weather at all. To me the perfect summer day is 70-75 and sunny. Hotter than that and I'm not a happy camper.

I would also have to say that I suffer from summer SAD.

[BandC]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

I think this is another reason I don't like it here. If I was single and no kids I bet I'd get out more...but I feel me and my kids are stuck indoors 80% of the time. I don't want them outside in this drizzle and getting sick

Since moving here they have so many LESS chances to play outside. When it was in the 90s in the summer we were out every day

Same here. My kids never want to go outside. The weather sucks 80 percent of the time. I created little monsters (I admit my fault) by letting them play video games and watch t.v. too much (because it's freakin' raining all the time and they got bored). Now I'm paying the price. All they want to do now is play video games. They have no desire to do anything else even though I have substantially cut their video game time back (still ask about playing, etc. constantly). It may have a little "accident" this week. I mean...I think it's broke.

[Drover]

My wife and I have determined that our yet-to-be-born kids are going to hate us because we've decided there is no way in hell there will ever be a game console in our house.

[tada]

If you don't want video game addicted kids, you should raise them in a place where the weather actually offers motivation to go outside. There's a reason why Seattle was rated the top video gaming city in the country.