Remote work already changing Seattle permanently, tech worker survey indicates (Sammamish: real estate, crime)

[usernametaken]

All signs for the past 1.5 years indicate that the Seattle proper population will decline as workers move at least 30 mins away if allowed to work from home 2-3 days a week permanently. Or WFH all 5 days as is the case with some local companies such as Zillow.

However, in reality, I am not seeing any big (> 5%) decline in the Seattle proper population as yet. Perhaps it is happening and we will only find out in the next census?

https://www.geekwire.com/2021/remote...vey-indicates/

The majority of Seattle tech workers don’t expect to ever return to their offices full time and the effects of that transition could alter everything from commercial real estate, to what social issues tech workers spend their time and money on, to downtown’s status as a business district.

The detailed survey of 467 tech workers between June and August also showed that more than 50% of workers would consider moving away from Seattle.

[Botev1912]

Most people I have asked don't want to return to the office not because of covid but because they have to go through tents on the way to the office and also because crime has increased and the city does not care about any of those issues.

[Guineas]

Eh those office buildings will be filled with some other fields that are less WFH (finance, research labs, etc), maybe it would diversify the economy here.

[Arcos]

I think a fair amount will go back to normal patterns by next year, once vaccinations and natural immunity add up to 100+% (including vaxxed who get breakthrough infections and previously infected who get vaxxed). I am in the process of relocating locally and I made sure not to ignore the likelihood of having to go back downtown regularly again. Even if not for my job, I’d like to be able to attend events which were one of the draws to a larger city like Seattle, for me.
However, I agree that there’s a strong risk that the do-nothing City Council will allow bad conditions to remain and wrong their hands, seriously hindering the recovery.

[Hemlock140]

I have 4 direct reports that are all millennials and they have no intention of leaving Seattle (Ballard and Greenlake) any time soon, despite being WFH for 19 months, and effective 1/2022 hybrid. Here in Sammamish the houses are still selling in 1-2 days at over asking with multiple offers, and the buyers are almost always older millennials with kids close to school age. Despite the increasingly severe homeless problems and crime, Seattle still seems to have a (strange to me) appeal to younger adults. I went into the office today for the first time in several months and was surprised to see that now even the entire wall (far right going east) inside the Mt. Baker tunnel is covered with graffiti.

[jabogitlu]

I love Seattle. The opportunities and people here are great.

I am permanent WFH status now and I still live in First Hill. Seattle is full of city people, which aren't the same as suburban people or country people. Some folks will likely decamp to Snohomish County, Eastern WA, or a cheaper state altogether. But many of us won't; we have deep existing circles here and really enjoy the city of Seattle itself.

What I DON'T miss is a minimum 30-min commute to get into a boring, uninspiring, uncomfortable office where I worked at perhaps 40% productivity because I was in clothes that I hated, constantly got interrupted by other peoples' conversations or noises, etc.

[flyingsaucermom]

Young people want cities. I don't think this has changed.

[jabogitlu]

City people want cities.

[PhoenixSomeday]

Man, $125k doesn't go very far. At least not in the nice suburbs east of Seattle around lakes Washington and Sammamish. Gotta get the youngest kid in school to get the wife working again. At least with a remote job, being further out isn't as much of a problem. It just comes down to decent schools and special needs services at that point.

[jabogitlu]

Yep. Nice suburbs here are full of households making $250k+. Not everyone, of course, but it makes accessing those areas much more difficult for new entry folks.