Why did you move to Seattle? (Bellingham, Sammamish: how much, neighbourhood, live)

[orangeblossom]

Originally Posted by tada

I moved here... because my mother's womb was located here, and it was convenient.

I'm stranded here because of UW. I considered transferring several times, believe me.

lol thats my excuse,too,but kidding aside, every summer we go to the east coast to visit family ( mostly NY,NJ, and PA) we always get caught up in the excitement of NY,but when we come back home to green everywhere and air that you can breathe in...Seattle seems like a wonderland. Its only the weather that bothers me the most.

[ST CRoix To Seattle]

1. To make less money-work less
2. Relax more
3. Spend more time enjoying life

[txdoodah]

Originally Posted by Pittgal

We moved to Seattle strickly for a job and the financial benefit of it. Hubby took job at Amazon, so we are here for 4 years. Making this move got us out of debt and we will have enough money when we leave to build the house of our dreams back in PA and pay for it in cash. Nothing will keep us here since we want to raise our kids back home around our families and friends, plus we are not happy here but trying to make the best of it.

I've seen the "Amazon and 4 years" statement on several different comments on various blogs. Can you elaborate a little more? My husband is being pursued by Amazon, do they require a 4 year commitment or how does the magical 4 years come into play? We'd be moving from Texas and would eventually like to come back so not sure we are up for a permanent move to Seattle. Also, we've heard that for some positions Microsoft gives a housing differential since the housing tends to be higher than other places. Do you know if Amazon does anything similar?

[txdoodah]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Pittgal, you too?? Job and financial benefit of it...also at Amazon. Although we also thought Seattle was beautiful and love the skiing, hiking, water everywhere, etc. We moved here from Austin...here, we go again on Austin. Jenbar, where are you?

We're in Austin as well...are you happy with the move from Austin to Seattle? What are do you live in? How does the cost compare to the Austin area?

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by txdoodah

I've seen the "Amazon and 4 years" statement on several different comments on various blogs. Can you elaborate a little more? My husband is being pursued by Amazon, do they require a 4 year commitment or how does the magical 4 years come into play?

The OP will likely answer but I bet it has something to do with the vesting schedule.

[Pittgal]

you can pm me

[EvergreenElle]

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

4) I think it was Seattle Rain that said this once: "I grew up in Seattle and I wanted to show my kids all the things I grew up with in Seattle." Which is to say, there is a bond you want to pass down. One great things about having kids is reliving your own childhood and sharing your memories with your children. And it hit me. This is NOT the kind of place I grew up in. I grew up in Sunny So Cal, and then up to Nor Cal. All my memories I've been wanting to share with my children I feel were taken away from me, and I'm having hard time with that. I so desperately wanted to re-connect with my childhood as I brought my children up. But I'm not there, and I'm not around my family which makes everything so much more difficult.

This is so ironic and opposite to me! I am actually a WA native and left when I was 19. I've been living in S. Cal for 8 years now and previously in S. NV. Ever since leaving WA, I've yearned to go back - nothing compares in my opinion. Now that I have small children, I'm experiencing the same emotions you're describing about missing home - except we're opposite!!

I want my girls to have the same experience that I had with nature, cool summer camps, laid back, unpretentious friends, etc. Plus, be close to their extended family. I'm constantly obsessing about moving back, and it hinders me from actually enjoying where I'm living and the friends and cool stuff here. Now that I've read everyone else's posts, I suppose it puts it into more perspective.

I need to definitely research the reality of Seattle before I make the leap with kids and a husband who's not used to the PNW, that's for sure. Perhaps I can get my 'fix' by taking more trips each year up there instead of moving. In fact, we're flying up this coming weekend to hang out with family! YAY!

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by EvergreenElle

This is so ironic and opposite to me! I am actually a WA native and left when I was 19. I've been living in S. Cal for 8 years now and previously in S. NV. Ever since leaving WA, I've yearned to go back - nothing compares in my opinion. Now that I have small children, I'm experiencing the same emotions you're describing about missing home - except we're opposite!!

I want my girls to have the same experience that I had with nature, cool summer camps, laid back, unpretentious friends, etc. Plus, be close to their extended family. I'm constantly obsessing about moving back, and it hinders me from actually enjoying where I'm living and the friends and cool stuff here. Now that I've read everyone else's posts, I suppose it puts it into more perspective.

I need to definitely research the reality of Seattle before I make the leap with kids and a husband who's not used to the PNW, that's for sure. Perhaps I can get my 'fix' by taking more trips each year up there instead of moving. In fact, we're flying up this coming weekend to hang out with family! YAY!

We have wanted to move back to Bellingham for over 10 years, but cant seem to find a job to support us. I also obsess over moving back. I will say that it is nice having some sunshine, although I think maybe you can get too much sunshine. We live in Arizona.

Seattle, if you can afford it, is just the most wonderful large metro city in the USA. So clean and Green. The water scenery in Seattle is incredible.

Im going to work hard, save some money, go to school, just to train for another job that will allow me to move back to the PacNW

[VeronikaW]

Originally Posted by txdoodah

I've seen the "Amazon and 4 years" statement on several different comments on various blogs. Can you elaborate a little more? My husband is being pursued by Amazon, do they require a 4 year commitment or how does the magical 4 years come into play? We'd be moving from Texas and would eventually like to come back so not sure we are up for a permanent move to Seattle. Also, we've heard that for some positions Microsoft gives a housing differential since the housing tends to be higher than other places. Do you know if Amazon does anything similar?

The 4 year commitment to Amazon works something like this:

Year one you get a monetary bonus
Year two you get an additional monetary bonus equal to year 1 and a small percentage of whatever stock was promised to you.
Year three you get another percentage of stock.
Year four you get 100% of the stock promised to you.

V. =)

[cdtdat]

My wife and I (and unborn child) are moving up to the Seattle area in a couple of months. We're relocating from Las Vegas. I have friends here (in Las Vegas) that have move here from the Seattle area and within 3 years they move back.