Top 5 Pros & Cons of Seattle (Vancouver, Everett: condo, house, to buy)

[Hamza]

Originally Posted by JesseJB

I remember me and my friends talking about it in like 6th grade. We have so many damn resources here, cheap power and so many growing regions that we could be pretty self-sufficient if we had to be. Sometimes I wonder why there are major cities in the US that have no resources around them. Like why is Cleveland even there? haha

The Postman -- the book, not the terrible movie with Kevin Costner -- was set here for this reason. The PNW hosted one of a handful of permanent hunter/gather aboriginal societies in the world. The area around the puget sound was so fertile that Native Americans could hunt/gather year-round without having to seasonally migrate.

[bethma]

o.k. I just have to put my 2 cents in here. I grew up just outside of Seattle and moved away 16 years ago. I am glad I did because now I really appreciate my home state. I am moving back summer 2010 you know what they say there is no place like home. Washington State is the most wonderful place in the world, and I have traveled alot.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by bethma

o.k. I just have to put my 2 cents in here. I grew up just outside of Seattle and moved away 16 years ago. I am glad I did because now I really appreciate my home state. I am moving back summer 2010 you know what they say there is no place like home. Washington State is the most wonderful place in the world, and I have traveled alot.

It's changed in sixteen years... a lot. We were only gone for about six and half years but when we got back in 2001 we barely recognized it. Didn't like the changes that the late nineties brought so we ended up leaving for good.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by bethma

o.k. I just have to put my 2 cents in here. I grew up just outside of Seattle and moved away 16 years ago. I am glad I did because now I really appreciate my home state. I am moving back summer 2010 you know what they say there is no place like home. Washington State is the most wonderful place in the world, and I have traveled alot.

I used to live in the Seattle area as a child in the early 1990's. I still miss it sometimes. I remember the summer when the ice cream truck and all of the kids would gather around it. I also have a fond memory of getting up early and riding with a few friends on our bikes. I still remember the times there. I know how you feel because I used to live there myself.

[rabagley]

Originally Posted by Hamza

Trying to touch on things others haven't mentioned

Cons:

5. Poor environment to raise a family (most folks move to 'burbs)

I'm particularly curious about this con. Any specifics as to why this is? Cost of a family home? Crime? Singles/DINK's as the dominant culture?

[Lovetheoutdoors]

Originally Posted by Seattletony

Now for my modest proposal, I think everyone living in Seattle or any other place outside of the southwest where they don't get 300 plus days of sun should be abandoned we should all head to the southwest California, Nevada Arizona, New Mexico, Texas. These places are perfect with zero problems no why because they get 300 plus days of sun.

Very true Seattletony. As someone who lived in Las Vegas, I can tell everyone that living down there in Nirvana. No problems whatsoever. And I agree that everyone should down there and try it out. I'll stay here and "watch the store".

Why did I leave heaven for Seattle? Uh, well, I, uh, I'm a, uh, sucker for self-punishment. Yeah, that's it. I would much rather look at brown instead of beautiful greenery. And who doesn't like sweating morning, noon and night for five months out of the year? So everyone check it out and I'll just stay here in horrible Seattle. I'll manage somehow.

This post actually sounded funnier in my head. The only reason I'm going through with it is because I put in too much time typing it up.

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by rabagley

I'm particularly curious about this con. Any specifics as to why this is? Cost of a family home? Crime? Singles/DINK's as the dominant culture?

Its the same con as in any urban area. Suburbs are perceived as more child-friendly, they have better schools, more playgrounds, etc. Its why so many New Yorkers buy a place in NJ or Long Island once they're ready to make some babies. People here just move to Bothell, Bellevue, Renton, Issaquah etc etc.

[Ira500]

5. Poor environment to raise a family (most folks move to 'burbs)
I'm particularly curious about this con. Any specifics as to why this is? Cost of a family home? Crime? Singles/DINK's as the dominant culture?


Those parts of the city of Seattle which have good schools have insanely expensive housing costs, and those parts of the city of Seattle which are more affordable tend to either have terrible schools or are perceived as less safe.

[jr75]

Pros
1. It's beautiful here. 3 national parks in your backyard along with almost anywhere else that could be a national park unto itself in the Cascades. Plants compete for space just as well as buildings in Seattle. Gardens, vines, flowers, trees, you name it. The view of Olympic mtns. covered in snow across the bay will take your breath away. It never gets old for me.
2. The vibe and culture of the city is great. So many cafes, small movie houses, places to go for a literary reading/discussion. Small theaters for plays and big ones too. A music scene that garners national attention that is active locally and supported by a network of clubs, recording studios and patrons of all ages.
3. Dina Martina (if you know who this is--a local performer)- one of the funniest, most outrageous things to see when She is putting on a show. KEXP- one of the best radio stations in North America. SIFF and various other film festivals.
4. The weather- I love it. Why or how could it be any other way and still be Seattle? It couldn't, and as soon as you realise that it seems funny and childish IMO when people complain about something that A. they chose and B. they cannot control.
5.Neighborhoods- Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Fremont, Ballard, the U-Dist etc..each is unique and offers it's own lifestyle.
I would add Seattle's economy and generally educated and entrepreneurial population to this list and UW as a great university within city limits. I could go on but I'll leave it there.

Cons: (I only have three)
1. Connectivity between neighborhoods. Getting from one to another is okay if they are already close to each other ie. Ballard and Fremont but going from there to say Capitol Hill is more of a pain. As everyone is fully aware, we are behind on comprehensive public transit and I think this is a legitimate complaint that most have.
2. City government=too much process, takes forever to get anything done in Seattle. See #1
3. Residents who complain about the good old days in Seattle. Before it turned into a big city. Or people who forlornly look toward Portland or Vancouver as being superior cities to theirs, yet failing to see the numerous things Seattle posesses/does that neither of the two mentioned can claim. Some of it's healthy but most of it's annoying and false IMO. Also people who whole heartedly believe in the "Seattle Freeze" as if they aren't responsible for what comes their way and have convinced themselves that's just how it is here. A self fulfilling prophecy I think and obviously not universal since me and many others do not share this experience. That's all.

[Twitch2]

The pro's
1) Great recreational activities Rock Climbing, hiking, boating, mtn biking, etc
2) Seattle has a cool skyline
3) Great tourist attractions downtown Pikes place, Space needle, etc
4) Really green and lush
5) generally nice people

The cons
1) traffic
2) cost of living
3) rains alot, but it does have nice summers not to hot
4) No sidewalks north of Greenlake
5) Ocean is to cold to swim in.