How much do I need to move to Seattle? (cheap apartment, lease)

[Midas AG]

At every apartment I've rented, or worked for, it was 6X rent in savings, or 3X rent in income, either or, not both. So if no job, and a 1k rent, need to have 6k savings, or make 3k a month if you do have a job. Don't want to argue, not worth it. But I would hope with 7-10K in the bank, we'd be able to rent somewhere. I know of a few places I can rent an apartment with no job check or anything to live for a few months till we establish ourselves and move somewhere else.

[JesseJames34]

I have a quote for my apartment in WA sitting in my inbox, so nobody is arguing or making things up. Just telling my experience. I'm sure it varies a little per property management company. Victorianpunk will just have to call some places in WA to find out.

[texastrigirl]

I would go for it. I watched my 70 year old father in law parachute in here sight unseen and he is doing okay. Did not have a dime in savings and we only let him live with us for two weeks. We found him a room in a house in Queen Anne that is $475 plus utilities and he found a job as a security guard for $12 an hour and he teaches sailing and picks up odd jobs. SS is only $1300 per month and within a few months he is feeling more financially secure than he has in a long time. I will say though he was tenacious about getting out there and meeting people and not waiting for things to come to him. He went after them. If you are young and it's just you and not a whole lot to lose other than money...go for it!

[JesseJames34]

Originally Posted by Midas AG

At every apartment I've rented, or worked for, it was 6X rent in savings, or 3X rent in income, either or, not both. So if no job, and a 1k rent, need to have 6k savings, or make 3k a month if you do have a job. Don't want to argue, not worth it. But I would hope with 7-10K in the bank, we'd be able to rent somewhere. I know of a few places I can rent an apartment with no job check or anything to live for a few months till we establish ourselves and move somewhere else.

Man, you wouldn't believe this. The same apartment that gave me a quote back in january(i was going to move then, but the economic tsunami kept me at bay...plus getting free graduate reimbursement) just told me today that they will now allow the sum of each month on the contract in savings to qualify. I have plenty of cash, so it didn't really matter, but I thought it was an interesting revelation due to this recent conversation and thought I'd share it. Maybe the manager is trying to lure me in this time. Or maybe the evictions are high due to unemployment? Still a scary time to move...

[Midas AG]

Yeah, Seattle is starting to get hit like everywhere else, and companies are doing what they can. I just had never heard of a compnay requiring the 700*3*3 you had explained. Doesn't mean they don't.


But anyways, its going to be better than living here in MI, so I'm not too entirely worried. There's still the "I'm moving 2,600 miles away, with a few grand in my pocket(7k in bank), no job, no place to live, and no one I really know there when I get there. "

ButI have a good feeling about it, and that's all I need.

[texastrigirl]

If you are young and have no other responsibility than to yourself, now is the time to take risks like that! It would be different if you were leaving a good job market to come to a bad job market but you are doing the reverse. If you are willing to work hard and budget your money carefully it can work.

[plainbrowntabby]

Look on craigslist or at caretaker gazette for house-sitting type jobs in Seattle. Some even pay. You can get the feel of a place and get established without laying out a lot of cash. Your skills should land you a good job fairly soon. go for it. get out now!

[Hamza]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

So, is it do able with 7,000, or am I just being nieve?

By the way, I might well commit suicide before I delay my move again...I absolutely despise the state of New Jersey

Ok, firstly:

WTF! NJ is a great state. The water does taste funny and but the small towns are really beautiful. Whatever you can say about Newark or JC or AC or Trenton, the small towns in NJ are bucolic and well kept. There are also little gems of restaurants and things to do.

And on top of that, you're a 30 min ride from NYC. So don't rag too much on NJ. The politicians there are the most affordable in the country. Donate $1k to your local councilman and all your red tape should be cleared up. I'm serious. A little graft goes a long way to fixing bureaucratic problems.

Secondly:

I would not move to Seattle without having at least three strong job prospects. Work here is pretty hard to find and wages are sinking as demand goes up. It does feel, though, that this area has reached the bottom economically speaking. All the jobcuts that were to be made in Seattle seem to have been made.

That being said...

You have more than enough money to move here. Apartments are cheap and getting cheaper all over so negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Bed and Breakfasts as well as most hotels in Seattle have empty rooms so you can definitely negotiate a cheap place to stay until you get your feet on the ground.

Yes, walk around a n'hood you like and find an apartment that way. Use craigslist as a jumping off point to find a n'hood you like, but be aware that any price you find for a place on craigslist can probably be renegotiated, in person, down 30%. There is just a ton of empty space in Seattle right now and even more coming online as residential construction started during the boom is being finished now -- against all odds.

And most importantly, be sure you like it here. Seattle is very different than the greater metropolitan area. I would caution you -- coming from the same area and a similar situation -- to reserve judgment on Seattleites themselves for twelve months. What you will initially interpret as coldness and a solitary nature should, over a year or so, thaw to congenial friendliness. People here drink all the time and the best way to meet your neighbors is to bring alcohol (beer!) to them, take them to alcohol (beer!), or hold an event involving alcohol (beer?!?! beer!). You will find urban Seattleites, once made comfortable with drink, to be an exceedingly accepting and chummy lot. Very nice folks. I don't know how well this logic holds to West Seattleites/Alki Pointers. I heard they don't live in houses there and still hunt caribou or gather roots to survive the winter. But aside from the semibarbarous West Seattleites with their caribou-hunting and Thunderdome-gladiator battles Seattleites are really nice people. Just give them time to get to know you.

On a side note, if you want to make a million dollars, open a bar. Even next to another bar. Doesn't matter here. You'll love Seattle!

[Ira500]

Victorian Punk,
Sounds to me like you'll have enough money to move here, and that the lure of Seattle isn't letting go of it's grip. So come on up. November is Seattle's rainiest month, so be prepared for that. The winter here feels different that NJ, rawer, damper, even if the temperature's a little higher, and being so far north it gets dark awfully early in the winter.
Having said that, i think you'll like it in Seattle...I'm very familiar with the NJ types you hate, and there's very, very few of those types here. Not that Seattle doesn't have it's a-holes. We do, but there's less of them and they're a different variety. you'll see.

[LucaBella]

I'm trying to find a house around 2Grand, and people want 5-6 grand up front just to move in, and that's WITH a job and everything.. (first, last, matching deposit) oh Seattle, I love you, but you're killing me...