How true is seattlesucks.com (Tacoma: home equity, pros and cons, live)

[geometricdisaster]

Originally Posted by ness

I wonder what is so different about me that I've had such a different experience every time I've been to Seattle. On my last trip I spent the morning at Pike's Market and had a friendly chat with numerous vendors and people. I actually remarked to my friend that I was surprised at how friendly the people seemed. EX: My friend and I were sitting having lunch and a woman sat near us with a baby in a stroller. She smiled at us and apologized for the location of the stroller b/c it was crowding us a bit. I said no problem and said she had a beautiful baby. She said thanks and proceeded to tell me how he just loves being out in the stoller and its such a nice day for it....blah....blah...blah. That whole morning I felt completely at home and at ease even though Seattle is not my home town and I was just visiting. Wonder why I have such a different impression????? Any ideas? Maybe I fit in more b/c I typically wear Seattle-like clothes b/c my husband works for REI. Did the crocs or jungle mocs on my feet and the prana t-shirt indicate to people that I'm a person they'd want to talk to? Curious.

Hey ness,

I don't think it's so much how you were dressed, etc. What's weird about Seattle is that visitors leave with an impression that people are friendly. However, once you actually live in the area and go about daily things, you find how superficial that friendliness is.

As for myself, I'd based some of my decision to move to Seattle based upon my initial impressions whilst visiting. It's subjective, but I picked up on the social (not just in the element of making friends, but the level of customer service, workmanship, and timeliness when you're paying for something + the passive-aggressiveness in the workplace as well) downsides here after about a month or two.

[ness]

Very interesting. Dh and I are still definitely considering the move...and we would most likely be farther south..closer to Tacoma. We already have quite a few friends in that area...so we should be okay on that front. Sad to hear that Seattle gets such a bad rap for people's unfriendliness.

[geometricdisaster]

Originally Posted by ness

Very interesting. Dh and I are still definitely considering the move...and we would most likely be farther south..closer to Tacoma. We already have quite a few friends in that area...so we should be okay on that front. Sad to hear that Seattle gets such a bad rap for people's unfriendliness.

All I have to say is: good luck with getting decent quality anything (that's not a niche food product or piece of artwork) here.

If you need landscapers, people to process your home purchase, people to move your stuff -- if you need to buy anything at a retail chain, buy groceries, drive, or anything else like that, you, too, may find yourself griping about passive-aggressive, lazy, snarky, inconsiderate people.

But at least they're friendly on the surface.

I can't vouche for Tacoma but, be prepared to watch people in Seattle wince and elevate their noses slightly if you mention that you'll be living there.

[ness]

Originally Posted by geometricdisaster

All I have to say is: good luck with getting decent quality anything (that's not a niche food product or piece of artwork) here.

If you need landscapers, people to process your home purchase, people to move your stuff -- if you need to buy anything at a retail chain, buy groceries, drive, or anything else like that, you, too, may find yourself griping about passive-aggressive, lazy, snarky, inconsiderate people.

But at least they're friendly on the surface.

I can't vouche for Tacoma but, be prepared to watch people in Seattle wince and elevate their noses slightly if you mention that you'll be living there.

I've already spent quite a bit of time in various places in WA and haven't found that to be the case. Still wondering why my WA doesn't mesh at all with your WA. I've bought groceries, worked a few weeks with a team on an old house (historic landmark), bought things in local shops, met with a couple nice and competent real estate professionals, eaten at various places, and also driven around (people do drive slower). Not to be rude....but maybe there is something you could be doing differently. If you are giving off a negative vibe at the onset maybe that is effecting your relations with people. It just seems like you are having an awful lot of bad luck.

I think there are inconsiderate people everywhere....but WA (to me) seems to have less of them than I'm used to. But...then again....I'm from LA....where the person with the most expensive car goes first....if they even bother to stop....at the stop signs. LOL.

I guess it is all relative to what your used to.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by ness

I've already spent quite a bit of time in various places in WA and haven't found that to be the case. Still wondering why my WA doesn't mesh at all with your WA. I've bought groceries, worked a few weeks with a team on an old house (historic landmark), bought things in local shops, met with a couple nice and competent real estate professionals, eaten at various places, and also driven around (people do drive slower). Not to be rude....but maybe there is something you could be doing differently. If you are giving off a negative vibe at the onset maybe that is effecting your relations with people. It just seems like you are having an awful lot of bad luck.

I think there are inconsiderate people everywhere....but WA (to me) seems to have less of them than I'm used to. But...then again....I'm from LA....where the person with the most expensive car goes first....if they even bother to stop....at the stop signs. LOL.

I guess it is all relative to what your used to.

Man you knocked it out of the park......In seattle Im treated like I have money no matter how I dress. Where I live now, Its very very much different. Cutting me off in traffic is about as NICE as it gets where I live. Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Medford, and Redding all very nice considerate and polite towns. Sac town, its touch and go, LA, Dallas, Austin, Houston, NY, Rude, tacky people.

[geometricdisaster]

Originally Posted by ness

I've already spent quite a bit of time in various places in WA and haven't found that to be the case. Still wondering why my WA doesn't mesh at all with your WA. I've bought groceries, worked a few weeks with a team on an old house (historic landmark), bought things in local shops, met with a couple nice and competent real estate professionals, eaten at various places, and also driven around (people do drive slower). Not to be rude....but maybe there is something you could be doing differently. If you are giving off a negative vibe at the onset maybe that is effecting your relations with people. It just seems like you are having an awful lot of bad luck.

I think there are inconsiderate people everywhere....but WA (to me) seems to have less of them than I'm used to. But...then again....I'm from LA....where the person with the most expensive car goes first....if they even bother to stop....at the stop signs. LOL.

I guess it is all relative to what your used to.

Haha, hearing all of this, I'm sure you'll fit in very well and have a pleasant living experience in WA.

I predict, however, that you'd move up from Tacoma to some place closer to Seattle. Maybe Kent or Renton. I think Tacoma will be too blue collar for you.

Just a hunch, not an insult.

[ness]

Originally Posted by geometricdisaster

Haha, hearing all of this, I'm sure you'll fit in very well and have a pleasant living experience in WA.

I predict, however, that you'd move up from Tacoma to some place closer to Seattle. Maybe Kent or Renton. I think Tacoma will be too blue collar for you.

Just a hunch, not an insult.

Thanks for the input. I'm hoping DH and I can find our niche in the Tacoma area 'cause that's where his job will be....but we'll have to see. I don't know much about Renton except I think that's where our friend launches his boat.

I think I need to be somewhere with old houses....cause that's what I do for a living. Seems like Tacoma would be ideal b/c of the revitalization, but you never know. Our friends say we should also check out Steilacom.

[geometricdisaster]

Originally Posted by ness

Thanks for the input. I'm hoping DH and I can find our niche in the Tacoma area 'cause that's where his job will be....but we'll have to see. I don't know much about Renton except I think that's where our friend launches his boat.

I think I need to be somewhere with old houses....cause that's what I do for a living. Seems like Tacoma would be ideal b/c of the revitalization, but you never know. Our friends say we should also check out Steilacom.

Sounds like a fun career (refurbishing older houses). I'm sure there's a big market for that up here.

By the way, some of the negatives are cautionary tales for wide-eyed idealists who think Seattle's going to be perfect + my razzing the local camp that tries to perpetuate that myth.

I know lots of Southern California folks want to leave the congestion, dry climate, dusty landscape, and social superficiality and come to the Northwest. It's different here, that's for sure -- I found it disappointing (I'm not from Socal, though), but I know that not everyone who's moved here has a negative view. I'm probably just too "type A" for this place -- and I suspect that the others who have negative views of it are, too.

[kittyhox]

There are some GORGEOUS historic sections of Tacoma. I think it's considered "North" Tacoma, near downtown.

Steilacoom is darling. I love it there.

There are also a lot of less than desirable areas surrounding both. Definitely not uniformly nice/safe.

I think if you already have a few friends in the area you'll love it here!

[ness]

Originally Posted by kittyhox

There are some GORGEOUS historic sections of Tacoma. I think it's considered "North" Tacoma, near downtown.

Steilacoom is darling. I love it there.

There are also a lot of less than desirable areas surrounding both. Definitely not uniformly nice/safe.

I think if you already have a few friends in the area you'll love it here!

Thanks for the encouragement. DH and I are coming for a visit next weekend so we'll be keeping everyone's comments (pos. and neg.) in mind. A bunch of really good things have been brought up that I hadn't even thought of. Like Tacoma area being quite blue collar. I'm not even really sure how I feel about that b/c I never thought about it. One more thing to ponder....= )