The Seattle Burlington Switch (relocation, mcmansion, income)

[SeattleSonya]

Hello there,

I've lived in Seattle for the past 7 years, and for the last three I have been wanting to move, only I had no idea where to move to.

And then I discoverd Burlington, Vermont.

It seems to have all the things I love, including water and mountains that are easily accessible.

The reason I want to leave Seattle is because folks here are not friendly. It seems they need to know you 50 years before they keep a lunch commitment or even say hello after you greet them first, that is unless they're trying to sell you something.

I'm really excited about the prospect of Burlington. I plan to visit first before I make the final move--although I do have my heart set on moving there. Is housing really that expensive?? Compared to Seattle, the places I've seen advertised in Burlington are far less. Am I missin' something?

I'm particularly interested in living near downtown. I'm not a bar-goer, but I'll go and have an IPA or two if that's what it takes to get to know people. Other than that I enjoy all things creative, sports, outdoor activities, quirky people, and plain-ole-everyday-adventure.

If anyone has any more comments about Burlington living, nice or not, please share. I typically follow my heart, but at the same time I want to use my head when it comes to making my relocation decision. I need to find a place that gives me all the things I mentioned and still feels cozy enough to call home.

Thank you for reading my post.
Peace & Magic,
Sonya

[vter]

#1 question - job? This isnt exactly a hotbed for jobs. The reason you read that housing is expensive here is because salaries have not kept up with housing costs.

[harry chickpea]

"The reason I want to leave Seattle is because folks here are not friendly. It seems they need to know you 50 years before they keep a lunch commitment or even say hello after you greet them first, that is unless they're trying to sell you something."

Burlington is more outgoing than the rest of the state, but I fear you will find much the same as in Seattle.

Are you a cold weather person? Seattle, from what DW tells me, is cool and light rain most of the year. Burlington can get much colder in winter, and warmer during the brief summer.

Cost of living is high, but part of the problem is the wages are not in keeping with those costs.

Before making a move, you might want to consider at least visiting some areas further south, where friendliness is legendary. Guntersville AL comes to mind as an example. Lower cost of living, access to water and mountains, and a lot friendlier.

[Jason_Els]

Famous epitaph on a Vermont headstone:

I was somebody,
Who,
Is no business of yours.

New England is legendary for it's MYOB attitude and generally chilly, if certainly not rude, attitude toward strangers. Burlington still has a lot of Vermonters living in it and while it's said that Burlington is nice because it's so close to Vermont, you cannot live there without living in Vermont itself where Burlington may appear to be an anomaly.

I agree with what everyone is saying. You may want to look for more progressive cities in friendlier places if that's a big issue for you.

Definitely look into the economics of Vermont if you'll be depending on a Vermont job for your income. There are a lot of young people attending college and university at UVM and others, but Vermont is experiencing a brain drain. Most cannot find jobs that pay anything like what they can make elsewhere and the Vermont tax situation usually means they'll almost always keep a greater percentage of what they make if they leave.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Three words for the endless "Should I move to VT?" questions.......
JOB, JOB, and oh yeah, did I mention......Job ?
Then, if you are luck enuff to find one, check the salary they pay,
but be sitting down when you find your Masters is worth a whopping
25K here.
On a brighter note, you cannot help but love the Burlington area on a
day like today. If you are younger, Burlington is the only place I
would consider moving to from out-of-state.
There is a reason why all of the young people here are doing an
imitation of people jumping off of the Titanic into lifeboats.........

[christoforest]

Hi Sonya,

My wife and I have left Seattle to come back to New England for reasons of clouds, clearcuts, sprawl and weirdos! We agree with your take on Seattle people, and so far are very happy to be back here in New England. ( I used to live here 15 years ago.) We are in Northampton Mass (western Mass) right now, but have decided on Burlington or Northampton depending on where we find work. Burlington area is incredibly beautiful, and looking across Lake Champlain at the sun setting over the Adirondacks, feels like watching the sunset over the sound. (this was a good thing about Seattle!) The surrounding area of Burlington is fantastic for nature and feels much better preserved than Seattle's endless sprawl and forest clearcutting.

From what everyone says, it seems like if you want to make a lot of money, dont come to Burlington, but that can be a good thing too. Maybe people that stay are there for other values. My guess is that if you want a McMansion and an SUV (although these exist) you might have a hard time, but if you live simply Burlington might be a fantastic place.

I cannot comment on the friendliness/sociability of the people because I have only spent a short time there. This board seems to give mixed reviews, tending to negative of the people, but I am also not sure if these boards are representative. My experience with Seattleites is that they are very nicey-nicey on the surface but you will never get beyond that, almost soulless, but with New Englanders it is the opposite. Up front they might be a bit reserved but that once you make a friend, it is real and often lasts for a lifetime.

The weather is very cold in the winter, not very sunny in the winter, but definitely sunnier than Seattle.

Anyway, thats my three cents!

[leedspaddy]

Its a shame that all the prospective vermont residents are as deluded as I was when I moved here. If only they knew the real truth behind this crap state. This state is dieing a slow painful death which will soon end up playing the well renowned game of "spot the young person".

Originally Posted by christoforest

Hi Sonya,

My wife and I have left Seattle to come back to New England for reasons of clouds, clearcuts, sprawl and weirdos! We agree with your take on Seattle people, and so far are very happy to be back here in New England. ( I used to live here 15 years ago.) We are in Northampton Mass (western Mass) right now, but have decided on Burlington or Northampton depending on where we find work. Burlington area is incredibly beautiful, and looking across Lake Champlain at the sun setting over the Adirondacks, feels like watching the sunset over the sound. (this was a good thing about Seattle!) The surrounding area of Burlington is fantastic for nature and feels much better preserved than Seattle's endless sprawl and forest clearcutting.

From what everyone says, it seems like if you want to make a lot of money, dont come to Burlington, but that can be a good thing too. Maybe people that stay are there for other values. My guess is that if you want a McMansion and an SUV (although these exist) you might have a hard time, but if you live simply Burlington might be a fantastic place.

I cannot comment on the friendliness/sociability of the people because I have only spent a short time there. This board seems to give mixed reviews, tending to negative of the people, but I am also not sure if these boards are representative. My experience with Seattleites is that they are very nicey-nicey on the surface but you will never get beyond that, almost soulless, but with New Englanders it is the opposite. Up front they might be a bit reserved but that once you make a friend, it is real and often lasts for a lifetime.

The weather is very cold in the winter, not very sunny in the winter, but definitely sunnier than Seattle.

Anyway, thats my three cents!

[christoforest]

You call it a crap state, and the only reason I can see is because you couldn't cash in. You like the beauty of Vermont, but call the people who protect it eco-nuts. Other values exist that make a place good or not. Not everyone thinks materialism is the reason for life. There are plenty of places in this country you can find big bucks if that is what you want. Why not just move to a place where cashing-in is king, and no-one will bother you with regulations, and the place will be an ecological hell. I reccommend Houston.

[leedspaddy]

Originally Posted by christoforest

You call it a crap state, and the only reason I can see is because you couldn't cash in. You like the beauty of Vermont, but call the people who protect it eco-nuts. Other values exist that make a place good or not. Not everyone thinks materialism is the reason for life. There are plenty of places in this country you can find big bucks if that is what you want. Why not just move to a place where cashing-in is king, and no-one will bother you with regulations, and the place will be an ecological hell. I reccommend Houston.

and don't forget to mention those people(namely VT judges) who protect child molesters..............Houston????............nah. I'm not looking to "cash in" , I'm looking for some place where my education, skills and experience are valued more than they here and some place where I don't have to continuously struggle
Yes I call people who protect the beauty of Vermont eco-nuts because they have no clue how to strike a balance between the beauty and business development. You don't see the rest of New England being as restrictive as VT, yet they are just as beautiful if not more. I look forward to the day when I can leave this liberal infested, tax your a-s-s state behind for good.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by christoforest

You call it a crap state, and the only reason I can see is because you couldn't cash in. You like the beauty of Vermont, but call the people who protect it eco-nuts. Other values exist that make a place good or not. Not everyone thinks materialism is the reason for life. There are plenty of places in this country you can find big bucks if that is what you want. Why not just move to a place where cashing-in is king, and no-one will bother you with regulations, and the place will be an ecological hell. I reccommend Houston.

It sounds like you don't know Houston too well, and shouldn't bash it based on foolish stereotypes.