Thinking About Moving to Washington From California (Seattle, Tacoma: real estate, apartment)

[lilmitsuko]

Hello,

My husband and I (and our dog) are thinking about moving to Washington. California housing prices have increased exponentially, and it is very difficult to make enough to live out here. I am a teacher and my husband works at Target (though, he is currently pursuing other career opportunities). We both just returned from teaching English through the JET Programme in Japan after four years, and we're flabbergasted at how hard it is to get a reasonable paying job out here and an affordable place to live.

We're looking for an apartment that's under $1200, if possible. How hard is it to find jobs out there? Where should I start looking? I have to look into teaching out of state and what needs to be done in order for Washington to recognize my credential, but I just want to get a feel for what it's like to move out there.

I suppose we want to live in the suburbs more so than in rural areas. We also would like to be close (relatively) to some Japanese markets since we cook a lot of meals our neighbors in Japan taught us.

Any advice or information you can offer is greatly appreciated! Or, if you need any more information from me, please let me know!

Thank you in advance.

[thatguy950]

If you want to work as a translator or use those credentials then likely you'll need to look in/around Seattle, and unless you're coming from the Bay Area you're not going to find cheaper rent or real estate in King Co, in fact it can be more expensive than SoCal and even rentals are extremely competitive and have bidding wars, no joke. Another thing, the Seattle job market is INSANELY competitive, far more than LA IME, so you'll probably need a masters degree or higher to make a living wage.

YMMV of course, but the talent pool with advanced degrees and loads of certifications is a million miles deep in the Seattle metro area, so it takes a lot to stand out. Keep in mind it's mostly a career move part of the country where people go to get a bump in credentials or experience pf some kind then bail, so you're going to be facing an uphill battle.

[notnamed]

You'll either want to be in Seattle or Vancouver(and make regular hops over to Portland). $1200 won't get you very far in either market but still doable for the time being with reasonable expectations(1-2 bedrooms). You would want to buy something soon or face being priced out of the market after having moved here.

[Jane917]

My son was in the JET program a few years back. He now works for one of the large ESL schools in LA. I don't know if there are any in WA that are a large as the ones in LA.

[StealthRabbit]

If young and restless get another international job. WA is a spendy destination, tho better than Portland (high taxes and expensive, and popular destination.)...meaning people work for cheap, just to live there. Was the same when I lived in Colorado.

[leastprime]

Uwajimaya Japanese centered store is next to KingStation Train and Bus terminals. The International District (ID) starts here consisting of Japanese, east Chinese, west Chinese, Vietnamese (SE Asian), and at the top of Jackson, East African. There are a couple of housing projects for senior Asians (mostly Japanese but some Chinese/Vietnamese). Some Buddhist Temples, community gardens, a tea house, and a hillside park.

If you can get a place along the LINK train or express bus routes, you can get into Seattle fairly quickly and inexpensively.

No idea about jobs.

[wmweeza]

I lived most of my life in Seattle, moved to California and I'm now moving back to Washington in a few months. I am not even considering Seattle as I hate the traffic and it's too expensive. I am not so much escaping Cali as I am just going home, but I am sick of the weather here.
Seattle has Japanese markets, I think Tacoma does too (and would be more affordable) but for reasonable house prices you have to go an hours drive out from there in most cases, if not further. I'd use Seattle as a place to go once a month or to go for a date night, but unless you have $600k or more it can be very hard to find a decent house.
Try Tacoma maybe, and I agree with the suggestion for Vancouver.
Good luck!

[sll3454]

Originally Posted by lilmitsuko

Hello,

My husband and I (and our dog) are thinking about moving to Washington. California housing prices have increased exponentially, and it is very difficult to make enough to live out here. I am a teacher and my husband works at Target (though, he is currently pursuing other career opportunities). We both just returned from teaching English through the JET Programme in Japan after four years, and we're flabbergasted at how hard it is to get a reasonable paying job out here and an affordable place to live.

We're looking for an apartment that's under $1200, if possible. How hard is it to find jobs out there? Where should I start looking? I have to look into teaching out of state and what needs to be done in order for Washington to recognize my credential, but I just want to get a feel for what it's like to move out there.

I suppose we want to live in the suburbs more so than in rural areas. We also would like to be close (relatively) to some Japanese markets since we cook a lot of meals our neighbors in Japan taught us.

Any advice or information you can offer is greatly appreciated! Or, if you need any more information from me, please let me know!

Thank you in advance.

If you can give the reasons you are considering Washington, people may be better able to help you find a good place. Do you want to move here for the climate? (If so, which climate? We have more than one.) Do you have relatives or friends here? (If so, in what region?)

The things you did mention do not make Washington seem like a good fit. "Affordable place to live" is not a good description of Washington - certainly not Western Washington. Washington also doesn't pay teachers as well as California does.

[CrazyDonkey]

Look at Mid-Tacoma, around the Tacoma Mall. Still affordable. Tacoma's job market is not as cutthroat as Seattle's. You're about 40 minutes (off-peak) to an hour or more (peak) from Seattle.

[USDefault]

Originally Posted by lilmitsuko

We're looking for an apartment that's under $1200, if possible.

It's doable. Very difficult in downtown Seattle, easier in the greater Seattle-metro area, the surrounding cities, or Vancouver WA (just north of Portland and a ten-minute drive to Portland International Airport, great airport by the way).

How hard is it to find jobs out there?

I think you'll find something. Lots of people are moving to Seattle, Southern Washington, and Portland. Lots of building and residential construction is going on. A whole sh*tload of people are moving out of California and up here.

I suppose we want to live in the suburbs more so than in rural areas. We also would like to be close (relatively) to some Japanese markets since we cook a lot of meals our neighbors in Japan taught us.

I would do suburbs. Close to the amenities you need, yet a little space so you're not hearing your neighbors' every move. Single-family homes are best.

Anyway, many many people are doing what you are contemplating. We did it, love it up here thus far.