Tell me about Washington! (Seattle, Spokane: housing, rental, jobs)

[kburton]

I'm 25...and I've been looking at the prices of apartments in Seattle and other areas. and they seem reasonable...i was paying 2000 a month in Cali, and all my other bills...and still had a good life. I couldn't ever buy a house though,so I moved back home to MI, and didn't realize how bad it was.So ,i need to move on...and researching where...not the south...not for me

[WendyK]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Spokane, maybe?

Spokane would be good for lower cost living and has good nursing school programs available through WSU's Spokane campus or through Spokane Community College. You wouldn't have any problem finding a job here either.

[kburton]

thanks! I've heard bad things about Spokane...ifits true I don't know! Thanks for the help.I'll look into it...for sure

[mustang34]

Another place to consider would be the Tri Cities area in SE Washington, about 3 hrs. from Spokane. It has been constantly growing since early 1990's or so and is also fairly inexpensive. As for schools there is a WSU branch capus in Richland as well as Columbia Basin College in Pasco. There are a lot of new jobs, and new homes/apartments too.

[kburton]

Thank you I'll look into that for sure! I just want to be happy,and safe!...and find a job of course!

[janb]

Originally Posted by kburton

So where would one go?... I was also considering..Ft.Collins,Co,Salem or Portland,Boise,or Northern Cali..

I'd move and work in Vancouver, WA, (low CoL, no income tax + lots of choices of jobs) and go to the new RN program in Porland, OR (no sales tax) (~20 min) at
http://cu-portland.edu/



Of course I prefer Ft Collins, but... There are lots of schools, lots of hospitals, mtn + beach + BIG river in Vanc / Portland area (that's where I came at your age, tho I miss Estes Park and Loveland CO. and riding my bike nearly everyday. But, I'll get back to sun someday...

[coffeebeans]

hey
Since you mentioned liking booming city life, I felt compelled to reply. I grew up on the olympic peninsula. (forks, port angeles, sequim area...) and moved near Seattle enjoy the city life. I love it!

The great thing about Seattle is that you can live in a nearby city with lower cost of living & just take a 30 minute drive to work or play downtown. Kent and Renton are great mid-sized cities south of Seattle. (Kent is just south of Renton by about 10 minutes, so it's slightly cheaper living & it's a little smaller. Both are pretty, with friendly neighbors and a somewhat quaint feel, imo.) There are certainly many other options to live near Seattle w/o the downtown costs, but these are the two I'm familiar with.

I live in Kent, and work in Seatac. (near the airport) My commute is about 20 minutes.

I wanted to mention that if you choose Spokane, you're in a somewhat remote area. From what I know it's a college town... it's large, but there's not much in eastern washington that's 'lively'. no offense to those from the east! I just couldn't live there. I love the busy feel of western washington, and I grew up around the rain & the greenery. (...& the coffee!)Point being; those dusty brown hills would drive me bonkers.

[jwb123]

The great thing about Seattle is that you can live in a nearby city with lower cost of living & just take a 30 minute drive to work or play downtown. Kent and Renton are great mid-sized cities south of Seattle. (Kent is just south of Renton by about 10 minutes, so it's slightly cheaper living & it's a little smaller. Both are pretty, with friendly neighbors and a somewhat quaint feel, imo.) There are certainly many other options to live near Seattle w/o the downtown costs, but these are the two I'm familiar with.

Ha! You make it all sound so easy.

"JUST" a 30 minute drive to work? I suppose, if you work in off hours...

Kent? Pretty? Friendly? QUAINT???

[janb]

Originally Posted by coffeebeans

hey
...Kent and Renton are great mid-sized cities south of Seattle. (Kent is just south of Renton by about 10 minutes, so it's slightly cheaper living & it's a little smaller. Both are pretty, with friendly neighbors and a somewhat quaint feel, imo.) There are certainly many other options to live near Seattle w/o the downtown costs, but these are the two I'm familiar with....
...
I wanted to mention that if you choose Spokane, you're in a somewhat remote area. From what I know it's a college town... it's large, but there's not much in eastern washington that's 'lively'. ...rain & the greenery. (...& the coffee!)Point being; those dusty brown hills would drive me bonkers.

each to his own -

I have a 20 something son in SEA metro area, and he found it very difficult to get decent housing (he wouldn't take my advice of buying a commercial building with apartment) but he was adamant about living within metro. Housing, school, groceries, energy, shopping, parking, transportation and entertainment all cost a premium for those living there. (kind of like living in a 'tourist town' or SF). Several of my kid's friends did Seattle for UW, SPU and the special culinary, advertising and arts schools. They all paid a dear price, but it was a choice they needed to make. (the process of life). kb's been part-way down that road already (SoCal) just offering MHO... If it has a definate value added benefit, then by all means do it, but beware of the 'Fluff'.

Kent and Renton seem to be just part of megalopolis Seattle, (with a suburbia feel) strip malls, tract homes, bedroom community. + usually a mandantory commute.

I don't particularly care to sit in traffic, don't drink coffee, and love the prairie (Spokane is a good choice for ME)

Spokane has some good points, but would not be my destination choice with kb's age and requirements. Choices limited...but if 'drier' climate is important, and you don't mind being away from the coast, and limited to one ski area (except for a longer drive to Canada; !! nice !!) I would place it #3; behind Ft Collins, Co and Walla Walla, WA (personal preference if I was in 'student mode') I am not a party animal while a student, left that era after age 17, (when it became legal it was not so fun... plus I became a 'parent' to my disabled parent @ age 18)

With as many variables as KB has in their future (jobs, school, living, friends, dogs) I'd shoot for some latitude of variety. (reasonably close to multiple school / job choices, as RN programs typically have 'killer' wait lists...) If RN is career choice, I feel proximity to large medical community would be valuable to find a PT 'school job' within that field. (I really think RN is great due to current discipline + future usefulness (humanitarian aid)) + potential to work for high wages on an HOURLY scale ++ OVERTIME (my financial lifesaver, as it availed a 'one' income family and 'retirement' prior to age 50))

A significant issue for KB might be availability of schools and appropriate funding. After just doing the Upper Ed thing with my kids, and now myself, I'd focus on private schools with special funding programs. The state system equalled 'being part of the herd', highly competitive for limited available scholarship and intern $$, fees for EVERYTHING, and nominal instructors and peers. I'm doing 'private', and my kids are amazed at what comes as part of my package, and class sizes as low as 12-15, and limited to 35 max.

Maybe we should cough up the RN choices to expedite that process.
http://www.oregon.gov/OSBN/RN_LPNprograms.shtml
I'm not deep into that field, but know Portland / Vanc area offers programs (within 20 min radius) at Clark College / WSU-Vanc, OHSU and (very good) private schools - Linfield U+ Concordia U (NOT Concorde, see below) + University of Portland, (George Fox~ 30 min SE)

also
Portland Community College, Clackamas Community, Mt Hood Community,
then the usual - career schools (apollo, phoenix, concorde, pioneer pacific)

major medical facilities within 20 min radius = SW Washington, Legancy (a few), Good Samaritan, Adventist Medical, Providence, Emmanuel, St Vincent... + ~ 3 Private acute care hospitals

the downside of all this PDX medical availability is the regoinal prices are HIGHER... go figure... they claim it's due to so many people doing school here, then staying, and making a living off limited patients. It seems market forces do not equal value, as the fixed costs of facilities and insurance, wages... = more $$ required per patient....

The rural areas are crying for DR's and Nurse Practioners (that would be my choice) There are available funding options for going that route, and to Native American reservations...(that's how my DR. paid for his schooling, and became 'bi-lingual' by necessity, a good life skill to know)

[magrack]

Originally Posted by janb

.... don't drink coffee....

Heathen! 8>)

One of the things I was concerned about moving to a rural AR town of less than 500 people was the probable lack of a decent coffee place.

So much so, that I bought a fairly expensive expresso machine to make sure I got my daily fix.

Much to my surprise, there is an expresso stand in my little town and the barrista is quite skilled...best of all, it's not a Starbucks.