Moving NOW! But not sure where. (Seattle, Bellingham: apartments, rent, buying a home) - City-Data Forum

sarah7 · 04-26-2007, 04:38 PM

I am a SWF currently living in NW Alabama. I'm done with the heat and the humid! I need a change, a BIG ONE.I have looked all over the INTERNET at different places and WA seems to be the best I've seen. This move is VERY sudden so I don't have allot of cash. Everyone I've talked to that has mad a big move like this said if you wait to save up enough money you'll never move. I believe them because I have been wanting to move for 15 years now. I like places like Coupevill and Camano but I don't know if I can find work. Where I live the only jobs for women are either in a factory or nursing. Since I can't stand the sight of blood I have been in a factory since school. I did take a interior decorating class years ago but with no job opportunities I worked where I had to. I am now a welder by trade. I would rather not have to weld for the rest of my life but time is a issue. I am not a dumb hick from the sticks, I can do anything. I love to write. That's what I want to do, but right now I need to make this move. Can anyone help? Please!

scirocco22 · 04-26-2007, 05:17 PM

Hi again sarah.

Good to see that you've got your own thread going. Hopefully you'll get a lot of good responses.

I ask again, why Coupeville? As I stated in the other thread, there are a lot of nice places to live on Whidbey Island but just wondered why you're focusing in on Coupeville in particular.

I suppose my advice would be to locate yourself in a metro area first to get established and to get to know the area. You'll probably have a better chance to find a job too. After you save some money and makes some friends, then start to consider moving to a smaller town or more isolated places such as Coupeville or Camano Island.

If you like to write, you'll probably have more support and find more contacts in the big city. Again, after you establish yourself, you can always explore moving to a more remote area.

That's just my opinion. I'm sure we'll have posters who perhaps will give you a better solution. Let's hope.

Good luck. I hope things fall into place for you and you find Washington exciting!

Thanks.

--'rocco

sarah7 · 04-26-2007, 06:32 PM

Thank you. You replayed that their are nicer places to move, but where? I have never liked really big cities like Seattle. Could you suggest a few places?

zenfull · 04-26-2007, 07:15 PM

I'm not familiar with a lot of towns being a new transplant myself but you may try looking for a job first to get established (like 'rocco said). Here is a link to Washington Newspapers most of them have online classifieds.
http://www.usnpl.com/wanews.php
City Data & Flickr (for photos of areas you are interested in) are also great resources to get a feel for a place.

scirocco22 · 04-26-2007, 07:51 PM

Good post, zenfull!

Sarah, somewhere that we've talked about on this board in several threads is Bellingham. It may suit your needs before moving elsewhere. It's a college town and not too big but not too small either.

It sounds as if you want to be near the water. I was going to suggest several areas on the other side of the mountains but dectecting from all the areas you've mentioned so far, it sounds as if Bellingham may be a good fit to begin with.

Olympia may be another consideration but I'm a little more partial to Bellingham myself.

Let's see what others have to say.

Thanks.

--'rocco

Nimbostratus Bird MGP · 05-04-2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarah7

so I don't have allot of cash. Everyone I've talked to that has mad a big move like this said if you wait to save up enough money you'll never move. I believe them because I have been wanting to move for 15 years now.

I don't feel too much alone anymore. I'm in this same boat and I've tried to save money and never could for the last 30 years. So now everyone that knows me kind of wonders about me going this way in a bit of being un-prepared as I am just getting myself packed right now and heading to Western Washington next month, not really knowing where I am going to be. It's going to be a search and what comes when I get up there. And hoping for the best of it. Sacramento is about to make me think of suicide having to stand so many of these Hellish years down here in this place. I can't stand it anymore. And I never did on these other previous years actually. Many of the Summers have kind of made me flip out in a lot of frustations it has caused me. I don't want any more of this as I get into my 50's of age and my life just goes by on me, getting no where with it.

rkcarguy · 05-04-2007, 08:37 PM

There's lots of "equal opportunity" employers here that want welders especially women, because generally this profession lacks them. If you don't mind paying rent on an apartment and the lifestyle that comes with it(buying a home is way too much here right now) it may be a good move, especially if you are certified or can pass the WABO test and get certified. You'll be looking at $13-$20/hr doe and apartments here run about $650/mo on up.
The Coupeville and Camano Island area is more cost of living expensive than here and virtually jobless, many there commute all the way to Seattle to work.

Doubtful Muse · 05-10-2007, 09:48 PM

I live in Coupeville and it's true, this wouldn't be the best to find any kind of job -- definitely not welding. Anacortes, which is where my DH works, seems to have quite a few places. Another good thing about Anacortes is that it's still in the rain-shadow, although not as much as Whidbey.

brightcopperkettles · 05-11-2007, 05:24 PM

I would suggest Kitsap County. The Puget Sound Naval shipyard is here, and if you get on at the shipyard, you will definitely be making good money. Plus there are lovely places to live on this side, and the traffic is a whole lot better than in Seattle.

Whidbey Island is lovely, but I agree you might have difficulty finding work there. You could check at the naval air station in Oak Harbor for work, but I know they don't have near the number of jobs that the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard does.

Good luck to you, honey!

AZ_singlemother · 05-11-2007, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarah7

I am a SWF currently living in NW Alabama. I'm done with the heat and the humid! I need a change, a BIG ONE.I have looked all over the INTERNET at different places and WA seems to be the best I've seen. This move is VERY sudden so I don't have allot of cash. Everyone I've talked to that has mad a big move like this said if you wait to save up enough money you'll never move. I believe them because I have been wanting to move for 15 years now. I like places like Coupevill and Camano but I don't know if I can find work. Where I live the only jobs for women are either in a factory or nursing. Since I can't stand the sight of blood I have been in a factory since school. I did take a interior decorating class years ago but with no job opportunities I worked where I had to. I am now a welder by trade. I would rather not have to weld for the rest of my life but time is a issue. I am not a dumb hick from the sticks, I can do anything. I love to write. That's what I want to do, but right now I need to make this move. Can anyone help? Please!

Boulder Area Colorado - or anywhere in Colorado would be different for you. Very dry and cooler temps. You could also get a lot more for your money - houses are cheaper. Also check out Fort Collins, CO - top city to live in the US. p.s. you will not get a big city feel there.