Move from Surprise, AZ to Seattle... (Mercer Island: transplants, rent, low crime)

[jcmac143]

My wife and I are looking at possibly finding employment in Seattle and relocating our family there. We have 4 biracial children black/white. Wife has Masters in Admin and I am pursuing BA. We both love the rain and would like to be somewhere greener with less as.s.holes (half joking there).

Our kids are all still young and we don't really like the direction this state is headed. Looking for a smart change. It seems housing is much more expensive in Seattle but AP jobs also seem to pay more than here. Anyone leave Phoenix/Surprise AZ for Seattle and happy you did?

We've been here our entire lives are are tired of the desert and looking for a change to raise our kids in a better educational system.

[poopskooper]

I spent two winters in Surprise some years ago and really didn't mind it at all. Lots of retirees and relative low crime is what I found attractive. Being from western Washington, I sure enjoyed the warm and dry winters.

However, remember, as has been discussed ad nauseum on this forum, rain might seem attractive to those accustomed to the desert climate but soon can become depressing to some as it's not the quantity of rain but the cold, wet, dark, winters that really wear on some. Remember, it's a rather cold rain, 35-45 degrees and light rain is miserable and it chills to the bone. I just as soon have it 20 degrees and snowing. Like me, many native Washingtonians desire sun and warmth as we retire and want to start to take life easy. Rarely seeing the sun for months on end can take its toll if you have lived in the area a long time. Some don't mind it at all. But I know many who grew up in western Washington who couldn't wait to move to warmer and sunnier places.

And, also discussed extensively on this forum, there are plenty of "as.s.holes" in the Seattle area too. Don't forget all the discussions on this forum about the Seattle "freeze." I don't buy that concept as I think there are those types of people anywhere in big metro areas and Seattle is made up of a huge amount of transplants from all over the country and the world. I've met a lot of very nice people in the Phoenix area as I have in Seattle. I've seen plenty of d-heads in both areas too. To me, people are people no matter the location. There are good and bad everywhere.

There are also plenty of people who don't like the direction the state of Washington is headed too. You will be coming from a conservative area to a very liberal one. Personally, I'd rather be in the political climate of Washington than Arizona as I too don't really like the politics in AZ.

Good luck in your decision!

[theyreinphx]

Interesting! We just moved here from Surprise. My husband finally got a job after applying (no joke) to 76 places. In the end, he got the job because he knew somebody. We were sure that the move would never happen after 18 months of applications. Your wife may be able to find a job easier than you would. Out here a BA is equivalent to a high school diploma compared to Surprise.
One of the main reasons that we moved was because of the schools. My son started out at Sunset Hills and after 2 horrific years we put him in Canyon Ridge which was supposed to be the best in the district. Even then, (both my son and daughter) only had an okay year with tons of issues.
When my husband finally got a job we were definitely surprised at how high his salary was but now we realize that it's all relative. Our salaries are higher than ever but our rent is double what our mortgage payment was!
We chose Mercer Island because of the schools. My husband was commuting from Surprise to Gilbert before we moved and he now only commutes less than 30 minutes via bus (totally different out here as everyone takes the bus to work!).
I can tell you that I will never live in AZ again. This place takes my breath away daily and sometimes I have to pinch myself because it's like a dream come true. I was born in AZ and can't believe I waited 29 years to move out of there! Set your intentions and do it. You will not regret it I promise.

[jcmac143]

Thanks for the feedback. Just want to make sure we make the right decision and don't do something we will regret.