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I've posted here a few times before about moving to Seattle. While that was awhile ago, I've now thought of a few more questions to ask about there in general:
1. Is avoiding living in a brick apartment building a good idea or not, due to earthquakes? Or is there one type of building (or floor of a building to live on) that's really better than another in case of such?
2. Looking over current rent rates on Craigslist (and the research I did on median rent rates), is $1000-$1200 (maximum) sufficient for a one-bedroom (or studio) apartment that isn't a dump? Don't want to risk moving into something that's bug-infested (my main non-earthquake concern). Currently live in Milwaukee in a mediocre 350 square foot studio at $500/month, in one of the city's nicer neighborhoods...
3. Are flying bugs (mosquitoes, gnats, etc) as prominent out there as they are here in the midwest? Know it doesn't get as humid (another plus of Seattle), but wondered if that would be any different. Didn't recall seeing a huge number of such bugs while visiting Seattle a few years ago...
4. Not a question, but before anyone asks, I don't have a car, so I'd be taking public transit. I'm also single.
5. Have others here used employment agencies/temp agencies, and if so, are there any you'd recommend? While I'm applying for Seattle jobs from where I live now (and trying to use LinkedIn in an attempt at networking, though I don't exactly have a large social/career network), yes, I'm thinking strongly of relocating with just some sort of temporary job lined up if possible and looking for permanent work once there. Applying from a distance isn't working: I'm not in a lucrative job area (I work as a file clerk for the city govt.) like IT/programming; giving someone there's address or leaving an address off my resume and/or some Google Voice-based local phone number sounds like it'd raise more questions than it'd be worth; and waiting until I get hired for such ("don't move without a job lined up") means I'll be here until I'm filing for Medicare, apparently.
1. My guess would be that a wood-frame building would be best, since wood bends and masonry doesn't. On the other hand, buildings are constructed here with earthquakes in mind, so the type of reinforcements you might find on buildings here may not exist on the same type of building in the Midwest. Just as one example, the Space Needle's center of gravity is only 5 feet off the ground because the underground base is so heavy. It could withstand something like a 9.0 earthquake. As for what floor you should be on ... well, that's a good question. If a building collapses and you're in it, you might be hosed no matter what. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
2. I think you could get into a decent studio for that price. Naturally, there aren't going to be many frills at that price. Just looking quickly at Craigslist, I saw a fourth-floor studio, 525 square feet, in the First Hill neighborhood for $925.
3. There are remarkably fewer bugs here than in the Midwest. I grew up in Michigan, and I remember how the mosquitoes would eat me for lunch every summer. We have some flies and bees around the house, but I honestly don't think I've ever seen a mosquito in the nearly three years I've been here.
4. Public transit here is OK, but kind of fractured. We have commuter rail, light rail, taxis, ferries, buses, and streetcars -- and, of course, the Monorail, which is really more touristy than practical. You can get where you need to go, but you might end up having to use a couple of different modes of transportation to get there. For what it's worth, Seattle is also a very bike-friendly city.
5. We moved here from D.C., and I had no luck getting any employers to pay attention to me, even when I mentioned in my cover letter that we intended to move to Seattle. I rented a P.O. box in Seattle for a while and used that on my resume, but that didn't get me anywhere either. My best advice would be to save up enough money to live on for a while (a couple of months if you can swing it), and then come on out and pound the pavement. We moved here without jobs and lived off our savings. It could have been disastrous, but no one was going to hire us if we weren't local, so we just took a huge leap of faith -- and it worked out OK. I certainly can't guarantee you'd get a job as soon as you landed here, but the job market is better here than in many other parts of the country.
As far as temp agencies go, the Creative Group (part of Robert Half) got me a very ill-fitting job with Amazon and a couple of interviews with Microsoft that didn't go anywhere. I ended up contracting for my old company back east. My wife used Craigslist to find her job.
Good luck with everything. Hope you can get it all to work out.
I've posted here a few times before about moving to Seattle. While that was awhile ago, I've now thought of a few more questions to ask about there in general:
1. Is avoiding living in a brick apartment building a good idea or not, due to earthquakes? Or is there one type of building (or floor of a building to live on) that's really better than another in case of such?
2. Looking over current rent rates on Craigslist (and the research I did on median rent rates), is $1000-$1200 (maximum) sufficient for a one-bedroom (or studio) apartment that isn't a dump? Don't want to risk moving into something that's bug-infested (my main non-earthquake concern). Currently live in Milwaukee in a mediocre 350 square foot studio at $500/month, in one of the city's nicer neighborhoods...
3. Are flying bugs (mosquitoes, gnats, etc) as prominent out there as they are here in the midwest? Know it doesn't get as humid (another plus of Seattle), but wondered if that would be any different. Didn't recall seeing a huge number of such bugs while visiting Seattle a few years ago...
4. Not a question, but before anyone asks, I don't have a car, so I'd be taking public transit. I'm also single.
5. Have others here used employment agencies/temp agencies, and if so, are there any you'd recommend? While I'm applying for Seattle jobs from where I live now (and trying to use LinkedIn in an attempt at networking, though I don't exactly have a large social/career network), yes, I'm thinking strongly of relocating with just some sort of temporary job lined up if possible and looking for permanent work once there. Applying from a distance isn't working: I'm not in a lucrative job area (I work as a file clerk for the city govt.) like IT/programming; giving someone there's address or leaving an address off my resume and/or some Google Voice-based local phone number sounds like it'd raise more questions than it'd be worth; and waiting until I get hired for such ("don't move without a job lined up") means I'll be here until I'm filing for Medicare, apparently.
Thanks, all...
---
Hi! Answering #2-
I've lived in Chicago before, and so I know what you're used to/expecting. First, renting apartments is more affordable in Seattle than Chicago. I mean to say that if you want a place in River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast/etc and to be 1 bedroom, you're looking to pay likely 2000-3000. If you get a studio in those locations it would be only slightly cheaper. In Seattle, you can find a comparably nice place to rent for less than that. I think the benefit is that in Seattle there are more "nicer" places to pick than in Chicago, whereas in Chicago everything that is "your style/a specific style" is congregated to an area, travel is difficult/you use the el/or cab everywhere. I mean that if you like the "River North" vibe (which is like an SF lounge vibe, or if you've ever been to Madera), you will find that in River North only. Living in River North is expensive. To cab there is annoying sometimes. The el is sometimes dangerous at night, smells, etc. But in Seattle/the west in general, it's more sprawled so there's many more pockets of areas that fit your tastes.
At least, that's my take on the apartment-thing. I've recently asked about housing help, and it's been much more complex, bc I don't know how to buy a home or anything related to that, and then I have to think about a lot of variables for a home (school districts for future kids, bla bla bla).
My sister used to live around the U-Village area which I thought was nice and close to U-District and restaurants. Her rent was about $1000-1500. I think that sounds about right in your range? It was a large apartment with 1 bedroom, in-unit washers, a toilet/shower separate from the wash area, a kitchen, a large living room/desk space, and a small breakfast area. You couldn't find a place with all that, in that price range, that is ok quality in Chicago, not even if you venture out to places like Lincoln Park or Lakeshore/etc (which aren't crappy by any means, just further away from main city life and thus a little more affordable).
Answering #5-
About networking on LinkedIn, I mentioned this in other threads, but LinkedIn is so, so helpful and great. If you attended college or a grad school, I've found it's so useful for dipping into that network. LinkedIn now has a way to sort through alumni connections with your fields of interest IN any location, so if you can do that with your college network, you will have a great way to start socializing or networking. Just offer to take them out to coffee (I'm sure you know, typical networking line) at a place of their choice (so it's convenient for them), and if you hit it off, you hit it off. Ask about the city, etc.
I'll be moving to Seattle in 3 years, but I'll be there every summer so it's nice to try and help others and receive help!
I'll take a swing at these ...
5. We moved here from D.C., and I had no luck getting any employers to pay attention to me, even when I mentioned in my cover letter that we intended to move to Seattle. I rented a P.O. box in Seattle for a while and used that on my resume, but that didn't get me anywhere either. My best advice would be to save up enough money to live on for a while (a couple of months if you can swing it), and then come on out and pound the pavement. We moved here without jobs and lived off our savings. It could have been disastrous, but no one was going to hire us if we weren't local, so we just took a huge leap of faith -- and it worked out OK. I certainly can't guarantee you'd get a job as soon as you landed here, but the job market is better here than in many other parts of the country.
@OP, he's right- it's very, very hard to break into Seattle. Places like Alaska and Seattle love locals from their area. I've heard a mix of reasonings, all that make sense. Some say that it's because Alaskans and Seattle-ites love those from their community. That makes sense to me. Another I heard from my future employers is that a bunch of people apply to Seattle imagining it's something it's not, then in 1-4 years run away. This makes the company lose money, because professionals are not generating a lot of money for a firm the first few years (they're being trained), so the company lost that time on training and lost the opportunity to get future revenue back. That makes sense to me, too.
I'm not sure I'd ever personally move somewhere without a game plan/job in order. I'm very, very organized and tactical, though. I do not make decisions a limb.
I can answer a few questions; remember those brick apartment houses have been around through quite a few earthquakes and are still standing. We have had some older brick buildings tumble down in Pioneer Sq. The city has required earthquake stablization in older buildings. If you apartment is sanitary and clean, you should not attract bugs. $1,000-$1,200 is pretty minimum for any apartment.
@soci3tycat: I don't make decisions lightly either (been saving up/planning out whatever move I make for awhile now), but the inability to get hired long-distance so far (for Seattle or several other cities I looked into) is making me think I might need to chance it.
The fewer bugs out there would *definitely* be appreciated (as would the lower summer humidity levels).
Guess the brick buildings have been there for quite awhile. It's just I keep hearing people talk about "the Big One that's Long Overdue™"...
Admittedly, even $1000 seems steep ($1200 is the absolute maximum I'd be willing to spend) for an apartment, though a lot cheaper than what I saw demanded from Boston/Washington DC (the two other cities I'd considered, aside from Chicago as where I'd return to if moving elsewhere doesn't work out).
Rents are even higher in D.C. than they are here (we lived out there for seven years before coming here), but yeah, the cost of living isn't cheap in either city. But to me it's worth paying the premium. The natural beauty around Seattle is amazing, and the climate is terrific. Even if you don't care for rain, the mild temps most of the year are a big plus. And that comes from somebody who's lived through brutally cold Midwest winters and swampy hot D.C. summers.
Yes, I've heard lots of talk about how we're due for the next big quake, and also how Mount Rainier could blow its top one of these days. Good times. As a Midwest native, it freaked me out when I went into our local Home Depot for the first time and saw an "earthquake preparedness" kiosk, with things like seismic straps for your furniture and appliances. At least you know when tornadoes are coming ...
Re: tornadoes: indeed, Adrian71, plus they all hit out in the suburbs/rural areas more than here in the heart of the city.
Another question: does anyone know how receptive landlords are there to renting a place over a month before moving? Say, renting a place in mid-to-late June with the intent on moving in in early August?
Re: tornadoes: indeed, Adrian71, plus they all hit out in the suburbs/rural areas more than here in the heart of the city.
Another question: does anyone know how receptive landlords are there to renting a place over a month before moving? Say, renting a place in mid-to-late June with the intent on moving in in early August?
I can't say for sure, but are you willing to cover rent those months you're not occupying?? I assume if you are, there shouldn't be a problem. If they can't find another renter, I'm sure they'll take you up on the opportunity. Again, I'm not sure...
^ Agreed. I can't see why it would be a problem, as long as the landlord is getting his/her rent check.
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