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Old 01-05-2016, 05:42 PM
 
Location: NoWhere Land
59 posts, read 62,724 times
Reputation: 39

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Quote:
Originally Posted by perigee View Post
Affordable and Seattle do not go together. You will be competing for housing with people making over $100k and a lot of those people would love to live within a 30 minute commute (though with today's traffic, I feel like that leaves you within city limits).

Lab tech is a very broad term, but if you are making $70k and are only fairly comfortable in a low COL city, I don't know if Seattle is the city for you, even accounting for your willingness to downsize. If you do decide to make the move, I strongly suggest having a job lined up, it's a highly competitive employment and rental market here.

You should plan a trip out here, preferable soon while we still have short days and get a taste of the city.

Yes, your suggestion makes sense, thank you for waking me up to reality. I do plan to at least visit the city again soon to try to see it from the locals level. I visited Seattle a couple of times years ago, but that was when I was simply enjoying the downtown touristy spots. Any recommendations for other U.S. states that have rain and greenery but a lower cost of living?

The few, remaining affordable areas in Washington must be unappealing for some reason...?
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Old 01-05-2016, 06:09 PM
 
731 posts, read 932,875 times
Reputation: 1128
East coast. Try Richmond, VA.
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Old 01-05-2016, 07:38 PM
 
Location: Edmonds, WA
8,975 posts, read 10,160,559 times
Reputation: 14247
Some places mostly in the city and wealthy suburbs seem expensive but what about a place like this in the suburb of Des Moines?

Des Moines Two Bed / Two Bath Apt

Am I missing something here? It's not a luxury apartment but it isn't ghetto either. $1050 doesn't seem like a bad price at all for a 2BR/2BA. Is this in a bad area?

Anyway, I'm asking because I'm also looking at the Seattle area. I've heard that Seattle is one of the rare metros where it overall is more expensive to buy than to rent right now.
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Old 01-05-2016, 09:22 PM
 
Location: Independent Republic of Ballard
8,065 posts, read 8,325,306 times
Reputation: 6223
Why Seattle? Life style? Nature? Climate? Cost of living?

It doesn't get particularly "cold" in Seattle - we're not Minnesota or Maine.

Pay scales tend to be relative to COL. As a single, you should be able to live here just fine on $50,000 to $70,000. Tacoma and Everett also have lots if medical jobs, but are much more affordable than the Seattle-Bellevue area.
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Old 01-06-2016, 06:33 AM
 
Location: NoWhere Land
59 posts, read 62,724 times
Reputation: 39
I did see some jobs related to my field for Richmond, VA so I'll research that city as well, thanks! I chose Seattle at first because even though I work in a medical lab to pay the bills, I'm more of an artsy, bookish type of personality. The grey clouds and rain fit my moody, creative personality. Also, there's enough of an Asian population there for me to feel like I won't stick out like a sore thumb. I really don't want to reside in a desert for the rest of my life. My current city is slowly sucking the life out of me.

I'll check out Tacoma and Everett too, thanks CrazyDonkey! How do those cities compare to Seattle, and what's the mystique about Seattle that people find attractive? I'm also an early bird person not a nightlife owl so I'm looking for a city with more culture that can offer arts festivals, farmers' markets, and such.

I think $1050 is a great price for a 2br rental, but I doubt you can get that in Seattle... From what I've read, renting is more of the norm in Seattle unless you're a millionaire or earning a 2 salary income. Des Moines is in Iowa, right? I wouldn't be able to handle snow. Rain, yes, but not snow...I was considering Fort Collins, CO except I think it snows there too.
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Old 01-06-2016, 08:08 AM
 
1,630 posts, read 3,876,271 times
Reputation: 1116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eva_B View Post
I did see some jobs related to my field for Richmond, VA so I'll research that city as well, thanks! I chose Seattle at first because even though I work in a medical lab to pay the bills, I'm more of an artsy, bookish type of personality. The grey clouds and rain fit my moody, creative personality. Also, there's enough of an Asian population there for me to feel like I won't stick out like a sore thumb. I really don't want to reside in a desert for the rest of my life. My current city is slowly sucking the life out of me.

I'll check out Tacoma and Everett too, thanks CrazyDonkey! How do those cities compare to Seattle, and what's the mystique about Seattle that people find attractive? I'm also an early bird person not a nightlife owl so I'm looking for a city with more culture that can offer arts festivals, farmers' markets, and such.

I think $1050 is a great price for a 2br rental, but I doubt you can get that in Seattle... From what I've read, renting is more of the norm in Seattle unless you're a millionaire or earning a 2 salary income. Des Moines is in Iowa, right? I wouldn't be able to handle snow. Rain, yes, but not snow...I was considering Fort Collins, CO except I think it snows there too.

There is a Des Moines, Washington, just a bit south of Seattle - a nice community
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Old 01-06-2016, 09:59 AM
 
735 posts, read 868,098 times
Reputation: 1021
OP, you should google Mr. Money Mustache. You are making good money in a low COL city, save and invest your money so that you can eventually take a lower paying job and supplement your paycheck with passive income.
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Old 01-07-2016, 05:49 AM
 
Location: NoWhere Land
59 posts, read 62,724 times
Reputation: 39
Mr. Money Mustache is an awesome site, thanks! I thought you were joking at first until I actually googled it. I don't want to live a cheap life, but a sensibly frugal one seems doable without losing too much of one's personal comforts. I'm beginning to think that Seattle and the nicer neighborhoods in Washington state are only meant for people earning a 2 income salary or higher. I've been hearing that Portland or its surrounding areas are a more affordable alternative. Can someone please tell me the difference in appeal between Portland and Seattle? What's Oregon's economy based on anyway?
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Old 01-07-2016, 06:11 AM
 
Location: NoWhere Land
59 posts, read 62,724 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by tobester View Post
There is a Des Moines, Washington, just a bit south of Seattle - a nice community
I read that the driving distance from Des Moines to Seattle is only 15 miles, but it seems like living there could be an issue due to its proximity to the SeaTac airport and airport noise? I actually like the idea though of living on the outskirts of the 'big city' so long as the commute from home to work isn't a huge hassle.
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Old 01-07-2016, 11:54 AM
 
Location: Dallas, TX
278 posts, read 334,060 times
Reputation: 113
I don't think Oregon has any economy. Its job market is very poor. It has cheaper rental rates and home prices, but jobs overall will pay lower in Portland than in Seattle. I was contemplating relocating to Portland back then, but after visiting the city and seeing how quiet and dead it was, I said no way.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eva_B View Post
Mr. Money Mustache is an awesome site, thanks! I thought you were joking at first until I actually googled it. I don't want to live a cheap life, but a sensibly frugal one seems doable without losing too much of one's personal comforts. I'm beginning to think that Seattle and the nicer neighborhoods in Washington state are only meant for people earning a 2 income salary or higher. I've been hearing that Portland or its surrounding areas are a more affordable alternative. Can someone please tell me the difference in appeal between Portland and Seattle? What's Oregon's economy based on anyway?
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