****How many others have been priced out of living in western WA/Seattle area? (Spokane: rentals, crime rates)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by folkguitarist555

I was trying to find other souls who are being priced out of Seattle these days. The thread took another direction, what can I say? So people can bash people from Missouri and the Midwest? But Seattle-ites are off limits and are Gods gift to the planet earth and all other places in the USA suck?

Southern MO is the South, nothing Midwest about it.

[Ultrarunner]

It is the age old problem...

Seems finding a happy medium is most elusive.

Much of the country us either in decline or renewal...

Go back to the 1980's and much of the talk was how to revitalize America's cities and now it is lamenting Gentrification...

Don't think there is an answer but owning does afford more options but many areas experience steep property tax increases which is another problem

[wannabeaTexan]

I was. Almost 10 years ago. The weather pushed me out too...and wanting to experience something different, more than anything. But it did get real expensive. Not sure where I could've moved to if I stayed.

[RotseCherut]

Places like Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, etc offer a lot of pretty spectacular scenery and better weather (overall, minus summer) than the Pacific Northwest. I would say overall, Washington and Oregon are more scenic than these states, but those other states still host a considerable amount of nice scenery. As well, these places are cheaper to live and big cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Nashville, etc are all having economic booms and improving job market with emerging tech scenes. Some may even argue that cities like Nashville and Atlanta offer a lot more culture, nightlife and amenities. Basically, if you are skilled tech worker, you could live a much nicer lifestyle in these places and take trips to the Pacific NOrthwest during the summer (the only time weather is good) with all the additional money you saved.

Seattle, for all its hype and its size, still doesn't come off as an entertainment city and definitely still seems very sleepy, corporate and 9-5ish. Although, I will say with Seattle's massive growth, there has been a bit of an increase in nightlife in various neighborhoods I have noticed. So, Seattle's dull and reserved atmosphere seems to be slowly morphing itself into a more cosmopolitan one, as people from all over the country settle here and want some of the excitement they left behind in other cities. Still, overall Seattle is a more reserved city with a very low-key culture of people hiding in coffeeshops during the day and hanging out in brewpub and local neighborhood bars in the evening.

I find it ironic actually that so many tourists actually get to experience more of the Pacific Northwest's attractions than the natives, including myself. When you live in the Pacific NOrthwest in this day and age you need to spend so many hours working just so you can keep your head above water. You do not get to enjoy and have all the free time to see the beauty around you. And, let's face it, if you are not into winter sports, then for about 5-6 months your hiking and outdoor options become somewhat limited in the very chilly and dismal weather. If you are into mountain hiking, the season really is only 5-6 months, as a majority of the better trails close due to snow after October.

There are a few hidden spots of PUget Sound that are still pretty desirable and not as astronomically priced as the rest, but I won't divulge those areas. Haha.. Maybe, I live in one right now. However, even where I live the prices are bound to skyrocket and the hordes of Californians and other transplants will have no problem commuting 1.5 hours to work if it means having a house, yard and that their families can live in a quiet and safe neighborhood, which is becoming harder in Seattle proper. Many don't realize, but in cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Washington DC, it is actually very common for people to commute 2-4 hours back and forth to work every day. This was unheard living in Portland or Seattle about 10 years ago, but today it may become much more normal, as many people will suffer the commutes so they don't have to live like sardines in a $800,000 1 bedroom condo with their families.

[cis_love]

Originally Posted by clikrf8

And, you are part of the reason rent and housing is increasing tremendously. Those old people have lived here a long time and to suddenly find that they can no longer afford to live where they have lived a long time is upsetting. And, you are the reason for the traffic and entitled attitudes. And, you are not adding to whatever false vibrancy you think is part of Seattle. Why don't you leave?

lol why should i leave? i can afford it here. you sound like one of the bitter ones who probably can't afford to live here. also, if someone has lived here for decades, they really should have purchased a home years ago when houses were very cheap. poor financial decisions haunt people to old age.

[folkguitarist555]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Southern MO is the South, nothing Midwest about it.

This is true in regard to the Branson/Springfield area...spent a month there 4 years ago. Some of the warmest and friendliest souls I ever met.

[ctr88]

Good post OP. I agree with a lot of what you say.

[ctr88]

Originally Posted by cis_love

lol why should i leave? i can afford it here. you sound like one of the bitter ones who probably can't afford to live here. also, if someone has lived here for decades, they really should have purchased a home years ago when houses were very cheap. poor financial decisions haunt people to old age.

I guess every thread needs at least one a-hole.

[ctr88]

One of the things I've never understood is how rent is not included in the official national inflation data used by the US Gov't, etc... Food, electronics, gas, cars, and many other things have not undergone a lot of of inflation,. But rents, particularly in certain metros like Seattle/Portland/SF Bay/LA/OC/SD/Boston/Austin/Dallas/Nashville/Denver and others, have really inflated the last 5 years. And house prices too. And the housing cost is everyone's #1 most expensive item in their monthly budget. I think there a lot of people in Seattle paying 50% more in rent for the same apartment then they would have been 5 years ago. That is a big jump.

Long term Seattle rents will keep going up and up and up. They may level off for a few years, but the long term trend will be up up up. Continuing to move in the direction of where SF Bay rents are. I think its smart for people retired on fixed incomes that rent, or people with lower income careers to look to move to places with cheaper rents. Not only cheaper rents now, but places where those rents are UN-likely to ever hyper-inflate like Portland, Seattle, Denver, SF Bay, etc.. have done.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by cis_love

lol why should i leave? i can afford it here. you sound like one of the bitter ones who probably can't afford to live here. also, if someone has lived here for decades, they really should have purchased a home years ago when houses were very cheap. poor financial decisions haunt people to old age.

My family has been here SIX generations. Yes, we can afford to live here. Our house is bought and paid for. We live on acreage near a city that is very desirable. When the time comes to sell, if we don't have a housing market meltdown again, we should get a sizable return on our investment since we bought 35 years ago.

We just do t like your entitled attitudes, your "We're from Cali, particularly SoCal, we're so cool, we know better than you, why don't you have this or that or do this or that like we do in SoCal?" Yeah, we had some move in behind us who immediately started a petition to ban target practice on private property. This got nowhere as no one signed. The irony is that there is a rifle range within hearing distance.