Want to Leave Puget Sound area...how did you do it? (Seattle: for sale, renting) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

Deep_Vee · 03-26-2007, 09:32 AM

My wife and I are both Seattle area natives who have decided it's time to try somewhere else.

Our reasons are the same as many others: Weather, Traffic, and cost of housing. We have traveled extensively and my work has allowed me to spend a great deal of time in the Southeast US and Texas. Our dream location would be GA, NC, or Texas....

We are both professionals with degrees in marketable industries (I'm in IT, she's an accountant), but unfortunately we both work for smaller companies that don't allow for the option of a transfer.

So, if you escaped the Seattle area...how did YOU do it? We've been applying for jobs casually for the last year or so, but have decided that it's time to step-up the effort.

Any tips?

Thanks.

AzDreamer · 03-26-2007, 11:49 AM

Once you make up your mind about moving you have to make a sustained effort to achieve that goal. Call your contacts from your previous travels to get job leads, call these leads and if they don't have an opening get a couple names of people to call that might be hiring. You have to be persistent without being pushy.

It's good to have a specific skill that you are able to use someplace else. If you have training in some specific software find out who is also using that and see if you can get some insider there to talk to you. A general set of skills is important but the best money and relocation help go to the person that already has the obscure training.

jwb123 · 03-26-2007, 11:56 AM

We fixed up our house, sold it in 24 hours, closed in 29 days - and we were gone!

We literally made the final decision to move in July, and were driving away Sept 30.

We moved to the Austin area.

For job prospects, my husband just posted his resume on monster, dice and craigslist - I think that since we were coming down, job or not, he put a family members address (already in the Austin area) so that employers would not be put off by the thought of having to pay for relocation.

He is a Software Test Lead - and had a job offer for a long term contract in a couple of weeks after "serious" looking. They did a phone interview. Once we got down here - one of the companies he had selected for a permanent position called him in for an interview. At least in the tech industry, it appears that the job market here is solid. It wasn't too much of a stress to find a job...

escapetacoma · 03-26-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep_Vee

We are both professionals with degrees in marketable industries (I'm in IT, she's an accountant), but unfortunately we both work for smaller companies that don't allow for the option of a transfer.

So, if you escaped the Seattle area...how did YOU do it?

I work for a small company but I was able to work with things out to make telecommuting a viable option several years ago so my job is portable. Since we're moving to the midwest where the cost of housing is so much less that we won't feel particularly pressured going to one income, my wife is quitting work when we move (she had discussed telecommuting but it didn't pan out.) She's looking to do more work around the house and possibly do some volunteer work that she hasn't had time for while participating in the rat race.

Tony1790 · 03-26-2007, 01:04 PM

Deep Vee,

Welcome to the club! I'm pulling the rip cord and getting out of here, thankfully I just retired from the military and they'll move my stuff. Having said that, it's easy to leave, just do it.

Rent a Big azz Uhaul truck put all of your stuff in it, sell your house. You should have some equity in it right? Move to NC/GA/TX pay cash for a house or live on the equity while you plant your feet and get the new gig.

That's my plan, I'm leaving here and planning on paying cash for a house, I don't have a lot of marketable skills, but with no mortgage and a small retirement stipend, I should be ok.

Good luck and as the ad says, just do it. Besides that is a national trend right now, selling, getting some equity and paying cash in a cheaper area, but those cheaper areas are quickly becoming more expensive the longer this trend lasts.

Tony

magrack · 03-26-2007, 01:50 PM

Just do it is right.

I was planning to retire in 5 years, instead chose to "retire" early. Didn't even have to put the house on the market; a guy at work mentioned to a friend of his that my house was going up for sale.

The friend contacted me; we worked out a FSBO; I cut the price and passed on the Realtor fee savings to him, he payed all closing costs; worked out for both of us.

It closed in less than 30 days. I had no horde of people traipsing through the house and could concentrate on getting ready for the move.

I may have left a couple of thousand on the table (I don't think so), but the convenience of doing it that way was worth it.

I had already made an offer on our "new" place and we were able to close 10 days after we left the PNW.

Just do it.

Shiraz · 03-26-2007, 01:54 PM

Deep Vee,

I agree with Tony1790. If you're goal is to go and you've made a decision as to where, that's a good start but it might take some motivation. Because just saying what you want to do and having the motivation to fuel you decision are sometimes worlds apart. So with the internet and all the technology that goes with it, shopping for homes and deciding what areas best suite you is made so much easier.

One thing I believe is a real key for getting over the prospect of such a task as moving is to get you heart wrapped around the destination you have in mind. The first time you fell in love, nothing would stop you from that goal! Start dreaming and picture yourself in those forseeable surroundings. Once your heart's there your mind should follow and that should generate enough motivation to help things happen for you no matter what road blocks are before you.

As for me and my family, although we enjoy the somewhat rural lifestle out here in Graham, I have the opportunity to transfer to Ellensburg this summer to help get that office going. We knew someday we'd head east but didn't realize it would happen so soon... and I will NOT miss the daily commute up Hwy. 161 (a.k.a. Meridian)!

I wish you all the best in your relocation.

cdelena · 03-26-2007, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep_Vee

...
Our dream location would be GA, NC, or Texas....

Look very carefully before you jump. We recently left Texas for Washington and are very happy here in Vancouver.

The heat, congestion, high property taxes, utilities, and insurance on top of the growing immigration problems made it pretty undesirable for us. The modest initial cost of housing and good job market is all the good I can list for Texas.

Just a word of caution from a recent escapee...

escapetacoma · 03-26-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiraz

One thing I believe is a real key for getting over the prospect of such a task as moving is to get you heart wrapped around the destination you have in mind. The first time you fell in love, nothing would stop you from that goal! Start dreaming and picture yourself in those forseeable surroundings. Once your heart's there your mind should follow and that should generate enough motivation to help things happen for you no matter what road blocks are before you.

That's GREAT advice for anyone hoping to make a change. Last year we started checking out beautiful old Victorians for sale in the midwest at about the same time that we were suffering through 25+ straight days of rain. As we narrowed down what we wanted from the climate and town (more sun, smaller, safer feeling) we started to get more and more excited about the possibility of escaping. When we finally found the place everything just felt right.

Quote:

... and I will NOT miss the daily commute up Hwy. 161 (a.k.a. Meridian)!

So, are the "Pray for me, I drive Meridian" bumper stickers still popular out your way? I loved the time that I spent at CWU except for the wind - it didn't seem to matter what direction you faced, the wind was always in your face

Tony1790 · 03-26-2007, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdelena

Look very carefully before you jump. We recently left Texas for Washington and are very happy here in Vancouver.

The heat, congestion, high property taxes, utilities, and insurance on top of the growing immigration problems made it pretty undesirable for us. The modest initial cost of housing and good job market is all the good I can list for Texas.

Just a word of caution from a recent escapee...

That's true, I like the cost and jobs found in much of TX, but the Heat is unbearble to me, I was located in El Paso, my mom lived in Galveston. I would recommend renting first to make sure you like the area before you buy.

Personally I would recommend East Tennessee for low cost, low taxes, and fairly good weather and beautiful scenery.

WA state is beautiful and is much cheaper if you move to the Coast or to the eastern side, I've loved it here. However, the high cost of the I-5 corridor and the traffic is what is bearing down on me.

Tony