Urban Living in the Pacific Northwest! (Seattle, Vancouver: car rental, sales, rentals)

[sofia76]

Portland is sunnier than Seattle; that's not propaganda. It's def. the more affordable city. If you can find a job here, I think this is the place for you. It's easier to live without a car in Portland because Portland isn't so spread out as the other two cities. I have lots of friend who have lived without a car in Portland for years ... sometimes they'll do the Flexcar thing or borrow an out of town friend's car for the weekend. But I myself lived downtown for four years without even have a driver's license.

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by LongDawson

With all due respect I don't think you will like Seattle at all. For one thing nobody here lives without a car, even people who say they live without a car, have a car somewhere under their patio or at their friend's house. I've been to Portland enough times to know that if ever there is a northwest city calling your name, your calling is there. Good luck.

I didn't get my license until I was 25; Even then, I only got a car because I have kids now. I don't understand how everyone is making Portland out to be this urban utopia, when the downtown is half the size of Seattle, the footprint of the city is larger, and the population density is significantly less. The lightrail system in Portland definitely is far more advanced than the system we are starting on now, but Portland is not what people are making it out to be. It is a small town compared to Seattle. You will not feel like you are living in a large metropolis.

Portland gets something like 4 less cloudy days a year on average, so there is a slight difference, but not much. It is warmer in the Summer because it is inland compared to Seattle, which is right on Puget Sound.

[Ira500]

There are lots of people who live without cars in Seattle. In some neighborhoods that's not all that difficult. I lived without a car for a few years in Seattle. It was easy , living on Capitol Hill, it was something of a pain in the butt living in Ravenna, and it was easy living in Fremont. Some neighborhoods get frequent and convenient bus service.

[JProg305]

Is the cost of living drastically different between Seattle and Portland? I know housing in Seattle is more expensive, but how much more? What neighborhoods in or near downtown Seattle are desirable (I've heard of Fremont, Belltown, University District, International District, Central District, etc.)?

[argo69]

I sold my car about 5 years ago and have been living on Capitol Hill since then car-free. It is possible to do so in Seattle but you will want to structure some things in your life very carefully, foremost where you live. I live on Capitol Hill and work downtown so it's a 15 minute commute on one busline. I have a grocery store three blocks away, a Walgreen 2 blocks away, busline right by the front of my apt. Buses only run every half hour after 7pm and all day Sunday so plan on some waiting. As an ex-Californian I cannot imagine commuting a long distance with multiple bus lines here as it would eat up a big chunk of my free time. Seattle is not New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Portland...it's a west coast city that is very late to the light rail game and the very limited evening and Sunday schedule is testament to Seattle still being a "car town". Large swaths here are zoned for single family homes and many people would prefer that it stay that way. In 5-10 years with the new light rail opening it will have a more urban, pedestrian friendly feel. The closer things get to say Manhattan or Montreal, the happier I will be for one.

[Cascadeguy]

Originally Posted by argo69

I live on Capitol Hill and work downtown so it's a 15 minute commute on one busline. I have a grocery store three blocks away, a Walgreen 2 blocks away, busline right by the front of my apt. Buses only run every half hour after 7pm and all day Sunday so plan on some waiting..

This is true for Capitol Hill routes 8,10,11,14 and 60. However not true for the 43 or the 49.

The 43 runs 12 times between 7pm-10pm from Capitol Hill to downtown and then runs 2-3 times every hour until a few minutes after 3 in the morning.

The 49 runs 16 times between 7pm-10:40pm and then runs 2-3 times an hour until after 3am in the morning.

Both run Sunday schedule 4 times and hour from Capitol Hill to downtown between 10-7pm and then run 2- 3 times and hour until 2:30-3am. Although the 43 increases service between 11pm and 1am on Sunday night with 4 runs an hour then decreases to 2 runs and hour until 3am.

Both of these buses connect up with OWL routes 81,82,83,84 and 85 to West Seattle, Ballard, Madison Park and Ravenna that run between 2-4:30am.

Buses back to Capitol Hill begin running again at 4:30am on week days.

[motor80]

Originally Posted by Ira500

There are lots of people who live without cars in Seattle. In some neighborhoods that's not all that difficult. I lived without a car for a few years in Seattle. It was easy , living on Capitol Hill, it was something of a pain in the butt living in Ravenna, and it was easy living in Fremont. Some neighborhoods get frequent and convenient bus service.

Agreed. I am now 4 years living car free. I live in Fremont. The one annoying thing about not having a car is when you need to go to the grocery store and *really* stock up on stuff. But, you can either have the groceries delivered (Safeway and a few others do deliveries for a surprisingly modest fee), take the bus and just muscle the 6 bags of groceries home, take a cab home from the store, or, sign up for a flex car.

I bought my 37" Samsung TV from Best Buy (Northgate) and had a cab come pick me up and drive me and my new "baby" home.

For someone depending (or thinking they are dependant) on a car, it *will* take some getting used to. You *will* be annoyed at the lack of convenience. You *will* be thinking to yourself "why the hell did I get rid of my car?" and you will definitely need to start planning some things out in advance. But, you will eventually get used to it and it will become second nature. I know it took some time for me, but, now I can't imagine having a car payment, insurance, gas, general up-keep, cost of parking, tab renewals, etc etc etc...

[jenlion]

I've heard that winters are more unpleasant in Portland -- that they are prone to ice storms. So, while we get rain and some snow, sometimes they get covered in layers of ice a few times a winter. True?

[motor80]

Originally Posted by jenlion

I've heard that winters are more unpleasant in Portland -- that they are prone to ice storms. So, while we get rain and some snow, sometimes they get covered in layers of ice a few times a winter. True?

I find that also to be true. Although, Seattle does get it's share of cold weather in the winter - I would say on the whole they are much more mild than Portland, again, due to our proximity to the coast and marine-like climate.

[SeattlitefromNC]

Originally Posted by JProg305

Is the cost of living drastically different between Seattle and Portland? I know housing in Seattle is more expensive, but how much more? What neighborhoods in or near downtown Seattle are desirable (I've heard of Fremont, Belltown, University District, International District, Central District, etc.)?

Housing is less expensive in Portland than Seattle. However, salaries are higher in Seattle than Portland ... also, Oregon has a 9% income tax. So, you are making less money and having that money taxed before you can get your hands on it.

With that in mind, housing in Portland tends to be as expensive as Seattle because salaries are not in line with the housing prices.