CPA making a move (Seattle: apartment, home, job market)

[svendthrift]

Good afternoon all,

My spouse and I are making the move out of Miami. Seattle is our final decision. I'm a CPA and she is in human resources (SPHR).

How's the job market in Seattle for accountants? HR professionals? We're without kids and want to live in town, safely (impossible in Miami). What's a reasonable budget for a middle class, 2 bedroom apartment near the downtown core (walking distance).

Our goal is to remove ourselves from a dependence on the automobile in as much as possible. Do many of you live without cars?

[J78Jason]

I'm not sure about the job market. I'm in public accounting (not a CPA yet) and was able to find a job (got lucky as my experience fit exactly what they were looking for), but I'm not sure of the overall market. I think there's always demand for CPA's though, you just might not be able to quite as picky as to where you work. No clue on the HR side.

We have a kid so we don't live downtown, but it's a 20-40 minute bus ride for me to downtown. My wife stays home with the kid and uses the one car we have as needed. It works pretty well. The bus system here is good and you can get just about anywhere on it.

I'd say having one car would be preferable, but if you were commited to doing without you could make it work. However, the infrastructure is still set up for a car here - I'd say you'd really miss having a car if you were to go grocery shopping or if you wanted to drive out a ways to see the mountains, etc.

[familyofboys]

How many years do you have as a CPA? This will help. Most Big 4 have laid off employees or have hiring freezes. What part of accounting are you in? Industry, Audit, Tax?

HR has some options in Seattle. You and your wife should talk to a recruiter who knows the current job market. Living in Queen Anne, Magnolia, etc would be a good area for commuting. What are your likes/dislikes for a neighborhood. If you elaborate you may get more answers.

[texastrigirl]

I am also a CPA but I work mostly from home on small clients because I only want to work part-time so I can be home with my boys. But I have checked on a few firms and I like Clark Nuber quite a bit. I used to be Big 6 back in the day and this local firm seems to have it together. They have current openings listed I also have a friend who is a partner at BDO Seidman...he just left Deloitte and I know they are looking to staff. Lots of other options too depending on experience. I believe Amazon.com has some good accounting positions open. If you don't have a car you could consider Zipcar as an option for having access to a car as needed. You can also check with consulting firms like Volt and TwoDegrees...they do a lot of accounting placement at Microsoft and the like. Good luck!

[Ira500]

I'd say a middle class two bedroom apartment near downtown will cost anywhere between 1200-2000 per month. Neighborhoods walkable to downtown ( or a very quick bus ride) would be Queen Anne, First Hill, parts of Capitol Hill, South Lake Union, the Central District...neighborhoods that might be slightly too far to walk but would be a very quick bus ride include North Beacon Hill, Fremont,Ballard, Magnolia and the west Seattle neighborhoods of Alaska Junction and the Admiral District.

[svendthrift]

Thanks for the replies.

I've spent two years in audit. I reckon a move to private accounting is in the cards for me.

We'd like to live in an area that is very densely populated before we have kids. If I'm in audit, then I'll need a car regardless of where I live. But I'd like to walk out of my apt on the weekend and not have to go far for restaurants, pubs and other amenities. We strongly prefer not to be in anything resembling a suburb.

[Patron of Wrath]

Miami huh. I can't help you with your question, making this post utterly usless, but...

I live in Saint Petersburg and my few visits to south Florida have made me an utter racist against NYers.

[jenlion]

I would just like to register my disappointment. I thought I was going to be reading a thread about a "CPA making a MOVIE", not a MOVE. Darn.

But I can say good luck on your movie, and I commend you for choosing where and how you want to live and timing it right pre-kids.

[Ira500]

In my always humble opinion, downtown Seattle would not be that great of an area to live in. Some people love it, but it just doesn't feel like a neighborhood to me. In terms of neighborhoods which have restaurants, pubs, bakeries, etc, Capitol Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Columbia City,Queen Anne, Wallingford, and West Seattle are all great for that.

[Ira500]

I would just like to register my disappointment. I thought I was going to be reading a thread about a "CPA making a MOVIE", not a MOVE. Darn.


It might not be much of a film, but it would come in on time and under budget.