Friendly neighborhoods (Seattle, Bellevue, Olympia: cul-de-sac, rentals, townhouses)

[gammerus]

I've heard about the Seattle freeze, and that has kinda put me off of the area. I like Washington's beautiful weather, but I also like the idea of living in a place where it isn't unusual for neighbors to get together or at least one another name. It would also be a bonus not to be surrounded by snooty people that are all about brand names and fake nails.

[JustCallMeTC]

I find it rather entertaining that people, who were typically unhappy where they were, come to a new place, find they're unhappy there too, and blame the people there. And somehow they're credible?

Seriously. Don't believe everything you read.

There are lots of people that are happy they moved here.

That said, this place isn't for everyone.

Thank God.

I suggest you form your own opinion.

[gammerus]

Understood. But it does seem as tho it is a very reserved city. I am an open book, and I would feel terribly confined if I lived in a city where most people just wanted to keep to themselves.

[grastus]

Well then, as a lifelong resident who does believe in "the freeze", I wouldn't suggest moving here. Homes in Seattle-proper are prohibitively expensive for the majority of people, anyway.

[gammerus]

Any close towns you'd recommend? Any job I get would be in advertising, and Seattle or Bellevue are my best bets for finding a job (or so I've heard)

[VeronikaW]

I think it really can go street by street. For example, I live in the Issaquah Highlands. I have lived in the same townhome for 2 1/2 years. It's set up as a row house, and we've had the same neighbors on one side of us for the entire 2 1/2 years. To this day, we've not once had the dad say hello to us. He will avert his eyes, and pretend he doesn't see/hear us, any time we step outside and he's there, or he'll rush into his house. The wife is slightly less friendly and will return a greeting (but not offer one), and the kids are about as friendly as the mom. Even with that being the case, I did go to their house and let them know they'd left the lights on on their car, and the woman seemed really grateful.

On the other side of us, when we moved in, was another family, about our age. The mom never once returned a greeting, and the dad, I kid you not, grunted at us any time we greeted him. They moved out, and another family moved in, who would chit chat a bit if we ever ran into them outside. They have since moved out and a single lady has moved in, and she's been nice the 2 times we've seen her (in 4 or 5 months).

Yet, we went trick-or-treating on a cul-de-sac that is 4 townhouses up the street from us, and it seemed very obvious that all the neighbors knew each other. Every house had the sign that they'd been "Boo'd", one house was basically having an open house offering warm drinks inside, and there were a ton of people in there. It amazed me that less than a block away was this obviously very close-knit warm community. Maybe it's because our townhomes are rentals, and the cul-de-sac is full of 3/4 of a million dollar homes?

So, I really think it's just the luck of the draw.

Good luck whatever you decide.

V. =)

[JustCallMeTC]

Originally Posted by grastus

Well then, as a lifelong resident who does believe in "the freeze", I wouldn't suggest moving here. Homes in Seattle-proper are prohibitively expensive for the majority of people, anyway.

Since you're so unhappy here, why not sell your house to him at a nice discount since you can't wait to leave town?

[gammerus]

He grunted really?

Maybe the rental thing makes it different, but I would hope the price tag doesn't

I am curious tho, I am thinking of Bellevue, Seattle, or Olympia, but I'm just not sure which is the more... I guess noob friendly. I come from phoenix, and it seems that while most people are very friendly here, it feels like anyone who isn't lower class tries their drandest to be fake and boring. The whole giant fake nails, identically dyed blond hair, cookie cutter homes, beige boorishness is the sort of thing I would like to avoid. I feel like the blonde girl in Bridge to Terabithia.
I am a very colorful individual, and I would love to live somewhere that reflected that. I would especially love to go from this (http://search.phoenixhomes.com/armlsimages/mls/4_4173978.jpg - broken link) to this.

[grastus]

Originally Posted by JustCallMeTC

Since you're so unhappy here, why not sell your house to him at a nice discount since you can't wait to leave town?

I didn't say I was unhappy. I'm well-rooted here, actually, so I'm very satisfied with living here. But I can't imagine moving here without a firmly-established network of people waiting for you, which AFAIK is what gammerus intends on doing.

But let's save all that senseless banter for the official freeze thread.

[gammerus]

Originally Posted by JustCallMeTC

Since you're so unhappy here, why not sell your house to him at a nice discount since you can't wait to leave town?

I'm a girl .

But if I did move there I wouldn't be doing it alone, I would of course be bringing my dog and my man.