Want to move to WA but scared of SAD (Seattle: fit in, crime)

[movin'on]

I am living in Scottsdale, AZ and thinking of relocating to WA. I look on the map and there are so many interesting things I see, what with all the water and islands, but I do have a concern over SAD.

I grew up in Minnesota, so I am used to water. Living in AZ makes me miserable with no water. I am sick of the sun, too. I've had to put blinds up to block out the sunshine. This time of year, I have had enough. When it rains here I just love it and get excited.

My concern is that I'd hate to fall into a huge depression. I remember my first depression at the age of 9 in Minnesota. Of course, the cold no doubt didn't help.

I've lived in California, both northern and southern, and it's ideal for me, but the prices are not. I've been thinking of keeping my house here and maybe buying a place somewhere like Aberdeen or Port Angeles. I could own both places, but I still need to work (and have benefits, as I am single) and don't know what I could do for a living in either of the places I've mentioned. I am too young to retire and still need to make a living for an occasional pizza, now and then. I have an MBA and now work in domestic violence. Talk about wierd.

Any thoughts are most welcome and thank you!

[BNB]

We considered WA too...my best friend moved there (after having lived her entire life in San Diego) and she adjusted perfectly. She lives in Sammamish (Seattle area) and they want to sell and live on one of the islands on the water.

My concern was that it is getting more expensive in Seattle and we are looking for somewhere that is not like that, yet with temperate climate (so we sought Middle TN). I love the change in seasons and some snow. I was worried too about SAD with Washington...but apparently they had a record number of sunny days last year. The weather is changing everywhere....global warming, so you may not have to worry about SAD in WA anymore.

I'm not familiar with the cities you mentioned.....Good luck with your search!

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by BNB

We considered WA too...my best friend moved there (after having lived her entire life in San Diego) and she adjusted perfectly. She lives in Sammamish (Seattle area) and they want to sell and live on one of the islands on the water.

My concern was that it is getting more expensive in Seattle and we are looking for somewhere that is not like that, yet with temperate climate (so we sought Middle TN). I love the change in seasons and some snow. I was worried too about SAD with Washington...but apparently they had a record number of sunny days last year. The weather is changing everywhere....global warming, so you may not have to worry about SAD in WA anymore.

I'm not familiar with the cities you mentioned.....Good luck with your search!

Well, thank you. I lived in San Diego for seven years. Perfect weather. I guess I was just priced out of the market. Even now, I wouldn't go back (probably because I met my ex there and for those reasons).

The islands intrigue me, and I love water. It's pretty pathetic to see a canal here and get happy. The man made lakes are NOT the same. I truly am sad here, if not SAD in the sense this post was intended to convey. Even now, this durn sun shining through my covered windows is really bugging me. I keep all the blinds closed, this time of year, and am thinking of going to Home Depot to buy additional blinds for the outside. It's just too much sun...always.

[KidBlue]

There are still affordable homes in Tehama, Shasta, and Butte Counties. The area is pretty hot in the summer, but compared to AZ you might not notice. There are jobs in the Chico, Red Bluff, and Redding areas. And the Sacramento river runs through both Redding and Red Bluff. Lakes Oroville and Shasta are huge and close by if you like boating and swimming. There's also other lakes and rivers close and lots of places to camp and hike if you are into that. Mount Shasta has skiing too. I'm hoping to retire in western WA, but Dunsmuir is my backup plan so that's why I'm researching Shasta and Siskiyou Counties.

Aberdeen and the immediate area is affordable and has a cool climate, but going from mostly sun to over 60 inches of rain and months of clouds a year could be a shock. I have a friend who suffers from SAD even in Sacramento. She'll be joing you in AZ as she is retiring to Yuma.

[NWgirl]

Originally Posted by movin'on

I
My concern is that I'd hate to fall into a huge depression. I remember my first depression at the age of 9 in Minnesota. Of course, the cold no doubt didn't help.

Hi movin' on,

Since you may be prone to depression, you may want to really research the Pacific NW and see if it would be a mentally healthy place for you. I don't mean to sound dramatic, just offering an opinion. I have chronic depression, not just the seasonal variety, and for most of my life I struggled while living here, when I was a kid and couldn't live on my own and then through hard financial times. It can get very grey and cloudy. Depending on your mindset, that greyness can seem bleak and empty and blocking out all happiness and life. Or, they can seem calm and comforting and, if you're like me, hearkening back to ancestral lands of Northern Europe. It also gets very wet, with none of the drama of snow. We also have mildly rainy autumns with lots of pretty colors, wet and sometimes sunny springs, and often long, hot, dry, sunny summers.

Of course, SAD can be treated with sun lamps and medication and stuff. Maybe a vacation to the Seattle area would help you see what it's like. I can't imagine living with the unending sun of Arizona. That must be something.

Good luck!

[chris]

If you have issues with depression, I would not build in Aberdeen. It's not a very upbeat there and almost every time I go there it's cloudy. Even with the sunny summers we've had here for the last three years, it still seems gloomy every time I go or pass through there to hit the coast.

Remember, Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) was born and raised there, it probably provided good inspiration for his upbeat (kidding) song writing.

Not to mention the area is financially depressed and with Weyerhaeuser just recently laying off 400+ people from good paying jobs, I can't say the area will be more upbeat in the near future.

[Baltic_Celt]

Movin' on -

I've lived all over the US & am in Boston right now. Some people are greatly affected by SAD here, as Boston has as many overcast days as Seattle, although, Seattle is a much prettier, cleaner, less crowded-city, therefore, much less an eye sore, in my opinion.

In the early 90's, I moved to Seattle after living in Atlanta for 6-yrs. Even though the humid heat/direct sun got to me sometimes in Atlanta & I looked forward to some overcast days/less hot weather, it took a couple of months for me to adjust, I think mainly as I moved to Seattle in Feb when it was rainy/colder. It wasn't cold by New England standards, but coming straight from years in Atlanta, it was a bit of a shock to my system to suddenly see NO sun & feel NO heat. I also only owned very light clothing, in color & fabric, so I did feel cold in 50-degree, rainy weather.

But 2-mos later, once April/May came, I found that Seattle has the prettiest spring/summer I've seen anywhere - sunny days (but not like the hot Atlanta sun), dry, never humid/oppressive. So perhaps the timing of your move will make the biggest difference. Rather than move in the "gloomier" winter months, wait until spring so you'll have 6-mos of kinder weather & then perhaps you'll just slide nicely into the fall. I didn't mind the fall/2nd winter, after I'd been thru a gorgeous spring/summer.

Even though you're not fond of the constant sunshine in your face in AZ (it got to me too, I must say), your body's grown accustomed to it day after day, so an ease into the Pacific NW climate will be less of a jolt. One last thing that you probably already know, given your line of work/clients - I've always adjusted to any new place when I joined the community faster. As soon as I find friends/groups/activities (even online yahoo hiking/walking groups), I feel I fit in easier & have found home. People think it will be easier to live down south because the weather's more "accomodating", but honestly, I did more outdoor activities after moving out of Atlanta, because while there, much of the time it was just too humid/hot to be outdoors & trying to bike/walk with no shade. Perhaps you find the same in AZ? In Seattle, I was outdoors all the time, once spring arrived. Had I moved there in April, rather than Feb, I'd have adjusted quicker/easier, I think.

I think you'll love Seattle. It's a beautiful town with TONS of things to do - more movie theatres than anywhere (it's a test spot for new releases & the Seattle Film Festival begins in April), all kinds of bars/restaurants (best food I've had anywhere), it's a walking city (so people are always outdoors), many bikers/hikers (Mt. Ranier Park is closeby & a lovely 45-min car ride south from Seattle), microbreweries & coffee, coffee, everywhere! With your degree, you'll fit right in as it's also the highest concentration of college educated in the US.

Lastly, I'd say that if you think SAD may be a problem, visit Seattle in the fall/winter when overcast weather is prevalant, so you'll know what it will be like at its worst.

Good luck & enjoy! Baltic_Celt

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by movin'on

I've been thinking of keeping my house here and maybe buying a place somewhere like Aberdeen or Port Angeles.

If you are prone to SAD, I'd stay out of Aberdeen. It's kind of a dreary, depressed little town.

I love Port Angeles and Port Townsend both. Probably my favorite towns in Washington. You've got oceans and islands in front of you, snow-capped mountains behind, and forest everywhere. It's really, really beautiful.

You'll still get rain in either of the Ports, but honestly, the dreariness here is exaggerated. Summers are actually quite sunny. I live in the Seattle/Tacoma area. This year, our last bit of good rain was in early June, and the rains have just now started up again. In fact, I'm already starting to hear rumors of a drought this winter.

I would definitely urge you to steer clear of the Seattle/Tacoma/Everett/Olympia areas. It's really expensive, traffic is terrible, and the crime is awful and getting worse all the time.

If you'd like a guarantee of more sun, look in the communities east of the Cascades. Places like Wenatchee, Spokane, the Tri-Cities.

[movin'on]

Thanks all so much for the input. I REALLY appreciate it. When I moved to Phoenix I just thought it would be this cool southwest place, instead of this giant, sprawling brown nothing-to-do place. If you drive down one of our major freeways, you'll see skid marks all over the place and even where cars have gone over the over passes. Driving here just makes me nervous, which brings me to another question.

In addition to SAD, I get these anxiety attacks while driving sometimes. For the longest time I avoided bridges and tunnels in the Bay Area. I also drove over this one very long bridge in WA many years ago that was over a big river and got an anxiety attack. I'm wondering, with all that water there is it possible to live in that area without having to deal with too much of this? Is there a way around it? This may seem like a really dumb question, considering I love interesting areas with lots of water, but it is an additional consideration. Thanks!

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by movin'on

I'm wondering, with all that water there is it possible to live in that area without having to deal with too much of this? Is there a way around it? This may seem like a really dumb question, considering I love interesting areas with lots of water, but it is an additional consideration. Thanks!

The Tacoma Narrows bridge links Tacoma with Gig Harbor. You can drive around it, but it would be quite a drive.

There's the big floating bridge that goes over Lake Washington. You can drive around it, too, but again: it takes longer.

It all depends on where you live. I rarely, if ever, have to cross a large bridge. There are smaller ones all over the place though.