Transplanting to Washington from Cali (Seattle, Spokane: rentals, new home, find a job) - (WA) - City-Data Forum

ChrisHatesCali · 08-06-2009, 04:33 PM

I am actively seeking to move to Washington (much depends on employment opportunities). Has anyone else taken this plunge?

When I visited Seattle in 2005 I fell in love with the place. Having lived in California all my life I know its time for a change. Cali is circling the drain in virtually every category. Quality of life here has taken a turn for the worst in the last decade and I don't think there is any hope for the future of the state. Where I live I feel like a foreigner in my own country. Can't find a house and spend half my life in traffic.

Just wanted to know if anyone had thoughts on their own move and transition.

Count David · 08-06-2009, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisHatesCali

I am actively seeking to move to Washington (much depends on employment opportunities). Has anyone else taken this plunge?

When I visited Seattle in 2005 I fell in love with the place. Having lived in California all my life I know its time for a change. Cali is circling the drain in virtually every category. Quality of life here has taken a turn for the worst in the last decade and I don't think there is any hope for the future of the state. Where I live I feel like a foreigner in my own country. Can't find a house and spend half my life in traffic.

Just wanted to know if anyone had thoughts on their own move and transition.

Yes, I'm sure people take the plunge every day. I took it in May, from CO to Spokane. It was my second major move in 2 years.

Seattle is great. I'm a CA native, so I know what it's like there. As for 'feeling like a foreigner', how do you think the foreigners feel?

Can't find a house, or can't find one you can afford? If it's the latter, that may elude you as well in Seattle if that's where you decide to go. The traffic problem can be remedied by trying to live close to work.

My move from CO was bittersweet, I miss it dearly, but also like Spokane quite a bit. My job came with me -- actually the whole reason I'm here is my job. Moving and the accompanying transition is nothing less than an adventure.

I'd like to help further, but you didn't give us much in the way of details. What kind of work do you do? What can you afford? What are you looking for in your new hometown?

VeronikaW · 08-07-2009, 12:40 AM

Moved to the Seattle area from San Diego in 2007. David is right about housing, it's not really cheaper than in CA (maybe a bit cheaper than the Bay Area, but not most other areas). You don't have to go as far from the city to find cheaper houses in the Seattle area, but who really wants to commute more than an hour to work everyday?

yukiko11 · 08-07-2009, 02:54 AM

I lived the first 40 years of my life in LA
I moved from LA to WA in 1991. The last place I lived was in Ontario and after a night of sleeping on the floor of the closet with my dogs while a hostage situation was going on in the house behind me and the swat team was running through my yard, bullets were flying, helicoptors were flying all night, the media was parked outside my house, and in the end the two people in the house died, I decided. I'm done.
I now live about 30 miles north of Seattle in a community where there are 7 lakes.
To me personally, this is paradise. Every time I drive down my street between the 100 ft pine trees, I fall in love over again.
You didn't say what you do for a living so I cannot talk about jobs, but housing is still about half of what you would pay in LA.
Please feel free to ask any questions you want and also to visit the WA forums which give a lot of info on places to live and jobs.
Craigslist is a good indicator of jobs and housing costs for rentals, but not everything is legit.

ChrisHatesCali · 08-07-2009, 10:39 AM

Thanks for the feedback.

As for what I do - entertainment industry related semi-technical work, mostly quality assurance testing and technical support for software applications.

Housing-wise, I would be willing to rent at first rather than just buying a place outright from the onset. I have a modest budget of about 200-210k, but that would depend on what sort of career I could start once I got up there.

M3 Mitch · 08-07-2009, 01:49 PM

The entertainment industry is pretty heavily concentrated in CA, so I would suggest you find a job, possibly around Seattle, before moving. The economy is not that good, maybe it's picking up a bit but I would still not suggest quitting a job and just moving.

Keep in mind it's easier to find a job when you have one. Makes no sense but it's true.