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Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 11:28 pm: | 
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I am getting a hair up my butt about moving to this area. I was wanting to live more on the outer areas like the Everett area, and was wondering if anyone knew info on what areas are nice and what the house prices are. |
KC Jacob (Kcjacob)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 12:44 am: |
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I live in the Seattle area. The prices in the Everett area are not that bad. Depends on the area though.
If you live in South Everett its a better area. Mukilteo/Lynnwood is more expensive. Bothell/Mill Creek are also good area.
It all depends on how much commute you have too. If you live in Everett and work in Seattle, I think its a 45-50 minute commute each way. The commute sucks, but everything else makes up for it.
Hope this helps.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Jacob. |
Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 11:42 am: |
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KC, if we get closer to doing this I may want to ask you some questions. May I keep your email address for the future?
What do you think of Mt. Vernon area |
John Davies
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 11:52 am: |
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I have lived in the North Sound area for 21 years. Unless you REALLY want to live near Puget Sound, I can't recommend a move to the Seattle area, especially if you have to commute more than a few miles. I am getting ready to leave the area because of the _horrendous_ traffic. It will only get worse in the next few years, as the idiot voters decided to vote down all the various tax levies that might have helped the situation a little. Every acquaintance that has returned to visit Seattle after a move elsewhere has expressed nothing but concern and disgust at the worsening traffic conditions here.
Where will you work? That is the absolute formost thing to consider. With the commute so bad, it makes no sense to pick a place to live before finding a job. If you can work locally (such as in a retail store) then you can live in a smaller community with a better quality of life. Everett is just part of the huge Puget Sound mess that extends south through Tacoma - it is all growing into one big metropolis. In 20 years you won't see anything but houses from the Canadian border to Portland.
I lived in Mukilteo when it was a quiet little town. It is now full of condos, golf courses and $400K houses. I now live in Monroe, which used to be a quiet little farm town. Now the schools are overcrowded, the traffic on Hwy 2 is bumper to bumper throughout the week, and the small town feel is gone.
Puget Sound has wonderful opportunities for big-city entertainment and outdoor recreation, and it is located in a supremely beautiful setting, but it ain't what it used to be even a decade ago. If you love boating, plan on crowds wherever you go in the summer. You have to get up into Canada to get away from them. If you like to camp, don't even think about heading out without a confirmed campsite reservation.
If you still think you would like to live here, come out and spend a few weeks before committing.
I'm going to move to Spokane WA, where a rush hour traffic jam means that the cars have slowed to 30 mph instead of to immobility.
http://www.seattle.net/
http://seattle.citysearch.com/?brand=sidewalk
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/PugetSoundTraffic/
http://www.riderlink.gen.wa.us/rl_bus.html
http://www.seattlechamber.com/
http://www.cityofseattle.net/html/visitor/
http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washington/seattle/seavisitor.htm
http://houseandhome.msn.com/pickaplace/comparecities.aspx
http://www.seattlechamber.com/infocenter/almanac_costofliving.cfm
Here is a summary of COL in Seattle. Don't expect housing to be significantly cheaper as you get away from the city.
"The composite index is based on six components. The component index figures for the Seattle area are as follows:
Groceries 113.3
Housing 144.5
Utilities 82.9
Transportation 112.8
Health care 128.8
Miscellaneous goods and sevices 103.1
Apartment Rentals
The average monthly rental cost for a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, unfurnished apartment excluding all utilities except water is $913
Housing Costs
The estimated purchase price for a newly built home with 1,800 square feet of living area in the Seattle area is $313,983. This typical home has three bedrooms and two full baths. The following is the estimated purchase price for a comparable home in selected metropolitan cities:
Boston, MA $524,134
Dallas, TX $189,000
Los Angeles, CA $478,705
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN $254,674
New York City, NY $916,000
Phoenix, AZ $199,097
Portland, OR $199,200
San Diego, CA $327,200
Seattle, WA $313,983
Spokane, WA $217,600" |
Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 12:18 pm: |
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John, is there a mass transit system?
I currently live in Denver, CO so I am used to the bad traffic but don't know how that area compares. I was looking into housing in the Everett area and I could twice the house for the same cost than in Denver. I just can't afford a good quality of life in Denver and am looking for a change.
Oh and how are the 4X4 trails, are they few and far between? |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 02:03 pm: |
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Last time I was in Denver as for city traffic I thought it wasn't that bad compared to Seattle. I live outside of Tacoma in Federal Way. As for housing 250,000 did'nt give me much of a house only 2000 sqft but my AZ home in cave creek was a lot more home for my money about 5 years ago I bought an acre and had a 3600 sqft home built for just a little more than 300,000 . I spend approximently 5 months of the year up here and 7 months in AZ.
Do you already have a job planned out? If so where? |
Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 03:02 pm: |
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I am trying to finish a degree at the Art Institute in Denver and my wife is currently at IBM. I thought about Seattle area because there is an AI in Seattle as well as Portland OR. Those would be my first two choices for a move.
I am in Littleton and the average home price is $278,000. With me still in school, we just have a hard time out here. I have lived here all my life, and my wife most of hers, and we are really ready for a change. Both of those ares are very appealing to me.
It takes my wife 45 minites to go 18 miles from where we live right now. I take the trasit system to Downtown for school and it takes me an hour. I have just had enouph of how hard it is to live here. Colorado ranks 2nd worse in the nation for cost of living v.s. average income. The average home is $278,000 and the average household income is $56,000.
I love Colorado...it is so beautifull, but I need a change! |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 07:41 pm: |
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If I had a choice between Portland and Seattle I would pick Portland. I like Portland so much better and everytime I drive thru the traffic doesn't give me a headache. I could be wrong though the majority of my portland expierence has been limited to downtown and I-5 |
John Davies
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 10:04 pm: |
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Eric:
Seattle has a decent mass transit system IF you happen to live in the area it serves. If you have to drive 20 minutes to a Park and Ride, then change buses once or twice before reaching your destination, it can get very frustrating and time consuming. The major highway corridors are well served with buses, though we have no light rail (yet). One of those links had info on mass transit.
Reading back over my first post, it sounds really negative. I guess I am frustrated with how bad the traffic has gotten - Seattle does rank up in the top three in the USA for worst traffic conditions. Because the Seattle area is sandwiched between the water and the mountains, all the growth is forced to concentrate in the north-south direction along the Interstate. There is not the moderating effect of 360 degree growth that most cities have.
This really is a lovely area with lots of interesting things to do. My suggestion is don't buy a home right away. Find a decent rental house or apartment on a main bus route, and get the feel for the area before investing in a home. It is very hard to find the right neighborhood in the first week or two of a visit.
Where is the Seattle Art Institute? Is it downtown? |
Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 10:23 pm: |
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Yes, downtown. 2323 Elliott Avenue is the street address.
What areas would you reccommend I look into as a possability? Renting a house might not be a bad idea. |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 10:34 pm: |
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queen anne is is minutes from downtown and is a good place to rent |
Jeremy Katka (Jkatka)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 12:27 am: |
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Rent is dropping in Seattle. There is alot available up here and landlords are wheeling and dealing because of the vacancy rate.
JK |
Jim C.
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 01:55 am: |
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I used to live in Portland, and I have to say that I really, really miss the place. Portland is a smaller city that has a great mass transit system, is really environmentally conscience, and has been voted the best biking city in the US. There are tons of 4x4 trails trails avaliable within 40 minutes of downtown Portland from beginner stuff to advanced trails.
I was forced to move because there are no biotech companies in Oregon, and as much as I wanted to move up to Seattle - the opportunities for the time being are better in California.
Either way, I'm sure you'll love the northwest. When I get the opportunity, I'm going back. |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 02:15 am: |
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In my opinion another thing that kinda of gets on my nerves about Seattle is the news reporters on tv are not attractive at all. I would have to say that Seattle has got to have the ugliest news reporters in the US. Now Phoenix has some very good lookin reporters and D-Webbers in AZ can hopefully back me up on that!
Yes and I have always considered myself shallow |
KC Jacob (Kcjacob)
| | Posted on Monday, February 03, 2003 - 10:16 am: |
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Eric,
Like John and the rest of the guys mentioned above, renting a place some near downtown Seattle would be your best bet for the initial times. Then you can decide where you want to live and then look at buying a house where you think you might be able to enjoy every aspect of the life here in the Northwest.
The traffic really sucks. If anything thats the worst part of life here. Everything else though, I think, makes up for it. The community. The people. Nature. Everything. I have not been to Denver, though I have heard that its beautiful. Not sure how the Northwest would compare to that. But for me, this IS the place.
I guess I am lucky that my commute is around 15 minutes max (touch wood).
You have my email address. Let me know if you need anything.
Regards,
KC. |
Eric Pena (Evalp)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 10:57 am: |
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Thanks everyone, is there anyone out there with info on Portland. That is another option and it sounds like most people would reccommend Portland over Seattle, is that right? |
John Davies
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 07:00 pm: |
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Eric - I think you should repost your question in a new thread to attract the Portlanders.
My sister lives there - I think it is a wonderful city for bike riding, but it gets on my nerves for a number of personal reasons. I would not choose to live there. |
Peter Matusov (Pmatusov)
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 07:45 pm: |
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John,
please let me know where I can buy a 1800 ft 3br/2ba newly-built house in San Diego for $327k?
For San Diego, the number's off by almost a factor of 1.7-2. There's little difference in housing prices between LA, SD, and Orange County. Don't know if it's as bad for Seattle.
peter |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 12:40 am: |
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peter try the ghetto in escondido |
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