Seattle area advice

[psikora]

I just made arrangements to visit my youngest in Seattle in Sept. I was thinking of also using the time to look around for possible areas to move to in the general area in a year or two. I'm looking for suggested areas to visit.

So, as long as I can get to a local company office one day a week, I can move anywhere. For prices, less congestion, etc., I was thinking of trying to stay about an hour or so commuting distance from downtown.

Are there kinda cool, eventually developing areas w/i that kind of driving distance I can be looking at? Schools are not important (girls are grown). Less expensive housing and taxes are important.

Your thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
phil

 

[glennhendricks]

Seattle is beautiful

I've visited there several times for work and it is a wonderful city.

I have friends who commute over the water, living across the bay and riding a ferry home. Less congestion on the other side (at least a while ago) and a slower pace.

The ferry system is awesome and if you work within walking distance from the ferry terminal you'd be in like Flynn.

 

[grafikfeat]

Less expensive housing and taxes are important.

Arizona.

Traffic is horrific... Terrible planning and squabbling. Housing? HA!
While it is a "buyers" market they are Waaaay over priced here.

Do the stats on King County Washington. Highest in the country.

I commute 108.5 RT daily. I live where folks go on lonnng weekends.
Inexpensive housing/taxes. Problem is drivers here suck.
They ignore all courtesy rules AND fly into road rage for a lane change.
It's like little L.A. only worse. Add rain to that mix. They seriously CANNOT drive here.

I luckily work off the main commute. Noon to Eight so it's not too bad.
If I were on a "9 to fiver"? HA, forget it.

Now... Do you want some bad news...?

Look at CityData .com for local areas...

I'd add more but the board would consider me a "whiner"... can't have that.
If you have questions private message me... I'll answer all...

~ Jim

 

[grafikfeat]

I've visited there several times for work and it is a wonderful city.

Action word here is "visited".

 

[Threeteas]

I live in Bothell.
Seems okay to me and the odd commute into town isn't too bad as you have a choice of sneaking through Kirkland and the back ways, through Woodinville and the back ways or 405 and I5.
Lived here two years and the traffic is better than a London commute, better than a Miami commute, better than a Birmingham (UK) commute, better than a Cape Town commute and knocks spots of Istanbul which is horrible 24 hours and every day.

Too many houses have been built recently, plus homes are up for sale as folks are over stretched financially. May be a good area, depends what you call a reasonable house price.
We fall into Snohommish County, if that makes any difference.

 

[glennhendricks]

Why I said 'visited'

I live in tourist country and I know they have a different impression of my town than I do. Added the visited on purpose.

That being said, Seattle is a wonderful city in many ways.

 

[grafikfeat]

I live in tourist country and I know they have a different impression of my town than I do. Added the visited on purpose.

That being said, Seattle is a wonderful city in many ways.

Yes it is a wonderful city. I live here. I just paint a crappy picture so when they do move here, and they still are, they are prepared.

When I move from here it will be for one reason. The completed indecision of the body politic.
I've never seen a more dysfunctional local govt./planning board.
They completely blew it here. So I'm real close.

Like you, I can always visit.
I just can't allow my tax dollars to be squandered.

 

[knary]

Portland is worse.
Really.
Stay away.
You'll be happier that you did.

 

[MOTOR31]

Seattle is a great place, as long as you do not need to use the freeways to commute. The traffic is SERIOUSLY heavy during rush and the freeways are bearing the brunt of it.

We've been up in the Seattle / Olymic Peninsula area now for over a month and have a couple more weeks before we head to Spokane. We avoid the rush hours like the plague. It's not uncommon for the freeway to resemble a parking lot from what we have seen. If you MUST be in the city look for housing near your job but be prepared for significant sticker shock as well as taxes.

Another tax the city council just got passed is for bags at the store. They will charge you 20 cents per bag, plastic or paper, when you go to the store. It's called a bag "fee" instead of a tax since they say it's to encourage you to use non disposable bags that you buy.

 

[knary]

I just made arrangements to visit my youngest in Seattle in Sept. I was thinking of also using the time to look around for possible areas to move to in the general area in a year or two. I'm looking for suggested areas to visit.

So, as long as I can get to a local company office one day a week, I can move anywhere. For prices, less congestion, etc., I was thinking of trying to stay about an hour or so commuting distance from downtown.

Are there kinda cool, eventually developing areas w/i that kind of driving distance I can be looking at? Schools are not important (girls are grown). Less expensive housing and taxes are important.

Your thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
phil

It's all relative.

Where are you know?

All the flat landers will think Seattle is freakishly expensive. Everyone in CA and the northeast will think it's just fine or cheap.

 

[grafikfeat]

It's all relative.

All the flat landers will think Seattle is freakishly expensive.

aka: The Fly Over States.

...and Seattle is Freakishly expensive!

 

[knary]

aka: The Fly Over States.

...and Seattle is Freakishly expensive!

Not if you're from California, Boston, etc. or Europe or ....

Besides, IMHO, you largely get what you pay for. Or, to put it another way, move if you don't like it.

 

[grafikfeat]

Not if you're from California, Boston, etc. or Europe or ....

Besides, IMHO, you largely get what you pay for. Or, to put it another way, move if you don't like it.

I am from 'etc.' It's on the "Right" Coast.
And you don't get what you pay for. A 900 sq. ft. home for $475k on a postage stamp lot just ain't worth it. Even if you had the cash. The value lies in location, not the property.

...and again, what's with the passive aggressive comments? "...move if you don't like it." I did. That's why I'm in the Seattle enviorn. Those kind of comments from the MOA 'volunteers' is actually quite counter productive to the good will that should be exuded from it's "Ambassadors". "IMHO" doesn't give anyone a pass for 'passive/aggressive' comments. I see a great deal of that in your postings.
~Just my 2 centavos...
I'm done.

 

[knary]

I am from 'etc.' It's on the "Right" Coast.
And you don't get what you pay for. A 900 sq. ft. home for $475k on a postage stamp lot just ain't worth it. Even if you had the cash. The value lies in location, not the property.

...and again, what's with the passive aggressive comments? "...move if you don't like it." I did. That's why I'm in the Seattle enviorn. Those kind of comments from the MOA 'volunteers' is actually quite counter productive to the good will that should be exuded from it's "Ambassadors". "IMHO" doesn't give anyone a pass for 'passive/aggressive' comments. I see a great deal of that in your postings.
~Just my 2 centavos...
I'm done.

"Passive aggressive"?

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, you get what you pay for. You pay extra to live in a great place. It's the price of being in a place that most people recognize as a wonderful place to be. Sure, it's got problems but if they're so bad that you'll seriously tell people to stay away, why are you living there?

If you mean that I'm suggesting that the Northwest is a better place to live than a "flyover state", I'm not suggesting it. I'm saying it. The obvious point is that I mean that for me it's a much better place. I'd rather pay a big pile of cash for a small house over here than a small pile of cash for big house over there.

I recommend Sanka.

 

[MOTOR31]

Fortunately the folks we've been associating with in Washinton have all been far friendlier than what was expressed in other posts. We have been made to feel welcome by business and social contacts. There is no "attitude" of anything but welcome and we're glad you're here.

 

[knary]

Fortunately the folks we've been associating with in Washinton have all been far friendlier than what was expressed in other posts. We have been made to feel welcome by business and social contacts. There is no "attitude" of anything but welcome and we're glad you're here.

Friends from back east, where I'm from, visit us here and ask "Is there something in the &*^%@# water?!?!?"