I'm thinking of moving to Seattle, Washington.....?

Question

My fiance and I are thinking about moving to Seattle, Washington from Naples, Florida. We're tired of the life we have here and more than anything, the weather. If anyone lives in Seattle, or has lived there, I wouldn't mind getting some info on the kind of jobs that are available, the approximate unemployment rate.. If there are good restaurants, things to do, ect. Basically, just info on the city itself would be great.

Answer 1

The cost of living in the greater Seattle area has been skyrocketing the last few years because of all the people moving here from out-of-state. It's still the best place in the country to live, of course; the problem is, more and more people are realizing that, and are coming here. As a result, the traffic has become horrendous and suburban sprawl/overdevelopment are rampant. The state government--and the county government--are pretty greedy; property taxes are so high that many landowners are being forced to sell, unable to continue paying taxes... and that land gets snatched by developers who cram hundreds of houses onto a plot of land that only used to have one. The politics here are also pretty shifty; a few years ago, the state voted against tearing down Seattle's stadium, the Kingdome, but the governor did it anyway and build two new stadiums in its place, across the street from each other... simply because two sports teams refused to share a stadium that they didn't even own in the first place. Money gets spent on frivolous things while the traffic and transportation situation continues to worsen... roads aren't designed very well and are in lousy shape, and while public transportation is better than it used to be, it still has a long way to go... it doesn't help that people still insist on driving to work even if they only live ten or fifteen minutes away.

All the same, I've noticed that outsiders who moved here aren't bothered much by these things, except perhaps the traffic. I'm guessing that compared to what they're used to, it's still cheaper and less messed-up where they came from. The problem is... it's steadily getting there.

Case in point, though: Washington's a great place to live. It's got gorgeous surroundings, great, mild weather, and friendly people. If we could simply fix the traffic, politics, and sprawl, things would be perfect.

Answer 2

It really depends on what you are looking for when moving to the Seattle area and also what you will be expecting to pay each month for rent/mortgage. If you are going to be renting, the closer you get to Seattle, the higher the rents are going to be. If you are going to be buying a condo or house, prices are also vey high in Seattle. I live in Everett, which is about 25 miles North of Seattle. It is a fairly large city and the home prices are still reasonable. There is plenty to do activity wise. Jobs in the Everett area usually have something to do with Boeing or are industrial. The commute to the Seattle area is not too bad if you take the train or bus. If you want more of the city lifestyle, look into SODO, Capitol Hill or Queen Anne which are all close to the Downtown Seattle. I wouldn't go to Burien....a little to near SEATAC. Not the best neighborhoods. Try Kirkland, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, or Everett to the North. To the South, look into Kent or Auburn.

Answer 3

Seattle is a good place to be. Two legitimate theaters (5th Ave and Paramount), Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, plus numerous other theater and club productions. Reasonable mass transit. Housing prices are very high. Unemployment is low; the area is home to Boeing, Microsoft, and numerous other support industries. Climate is temperate, few hot days and those that are hot are low humidity; chilly in winter with rain and occasional snow.

Answer 4

about the job question- what are you looking for? there is Boeing and microsoft and Starbucks and Costco. You can find good restaurants, there s always something happening around But the traffic is miserable(especially up and down the I-405 corridor), and the weather is cold and rainy Most of the year.

Answer 5

I love Seattle.....it is a favorite vacation spot of mine....Beware the cost of living there is huge , well in comparison to where I am now....have you checked the web for the answers to your ?'s.....There is always something happening in Seattle, great music, food, entertainment, you name it Seattle has it....it also has it's share of homelessness, street kids, and crime but I still enjoy it very much.....Wow that's a very long distance move...if you decide to do it...Good Luck!