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Relocation question for Washington State residents, please...? |
Travel Info I was lucky enough to visit Seattle and Tacoma for the first time last year. My family and I are now considering relocating. What is the best area for decent jobs and family living. We have a cat and dog and would be interested in renting a house with some yard space. I'm just not sure where to look...Seattle? Tacoma? Somewhere in between??? Any suggestions or advice from experienced WA residents would be appreciated. Travel Tips Avoid Tacoma if you can, look for places to rent in the eastside, Bothell, Kirkland, Redmond, Carnation, Fall City, Issaquah. You'll find good schools for kids there, lots of kids activities sponsored by the cities and their park systems, very nice libraries and there's lots of job opportunities with Boeing in Renton, Microsoft in Redmond and Issaquah, Costco, some biotech firms, etc, good places to work for. If you're moving because of a job, ask your HR for suggestions too. Others It sort of depends on the work you want to do. There's a lot of manufacturing done in Tacoma, and a lot of corporate work in Seattle. Housing is cheapest, and also roomiest, the farther out in the sticks (east) you go. Think out past Kent or Renton, which puts you smack in between Seattle and Tacoma, but a little east. The freeway system is pretty good, so as long as you live near one, you're never more than a half hour to an hour (depending on traffic) from either city. The last time I looked, a three bedroom house with a 1/4 acre yard was renting for about $1200, but that was a year ago, so it may have changed a little since then. To ease the commute, there's also a light-rail system called the Sounder that runs from Tacoma to Seattle at fairly regular intervals and works great. The busses are pretty good inside the cities, but not much help getting into or out of them. Personally, I find Seattle to be the much more vibrant city, with a solid theatre scene, constant community events (check out Bumbershoot, Bite of Seattle, and Seafair!), better shopping, great nightlife(pioneer square), and sports. I might be biased on that though... and Tacoma is nice too. I hope this helps, let me know if there's anything more specific you'd like to know! Grew up in the area I don't know where you are moving from. We lived in Settle suburb (Kirkland) for a couple of years. At the time we liked it. Now since we left there, we don't even consider living there anymore. The main reason is weather. I talk to my friend who still lives there and hear that she hasn't had a single nice day this year yet and it's still too cold to swim. She is really depressed and can't wait to get away for a vacation in the south. If you are kind of person who likes drizzling weather and rather be wet and cool than hot and humid, it's perfect for you. Also you will need to know that the day is really short in winter. My kids were really upset that by the time they came home school it was almost dark in winter. Otherwise it's a beautiful place and coffee is good. Good luck. It all depends on what your budget looks like. The cost of living in the Seattle area can be pretty pricey. That being said, I'm recommending the following places for their security, beauty, and neighborhood atmospheres, not based on cost: 1) Bainbridge Island - It's a small island right outside of Seattle, about 35 minutes away by ferry boat. A lot of the Bainbridge residents commute every day to jobs in Seattle. The island is small, beautiful, and has a lovely community and absolutely wonderful schools. There is plenty of living space and I've seen some very nice rentals available there, especially near the downtown area, which isn't very large at all (1 main street). If you can find a place to rent on Bainbridge, you most likely will have a yard. As far as job opportunities on the island itself are concerned, I think it's kind of a hit or miss thing. There are lots of local shops, plenty of doctors' offices and lawyers' offices, real estate offices, a few very light industrial areas, banks, administrative positions, etc. Of course, I'm from Bainbridge, so I'm biased ;) 2) Bellevue - Outside of Seattle, Bellevue is a pretty nice area to live. It has a growing population and I'm fairly certain that there are a variety of jobs available, especially if you are looking at something in the IT field. There are plenty of nice little neighborhoods and subdivisions where you would be able to find a place to rent. 3) The "U District" - The University District in Seattle is a wonderful place to be. The atmosphere is vibrant and alive, thanks to the 30,000+ college kids on the nearby University of Washington campus. The U District covers a pretty broad area, and I know several people who have modest yet beautiful homes there. I think that you'd be able to find a nice place here with a little bit of yard space at a relatively reasonable price - and generally speaking it's not a bad area to live. ...if you're looking for something on the less expensive side, Poulsbo and Suquamish aren't bad places to live either. I don't have much to say for the school districts in the area, but overall the communities are a good size and I know you wouldn't have a problem finding a rental property in that area. Keep in mind, however, that there aren't a lot of jobs available in Poulsbo, and most people who live there are either part of local retail establishments (save the banks and real estate offices) or commute to Seattle or the nearby Silverdale/Bremerton area (which I don't really like - I think it's a bit shoddy and run-down). However, Poulsbo is a sweet little community with its roots in Scandinavia and can be a very beautiful and charming place to live. That's all I can think of right now off the top of my head. I'm not a big fan of Tacoma so I won't go there, but if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email. Edit: Don't be scared of the rain, it's really nice once you get used to it! And just think, the beaches and the mountains are only a few minutes away! Skiing, hiking, clam "hunting" - you name it, it's there :) Also, I swear you don't have to wear a coat year-round. It's not that bad! The weather is generally very pleasant and mild. As for the recommendation to move to Silverdale or Bremerton, they're not the nicest places to live. Kind of run-down, and if you have children, the school districts aren't anything to write home about. You can find a nice place there, but be cautious. In my opinion, you'll be better off in Bellevue, Mercer Island, or select places in the Seattle metro area. Oh, and look into Vashon Island. Another beautiful area within easy commuting distance of Seattle and with great schools. 18+ years in the Pacific Northwest I think you should live across the water from Seattle (less traffic and big city crime) on the Kitsap peninsula like around Poulsbo, Silverdale, or Bremerton |
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