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Seeking SEATTLE info

74BroncoCO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
2,374
Short story is my wife is going to be applying for a school program at the U of WA main campus where, if accepted, she will start summer of 2020. We are both planners, so we are researching way in advance!

We have been on several real estate sites poking around, but wanted to get some personal experience with the area. We are planning to rent because we will only be there for two years, but if it makes financial sense to buy, we are not opposed to that either.

We are currently in a 4000sq ft house on 2 acres with a 3-car attached garage. I realize that finding something similar to this will either be way out of our budget, or more than an hour commute. But at a minimum, we do need 3 bedrooms and an office. I would love a garage large enough to fit a 1-ton truck and my wife's SUV. Ideally, we could find something where I have another large-ish 3-car and the ability to park my 18ft car hauler on site. Of course she wants quality in the home.

So I'd love your opinion on locations to look for housing and some to avoid. Also, anyone have a good feel for the market that may help us decide if owning for 2 years is worth it or not?

Lastly, this school program is offered in a few other locations and we will likely be applying there as well. These include San Antonio, Dallas, Iowa City, and a couple places way east of the Mississippi that we are not currently interested in. We've lived in SA before, so we're looking for the adventure of some place new.

Of course, I am interested in wheeling opportunities as well.

So...whatcha got? Thanks!!
 

McLeod

Full Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
296
Housing has peaked here and good chance that if you buy now, you will be upside down in two years, especially when figuring transaction costs.

Check this out:
https://seattlebubble.com/blog/

oh, and prepare yourself for long, wet and dark winters that pretty much are from October to June. No kidding...
 

Hozr

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
1,434
Loc.
Oly, WA
I would highly suggest NOT moving here for any reason. If there is a chance she can attend any other program I'd explore that. King county housing is off the charts (your house would sell for 1.5 million here) and commuting is just about the most miserable thing you can imagine. We are about 50 miles from Seattle and RARELY visit because it can take 3-4 hours to drive there. Rentals will be 3000-4000 for what you are looking for.

Cost of living and taxes are outrageous.

Seriously bad. We (and most people we know) are trying to leave ASAP
 
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74BroncoCO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
2,374
Whew, man. That's not good news.

So buying sounds like a really bad deal.

We don't know yet what our budget would be for a rental, but suppose we could swing around $3k, are there any good locations we should look?

I work from home, so she'd be the only one to commute. I'd be the guy making sure the kids get where they need to be.

We are just ready to get back to somewhere that offers some public land to go play on and it would be great if it was a change of pace from where we've been.
 

No Hay

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
1,657
I would highly suggest NOT moving here for any reason. If there is a chance she can attend any other program I'd explore that. King county housing is off the charts (your house would sell for 1.5 million here) and commuting is just about the most miserable thing you can imagine. We are about 50 miles from Seattle and RARELY visit because it can take 3-4 hours to drive there. Rentals will be 3000-4000 for what you are looking for.

Cost of living and taxes are outrageous.

Seriously bad. We (and most people we know) are trying to leave ASAP

Yep, all true. Just like Portland only magnified. Avoid rush hour at all costs. My yearly drive from Protland to Whistler hitting Seattle rush hour would add 3 hours. Housing is very fickle in Portland and Seattle. Huge value swings in my 57 years there. We got lucky and did VERY well there over the years buying and selling. Making good profits in a 2 year cycle could be done, but would have been rare. If housing values drop, your 2 year stay could be extended, as the NW recovers slower than average. LOTS of unique individuals moving to both cities-pack your patience! %) Excellent off road fun in the NW if you don't mind the mud. Sunny and 75* today here in Tucson ;D
 

duffymahoney

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
2,556
UW is a great college, Seattle is a fun town. I grew up in the area. Getting in and out of Seattle in traffic can suck. Uw campus is almost it's own mini city, it's also not as bad to get in and out of. Seattle in the summer is one of the nicest places you can be. The cloudy days gets a little old in the fall/ winter, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be. It's a beer lovers paradise. Tons of stuff to do outdoors. Great food.

Like others have said, Seattle's housing market is finally slowing down. I wouldn't buy now if I was you. Rent will be expensive everywhere.

Living near UW would mean a small house that costs a lot and no or a tiny garage. Living outside of Seattle means commuting in. The light rail is very nice, or taking buses. That would be my suggestion. It's all a give an take.
 

Chief Master Sergeant

Contributor
Retired U.S. Air Force
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
5,172
I don't live on that side of the state, but Washington as a whole is pretty nice. The unfortunate thing is they tax the shit out of you here. Property values here in Spokane have gotten out of hand, so I can only imagine how bad it is over there. People are paying thousands over asking price on most home purchases. Good news if you're trying to sell, but buyers are having a rough go at it.
 

Nobody

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
1,215
Loc.
Stanwood
I'll just echo the others and say stay away. Real estate is off the charts, traffic terrible, property crime is off the charts, de-policing is in full effect, taxes out of control. The PNW independent way of life has been completely destroyed. Bring on the recession, I want my state back.
 
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74BroncoCO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
2,374
Tough crowd! LOL!

I understand that things aren't amazing in WA, but we're ready to move out of the mid-west. Aside from crime, it seems renting would isolate us from the tax situation. And it's the only location we haven't had a taste of yet. I know the grass ain't always greener on the other side of the fence either, but I would love to get back to some publicly accessible forested areas!
 

kyle

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 2, 2001
Messages
2,199
Oregon/Washington

If you live East of the Cascades in either of these states there couldn’t be more contempt for the Westside. I lived on the other side for 10 years and God willing I will never have to go back.

The worst part of my first year there was the weather. It rains, is damp and wet fall-spring. I pass through several times a year and the traffic is horrific.

If you’re going for school you’ll survive a couple years but unless you’re a trust fund kid you’ll live in a dump in a crappy area.

If you’re a socialist that enjoys rainy weather, traffic, and a high cost of living welcome to paradise.
 

McLeod

Full Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
296
Some people are fine with the weather. Others have a problem with it.
I think that is the reason you have fancy pants coffee houses on just about every corner.
If you work or spend a lot of time indoors, the weather is a minimal hassle. Work or spend a lot of time outdoors and it is a big hassle.

The rain is about 48 " +/- yearly, which is somewhat common with many northern states. Western Wa is fortunate that most of that is liquid and not snow like other areas.

I think what promotes the "it's always raining here" meme is the fact that the overhead marine layer is just about always here. A LOT OF GRAY SKIES. When it breaks and the sun is out, it is very nice, but in the winter (Oct-June) it doesn't usually happen much.

Rain from two days ago will still have the grass and other vegetation sloppy wet.
If you like mud, there is no shortage of it.

And yes, central & eastern WA residents have a real disdain for W WA.
It's almost like two distinctly different states, in attitude alone.

Good luck, but bring patients for the traffic and please don't become one of those crappy rude and pushy drivers "from somewhere else".
 

Hozr

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
1,434
Loc.
Oly, WA
Honestly the weather here has never really bothered us all that much (Moved from CA).

It's the cost, traffic, and insanity more than anything that is driving us out. Zero tolerance of prosecuting criminals and give the leeches everything they want! I know a lot of natives who think everything is normal and I know a lot of transplants who all think it's the loony bin! It's definitely going the wrong way
 

kyle

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 2, 2001
Messages
2,199
Us too but we made it through school and a few more years before coming home. I still laugh because I couldn’t understand why people didn’t walk across the grass on campus when I got there (fall). I made it about 10 feet. Sank to my ankles and had a crowd looking at me like I was an idiot.
 

Nobody

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
1,215
Loc.
Stanwood
If you didn't have kids, I'd say rent a crappy apartment near UW and do your time and get out. However since you have kids, you're going to want to be away from Seattle.

The problem with Western Washington is we are geographically challenged with the Puget Sound to the west of I-5 and the Cascade Mountains to the east. So your choices are north or south. Everything south of Seattle is a shithole until you get to Olympia. To the North you need to get at least to Everett. But even then it really depends on where. Then you're dealing with serious unpredictable traffic. Could take 30 minutes, could take 2+ hours.

Our public access is all but gone these days. Anything still open is absolutely overrun with retarded people everyday. Not to mention you have to have about half dozen different passes just to park anywhere. But there are a few places left... ;). Sport fishing is all but gone.

http://mynorthwest.com Is a good local news/talk radio if you want to start learning about the area. I like Dori 12pm-3pm he is our local government watchdog.

https://www.wsdot.com/traffic/seattle/ for traffic

I'd research any potential schools.
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Seattle has a bunch of great surrounding cities that serve as "bedroom communities."
If I were a young man, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity.
The Northwest is a great place to set-up.
 
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