Seriously considering relocating to the Seattle area - any tips?

[kedrys]

The s.o. and I are in the seriously fed up zone, and looking for a dynamic, hip place to live where people are normal (i.e. liberals and progressives) and where we'll be left the heck alone. One of our good friends moved to Everett last year with his boyfriend, and he loves it.

Any thoughts, leads, suggestions, things to avoid, real estate trends, etc.?

[Metta]

1. Get a gps system for your car. Many of the roads don't go through.

We had a tough time navigating the city when we were there for a week or so a couple of years back. My uncle, however, memorized everything and had no trouble.

[pnwmom]

7. Geez. A map will suffice. I like driving around here,

except for the traffic, because the streets and avenues are so logical, once you figure out the pattern. It is true that not all streets go through but no one needs a GPS system for that. Just a plain old map is fine.

[BlooInBloo]

13. rofl! talk about an elephant gun for a fly!

[Ediacara]

16. The street grid is horrible

I'd suggest getting a map and studying it. A lot. The suburbs make a little more sense, but suffer from both streets and avenues being numbered, so there are several places where you're say at the intersection of 124th and 124th! Seattle generally numbers avenues (north/south) and names streets (east-west).

[BlooInBloo]

25. lol - 124th n 124th IS stupid - but that's Kirkland, not Seattle, right?

Just sayin - to Seattle what is Seattle's, and to Kirkland what is Kirkland's.

[Ediacara]

28. yes, all the 124th and 124th, 132nd and 132nds end up in NE Kirkland

It's all based on Seattle's street grid though.... I think they should have kept the street names from Seattle and just drew lines across the lake instead of numbering them.

[pnwmom]

43. I love the numbers. The more numbers the better.

And I'm not kidding. As someone without a good sense of direction, but who can count, the numbers make my life infinitely easier.

[tenshi816]

47. I agree.

I grew up in Atlanta, where there are dozens of streets/roads with "Peachtree" in them. Also, many of the roads in and around Atlanta were originally old Indian trails so they snake around all over the place with no discernable pattern. I moved from Atlanta to Salt Lake City once for a couple of years and SLC is on a grid system - once I figured out how it worked, I could find anything and I loved the logic of it.

When I first moved to the UK, I lived in London for nearly five years and it was Atlanta all over again. The city has been there for centuries and it damn near drove me crazy trying to find my way around. No one can survive in London without an A-Z Guide to the city's streets.

Give me numbers and a grid every time.

[seabeyond]

51. i visited kirkland when i was 12, 30 yrs ago,and have wanted to

live in this area every sense.

stuck in panhandle of texas

where did i go wrong, lol lol

[pnwmom]

41. The street grid is wonderful, except when lakes get in the way.

As long as you don't make the mistake of thinking that N. E. 124th Street NE and 124 Avenue N.E. are the same thing!

If you are in the north end and get lost, you can find your way just by looking at the street numbers. If you're on an Avenue, then you're either travelling north or south. If the numbers on the Avenue are getting bigger, then you're travelling north, smaller-- you're going south.

Streets go east/west and work the same way. The city is divided into sections, NW, N, NE, etc. so all you need to know to orient yourself is the address nearest you.

This is so much easier than cities that use street names. How do people ever get around in places like that?

[Ediacara]

45. I like the numbers/names combo

numbers with numbers drives me batty

[Selatius]

64. Don't be too shocked at the high cost of living.

I would tell you the same thing if you were moving from any rural area to any major metropolitan area.

[Zhade]

81. How does it compare to Los Angeles?

NT!

[movonne]

2. Seattle, Portland, Eugene all Liberal spots..

[rocktivity]

3. My tip: Check out the DU Washington State forum.

I'm sure that's where you'll find the "natives" you need to consult with.

:headbang:
rocknation

[indepat]

4. Enjoy the beauty of Mt. Ranier every day and hope she doesn't blow

in this lifetime.

[MrCoffee]

5. have lots and lots of money to put down on a house.

or just in general. it's an expensive place to live.

[Mythsaje]

6. King County is expensive...

So's Snohomish. I live in Pierce County--Tacoma, actually. Real estate's cheaper down here, traffic isn't at all bad, particularly on the surface streets, but unless you have specialized skills, wages are better in King County. A lot of people communte for this reason.

I do NOT recommend living in Seattle. Getting around in that city is a nightmare. Too many one-way streets, big hills, and traffic.

I've lived all over the Puget Sound, or know people who live in areas I don't know.

[pnwmom]

8. Figure out where you're going to work first.

Then figure out where you're going to live. It is true that this is a high cost of living area in general, but costs go down as you move to the outlying areas.

[Salviati]

24. Very true

Try to engineer your trip to work to be as short as possible (true for any city) but in Seattle you want to make sure you avoid any commute that will take you across any of the major bridges (520 and 90) or through the city during heavy traffic periods...

[BlooInBloo]

33. 3rd-ed

[Poppyseedman]

9. Tips ??? Hit the lottery

It's an expensive place to live.

I turned down a good job offer because of the cost of living. The pay increase was about 8 % and I figured it would cost meat least an additional 15 % to live there compared to where I was

[sam sarrha]

10. the Big One in seatle will be an 8.5 to 9 and last 20 minutes.. it is a

subduction quake area. the shock waves will be coming up at or above 2.5 G's.. when the it hits there wont be a building left standing in Portland oregon.. the last big one rode the beach above seatle 29 feet.

[pnwmom]

11. Uh huh. And it could happen tomorrow. Or three hundred years from now.

I think there are a few more pressing things to worry about.

[Quantess]

12. I hope you don't mind a lot of rain....

The rumors are true. It rains an awful lot!
Me--I don't mind the rain for weeks on end, but I hate being stuck in traffic. Traffic is thick, so I hope you aren't prone to road rage. And, in my opinion, Washington drivers are a little frustrating to share the road with. (Sorry Washingtonians, but I'm feeling more Oregon and California, as a driver).
That's about the only negatives I can think of. Sounds like Seattle might be a good place for you.

[BlooInBloo]

14. I suggest you change "Seattle-area" to Seattle...

Everett and Tacoma are the armpit and groin of WA (sorry guys, but it's true).

If you're the bland white triple half decaf mocha hot carmel latte macchiato kind of person, then you'll be fine on "the eastside" (Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, basically).

For Seattle proper: Take a look at Ballard, Fremont, and West Seattle. The "vibes" there might be something like what you're after. Captial Hill, too, if you're a bit younger, and want to be a bit closer to downtown.

I love it here - best beer on the west coast - and quite possibly the country. :)

And Portland is close by. :)

[Generic Other]

22. Hey, the groin is sexy

I'm just saying...

[BlooInBloo]

23. Under other names mebbe - but not *that* name - lol!

[Generic Other]

29. We make up for being trashy by being cheap!

Say sailor, new in town?

:smoke:

[BlooInBloo]

32. lolol! You got me! :)

[Missy Vixen]

26. Excuse me

>bland white triple half decaf mocha hot carmel latte macchiato kind of person<

Both DH and I were born and raised in Seattle. We've been here our whole lives. We now live in Duvall. I'm sure some of the great liberals living out here would be less than amused at your mischaracterization.

Julie

[BlooInBloo]

31. (shrug) I was raised in Bellevue...

You'll forgive me for being unimpressed by the fact that I failed to amuse a bunch of eastsiders.

[pnwmom]

37. Your stereotype is outdated. The eastside you grew up in is nothing

like the eastside today.

Just one example -- compared to Seattle, Bellevue has a significantly higher percent of foreign born residents. They're not all drinking that candy coffee, believe me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue,_Washington

"Bellevue is rapidly growing in size and diversity. As of August 2006, latest census estimates show Bellevue has a higher percentage of nonwhite residents than Seattle. Nearly a third of the city's residents are foreign-born, up from a quarter five years ago. Bellevue has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents among major cities in the state. In 2005, 32% of residents are nonwhite. The largest communities come from China, India, Russia and Mexico, attracted to business and tech industry jobs, manual labor jobs, quality schools and parks.
25% of the city's residents identify themselves as Asian, a rise from 17% in 2000, the highest in Washington state. East Indian and Chinese communities have doubled in size since 2000."

[BlooInBloo]

46. lol - bullshit. 1/2 of those foreign-born (the MS types)...

... fit perfectly the bird's eye template I described. (No knock on either 1/2.)

[Matariki]

71. oh god you're kidding. the east side has a curse on it.

seriously. supercreditcardbuyspend.

[Missy Vixen]

54. Then again

>You'll forgive me for being unimpressed by the fact that I failed to amuse a bunch of eastsiders.<

I'm sure your arm must be tired after endlessly wielding that broad brush.

Julie

[BlooInBloo]

55. Nah - feelin' pretty fresh actually....

Apparently, however, you skipped the How To Do Snark Well day at school. Pity.

[The empressof all]

78. Sorry Julie

You and I are just hicks from ruralurbia.... We still have our drive through latte stands though....Just in the intersections between the nurseries and the corn mazes.

[jmowreader]

39. So whatcha think of the Tri-Cities?

If you think Tacoma's bad, you must REALLY have the ass for Pasco!

[TahitiNut]

59. Pasco is the better of the three. Richland sucks and Kennewick blows.

As a former 5-year resident of the Dry-Shitties, I know. :puke:

[BlooInBloo]

65. lol! WA is basically two states.....

(a) The Seattle-metro area

(b) The rest, which we'll call "hickstate".

Thank GOD there are enough people in the Seattle-metro area to dominate the politics of what would otherwise be a completely hick state.

[Ediacara]

15. The boyfriend and I are moving to Seattle next spring

I'm a Seattle native, he is not, but he likes it there. Some tips:

1) Don't own a car unless you must. I know this may seem a little strange and in opposition to personal independence, but gas is extreme, insurance is extreme, traffic is extreme, and public transportation is amazing (most of the time). Add to that the fact that Seattle is physically compact and very walkable.

2) The cost of living is high, but so are the wages. I've lived in Montana for the last five years, where the cost of living is low, but the wages are bottom of the barrel. Don't let cost of living alone determine if you live in the city or out of the city as it's not the whole picture when you factor in wages and commuting. I can say with 100% certainty it's a lot easier to live in Seattle than Montana money-wise; I took several weekend trips and week-long vacations annually and was never in debt in Seattle; in Montana I've been on the verge of bankrptcy for five years and have absolutely struggled financially the entire time I've been here.

3) All neighborhoods have their good and bad and some deals WRT to rent. I personally would recommend Lower Queen Anne/Cascade, Belltown, Capitol Hill, or First Hill as they're close to downtown, not necisarily out of reach rent-wise, and are hooked up to good public transit. Owning a house in Seattle is hard unless you go to more distant neighborhoods (Lake City, West Seattle, Beacon Hill etc), or the suburbs (but then again, suburbs can be even worse than the city). Unless of course you're a millionaire, then that changes things :-) One thing though: unless you're planning on going to the University of Washington, don't live in the U District: the rentals are shit and the rents are through the roof.

4) City politics is just as rankorous as national politics. You're right that it'll be a city of liberals, but the left vs centrist Democrats fight you see on DU is played out in real life in almost every election. All city elected officials are non-partisan, but that doesn't mean there are any Republicans. For every position, there is an open primary, and then a runoff, with the runoff almost always being between a centrist and a liberal Democrat. Not that that really matters, as the biggest issues (last I checked) were transit, parks, and corporate welfare. Oh and also, the city counsil seats are all at-large and everyone in the city votes for each seat. There are good and bad parts to that, good being that a city-wide tide can push the counsil one way or the other, bad in that your specific neighborhood doesn't necisarily have any local representation. There've been at least two attempts at changing it to geographic districts, and they've both failed.

[BlooInBloo]

27. Seattle is physically compact? Compared to what - Russia? lolol

[Ediacara]

30. Compared to LA and even Portland

Compared to NYC or SF, not so much, but it's a very walkable place.

[Iwasthere]

17. I am from Seattle... WAY too much traffic now...

Cost of living much too high too... Portland is better by far... even better is Salem/Eugene area. I live in Salem. Bought a nice 2700+ 4 bdrm house with a view on 1/2 acre in attractive West Salem hills area. Paid $225,000.00 for it. This house would go for $400 to $500 easy in Seattle area. The best thing is NO traffic to deal with. Oh, the rain everyone talks about, nearly non-exsistent this year and the last few. Sure in the winter there are showers but the summers have been like California lately. Have had only a few traces of rain in the last couple months... mostly blue skies.

[Iwasthere]

19. The other great thing about Salem or Eugene

Ocean is 1 hour west and great ski resorts are 1 hour east. best wind surfing in the nation. Portland is 45 minutes away... temps are 5 degrees warmer than portland on avg... 15 degrees warmer than Seattle on avg. Very HOT this summer.

[Annces]

18. I was curious about Seattle too

It seems like much more liberal place. Plus there is the great Woodlands and Ocean there.

[Flabbergasted]

20. It depends on what you are looking for. I grew up near Bellingham

(North of Seattle) Its Beautiful. People are really great there. Its very slow but not much of an economy. There are several towns in between Everett, Mt Vernon, and a couple off to the East or West.

Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett are really busy and not all that attractive.

Whidbey Island is close to Everett but you'd need to take a ferry to get to Seattle.

[earth mom]

21. We love it here in the Pacific Northwest-been here 8 years.

Seattle is beautiful but the traffic is horrendous. Portland might be a better choice since it's cheaper -though not cheap-for housing and there is no sales tax in Oregon. I'd suggest you take a look around a few different towns and cities before you decide. Good luck! :hi:

[mondo joe]

34. If you want to buy in Seattle and budget is a concern look outside the

beaten path. Beacon Hill is an up and coming neighborhood.

At higher prices, consider Ballard, which has many nice features.

Or come on to Fremont, the Center of the Universe.

[kedrys]

63. Okay, now I'm intrigued...

What earns Fremont the Center of the Universe moniker?

[mondo joe]

66. Well the sign post, of course!

More on the Republic of Fremont: http://www.fremontseattle.com/center_frameset.htm

[Hamlette]

35. I moved my son up there in August. . .

drove up with him and stayed a couple of days to help him find an apartment.

The street layout can be a challenge but I got the feeling if I just sat down with a map for a bit I would figure it out. (All those damned lakes kept getting in our way!) By the time I left, we had figured it out.

Rent seems quite expensive to me. We didn't have a lot of time to hunt for a good deal but still, it seemed expensive. He's sharing a house with 2 other guys. His share is 600 plus utilities. We didn't see anything under $1,000, even studios. I'm sure they exist but we didn't find them.

It's a beautiful city and after rent (and hotel rooms) prices didn't seem completely out of step. The whole area is beathtakingly beautiful. I'd love to live there. (If you're into glass blowing, torching, or just admiring, the Seattle/Tacoma area has tons of it, artists, suppliers, schools...my dream.)

[pscot]

36. Wait until spring.

Skip six months of really shitty weather.

[pnwmom]

38. I think that would depend on where s/he is now.

[kedrys]

49. Houston, TX

It'll be a major adjustment no matter what. :D

[pnwmom]

50. You would ADORE the summers here then.

Three months averaging a half inch of rain, temperatures in the 70's and low 80's . (Usually.) Low humidity and NO mosquitoes!

The rest of the year, we have lots more clouds than other places, and about 35 inches of rain (less than NYC), heavily concentrated in November - January.

[jmowreader]

40. I recommend replacing the brakes on your car now

The roads that lead to the waterfront from downtown Seattle are not steep. They are vertical, or as close as you can possibly get to vertical without having the car fall off.

Given that, if I get all six numbers tonight, I'm going to go to Raleigh, get the check, deposit it in the bank, call a petsitter and buy two airline tickets...because we're going to have our victory dinner at Ivar's Acres of Clams.

[Mike03]

42. Seattle

I never lived in Seattle but spent some time there and have friends there. My only two comments are that 1) if you have any tendency towards seasonal affective disorder or depression, you might want to think twice about moving there and 2) as for housing prices, the longer you can hold out, the more advantage you will have as the seller's market turns into a buyer's market. The housing bubble is in the process of deflating but still has far to go.

Culturally, Seattle is a great adventure and there are many enlightened people and encouraging trends there. If you think it fits your style, I would go for it. Good luck!

[philosophie_en_rose]

44. Live where you'll work.

I live six miles from downtown and it takes 30 minutes to get there by car. 20 minutes by bus. If you live in Everett and work in Seattle, your commute would easily be an hour.

If I were buying, I'd wait for prices to drop. Then look for an average house in a great neighborhood.

If you're interested in living North of Seattle, Bellingham, Mill Creek, and Whidbey Island have some nice areas. Bainbridge Island is also not very far away. In fact, land on any of the islands (Vashon, Bainbridge, Whidbey) would be a great investment. Vashon is especially liberal. Whidbey is especially affordable, though only South Whidbey is as liberal as Vashon.

[stella]

48. We are left alone here in Everett,

Everett is a tranquil place, it can get boring at times.
Seattle is a lively place to live but is expensive and the traffic is not good.

[cosmik debris]

52. Here is a useful tool to calculate cost of living

You will find that it cost a lot more to live in the Pacific Northwest. It may be worth it if you have the means.

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/costofliving/costofliving.html

[grasswire]

53. all you Northwesterners....

I urge residents of the PNW to think carefully about encouraging people to move to the cities of the Pacific Northwest coastal area to escape their own states.

The consequences of this mass population shift will quash the very things you appreciate most about Oregon and Washington.

People get mad at me when I write this reminder, but I see the very consequences when I look out my window and go about my daily business.

If people must escape California and Texas, why not move to central Oregon and Washington, or Idaho and Nevada? The land is even more beautiful there, real estate is cheaper, and towns are waiting for an influx of money and energy. Peace, calm, clean air, no traffic problems....who could ask for more?

Go check out this slide show of Bend, Oregon. http://www.visitbend.com/

[jrandom421]

58. Been there, Done that

Got the expired unemployment claims to show for it, as well as the bills and min wage job pay stubs No thanks.

[grasswire]

60. but it works for people who are self-employed or can telecommute

Millions of Americans are in the position to work anywhere, from home. Many are also able to start up small businesses that will serve smaller communities.

It didn't work for you, but it could work for many others.

[jmowreader]

70. Where in Idaho to stay the hell out of

Get a map of Idaho and draw two lines on it: one fifteen miles north of Sandpoint, the other fifteen miles south of Coeur d'Alene. Stay out of that area.

Y'know, I'm going to track down fucking Madonna and kick her right in the ass. She's responsible for this.

Think back a few years to Madonna's horrible film "Vision Quest." It was shot in Spokane, which is close to Idaho. There was Northwest scenery in that film, and it motivated all the millionaire freepers in the movie industry to move to Coeur d'Alene, which was a really cheap place to live before those guys showed up. Now you've got million-dollar houses being built in Harrison, which is unbelievable because there is no place to put any mercantile in Harrison and there are only three ways to get to a store that sells underwear: go to the Harrison exit on I-90, which requires traveling down a two-lane road that's impassable three months out of the year; go back to the Y then go from there to the Rose Lake exit on I-90; or go into St. Maries. Most people go into St. Maries because, even though the only things there are a really good selection of in St. Maries are logging boots, work clothes and chain saws (I don't know of any other 2500-population town in America that has five chain saw dealers), it's closer than CDA or Kellogg.

[kedrys]

72. Any IT jobs in Bend?

The place looks absolutely *gorgeous*.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

75. Pretty sure there are lots.

The growth in Bend is going through the roof and I'm pretty sure it's because of tech jobs.

[dkofos]

56. Throw away the sunscreen

[Danieljay]

57. Bring a rain coat, a map, and a LOT of money for housing. oh..and

patience. The traffic is horrible. We travel to Seattle from Portland often to visit relatives.

I moved to Portland a few years back from Kansas, I love it here but the cost of housing is outrageous. My 130K 2000 sq. foot beatuiful tudor in Wichita would sell for about 400K here in the same type of area. My gf and I are moving out to the suburbs next month just to find a nice affordable apartment.

[grasswire]

61. and Portland's a bad place for families...

...because the school system has eroded terribly. Voters refuse to approve school bonds. The city has had a huge influx of childless couples with two professional incomes who are driving up living costs and refusing to appropriate money for schools. It's very short-sighted, from a societal point of view.

Also, Portland is the U.S. magnet for homeless teens, who beg and deal drugs and prostitute themselves in order to survive. Eighty percent of the thousands of street teens in Portland are addicted to HEROIN. It's an increasing problem for the downtown core.

[kedrys]

62. It's the two of us and a gaggle of cats

but thanks for the heads-up. Our ex-neighbors moved to Portland a couple of years ago and still think it's the best move of their lives; they also have no kids.

[grasswire]

67. yeah, that's the problem for Portland

Zillions of people moving in who refuse to vote for school bonds. Remember THAT, too, at election time. Don't foul the nest.

You may as well know, too, that native Oregonians aren't always welcoming of newcomers, especially people who are fleeing their own state because it's messed up. There even used to be a sign on the border on Interstate 5 -- a message from the then governor -- asking people not to settle in Oregon. Be prepared for some hostility.

[Danieljay]

74. I moved here 3 years ago from Kansas...no one has been hostile..

I really do love Portland and everyone I've met seems to be nice. I have never had anyone show me or demostrate hostility as a non-native Oregonian. Its very progressive, until you leave the metro area and then it tends to get 'Red' rather quickly. Its actually pretty 'white' and more segregated than I would have thought moving out here. The state lacks money and you are right, many school initiatives are voted down.

Housing is not at all affordable. You can expect to pay over 250K for a large one bedroom or small 2 bedroom home. Most who have a home here bought it 15 years ago and it has at least tripled in value. Landlords are terrible here in my experience. Its a landlords market. Lots of young 'beatniks' living all together under one roof. You can literally have a homeowner, next to a house with 4 or 5 people living together, next to an apartment building, next to a rental with 2 or three families.

You are right,there are a lot of homeless people in Portland, many of them young. We are moving out to the burbs next month, Orenco Station in Hillsboro. Everything is brand new, condos, markets, shops, etc. We will be on the MAX line so I can take public transportation (the MAX train) into Portland to work, bypass the traffic, and experience a panhandler free trip to work. There seems to be someone asking for money about every other corner or highway exit.

[grasswire]

80. many things you say are true

I'm thinking of one block in Portland where one house just sold for $505,000 to a childless young couple, two houses are headed by single moms, two houses are rented by four young women in each house, another home is rented by assorted people who have seven cars/vans/trucks, two homes are owned & occupied by traditional nuclear families, and the last home is owned by another married couple of young professionals and is valued at nearly half a million.

And yes, Portland is exceptionally white for its size. Always has been. The traditionally Black area of Portland is being "gentrified" and both residential and commercial property are being yuppified and out of the reach of many of those who have lived in the area for generations. I don't know where they are going.

[Danieljay]

83. do you live on my block?

Your first paragraph sounds exactly like my neighborhood. You forgot to mention however those two vans parked on Couch St. by Davinci have people living in them!

Welcome to NE Portland!

[grasswire]

85. Ha!

I was talking about SE. You're right in the thick of it down there. Wasn't that soup kitchen closed a few years ago, a little farther down the hill?

[Blue Belle]

77. So... do you work for the Portland Visitors Association??

My you know how to talk a place up. I have never in my life seen a sign on I-5 encouraging people not to settle here - and I've lived in both Ashland and Portland. I've also never witnessed anyone be unwelcoming to newcommers... I don't know where you've been living, but Oregon is not the hostile place you're making it out to be.

[grasswire]

79. Oregon is notorious for discouraging immigration from other states.

If you lived in Oregon in the 1970s, you will remember Governor Tom McCall saying the following on national television: "Come visit us again and again. But for heaven's sake, don't come here to live." That reflected the mood of Oregonians and has been widely quoted. Bumper stickers, post cards, advertisements, jokes, etc. On I-5, a sign went up: "Welcome to Oregon: ENJOY YOUR VISIT." McCall opined that he would like to be able to build a fence around the state, and the citizenry widely agreed with the idea.

The sentiment continues. From a blog called High Country News, 1999:

"Xenophobia is back in vogue in Oregon. In 1971, Oregon Gov. Tom McCall's slogan was "Come and visit us again and again, but for heaven's sake, don't come here to live." Now, Oregon State Sen. John Lim, an immigrant from Korea, has introduced a bill to erect signs at the state line telling incoming drivers: "You are welcome to visit Oregon, but please don't stay." Californians represent about one-third of new residents, reports the Oregonian, yet most people see a Californian in every newcomer. University of Washington history professor John Findlay says when he asks students to pick words describing Californians, they consistently choose stereotypes such as bad drivers, pushy, vain, rude and superficial. "Californians learn pretty quickly when they get here to change their (license) plates and take off their UCLA sweatshirt," he says. A waitress who moved to Oregon from Virginia tells how she copes with prejudice: "All I need to say is, "I'm not from California," and no one gives me any trouble."

There's plenty of documentation on the Internet about the feelings of Oregonians regarding immigration from other states. Look around.

[Blue Belle]

82. Sorry... but I didn't get this memo...

I was born in 1971... so no wonder I couldn't see the sign. But hey, I'm sure you're right - it's not like attitudes EVER change. There probably is a lot of internet research out there making your claim... you can probably find a lot of Internet evidence supporting Sasquatch and DB Cooper sightings as well. But hey, thanks for sighting a University of Washington study to paint the entire Pacific Northwest with such a broad brush.

[grasswire]

84. just because you haven't experienced it...

...doesn't mean it doesn't exist, youngster. And I mean that in a nice way. Longtime Oregonians and Washingtonians are particularly disgruntled by Californians who flood to the PNW after trashing their own state, but also resent those who come from other states and end up diluting the PNW culture, a culture which is treasured by those born in PNW.

[Danieljay]

cats will have to fight for turf... there are WAY too many cats here...

There was actually a story no long ago where they contributed the declining song bird population to the number of cats here.

You have to leash your dogs here but it seems to be ok to let your cats run wild. I'm just off Burnside in NE and there are at least 12 cats on either side of me.

[transeo]

68. Anti-depressants ;-)

Lived here all my life. Beautiful in the Summer/early Fall. Dreary for about 5 months of Winter and Spring. A lot of newcomers I know have had a very difficult time with seasonal affective disorder since moving here. It's just something to be aware of. Full spectrum light-bulbs help.

If you can, live in the same city you'll work in. Commuting is horrific and there is no regional rapid transit system. Only buses, which often get stuck in traffic too.

Seattle is very laid back, but almost to a fault. People are very polite, but tend not to be outgoing, so making friends can take a while.

We have an abundance of art, theatre, sports, recreation and live music so you'll be able to get out and enjoy a lot of different activities, year-round. Feel free to message me for more info.

Welcome!

[mondo joe]

73. Coffee = Liquid Suicide Inhibitor

I've lived here for 20 years now (but I was born here 22 years eearlier so I think I'm a native). I'm amazed at how accustomed I am to the long dark winters, and now only have vague memories of how difficult they once were.

[Cleita]

69. Spokane is nicer and not as crowded. Also, it's close to

some of the best outdoor recreational areas in the country there in Washington and neighboring Idaho. Do look into it before you settle on Seattle. Also, cost of living is less than Seattle with affordable housing.

[Blue Belle]

76. Buy Earthquake insurance...

and avoid living in Tacoma.