Two 20-somthings on the search for a more affable lifestyle in the PNW (Seattle: real estate, house)

[2midwesterndreamers]

@stealthrabbit

i can honestly say another town i like a lot was blaine. which i believe is close to bellingham and i feel just steps away from bc.

what is the prospect of living in WA but working BC? im just curious if that would be an option.. hmm?

[Farmgirl32]

I live in Bellingham and am trying to move. Housing is out of control here. Many people live together in homes - like people in their mid to late twenties, 5-10 people in a house. 1500 a month will get you an decent apartment. 500 a month will get you a bedroom with shared kitchen and bathroom. To get purchase a nice HOUSE, especially outwide town, you will be looking at 350-400k for starters. There is a well-ban so no new homes can be built in the county. Majority of homes are also rotten, even ones only 7 years old. There's a lot to love here, but the housing siuation is chasing us out.
And yes, you will need first, last and deposit.

[blaserbrad]

Check out Tacoma. It's probably the same COL as Everett but it's a bigger city, 3rd largest in the state. It's multicultural, progressive, laid back, art is a large part of Tacoma culture, many different neighborhoods and districts to choose from. I don't believe your price range could find you a waterfront home but maybe something close to the water in the West end. The city is growing rapidly and is on the upswing with many proposed projects such as:
The extension of the light rail through hilltop
new skyscraper downtown
many mixed use residential projects (including one with an indoor farmers market)
the promenade connecting ruston way to point defiance
UWT expansion

Great city, close enough to Everett, I would highly recommend a look.

[2midwesterndreamers]

Originally Posted by blaserbrad

Check out Tacoma.

Great city, close enough to Everett, I would highly recommend a look.

what areas would you recommend to look at for renting?

[jacqueg]

Originally Posted by 2midwesterndreamers

what areas would you recommend to look at for renting?

Anywhere close to a job!

This is a chicken/egg question, you're just going to have to throw a dart at some point.

One thing you could do is contact a couple of property management companies, and tell them you are looking for a short-term rental - 3-6 months? - while you get yourselves oriented.

Does your SO know the area?

[blaserbrad]

Originally Posted by 2midwesterndreamers

what areas would you recommend to look at for renting?

I would recommend Stadium District! It's my favorite neighborhood in Tacoma. It's very close to downtown, walkable, beautiful views/ architecture, great food options, art scene very alive, and has a few new projects going on (light rail, mixed use development). These projects will probably make the area much more expensive in the upcoming year, so by the time you move here I'm not sure if it will still be something you want to consider. Time will tell.

Anywhere along the north part of 6th ave is really fun. Lots of bars and restaurants, funky shops, good
nightlife, murals.

Downtown has any city amenities you might want. Becoming more dynamic and vibrant by the day. Home to UWT, a diverse array of food options, great architecture, great transit, museums, bars and clubs/ nightlife, murals.

Hilltop is a cleaned out ghetto that is rapidly gentrifying to put bluntly. It is home to many artists at the moment, great restaurants, new developments.

Eastside: Lincoln District and McKinley are also pretty awesome. Lincoln district has an obvious Vietnamese presence and is very diverse. Many great restaurants. McKinley has some nice bars and restaurants, up and coming.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by 2midwesterndreamers

sorry if I sound super ignorant with my rent max , in Missouri 1500 is a 5 bedroom house in the good part of the city haha

You'll be moving from a much lower COL state to a much higher one. Your $3,000 will be gone in a month, just in moving costs. Unless family is willing to put you up for a minimum of six months, don't even consider the move. You'll probably find a job, but your significant other might take a while - you'll both need to be working just to qualify for an apartment. Your pitbull, as loving as he may be, will make your housing search many times more difficult, and add significantly to your housing costs.

The Aberdeen area is great (I grew up there), but the town has big problems. Jobs are in very short supply and low-paying. People do move there and get stuck, unable to leave. Greyhound doesn't even go there any more. Bellingham is better (I was born there), but housing is expensive, while good paying jobs are scarce.

Look at Astoria, OR - on the water (Pacific Ocean), 5% unemployment (so jobs are available), a one-bedroom apartment is $800 and up.

https://oregoncoast.craigslist.org/

[2midwesterndreamers]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

You'll be moving from a much lower COL state to a much higher one. Your $3,000 will be gone in a month, just in moving costs. Unless family is willing to put you up for a minimum of six months, don't even consider the move. You'll probably find a job, but your significant other might take a while - you'll both need to be working just to qualify for an apartment. Your pitbull, as loving as he may be, will make your housing search many times more difficult, and add significantly to your housing costs.
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They are more than willing to ' put us up' for sometime as it is SOs dad and step mom. We are more than willing to get jobs that pay the bills and work 2 if we have to. This move is lot less about finding an already created utopian society but more more to help us find what we might/might not want for our anticipated family.

I guess I should add that my pit is a service dog, she is my PTSD dog. She works with me mainly when I am alone and in public. Yes, we have a necessary paperwork to prove she is a working dog and that I am "crazy" haha.


again the cost of living (i.e money) is always at the forfront of my mind due to my fear of belly flopping.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by 2midwesterndreamers

again the cost of living (i.e money) is always at the forfront of my mind due to my fear of belly flopping.

For the central Puget Sound, you'll BOTH need to have good paying jobs to qualify for an apartment and keep your noses above water, and landlords that take dogs require large deposits/rent surcharges. More and more towns, cities, and counties are banning pit bulls.

If I were you, I'd be thinking about looking in areas with 1) lower COL (where the two of you could live on one salary), 2) low unemployment (so jobs are available), and 3) lower rents. Aberdeen fits 1) and 3), but NOT 2). Bellingham fits 2), but NOT 1) and 3).

Look first where YOU can find work in your field, since you'll be the primary earner. If that's Idaho, that could work (and it is still NOT Missouri). Or Spokane...

I'd also be seriously looking at finding a nice home, in MO, for the dog - if he's got papers, it shouldn't be difficult. Or move somewhere else (other than the central Puget Sound) where the dog will be less of a barrier to housing.

[MJ5150]

My wife and I have found the PNW to have a higher cost of living than many other places in the USA.
We're actually looking to move somewhere cheaper. I find it curious you'd move here to save money, unless you were coming from some major metro area.

-Mike