Moving to Seattle from Phoenix (Everett, Shoreline: sales, apartment complex, to rent)

[B-ry]

I know there are a lot of these threads out there and I did go through some but didn't really find all of the answers I was looking for. First off it appears that the cost of living there is expensive compared to what I am used to in Phoenix. We are looking to rent a two bedroom apartment. I was hoping someone could give me an average for nice apartments in Seattle as well as the surrounding areas. Also we were looking at Everett as that is likely where my wife will be working. This brings me to my next question I have read that Seattle has some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. Does anyone know what the average commute time is going and to and from work for people in the area. Along with to and from Seattle to Everett or vice versa. I wanted to know about Everett and what it was like there. I did find that they had a high crime rate is that still a concern there or are there just certain areas you should stay away from. What is the city like there is it nice or does it look old and outdated? Does anyone have any suggestions for areas that are between Everett and Seattle that may be nicer and have shorter commutes. Sorry to jump around but going back to Seattle what is the downtown life like there? Here in Phoenix everything shuts down at 5:00 pm and most stuff is closed on the weekends. Does Seattle have a vibrant and exciting downtown life or is it like here in Phoenix. Any information anyone could provide or links to threads that have covered this already would be greatly appreciate. Basicall we are looking to move to get out of the heat and for my wife help her advance her career since there is no where for her to go her.

Seattle has a great downtown, especially compared to Phoenix's downtown.
Seattle's downtown definitely is top 10 in the USA and around 4th to 7th place. The vast majority of people would say Seattle has a much better downtown than Phoenix.

Seattle also has great employment opportunities, probably better than Phoenix. It does have a higher cost of living than Phoenix but also higher salaries. And there are still much more expensive places than Seattle in the USA(such as NYC, San Francisco, Boston, Washington DC some other places etc). So Seattle's cost of living relative to average salaries is still pretty good.

You mention that one reason you want to move out of Phoenix is because of the summer heat.
I personally like summer warmth/heat but Phoenix seems a little bit too hot in the summer even for me! I heard Phoenix reached 118 degrees a few days ago, and from May to September it routinely gets well above 100 degrees.

But you should keep in mind Seattle weather is so completely polar opposite from Phoenix. Even if you like Seattle weather more than Phoenix weather it could take some adjusting to at first and if you still like aspects of Phoenix weather despite the summer heat there than it will take even more effort to adjust to the weather climate change.

But I am sure you already knew Seattle weather is so different from Phoenix weather, as well as the types of landscapes being so different. It can even be a fun and enjoyable experience to encounter such different landscapes and weather.

I think rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is around $1,000-1,700 a month for most places in the Seattle metro area.

Everett is about 30 miles away from Seattle city limits and it is probably a 40 minute commute one way.
I had a friend that lived in Everett and she hated living there and preferred to live in Seattle city limits or the East Side suburbs.
Crime is high in Everett and she said that the place does feel like it has a high crime rate. She also said that Everett is boring compared to other areas in the Seattle metro and that Everett feels old and outdated. I think she represents most people's experiences with Everett.

You and your wife could always live somewhere else in the Seattle metro area that isn't Everett such as Seattle itself.

Good luck on the move!

[Ira500]

Everett has some beautiful spots, and although it does have a high crime rate, it's mostly concentrated in a few bad areas. And there are large swaths of flat, boring, somewhat run down sections. But the city has improved in recent years. They've built the Comcast Arena and the naval presence has made downtown Everett a little more lively. Old and outdated? I don't know, is that a bad thing?
Still, given my druthers, I'd sooner live in nearby Mukilteo. Safer, prettier...Edmonds, a little further south, is also very nice. Edmonds and Mukilteo both have Sounder Train stops, on the road to Seattle.
As far as rents go, a 2 bdrm in a nasty part of Everett will cost around 750-900. A 2 bedroom in a nicer part of Everett will cost somewhere around 850-1100. Mukilteo 950-1200. Edmonds 1000-1400?.

[Vinylly]

What you heard is correct. Seattle IS very expensive, just like San Francisco. For a nice two bed room apt. in town, expect to pay $2,000+ a month. Then you have the long and expensive commute between Everett and Seattle. Expect to pay $4.00 per gallon for your gas and at least 1 to 2 hours stuck on I-5.
You would be best off to find an apartment in Everett and save yourselves a whole lot of wasted time and money.

[Hemlock140]

Actually, gas is available now at name brand stations for $3.80. Costco is at $3.67, Sam's on Aurora $3.57.

Everett to Seattle is not that bad. My son-in-law drives from Ballard to Boeing in about 35 minutes, 40-45 coming back. Look at Edmonds, toward the water east of highway 99. My son rents a nice updated 3 br 2 ba house on 148th for $1,400.

[seattlecoming]

I haven't explored Everett yet so I can't tell you much about how safe it is or the COL. I can tell you that you are making a wise choice to exit Phoenix. Seattle area is so much nicer in many aspects. The overall COL is higher here but I find myself more in the black here than in Phoenix because my salary is substantially better and I don't have the huge water bills or power bills- mother nature takes care of the watering and cooling for us. In Phoenix I was making squat wages and spending so much on watering my plants and lawn in the attempt to salvage a tiny bit of greenery - not to mention cooling my house. Traffic is thick here sometimes but it's no different than any other large metro. Downtown Seattle is full of vibrancy and lots of activity even after dark, Phoenix's downtown can't hold a candle to it. The difference between Seattle and Phoenix is like heaven and hell and you'll know what I mean when you move here. I wish you well.

[eskercurve]

I stayed in Phoenix (Glendale) for three months on business. I quickly knew that Phoenix wasn't my kind of town.

Seattle's downtown is bustling well into the night near Belltown and the surrounding neighborhoods, like Capitol Hill and Queen Anne. The other times it is very busy usually. There's a very wide range of things to do. Ballard is also busy into the night, especially on weekends. 45th st. in Wallingford, too.

The pace of Seattle is more laid back than Phoenix as well. You won't need a car to go everywhere (even just a block in Phoenix can really kill you if you're not prepared in the summer, you won't have cops stopping and asking if you are OK here if you're walking outside).

Today was 73, sunny, and perfect humidity. It's likely to stay this way for weeks. The flip side is basically october through may/early june it is overcast, between 40 and 50 deg, and drizzling nearly constantly.

COL is higher. But the good thing is, there's no income tax. 10% sales tax, and for two people, your grocery bill is anywhere between $60 and $100 a week depending on what you eat. Apartments in the city will cost anywhere between $1400 and $2000 a month for a nice place 2 bed 1 bath. It will be cheaper up north in Shoreline, Edmonds, Lynnwood, etc. There are some places in south everett which are nice, too.

Take care and good luck!

[outdoorguyandgal]

Hi B-ry,
We live in Scottsdale. We moved to West Seattle in March of 2008 and stayed with friends until we found a place. We moved to Mukilteo ,WA in May of 2008. We rented out our Scottsdale condo and rented an apartment in WA. After the economic fallout in Sept 2008, we lost our jobs and eventually made our way back to AZ.
I really enjoyed the summers there. The winter time was a HUGE shock to my system. It was dark,cold and wet. (2008 WA experienced a kind of "freak" snowstorm which, in so many words crippled the city for a few days) We couldn't get out of our complex because the apartment complex didn't plow the parking lot, so we had to cross country ski to the grocery store!
It was hard not seeing the sun after living in AZ for so long. I did love the WA summers and the outdoor opportunities! The mountains were amazing and the living near water was awesome!

The other shock was the expense, of everything! I found that the grocery prices were double, if not triple than what we have in AZ. I really missed my Fry's Marketplace!
Also, you cannot buy liquor at the grocery store as you can in AZ. Liquor must be bought in the state controlled liqour stores and it is triple the cost.
Traffic, oh yeah, traffic is the worst I have ever experienced. I-5 becomes a parking lot during rush hours, I would not recommend a daily commute between Everett and downtown Seattle.
What kind of job is your wife looking at?

Although I mentioned a few negatives, we are actually thinking about moving up there again for the summer. Summer it there and winter it back in AZ.
As far as areas to live, we did extensive research. Feel free to PM me for more detailed info

[redfish1]

Originally Posted by B-ry

I know there are a lot of these threads out there and I did go through some but didn't really find all of the answers I was looking for. First off it appears that the cost of living there is expensive compared to what I am used to in Phoenix. We are looking to rent a two bedroom apartment. I was hoping someone could give me an average for nice apartments in Seattle as well as the surrounding areas. Also we were looking at Everett as that is likely where my wife will be working. This brings me to my next question I have read that Seattle has some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. Does anyone know what the average commute time is going and to and from work for people in the area. Along with to and from Seattle to Everett or vice versa. I wanted to know about Everett and what it was like there. I did find that they had a high crime rate is that still a concern there or are there just certain areas you should stay away from. What is the city like there is it nice or does it look old and outdated? Does anyone have any suggestions for areas that are between Everett and Seattle that may be nicer and have shorter commutes. Sorry to jump around but going back to Seattle what is the downtown life like there? Here in Phoenix everything shuts down at 5:00 pm and most stuff is closed on the weekends. Does Seattle have a vibrant and exciting downtown life or is it like here in Phoenix. Any information anyone could provide or links to threads that have covered this already would be greatly appreciate. Basicall we are looking to move to get out of the heat and for my wife help her advance her career since there is no where for her to go her.

lmao

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by B-ry

This brings me to my next question I have read that Seattle has some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. Does anyone know what the average commute time is going and to and from work for people in the area. Along with to and from Seattle to Everett or vice versa. I wanted to know about Everett and what it was like there.

Living in Everett and commuting to Seattle ~ (assuming you're commuting during rush hour)... could very well be 1+ hr. Generally, it's a little over half an hour. You do have the option of taking the express buses and the Sounder train.

Doing it in reverse (live in Seattle, commute to Everett) isn't going to be that much of a difference, but it'll be just a tad better. There are people who live in Seattle and commute to Everett.

Originally Posted by B-ry

I did find that they had a high crime rate is that still a concern there or are there just certain areas you should stay away from. What is the city like there is it nice or does it look old and outdated? Does anyone have any suggestions for areas that are between Everett and Seattle that may be nicer and have shorter commutes.

Stay away from hwy 99 and also Casino Rd. Everett does have its own DT... but it's pretty old and mellow. You just have to have the correct expectations for it. Everett is a very blue collar town. It does have a small bar scene, but it doesn't compare to the Seattle night scene.

Also look into Edmonds (which has a cute DT area, ferry access to the peninsula, Sounder train to Seattle DT); Shoreline, a Seattle suburb; Lynnwood and Mukilteo. Lynnwood is... Lynnwood, LOL-- it has a big mall, and lots of other shopping options. Generally affordable, racially diverse and convenient to both Seattle and Everett. Mukilteo is more high end, predominantly a family suburb, but does offer nice apartments and out of all the towns just listed, easiest access to Everett (it does have ferry access to Whidby Island and the Sounder to Seattle).

Originally Posted by B-ry

Sorry to jump around but going back to Seattle what is the downtown life like there? Here in Phoenix everything shuts down at 5:00 pm and most stuff is closed on the weekends. Does Seattle have a vibrant and exciting downtown life or is it like here in Phoenix. Any information anyone could provide or links to threads that have covered this already would be greatly appreciate.

Seattle DT kinda does shut down after 7:30ish. Except for where the bars and clubs are (Pike/Pine corridor of Capitol Hill; Pioneer Sq; Belltown). So it's not completely dead in DT during the night.