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Old 10-08-2011, 03:25 PM
 
Location: West Texas
10 posts, read 15,333 times
Reputation: 25

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For medical reasons, my husband, son, and I are planning on a move to the Tacoma/Seattle area. We are a one income, medium salary family, and our son and I both will need a way to get around that does not mean that we drive. We have heard that Seattle has great bus service, but what about Tacoma? And are there any affordable, safe neighborhoods in either place to live that have a bus route? Light rail? As three adults, we will not need to worry about school districts, but will, of course, want to live in a decent neighborhood. We also have pets, so I don't know what that does as far as condos/townhomes, etc.... are concerned. We would love the advantage of being able to walk to things like coffee shops, bookstores, etc..., but I have only been through Seattle. None of us really KNOWS it. I am trying to read archived posts on here, but have many more to get through. Thank you.
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Old 10-08-2011, 03:46 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,936 posts, read 81,996,937 times
Reputation: 58453
Keep reading, there is a lot of information available. Besides the bus service in Seattle, to the eastside, and down in Tacoma, the light rail currently goes from downtown Seattle to the airport only. There is also the Sounder train, which goes from Tacoma to Everett with many stops in between. Your best bet is an Orca card to be able to ride them all. Each agency has a good website with trip planners. All are also having budget issues and cutting back service somewhat. Naturally, the safest, most walkable areas are popular and therefore more expensive. "Medium salary" can mean many things, an idea of what you can afford in rent would help. For 3 people I would say that about $50,000 would be the minimum needed to get by in the Puget Sound area in a decent, safe place. That would be $1,200-$1,400/month rent.


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Old 10-08-2011, 04:06 PM
 
Location: West Texas
10 posts, read 15,333 times
Reputation: 25
Default Medium salary

Thank you, Hemlock. You're right, there is a ton of information. More than I will be getting through in a day....or a month! As for what we can afford, our mortgage here in Texas is about 1300, but we would be able to afford closer to 1600-1700 in WA because of the salary difference, etc... This is early on, though, and that might go up. We really are just in the "find out if we can afford our dream" stage at the moment. But we very much want to make it happen. All of that rain, and the over cast days, are what my doctor has ordered!
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Old 10-09-2011, 09:40 AM
 
1,632 posts, read 6,862,943 times
Reputation: 706
The rain is overrated (Seattle gets quite a bit less than Houston in normal years, for example), but you'll certainly get your fill of overcast days and drizzle.

Quote:
Originally Posted by booklass View Post
All of that rain, and the over cast days, are what my doctor has ordered!
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