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Advice on moving to Seattle.
MNC Dover
Full-time Voice ActorKirkland, WARegistered User regular
Full-time Voice ActorKirkland, WARegistered User regular
The quick version of my story:
I'm 33 years old, never went to college, and have been living in Savannah, Ga for 20 years now. Four years ago, I attended my first PAX in Seattle and instantly fell in love with the city. I vowed to move out there. Obviously I haven't yet and I simply can't take it here anymore.
Here's the plan:
I move out there and shack up with an old roommate of mine who has offered me a place to stay until I get on my feet. I live there for a year, take out student loans, and start taking college courses, hopefully with some form of in-state tuition. Meet the perfect women and live happily ever after. :P
The hurdles:
Job. I've got a lot of experience in retail, management, and lighting control/programming (Lutron & Crestron). That all adds up to a hill of bean without a degree though. I'm at the point in my life that I am not opposed to accepting hand out jobs from friends though. It really is who you know, not what you know sometimes.
Money. I've got about $2,500 put away so far in preparation for the move. I know it's not enough, but I'm not sure how much is? Clearly, you can never have enough, but if I keep saving I'll never actually make the move. On the plus side, I'm almost completely debt free. Credit cards are clean, no student loans, and only a car payment to worry about (outside of mortgage and utilities which I'll have at my new home anyway).
Apathy. Can I muster up the willpower and courage to make this leap? I know my friends here locally have my back, but I'm the one that has to do it.
What I need help with:
Local area help. I'm looking for some help about general things I should consider, or may not have considered, before moving to Seattle. Obviously the weather is a completely different creature, but what else should I know?
The Big move. Anyone have any advice for making a cross country move? I'd hate to make mistakes or overlook something and pay for it later.
Job opportunities. With the economy the way it is, where she I look for the best results at finding a halfway decent paying job using my existing skill set?
Establishing a time frame. I want out now, but logic dictates that I have as much planned for and ready before moving. 1 month? 6 months?
I know that there a bunch of forum members that live in the Seattle area that might be able to help me out here. Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I'm 33 years old, never went to college, and have been living in Savannah, Ga for 20 years now. Four years ago, I attended my first PAX in Seattle and instantly fell in love with the city. I vowed to move out there. Obviously I haven't yet and I simply can't take it here anymore.
Here's the plan:
I move out there and shack up with an old roommate of mine who has offered me a place to stay until I get on my feet. I live there for a year, take out student loans, and start taking college courses, hopefully with some form of in-state tuition. Meet the perfect women and live happily ever after. :P
The hurdles:
Job. I've got a lot of experience in retail, management, and lighting control/programming (Lutron & Crestron). That all adds up to a hill of bean without a degree though. I'm at the point in my life that I am not opposed to accepting hand out jobs from friends though. It really is who you know, not what you know sometimes.
Money. I've got about $2,500 put away so far in preparation for the move. I know it's not enough, but I'm not sure how much is? Clearly, you can never have enough, but if I keep saving I'll never actually make the move. On the plus side, I'm almost completely debt free. Credit cards are clean, no student loans, and only a car payment to worry about (outside of mortgage and utilities which I'll have at my new home anyway).
Apathy. Can I muster up the willpower and courage to make this leap? I know my friends here locally have my back, but I'm the one that has to do it.
What I need help with:
Local area help. I'm looking for some help about general things I should consider, or may not have considered, before moving to Seattle. Obviously the weather is a completely different creature, but what else should I know?
The Big move. Anyone have any advice for making a cross country move? I'd hate to make mistakes or overlook something and pay for it later.
Job opportunities. With the economy the way it is, where she I look for the best results at finding a halfway decent paying job using my existing skill set?
Establishing a time frame. I want out now, but logic dictates that I have as much planned for and ready before moving. 1 month? 6 months?
I know that there a bunch of forum members that live in the Seattle area that might be able to help me out here. Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
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Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
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Do you want to live in Seattle, the suburbs, or just the general area?
As for moving expenses, I moved here from central Illinois in October, and the estimates to move a 3 bedroom house were around $4500, I think. If you can fit everything in a big U-haul and don't mind the drive, that would be much cheaper, probably closer to $1500. I don't remember what it would cost to have someone move your car.
My moving reasons are numerous, but the biggest reason is the change of scenery. I've been in Savannah for so long that I don't feel like my life is ever going to change unless I get the hell out of here. I'd also like to move away from the generalized mindset of religion and racism. I understand that racism exists everywhere, but in the south (especially the deep south) it's far more upfront and in your face. Not being religious also works against me here.
I guess I just feel like a fish out of water or something. My limited time spent in Seattle was refreshing and to be honest, it might have been just because it wasn't here. Seattle seems to be a little more, um, forward thinking if that makes any sense.
As far as where to live, it would probably be in the burbs or surrounding area and not Seattle proper. I doubt I could afford that if even if I wanted to live inside the city. The goal is to find a place of my own with no roommates. A steep challenge indeed.
I can definitely fit all my stuff into a single U-Haul and make the trip, but man would that suck. On the plus side, I do have relatives living across the country, so I could make a big family reunion run out of it. That would certainly save on hotel costs and stuff.
If you don't mind me asking, what was your reasoning/motivation for making the big trip?
Oh man, I wouldn't live anywhere near Seattle if it was like PAX all year round. I love PAX and all, but it's best served as a 3-5 day experience only.
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Yeah, I've been at the same job going on 4 years now as a lighting control programmer/designer for an audio/video company in Hilton Head, SC. Before this job, I worked a lot of retail, sales, and management type of jobs. I wouldn't mind continuing to do lighting control, especially if it pays well, but I could probably land a management job somewhere. I'm keeping my mind and eyes open for any jobs at the moment.
I'm definitely not looking to be a doctor/nurse though.
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Before you even go further ahead in the planning I'd go and stay for a week with your buddy. Find out how it really is. It may seem like paradise now but you don't really know unless you've lived there for a while. Going out there without a job lined up and getting into school with huge loans is asking for trouble.
Really, why's that? Is it the golfing or all of the people from Ohio?
I figured state tuition wouldn't kick in for a while, but I plan to start school ASAP and integrate better loans when they become available. If I wait, I know I'll never get started in school. I've got some vacation time saved up, so maybe taking a quick trip out there wouldn't be a half bad idea. Of course, the airfare will suck especially since I'm trying to save money, but I could look at jobs at the same time.
Good call Mugginns.
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Pennsylvania too but yeah, mostly the golf :P My Grandparents lived there for probably 25 years, and we'd visit them every summer.
Lots of golf.
This includes your car. sell it, then buy something MUCH cheaper in seattle used. or take mass transit.
That said, I figure for myself, if I can go year-round I can knock out a 4 year degree in about 2 and a 2/3 year.
I'd also agree with selling as much as you can before you go. Not sure about the car (but I own mine outright) though from what I recall and others have said you don't really need one at first. I plan to only bring what will fit in my car and then, if I need the money, I'll see about selling it out there.
I moved from Texas to the Seattle Tacoma area in July of 08.
I used a mid sized penske truck to pack my 1 bedroom apartment along with things I had in storage.
When not enjoying the fantastic scenery of the west the drive was terrifying. Driving through Colorado the wind was terrible felt like the truck was going to tip over. Also first time in my life I had seen real tumble weeds, which I had to hit. Going through the mountain passes at night was also a mistake.
I made this trip while the gas prices were at extortionist levels just the trip, which includes truck gas food and 3 stays at a motel was $2,000.
The difference in climate here does take some getting used to as well as the geography. Seeing mountains all the time is pretty cool. I have always liked the rain so the weather doesn't bother me much, but it doesn't rain quite as much as people make it out to.
It was a challenge but I am glad I made the leap, best luck in your journey as well.
I would recomend getting a GPS unit of some kind if you do drive, mine was a lifesaver.
The car on the other hand, I'm still paying for. I just bought it two years ago and still have three years left of payments on it. It's a Toyota Corolla so it gets good gas mileage and should have a decent trade in value when I go to purchase my next car. I can't imagine not having a car, but maybe that's one of the differences between Savannah and Seattle.
$2000 from Texas. My journey would probably be much longer than that. Man, this is starting to sound far more expensive than I first imagined. I'd hate to take out a loan or something just to move. Then again, it might be worth it in the long run...
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Gas prices were ridiculously expensive. I gave away the vast majority of my stuff, packed everything else into my Honda Civic, then drove up from Northern California. I didn't have a lot to begin with, so that helped. But I've got a desk and a dresser from people leaving stuff on sidewalks, some other cheap furniture from IKEA, and a really nice bed. All in all, the move cost me about $80 in gas, but then I had to buy furniture etc. when I got here. Frankly, if you can do it, this is the way I recommend, though I realize it isn't for everyone.
1. When you say "forward-thinking," you are quite correct. However, our political scheme tends to be a joke due to that--not in a sense of vast corruption, but in the sense that city and state government has a hard time getting anything done. Likewise, holding a conversation with us can a be a bit of a chore--for all of our liberalism, we're seen as polite but standoffish to outsiders. It's not that we're outright rude, but we don't want to be a bother. It's becoming less so with the vast influx of people moving up here for the past decade and a half, but the Seattleite mentality can take some getting used to.
2. Cost-of-living is a little higher than the national average. Rents for a place near downtown can fluctuate from a $700 studio to a $2500 two-bedroom apartment. A pack of Camels runs about $7.60 if you buy at the grocery store, and a reasonably-priced restaurant can be $12-$15 an entree.
3. Despite this, car-less transportation is easy to do. There are two bus systems in place--Metro and Sound Transit--that can get you anywhere in the greater area at almost any time of day (there are only a handful of major lines that run between 2:00AM and 5:00AM). Bicycles are popular, though it's odd due to the very hilly nature of the city. Parking is a real bitch to find pretty much anywhere you go, so having a car can actually be a liability at times.
4. The rain isn't as bad as our reputation states. New York City actually gets more rainfall in inches per yer, but what gives the northwest rain its character is the constant, drizzly nature of it. And the fact that it could rain any time, even in the thick of summer. Winters tend to be chilly but snow-less (although this past year has been atypically harsh), and summers tend to be comparatively mild. We usually get a great Indian summer, too.
5. The GPS unit that tech_hunter mentioned: Seattle was planned from the minds of three logging-industry robber-barons whom apparently had Down Syndrome. There are a few tricks to mind--streets run east-west, avenues run north-south, I-5 and Highway-99 trisect the northern half of the city, don't take the ferry during commuter hours, etc--but being able to get around here usually comes after getting lost a few times. Or a few dozen times.
Limed is what I first thought of when I read the OP. If I were you I would apply to a school in Seattle first and then move. That way you could save some money, get all the loans you need, and get stuff together. Right now your only plan is just to gtfo and never look back. I think the time you spend getting your stuff together (as far as college applications are concerned) could be better spent in GA where you're still employed and can save a little more for the big move.
Sell the stuff you don't need because, in the end, you don't need it. If you're trying to get out of your old world, then now would be the best time to do so materially and mentally.
The big costs are going to come from gas and setting up once you get where you want to be.
Since you are coming up from Georgia, however, there are a couple of issues you will run into.
You're not going to be able to make the trip in one day. Are you going to car-camp, or are you going to stay in a hotel? A lot of folks try to do it on the cheap and car camp, which is what I did, because I have a decent amount of experience sleeping outside and getting a full night's rest in very uncomfortable situations (like sleeping in a cave made of snow under the stars). The problem, unfortunately, is if you're not used to sleeping in awkward and uncomfortable locations, there's a good chance that you won't get enough rest, and it will show the next day when you are trying to drive and keep nodding off or losing attention.
Be careful what you eat. Sure, five cheeseburgers at McDonalds my look like a good meal on the cheap, but it's going to sit with you all day. Eat light and healthy. It also doesn't hurt to stop and have a meal in a restaurant just to get out of your car for awhile.
Also, get out of your car for awhile. Get out and move your legs and do something else for a little while.
Good luck.
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When I do finally make the trip, I'll probably take a route that goes through Colorado or South Dakota as I have family in both places. I'm also going to see about begging one of my friends to make the trip with me and take a one-way flight back to help me keep my sanity.
The cost of living over Savannah is a lot higher and that is to be expected. Fortunately, I don't smoke or drink, so that should help me keep costs in line. Getting used to paying for parking and long commutes on the other hand...
While I was visiting a few years back, my friend told me that if I do end up making out that way that I'd need to invest in a good raincoat from a place called REI. While Rei sounds like an Evangelion character, I'm sure they make some good too. He told me to not even bother with an umbrella, it would just make me look like a tourist.
I'm thinking that when/if I make this move happen, I need to have a big arrival party with some of the locals. What better way to celebrate and mingle with the new crowd?
Seriously though, please keep the advice/stories coming as they are really helping me get motivated to make this whole thing happen. Planning, planning, planning, and no execution have been my crutch in life. This trip represents me breaking out of that funk and changing my life for the better...that or I'll be yet another bum on the street panhandling for coins.
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Re: Seattle. Cost of renting drops dramatically if you look just outside of King County (which is Seattle proper). Just north of Seattle are some fairly nice areas if you don't need a rousing social life. Try Mill Creek or areas nearby. However, if you do live outside of the city you will need to rely on your own transportation, so there is a trade-off.
As far as jobs go, I got my current job via craigslist and I've always found them to be a popular source for employers to use. The Seattle Times also has a job website
http://jobs.nwsource.com
that is also pretty decent and seems to be used by a lot of Seattle-area employers.
Try to figure out what your target job description would be and then scope out the number of ads for employment you see that meet the description. If you're going to move here before securing a job, I would say make sure you have enough savings to live for two months (add moving expenses on to that) before you take off. You've already got a nice nest egg saved up so that should have you heading on your way quickly enough .
Enjoy the adventure! I drove up here from Los Angeles when I moved to Seattle and I kind of wish I'd taken more time to appreciate the drive.
I was hoping not to overpay for a raincoat and I certainly don't want to look like a tourist noob. :P
My friend that lives up in Seattle described the rain like the cute little thunderstorm thing in the produce section at grocery stores...only it doesn't seem to stop for a while. Savannah on the other hand, gives you all of your rain at once. Mutherfuckers be gettin' drenched down here.
Any particular brand of raincoat I should look for that I can buy before I get out there?
Wow, this seems to be a universal opinion.
I couldn't even imagine not driving to get to where I need to go. That must be a big city mentality that I'll have to adjust to.
I can assume then that you live in the North Seattle area. I'm also interested in renting only in the short term and buying a house once I get more stabilized. A lot of that depends on the money/schooling situation obviously, but it is the plan though.
Finally someone who cares about an umbrella.
Wow, thanks for those links. I'm going to call up my friend this weekend and start talking about living locations. I believe that he lives to the north of Seattle proper, but I'm not sure of the actual area. It was around a 20-30 minute drive to his house from the downtown area when we hung out at his place during PAX. I certainly don't have a rousing social life, so living out of the "action" areas doesn't bother me that much.
The plan is to try and secure a job before I make my way out there, but that always proves difficult when I can't interview in person. It's part of the problem and reason as to why I'm not already out there. I just need to move out there already and force myself into finding something. I do plan on piling away as much cash as possible before making the move and probably sell off most of my possessions to lighten up the load.
I'd like to think that I could work in the lighting control business up there, even if it's just in a freelance role. That part of the country seems to be way ahead of the curve in integrating technology into their homes and everyday lives. Then again, with the economy the way it is...
Last remark, I don't drink alcohol or smoke which isn't that big of a deal, but I don't drink coffee at all. Should I just cancel the whole trip?! :P
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It's something in the air.
Here's another one you'll want, traffic map:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle
Oh, for the busses:
http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl?resptype=U
And as far as commutes go, I live in Burien and my morning commute into downtown seattle is 15 minutes, even if I get out of the door late (like 8 or 8:30). Try that manuever coming from north of seattle and you can add 30 minutes to that.
Are you considered an outsider? Have you ever drank it just to fit in? Have you ever been asked to leave a restaurant because they "don't serve your kind here." :P
I'm going to have to start compiling all of these links to use later. Thanks! I'll know more after this weekend were I'll be living at least for a few months after I arrive in Seattle. Once I get there, I'll start looking everywhere for a one bedroom apartment. I know that the housing market is extremely high in the Seattle area, but does this apply to the apartments as well? I hope not, but I'm not holding my breath.
I've always wanted to take a bus/train style system because I hate driving...and I can get in some quality DS time as well.
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My local friend is going to put me up in a spare bedroom at his place for a few months until I can find a place of my own. He's also going to try and help me get my foot in the door at one of the local gaming companies. It looks as though I'll be living north of Seattle in Bothell for at least the short term. Depending on how the job plays out, I'll be looking for a place to live in that area after I get established.
The best part is that once I get there, my friends from Savannah will be flying out to meet up with me and attend PAX. There is even a chance right now that we will be getting a vendor space at the show, so I'd love to meet up with the people in this thread that have been helping me out with advice.
If anyone else has anymore advice that they can think of, please feel free to chime in at any time. I'm like a fucking sponge right now for information, especially since this is the biggest move I've made in the last 20 years of my life.
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