The evergreen state

[the dufferz]

Well, I guess I am the first member living in washington, so if you are looking for information about the state, ask away.

I am a lifer her, western and parts of central washington are the areas I am familiar with, being that my work has taken me throughout these areas for years and years.

Seattle and Washington are very diverse so there are lots of areas to live and visit that will give you different feels, everything from desert and heat to the rainforest, mountains with snowcapped peaks and beautiful lakes and rivers. To top it off, there is a latte stand every 50 feet in western washington, so java is never far away.

So, if you have any questions, ask away!

The dufferz

[T.S.]

Has the real estate and cost of living came down around Seattle at all in the past year or two? I think the Seattle area would probably be a nice place to live, but I always hear that it is rather expensive. I remember it being ranked by Forbes as the most overpriced city for both 2004 and 2005.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by T.S.

Has the real estate and cost of living came down around Seattle at all in the past year or two? I think the Seattle area would probably be a nice place to live, but I always hear that it is rather expensive. I remember it being ranked by Forbes as the most overpriced city for both 2004 and 2005.

it's cooling down, but still way overpriced. Some areas are better, but with the traffic being a bear, the work commute forces people to centeralize, so that keeps the pressure on. Bought my house 22 years ago for 60K, I could sell it now for $300K with no problem.

Hows the market in your area?

[T.S.]

Originally Posted by the dufferz

it's cooling down, but still way overpriced. Some areas are better, but with the traffic being a bear, the work commute forces people to centeralize, so that keeps the pressure on. Bought my house 22 years ago for 60K, I could sell it now for $300K with no problem.

Hows the market in your area?

Real estate is still fairly cheap here around Charlotte and in most of North Carolina compared to the rest of the country. It is probably still one of the cheapest markets after Texas. I won't be staying to buy a house here as originally planned though.

[MyAzi]

I'm here too!!!! And though Duff knows a lot more about Western Wa than I do... I hope I can be somewhat of help now and then!

[jabm67]

I'm not a native, but I call this place home. I've lived in a couple of different places in the state. I'm in my third incarnation in Seattle now (undergrad at UW in the mid-70s; faculty at UW in the late 80s/early 90s; wageslave in the 2000s). I went to high school at Medical Lake (west of Spokane) and was faculty at WSU in late 90s. And, my folks now live outside of Yakima.

[MyAzi]

Originally Posted by jabm67

I'm not a native, but I call this place home. I've lived in a couple of different places in the state. I'm in my third incarnation in Seattle now (undergrad at UW in the mid-70s; faculty at UW in the late 80s/early 90s; wageslave in the 2000s). I went to high school at Medical Lake (west of Spokane) and was faculty at WSU in late 90s. And, my folks now live outside of Yakima.

Do you live right in the city???

[jabm67]

Yes, I live in Seattle, barely, a block inside the city limits, just south of Shoreline.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by jabm67

Yes, I live in Seattle, barely, a block inside the city limits, just south of Shoreline.

Seems like a busy area. How are the living conditions around you? Some areas in shoreline are pretty run down, but farther west toward the shore is nice.

I'm over in Bothell, quietsville.

[MyAzi]

yeah it is pretty quiet here too, up on the plateau. Except when the Seahawks win a game!!! Then you can hear the cheers all over along with fireworks!

[jabm67]

Where I am is ... not quiet. A block south of 145th (a major east-west route), between 99 and I-5. It's an OK area, albeit we're closer to the general scuzz that happens on Aurora Ave than any of us likes. It's a fairly old neighborhood, with lots of nice trees. This is nice for my backyard bird feeder, though it can cause problems in bad weather when downed limbs break the wires.

What I do have is an easy commute. Drive 3 miles on side streets to the park & ride at Northgate, then a quick bus ride; door-to-door is 40 minutes, even on "bad traffic days". Since I'm a road rage kind of guy, to be a single-occupant-vehicle driver for my daily commute would take years off my life.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by jabm67

Where I am is ... not quiet. A block south of 145th (a major east-west route), between 99 and I-5. It's an OK area, albeit we're closer to the general scuzz that happens on Aurora Ave than any of us likes. It's a fairly old neighborhood, with lots of nice trees. This is nice for my backyard bird feeder, though it can cause problems in bad weather when downed limbs break the wires.

What I do have is an easy commute. Drive 3 miles on side streets to the park & ride at Northgate, then a quick bus ride; door-to-door is 40 minutes, even on "bad traffic days". Since I'm a road rage kind of guy, to be a single-occupant-vehicle driver for my daily commute would take years off my life.

I used to live 1/2 block north of 145th, off of 31st ave ne (that is 2 block west of lake city way). Just got married, it was our first apt. From the bedroom window we could see the lights of deja vu. Not a great claim to fame, but it was a funny thing to tell people at church.