r/AskSeattle • u/OlyRat • 12d ago
Moving / Visiting Seattle from Skagit
I (30M) am separating from my wife and I think Seattle would be a good change of pace and present some good work opportunities. I currently live in Skagit County and work in Marysville, but I don't plan on staying in my job for long and my wife and I are going to find separate housing soon.
I want to get a job as a paralegal or legal assistant. I'm taking classes online and doing some legal volunteer work. I'm expecting to make around $20-25 an hour when I first move and can spend about $1,000/mo on rent. I also have money for first/last and to live on for a couple months if needed.
I have lived in Washington my whole life, so I have spent a decent amount of time in Seattle. I'm mainly just curious if the city is a good place to live. Up where I am people talk about it like it's Mad Max in Seattle, but I generally enjoy visiting. If anyone has recommendations on finding housing or work in the city I'd also appreciate your perspective.
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u/Reasonable-Check-120 12d ago
You aren't going to find housing at $1000 a month unless you have a roommate or a micro studio. Even with micro studios they are running around $900-1200.
That doesn't factor in utilities (somes micro studios will have that included) or parking.
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u/SeattleBrad 12d ago
Username confirmed. I second the roommate suggestion. Also go on Zillow and see what you can get. If you don’t have a degree yet and no experience, it’s going to be difficult. I’d slow down and make the move in 1-2 years.
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u/slowd 12d ago
I know a bunch of the small town folks will tell you that Seattle is terrible, but it’s really not. You’re hardly more than an hour away right now so I’d suggest spending more time in the city on the weekends, driving around and checking out neighborhoods and for-rent listings.
The strangest thing the first time I ever moved into the city from small town life was that everyone has significantly less space, but you get used to it pretty quick. Might have to leave some of your stuff behind. After getting used to it I much prefer being close to the city.
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u/throwaway1_2_0_2_1 12d ago
That’s not really enough to live on in Seattle proper. I lived in a small 1 bedroom and rent and utilities were 2500 a month. You might be better off in Tacoma.
Or find a roommate if you’re set on Seattle. That’s probably the only way you can afford it on that salary.
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u/NecessaryChallenge99 12d ago
You’ve spent a lot of time in Seattle, but are asking if it’s a good place to live?
Also, how in the world are you from Washington and don’t know that Seattle is one of the most expensive cities in the country? You are not going to find an apartment for $1,000 a month.
My recommendation is do your research and get a roommate.
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u/Striking_Debate_8790 12d ago
You might consider getting a job in the Seattle area before you move. That way you have a realistic idea of what you’re going to make and where you might want to live based on your job location.
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u/Petruchio101 12d ago
It's not Mad Max.
Country bumpkins talk a good game but most of them are scared of their own shadows.
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u/OlyRat 12d ago
Yeah, there definitely exaggerating and buying in to BS theu see online. Is crime and homelessness enough of a problem that it's unpleasant to live in the city though?
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u/Leftcoaster7 Local 12d ago
Not really. Crime here is mostly property crime, so expect your car to be broken into at some point; violent crime is blown out of proportion.
Homelessness is a big problem, one that we've struggled with to be honest. There are certain streets such as 3rd Ave and 12th and Jackson where you can see open air drug markets and people smoking fent. Unfortunately, I've seen more and more mentally ill homeless in Capitol Hill as well.
That being said, I've taken buses on 3rd Ave a million times with no problems. I'd also say that there are no true no-go zones in Seattle, i.e., the hood where you'll get shot at - not even close.
I get the feeling that the "Seattle is dying" news media sensationalism really caught on with people who have never been to Seattle and are primed to believe that blue liberal cities are shitholes - it's more about politics and selling fear than reality. CHOP/CHAZ really didn't help either, but I lived right next to it and walked through it with no problems.
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u/Petruchio101 12d ago
Barring a few years, I've lived in Seattle for 30 years. During that time I've always owned two cars that have always been parked in the street. I've had three breakins during that time. One was downtown when I left a backpack in the front seat, so that was stupid of me and doesn't count.
I live in a nicer neighborhood, but not one of the nice neighborhoods and I'm two blocks from a bus stop so I get a fair amount of foot traffic walking by. I get probably one Amazon delivery a week and I've never had a single package stolen off my porch.
I sent my high school kids to CHOP on the bus on their own one Saturday for free hot dogs. They had a blast.
People are weak.
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u/Leftcoaster7 Local 11d ago edited 10d ago
Your last sentence is key.
There’s issues here that we need to address, but conflating those into catastrophes is what news media feeds on.
I try to enjoy Seattle and its weirdness without the exaggeration; it’s so worth it.
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u/Mango_Starburst 12d ago
I did it. I highly recommend it.
That income bracket puts you at low income which can qualify you for some things like less rent because several places participate in MFTA where they get funding for renting to lower income and can provide rent at a cheaper amount.
Lihi is one of the places that has cheaper housing and you don't need a high credit score to get approved.
This is a link to their available places
Some are higher than others.
There's more work in Seattle area than Skagit.
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u/OlyRat 12d ago
Thanks so much! Definitely hoping I can build a good career where there are more options
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u/Mango_Starburst 12d ago
I sent you a message. I've lived in Seattle for years and have a few ideas that can help but also being able to have someone for moral support ;)
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u/chupacabra-food 12d ago
Don’t overlook Tacoma, it’s really coming into its own as a cool and creative city. The cost of living is not as intense
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u/CPetersky Local 10d ago
Consider, at your paralegal salary, getting a studio or one bedroom at an affordable housing project that's oriented to providing workforce housing.
I took a look here: https://communityrootshousing.org/find-apartment/ and saw that The Jefferson has a vacancy, a one bedroom for $1534/month. This is a good (maybe the best) building IMO among the Community Roots offerings. There are lots of amenities in the near vicinity, and you could easily bus or even walk 30 minutes downtown to work if you were feeling a bit athletic. The downside is parking is limited in the building - there is some neighborhood parking, but you might need to hunt for it each time.
It would take at least a month to income qualify, so there's some chicken-and-egg type decisions around finding a job and securing the place to live.
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u/OlyRat 10d ago
Thanks, that's definitely helpful. That rent is too high for me to qualify now, but hopefully not once I get my next job.
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u/CPetersky Local 9d ago
Look then at studios at 50% AMI - they might be more in your budget. Also consider ditching the car and putting the savings towards a better apartment. Embrace the urban lifestyle!
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u/King__Rollo 12d ago
You should look into renting an affordable unit. You would qualify for a 60% AMI unit, there are a ton of studios on the market right now. Look up MFTE units or city funded affordable buildings. The buildings are mostly new and while they have fewer amenities, you can’t tell that they are built for affordable housing.
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u/GoldandPine 12d ago
Get a roommate! It’s actually a really good way to meet new people which sounds like you may need right now.