IwantanS

I'm looking at possibly moving up there by the end of the year. Wondering what the area is like from your perspective. Anything you guys want to share?
My major concern is the weather; I've lived in Southern California for the past 23 years and before that Arizona so too much wet might drive me insane! Any suggestions for apartment/condo rentals?

Thanks!

-Joe

mikegarrison

If you survive your first winter you will be OK. But there's no guarantee of that. Summers (roughly July-Sept) are nicer than SoCal or Arizona.

Plenty of places get more rain, but Seattle has the least amount of sunshine of any US city. Lots and losts of grey skies.

Renton is a very old city (for the area), almost as old as Seattle. However, until recently it's been a working class, blue collar city with a pretty dull reputation. It's in the process of becoming much more developed as an urban center. Personally I think that buying a house or condo near downtown renton now would be about like buying a house or condo near downtown Kirkland in the 80s -- ie. a gold mine if you can hold it for a while.

gomarlins3

Agreed, having lived in So Cal for many years and visited AZ many times. I don't live in WA, but have visited there during the summers and have had nothing but sunny skis.

As for the wet weather, there is a reason why all those beautiful trees grow there.

madkimchi

1st winter will make you crazy and probably think about moving back to cali. if you survive that you should in pretty good shape. most of the renton areas are old and dirty. i dont think it's dangerous though. if you got money go to bellevue area much better if you are willing to deal with traffic.

M_Entertainment

Try to stay away from renton to much car jacking. I live in Bellevue and it is nice area and very CLEAN. Seattle is cool very diverse people, since you use to traffic you are fine in seattle.

RT

Joe, do yourself a favor and don't move up here, it sucks and it rains every fuqing day!

BBY2KS2K

This place sucks balls; traffic, rain, more traffic, more fuqing rain...

mikegarrison

When we had the big Boeing merger, some of the SoCal MD-D people moved up here. One guy came into my work area. From about October to June, every day he would walk over to the window and look out at the clouds and just be unhappy. You couldn't even really laugh at him -- it would have been like kicking a puppy.

IwantanS

Boeing, did you say Boeing? That's who I work for and they're shutting our shop down 31 December. If I decide to stay with the company I'll be working at the training center at Longacres.

And I'll probably be like that guy looking out the window thinking, man I'd rather be in SoCal with 105

mikegarrison

Kent would be fine if you are working in Longacres. Renton would be fine. West Seattle would be fine. Tukwilla would be great. Burien.

You just don't want to live much south of Kent or much north of Renton (as far as good commutes go).

Most of these other guys posting here don't have a clue about South King County.

On the other hand, if you ever get transferred to Everett then you want to live in Bellevue or parts north.