Seattle, WA

[UnsunnedSnow]

This info is probably too late for Texcards, but anyone else who's interested in Seattle transit options: check http://transit.metrokc.gov/

Or their trip planner service @ http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-b ... resptype=U

Service is generally not 24 hours although there are a few buses that I believe run through the night. For my own purposes, a couple times a year I end up missing the last bus home at 1am and I'm always amazed that certain routes don't run longer. I've always found the buses very safe, though often not on schedule and not as frequent as one might hope.

[Leahlearns]

For future people coming to Seattle: I would recommend avoiding renting from Avia real estate. I had a bad experience with them. Could be an anomaly, but when you have so many choices why take the risk?

[Angela]

I live on about 12,000 plus a little help from the fam. Its pretty tight, but I make it work. I live on Capitol Hill, pay about $700 for rent of a one bedroom, about $80 for utilities. Thats about standard for the neighbourhood/size of apartment. Its much cheaper if you can find a roommate.

Public transportation is excellent (see my post in that thread).

Edited December 31, 2009 by Angela

[radcradick]

I have questions about relocating to Seattle from a sunny state. Im seriously considering accepting my offer from UW- it is everything curriculum and faculty wise that I want. But I am from Arizona; I am used to sunny gorgeous weather almost every day-- I almost get tired of the sun.

I did a three day visit to UW at the beginning of April, and it rained. and rained. And it sucked. But I suppose I could tough it out for two years, but is that the right attitude?

My other concern is everything I've heard about the Seattle Chill/ Seattle Freeze...I'm convinced that it's not just a theory and that it really does exist.

I already have some loaner tendencies to begin with, I'm afraid I'm going to feel really isolated and forget how to socialize, etc.

Am I being melodramatic and exaggerating? Should I give up a really "great fit" school based on these quality of life aspects? How much should I be weighing the weather and what-not?

Does anyone know of or have experienced a sunny-state transplant experience? Do most bail or can you tough it out?

Thank you all for any perspective!

[origin415]

I have questions about relocating to Seattle from a sunny state. Im seriously considering accepting my offer from UW- it is everything curriculum and faculty wise that I want. But I am from Arizona; I am used to sunny gorgeous weather almost every day-- I almost get tired of the sun.

I did a three day visit to UW at the beginning of April, and it rained. and rained. And it sucked. But I suppose I could tough it out for two years, but is that the right attitude?

My other concern is everything I've heard about the Seattle Chill/ Seattle Freeze...I'm convinced that it's not just a theory and that it really does exist.

I already have some loaner tendencies to begin with, I'm afraid I'm going to feel really isolated and forget how to socialize, etc.

Am I being melodramatic and exaggerating? Should I give up a really "great fit" school based on these quality of life aspects? How much should I be weighing the weather and what-not?

Does anyone know of or have experienced a sunny-state transplant experience? Do most bail or can you tough it out?

Thank you all for any perspective!

It definitely is the right attitude to tough it out instead of not going to a perfectly good school because the weather isn't just so. Besides, from everything I've heard, half the year its sunny everyday, the other half its cloudy/drizzly everyday, so what you saw is actually worst of it, on average its much better.

I have never heard of the "seattle chill" and I'm not from the area, so what I know is from what I just googled now (that generally Seattlites are bitter to outsiders and its difficult to be accepted and find local friends). Regardless of whether you'll make native friends, there are plenty of people you will meet and befriend plenty of fellow grad students. I seriously doubt this is really the case though, everything I've heard goes against the "seattle chill" theory.

Obviously if you are really this concerned and you have a school which is equal otherwise but sunny, go for it, but I think its silly to give the weather a lot of weight. Especially as being a grad student is a lot of work and you'll be inside most of the cloudy winter anyway.

[Politicalgeek]

I have questions about relocating to Seattle from a sunny state. Im seriously considering accepting my offer from UW- it is everything curriculum and faculty wise that I want. But I am from Arizona; I am used to sunny gorgeous weather almost every day-- I almost get tired of the sun.

I did a three day visit to UW at the beginning of April, and it rained. and rained. And it sucked. But I suppose I could tough it out for two years, but is that the right attitude?

Yes! To be honest, the rain-all-the-time rep is greatly exaggerated. I've lived here for almost a year, and in my experience, even in the dead of winter, the sun comes out for at least a little bit every day. It will be a shock to your system, but there are very few places that are as sunny as Arizona, so unless you plan to stay there for the rest of your life, it's probably a good idea to get used to some cloudy skies.

However, you should make sure to be aware of the issues that people can have with the darker weather, know the symptoms and be prepared to take steps to deal with them if necessary. The two I've heard a lot about are Seasonal Affective Disorder (ie, winter depression) and Vitamin D deficiency. Learn the symptoms and, if you notice them, get yourself to the Student Health center and get treated. Both are easy to treat.

My other concern is everything I've heard about the Seattle Chill/ Seattle Freeze...I'm convinced that it's not just a theory and that it really does exist.

I already have some loaner tendencies to begin with, I'm afraid I'm going to feel really isolated and forget how to socialize, etc.

I will be completely honest with you here - I have noticed elements of Seattle Freeze. It's not that people are rude or unfriendly, but that it can be difficult to move beyond the friendly stage to actually hanging out and being friends. BUT I don't think that will be a huge issue for you since you'll be in grad school and thus will have a built-in network.

And like the weather, I think Seattle Freeze is overrated. I've definitely made friends here!

Am I being melodramatic and exaggerating? Should I give up a really "great fit" school based on these quality of life aspects? How much should I be weighing the weather and what-not?

Does anyone know of or have experienced a sunny-state transplant experience? Do most bail or can you tough it out?

I don't think you're being melodramatic but I just wanted to say that if you do decide to go to UW, you will probably be happiest if you view this as an interesting opportunity to live somewhere different for a while. The climate actually brings lots of stuff to Seattle that you won't get in Arizona (rainforests, rivers full of salmon, amazing produce, lush greenness everywhere, amazing views of the sun bursting out of the clouds over the snow-capped Olympics...) and you might as well do what you can to enjoy it while you're there. Take it as someone who's been through a 2-year masters program - you will be SHOCKED at how quickly those 20 months pass!

[Politicalgeek]

Also, I just wanted to add that right now, it's sunny, with just a few wispy clouds in the air, and absolutely gorgeous. Which means I need to get off the internet and go outside!

[radcradick]

Thanks Politicalgeek! That's helpful. Im just angsting because my other choice is in southern California ((swoon)). But considering my time at UW as a 20 month fragment of my life is a good way to look at it-- that's not even two whole years!

Im still debating on whether to bring my car or not-- I'd hate the expense (and the drive up there), but I also really cringe at the image of myself standing in the rain waiting for a bus...

[origin415]

Thanks Politicalgeek! That's helpful. Im just angsting because my other choice is in southern California ((swoon)). But considering my time at UW as a 20 month fragment of my life is a good way to look at it-- that's not even two whole years!

Im still debating on whether to bring my car or not-- I'd hate the expense (and the drive up there), but I also really cringe at the image of myself standing in the rain waiting for a bus...

Learn the bus schedules so you aren't waiting long. If you have an iphone or android or some other fancy phone theres http://www.onebusaway.org/ which lets you check when the bus is coming in real time and plan accordingly if it is late.

I plan on selling my car and investing in a nice raincoat and a bike, myself.

[Politicalgeek]

I plan on selling my car and investing in a nice raincoat and a bike, myself.

Good plan! Parking at UW is an expensive pain - you'd end up walking around in the rain anyway! There's a great, separated bike path that goes right though campus, to some of the coolest neighborhoods in Seattle.

[CommPhD]

I have questions about relocating to Seattle from a sunny state. Im seriously considering accepting my offer from UW- it is everything curriculum and faculty wise that I want. But I am from Arizona; I am used to sunny gorgeous weather almost every day-- I almost get tired of the sun.

I did a three day visit to UW at the beginning of April, and it rained. and rained. And it sucked. But I suppose I could tough it out for two years, but is that the right attitude?

My other concern is everything I've heard about the Seattle Chill/ Seattle Freeze...I'm convinced that it's not just a theory and that it really does exist.

I already have some loaner tendencies to begin with, I'm afraid I'm going to feel really isolated and forget how to socialize, etc.

Am I being melodramatic and exaggerating? Should I give up a really "great fit" school based on these quality of life aspects? How much should I be weighing the weather and what-not?

Does anyone know of or have experienced a sunny-state transplant experience? Do most bail or can you tough it out?

Thank you all for any perspective!

I have lived in Seattle for my entire life and let me tell you, it is really dark, cloudy, drizzly, and wet most of the year. This past year, we have had a very unseasonably warm, sunny and long summer and it was AMAZING! Summers here in general are hard to beat, they are warm (but not too hot!), the days are very long, and people miraculously become so much nicer =)

On the flip side, it's winter for almost 9 months out of the year. To give you some perspective, Seattle gets on average 58 days of full sun a year. Phoenix gets 211. Seattle gets about 227 cloudy days a year. Those left over 80 days a year are partly-cloudy/sunny. It doesn't usually pour, but it drizzles often and is cold and humid so it feels wet often when it's not raining. And since we're so far north, we have awesome long days in the summer, but really short days in the winter, with the sun coming up around 9:00 and going down around 4:20pm.

But like others have said, I don't think bad weather is a huge deal! Besides, you can always return home to Arizona for some great weather, during any/all breaks. I hope my weather stats weren't too much of a downer, I just really like stuff like that.

And as for the Seattle Freeze? I have never heard of that, probably because I am from here, but Seattleites do consider themselves/each other passive aggressive. But I think you will have no trouble making friends, wherever you go. Most people I know are totally open to having new friends and I know many people who are from out of the area who have loved it here - the people, the culture, the food, the liberal mentality, the active lifestyle many people live, etc. - even the weather!

I agree that buses here are good too - you certainly don't need a car unless you want one. Parking is a bitch in many popular/fun/hip neighborhoods anyway, and really expensive. When I went to UW two years ago, my quarterly parking permit was $300/quarter (including bus pass). I think it went up to $360 this year and will undoubtedly be more next year. If you live in an urban neighborhood like Wallingford, Eastlake, U-District, Capitol Hill, etc. you will likely have to purchase parking at your apartment complex or be damned to find street parking.

Edited April 28, 2010 by juju

[kobe36]

Hi all:

I will be attending UW in fall 2010 and my bf and I are planning to go up there in about 2 weeks (may 20-24 to be precise). I will be there for welcome day but while there, I want to do some sightseeing too. Is there any particular landmarks you guys recommend or that is a must-see?? I don't know much about Seattle other than the Space Needle. Any help would be greatly appreciated !!

[Strangefox]

Hi! Could anybody tell me more about renting prices in Seattle?

[origin415]

Hi! Could anybody tell me more about renting prices in Seattle?

I would look at craigslist.

For apartments: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/apa/

For shares: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/roo/

[babyology]

Also, this might be a little random, but does anyone have, or know someone who has, a pet-friendly apartment? I have a cat. Am I going to have a hard time finding a place, and if I do, will I have to pay much more?

My SO and i just signed a lease for an apt in seattle, and we have a cat. We had kind of a hard time finding a place, actually. We found that most apartments had a no-pet policy (about 60 - 70% I would guess), and most of the ones that did allow cats were a little pricier. Most of the places we looked at wanted an extra $15 or $25 a month for having a cat, and many of them charged a non-refundable "pet fee" of several hundred dollars in addition to the security deposit. We kept looking though, and I'm glad we did. We ended up finding an adorable apt in wallingford that we're very happy with, and there's no pet charge in the rent and only a small, refundable additional security deposit. It seemed that small, independent landlords were generally more understanding about the cat thing; the big apartment buildings had the highest fees on average, I think.

As a side note, I was surprised at how quickly the craigslist renting scene moved - we would often call someone who had posted a listing for an apartment the same day, only to find out that the place had already been rented. So my advice would be to wait until you're physically in seattle if possible, and then check craigslist several times a day and follow up on new postings immediately. It's very much a first-come-first-served market and the best apartments get snatched up pretty quickly.

Good luck! It's a beautiful city - have fun.

[fumblewhat]

Anyone have advice about how early to start the apartment search? When I crash land in Seattle in August, will there be any apartments still open? Is the on campus housing anything worth looking at?

[Nurse Wretched]

Anyone have advice about how early to start the apartment search? When I crash land in Seattle in August, will there be any apartments still open? Is the on campus housing anything worth looking at?

I lived in Seattle for 33 years. Renting there is competitive regardless of time of year, because it's not a college town; it's a city with three universities. Rentals go fast. I can't imagine distance renting.

I would not live in the U district under pretty much any circumstances; it's expensive for what you get and packed full of undergrads. The bus system is efficient, for the most part, and all buses pretty much end up in the U District or downtown. Don't live in West Seattle or far north or south and it'll be fine. Do you have somewhere to stay for a few weeks while you look for a place?

Edited February 21, 2011 by Nurse Wretched

[Nurse Wretched]

Anyone have advice about how early to start the apartment search? When I crash land in Seattle in August, will there be any apartments still open? Is the on campus housing anything worth looking at?

Oh! Remember too that the UW doesn't start until the end of September (often the 25th or later), so August is ample time.

Campus housing is acceptable but not fancy -- Hansee Hall is single rooms for grads and upperclassmen, the other dorms are full of freshmen; Stevens Court is apartments run by the U. The ASUW maintains a rental database as well, but most of my places were found on Craigslist.

[fumblewhat]

I would not live in the U district under pretty much any circumstances; it's expensive for what you get and packed full of undergrads. The bus system is efficient, for the most part, and all buses pretty much end up in the U District or downtown. Don't live in West Seattle or far north or south and it'll be fine. Do you have somewhere to stay for a few weeks while you look for a place?

I don't have a place to stay! Any suggestions? I could probably swing a cheap hotel for a few days to a week.

I went on the UW off campus housing website and they list some neighborhoods with prices and commute times. I saw earlier in this thread that people think well of Wallingford. Do you have any opinions on Wedgewood or Northgate? I'd prefer someplace cheap and close enough to campus to bike, but that seems a scarcity.

I'm on the fence about adding "finding a roommate" to this madness, but single living seems prohibitively expensive. Would Craigslist be the best way to find one? UW doesn't seem to have a roommate match making service.

[limeinthecoconut]

I don't have a place to stay! Any suggestions? I could probably swing a cheap hotel for a few days to a week.

I went on the UW off campus housing website and they list some neighborhoods with prices and commute times. I saw earlier in this thread that people think well of Wallingford. Do you have any opinions on Wedgewood or Northgate? I'd prefer someplace cheap and close enough to campus to bike, but that seems a scarcity.

I'm on the fence about adding "finding a roommate" to this madness, but single living seems prohibitively expensive. Would Craigslist be the best way to find one? UW doesn't seem to have a roommate match making service.

I didn't get my apartment off Craigslist, but one of the rental properties under private management. Strangely, I didn't find anything on Craigslist that was comparable to what I found via privately managed properties. I live on Eastlake, and it's about 10 min bike (5 min bus) to UW, and a 1BR costs $650 sans utilities. (depending on how good you are at dealing with no heater, you can pay around $30 in utilities)

Edited February 21, 2011 by history2010

[Nurse Wretched]

Wedgwood and Northgate are both fair distances from the U. Look at Eastlake, Capitol Hill (the unfashionable west side of same) and Wallingford/Fremont. If you live too far to bike, it's not a big deal; you can bike to a busline and throw your bike on the rack on the front of the bus. A lot of people do that because Seattle has major hills. A bus pass is included with your tuition (though I suppose you could send it back) and was $98/quarter (three calendar months) when I left. You will love your bus pass; it also gets discounts in the U district.

If you do live in the u district, look at the west side, almost to I-5.

I would talk to the GPSS (graduate and professional student senate) about options for housing. A LOT of people move to Seattle for grad school and GPSS used to have a roommate matching service and some housing resources. I don't know anything about temporary housing in Seattle because I lived there, you know? They might.

Welcome to Seattle! It's a beautiful city and I miss it very much.

[was1984]

I have a dog, so I'm looking for a room in a house for around $500 a month or so. What neighborhoods are within 5-6 miles of the University (I'll be cycling to school) where I could find something like this? I'd ideally like a place with a decent sized back yard but that doesn't feel *too* suburban, if you know what I mean.

[thestranger009]

I've spent a few weeks browsing the Seattle housing scene to get some idea of the neighborhoods and price ranges around UW, and it feels like an almost impossible task to make a decision from the other side of the country . . . I need advice!

I'm mostly concerned about the commute time - there is nothing worse than fighting traffic and that panicked feeling I get when I think I might be late to class (especially if I'm teaching it!).

I'd like to keep my commute at a maximum of 30 minutes . . . how close should I try to live to the campus to make that a realistic goal? For example, one mile if I'm going to walk, three miles if I'm going to drive, or maybe four miles if I take the bus?

I don't bike, and I have never ridden a bus in my life (mass transit is a joke where I come from - I love it when I visit well-planned cities and can actually take the metro). And I don't know how much of a hassle it is to drive to UW campus (at my current campus, if you don't show at least 45 minutes early, you can forget finding a parking space unless it's on the grass and a mile away - no exaggeration).

I would be extremely grateful for any help

[Nurse Wretched]

Do not drive to campus. Let me repeat: under no circumstances would I ever drive to campus.

The bus system is excellent. Use it. It's comprehensive.

Seattle traffic sucks, all the time. It's easily a forty minute commute to go three or four miles; there's no good east-west route and the bridges bottleneck the traffic. That's why the bus: you get shit done while waiting in traffic.

Bikes are fast. It's the best way to go through the city a lot of the time.

I can't give you hard and fast rules; a lot depends on how close you are to a bus route, if you're going opposite traffic, etc. Just be zen: it's a big city built on an isthmus, split by a canal. The trip takes a long time. The city's worth it.

[thestranger009]

Do not drive to campus. Let me repeat: under no circumstances would I ever drive to campus.

The bus system is excellent. Use it. It's comprehensive.

Seattle traffic sucks, all the time. It's easily a forty minute commute to go three or four miles; there's no good east-west route and the bridges bottleneck the traffic. That's why the bus: you get shit done while waiting in traffic.

Bikes are fast. It's the best way to go through the city a lot of the time.

I can't give you hard and fast rules; a lot depends on how close you are to a bus route, if you're going opposite traffic, etc. Just be zen: it's a big city built on an isthmus, split by a canal. The trip takes a long time. The city's worth it.

Thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know. I would love to park my car and forget about it for most of the week. I was worried about spending a lot of time in transit, but It didn't even occur to me that I might be able to get stuff done if someone else is driving (which tells you how rarely I have had the opportunity to use public transportation). And I kind of figured anything within walking distance will be very expensive or very loud . . .

Now, I can be zen