Seattle Relocation Concierge on Housing, Traffic, and Weather
In our newest series, we deep dive into commonly asked questions about Seattle with our local area expert and Relocation Concierge Alex. A few of the most common questions we see are about housing, traffic, and weather so that’s where we’ll start! Check out each section below for some insights from a local Seattlite who has been in the relocation industry for 15+ years. If you need help with pet transportation or relocating for work give us a call!
Housing
Alex pauses, it’s expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. It’s not ALL expensive, not like San Francisco. But in Seattle, certain locations are expensive. If you’re willing to commute 30+ minutes one way you can find a good deal.
If you need a pet friendly apartment that can limit options, especially if you have more than two pets. But Seattle has good pet friendly options.
In Seattle, WA and Bellevue, WA costs are comparable with a 1 bedroom apartment running $2,200 a month (Aug 2022). Keep in mind that parking, and water/sewer/gas is additional. You can expect similar costs within a 10 min radius of both downtown centers.
Generally the best time to rent or buy is the fall. The worst time is late spring and all summer because school is out. And keep in mind that holidays aren’t a good time to move. A lot of places are closed, have limited staff, and have surprisingly high demand.
Traffic
Traffic can be a challenge, but there are things you can do to help yourself out. Learn the inside roads, like Airport Way S in Tukwila and South Seattle. The quickest way via mileage or drivings apps may not be the fastest or the prettiest.
The great thing about finding inside roads and side routes, is the beauty. Enjoy the back roads, take in the beautiful architecture and scenery on Lake Washington Blvd in Seattle or drive through areas like New Castle on the East Side. If you’re further south Des Moines Memorial Drive is an absolute treat, and runs all the way from West Seattle to Federal Way. It reminds me of parts of the Pacific Highway.
Heads up that downtown Seattle has cameras at crosswalks that fine you! Make sure to not drive too far forward into the crosswalk on a red light, the fine can be as high as $90!
Weather
Seattle’s weather is filled with fresh air, sea breezes, and four beautiful seasons. In comparison to the east coast, the weather is relatively predictable. You can plan things out days in advance based on weather report. This is because weather systems get trapped between the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Mountains. When it’s sunny, it stays sunny. When it’s cloudy, it stays cloudy. It takes large pressure systems to change the weather with those mighty mountains.
While the winters can have low The summers are sunny and gorgeous. There’s a joke in the city that when people ask if it rains all the time, the best response is: “yes it’s terrible, don’t move here!” We often “forget” to mention how sunny and gorgeous the summers are.
Although the winters are often misty and with cloud cover, here’s something for everyone in Seattle. Like take Texas, how much can you say about Texas… it’s effing hot? I think that’s why we have so many people moving from Texas to Seattle. If you don’t know about it (Seattle), you’re missing out. You can get depressed because of the rain, but if you go out and take advantage of the activities then you’ll enjoy it here. There’s a reason coffee and music are so big here.
