Hello,

I have read a few comments that you guys have posted, and I had a few questions to ask you myself. First, I would like to say that I live in Little Rock, AR with my husband. We have been contemplating moving to another state for personal reasons. We have heard so many things about Seattle and we would like to visit the area first before making the BIG move. We are planning a trip in November 2008--which according to some of the replies I have read, this is not one of the best times to visit--just to get a feel of the city to make sure this would be some place that we could enjoy. We were thinking about visiting around Thanksgiving or the early part of December. We are not wealthy people but we like to stay on a middle income budget. Do you have any suggestions for the best hotels in the area? We would like to visit Pike Place Market and the Space Needle and all of the other fun things we see that Seattle has to offer. We are also open to any suggestions that you have for places to eat and nightlife events.

Seattle is a great city. I lived there for about 2-3 years and enjoyed it. The weather is my only problem with Seattle. The summer is beautiful, but the other seasons are mostly gray (not so much rain as I thought, but lots of clouds). Seattle is still affordable compared to many other major cities in the United States. However, it will be a lot more expensive then Little Rock. I'd use the name your own price feature on priceline.com and search the downtown area for $50 for a 2+ star hotel. Bellevue, Edmonds, and Redmond are all nice suburbs of Seattle.

Another similar option would be Portland, OR. The city has made some good improvements and the downtown area is great. Housing is also much more affordable then Seattle. You might want to drive to Portland after Seattle, it's only about a 4 hour drive.

Good luck finding your new home!

I would suggest that you visit the online editions of the Seattle newspapers: (1) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/home/index.html, (2) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com. That way you can look at the job and housing markets before you visit, have information about neighborhoods, a general idea of the lifestyle there, transportation options, cost of living, etc, plus things you may wish to do when you visit. Gary

Another website that would help with things to do: www.whatsonwhen.com. Gary

Actually, I think November is a great time for someone to visit Seattle with thoughts of moving permanently. In November, a visitor will get a good feel for the weather one can expect for the next 4-5 months. If you don't go buggy after a couple of days in November, chances are good the climate won't be an issue after the move.

Bear in mind that winter here, while gloomy, dark and damp, is not typicaly terribly cold, and that the rainfall is only occasionally downpourish. With the proper raingear, it's entirely possible to be out and about comfortably in all but the worst storms. Not like, say, the midwest, where a trip to a restaurant or grocery store involves time and labor to pile on layers of clothing, dig out one's car, navigate icy streets, etc. Seattlites cope with the winter weather with books, films, plays, concerts, museums, and (not to be forgotten) lots 'n' lots of coffee. There's a reason Starbucks and Tullys are headquartered here!

Payback for the winter gloom, as has been noted is summertime, which starts late (July), but is absolutely glorious most years. Days are long, due to the very northen latitude, and temperatures are quite comfortable. Most visitors come in summer, of course, and come to the wrong conclusion about what the seasonal weather cycle around here is like.

Do carefully note the other posts about the differences in cost of living between the southeast and the Seattle metro area. Unlike many areas in the US, home prices in the core area of Seattle are *not* declining, and are down only a bit in the outlying suburbs. Rents are going steadily up, as well. However, if you arrive with the financial resources to make a solid downpayment on a liveable home, and get financing at a reasonable cost, it's still doable to purchase property.

Also to bear in mind: schools. If you have school-age children, or plan to have them, you need to know that the local school system has been underfunded for years and is experiencing the problems you'd expect. Those problems are, I understand, finally being addressed, but Seattle is playing catch-up in that respect, and it'll be a while before the education system here is fully recovered.

I agree that trying Priceline (name your price) can work out well. I had a friend get a room right by the airport for $50 that way last week.

I also agree with the last poster that November might be a great time for you to visit. You will see it overcast and getting dark much earlier than you are used to, I think. But maybe that is better for you to see before you think of making a big move. In the summer, though, it is so gorgeous here...

I also wanted to say that you might want to check out other areas surrounding Seattle. I live in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula. While only 2.5 hrs from Seattle, it is a VERY different place to live. Prices here are not as bad as Seattle, but they are still on the steep side. If you were to look over by Sequim (along the north edge of the Olympic Peninsula) it is cheaper there. Very nice community. These are small towns over here, though, and maybe not what you are looking for.

If I can think of any cheaper places to stay in Seattle, I will try to post again!

I'm originally from AR myself and found some dramatic differences. Cost is the big one, it is mucho expensive compared to AR, but given that, your survival skills from living in AR are good ones to survive in Seattle. Rents are from $750+ for one bedroom in suburbs to over $1000/mo in prime areas. But you can find suburban ares and college area housing which can be reasonable. You can survive because wages are much higher here. Minimum wage is one of highest in country, even service economy wages are $10-$15/hour or higher. Lots of jobs in health care, computers, social services, etc. Transportation can be easily done by buses here, which save costs; some employers pay for the buspass. Traffic is a hassle, though. Great resale shops - Goodwill rocks, so leave the furniture and stuff behind - it's easy to replace here cheaply. November will be somewhat dark and wet, and the first year you will miss the sunshine brightness you were used to. But it is still light during the day and you have to get past staying inside in the rain-just get out and hike, travel, live life. The ocean on one side and mountains on the other are beauties that can't be missed, and summer will totally win you over. Remember, no tornados, mosquitoes, heatstroke or poisonous snakes (on this side of the mt). For hotels, I would try the travel sites and also look for residence hotels around the airport or South Center Mall area for weekly rates. Eat somewhere in the International District/Chinatown (House of Hong for dim sum due to free parking)or U-District for diversity of choices in college area. Lots of seafood choices along the waterfront; the Crab Pot allows you to eat family style with a mix of seafood. Little expensive, but our visitors have liked the experience. It is easy to reach downtown where you can walk from Pike Place Market to the waterfront (Aquarium) or uphill to a Monorail stop to go to Seattle Center where the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center is. Bring a good raincoat with a hood and brim and fleecewear, plus comfortable shoes, and clothes you can layer (warms up in middle of day, cooler during other hours). Go to the local beaches like Golden Gardens or drive up north to Camano Island or San Juan Islands. Take a ferry ride, even in Nov. it will be enjoyable from inside a ferry. You can drive to the mt's for a day of skiing or snowboarding also, although without snow-wear it might be hard. All in all, it is doable in rainy Nov and livable if you give it a try.