Seattle Housing (edited)
Well, I'm in the market for another place to live...Again. This time, the reason is completely legit. I just need more square footage and perhaps someplace closer to CNB's school so he doesn't have those arduous cross-town yellow bus commutes that I had as a child. Actually, there are a number of other reasons, one of which is just looking at the rental market again before I continue to go through the motions of becoming a first time homebuyer, weighing the options, seeing what's available etc.
So I put up a blurb on Craigslist, marketing myself as a good potential renter and have begun my search. There are many humorous stories to tell about what's available in the Seattle rental market, but (that would be the ultimate digression). Every place I look at that's affordable and has a vacancy has really obvious reasons as to why it's vacant. Doing research, driving around neighborhoods, looking at listings, gets me into this really competitive mood. Be the first to put down that deposit on that killer place! Get ready to mobilize! At the same time, I'm looking for a job with improved income potential, just got notification about that grad school application, and going through the motions for qualifying as a first time home buyer.
For about the last five years, even though my income was on a steady climb...per Seattle.gov's statistical charts, I'm still in the "60% of Seattle's median income range," (as in Civil servant or Public elementary school teacher) so I put home ownership aside as just being way, way too far out of reach. I feel slightly better knowing that this is now a recognized social/economic problem that now requires "Further study by official organizations." I'm also a single-income, liberal arts degree person that fits every stereotype of (until recently seemingly directionless) and under-earning. From what's left of my parents, they are in the "If you really want it, I'm sure you'll find a way" mode of family support, so no help expected there.
I grew up in Seattle, and I felt, feel well...entitled to live here...Within city limits. I also was absolutely opposed on principle to moving to Renton, Kent, or other "drive 'till you qualify regions," and signing on the I-5 corridor commute that there is no escape-route from. I'm also one of those weird, idealistic people that prefers not to Have to drive...Everywhere. Fortunately, this is now a trendy outlook, via "How to be Green" Wired Magazine articles for Gen-X adults. Unfortunately almost all of the desirable in-town locations are expensive...in the realm of the absurd for the not-already--catastrophically-wealthy-from-equity-category...but I'm not bitter! Scouting 2bds in my area, every condo I see is close or above 400k. The places I've seen that I can afford...are almost humorously pathetic. "Tear-down" houses says one of my friends.
RE: ownership, obviously it's desirable to own vs. rent from a financial standpoint. But if that's true, then how come most of my age-mates just say "it's not even realistic anymore!" or my very favorite "Anything you can afford (to buy) you will hate." The Seattle market is notoriously difficult to get into...but it's worth a shot, right? Hello? More often the advice that I get is "just move to NM, WI or somewhere other than Seattle, and then move back if you really want to. That is...an option. but my life, my friends are here! (counter advice: you can make new friends!) I hate it when people give me advice when I know they are right, but I don't agree out of some stubborn counter-argument...
In the meantime, I have hired a private "career transition specialist" who is helping me reasses my "marketability" and unlike others I've consulted she didn't immediately say: "If you want to do a career change, you'll have to take a pay cut." In fact she is now flooding me with an impressive array of jobs I technically qualify for, (but would take a lot of luck and resolve to get).
Later in the month, I also have an appointment for a first time home buyer assessment and hopefully she will tell me something not completely demoralizing (as in just stay in the rental market). More updates to follow.
So I put up a blurb on Craigslist, marketing myself as a good potential renter and have begun my search. There are many humorous stories to tell about what's available in the Seattle rental market, but (that would be the ultimate digression). Every place I look at that's affordable and has a vacancy has really obvious reasons as to why it's vacant. Doing research, driving around neighborhoods, looking at listings, gets me into this really competitive mood. Be the first to put down that deposit on that killer place! Get ready to mobilize! At the same time, I'm looking for a job with improved income potential, just got notification about that grad school application, and going through the motions for qualifying as a first time home buyer.
For about the last five years, even though my income was on a steady climb...per Seattle.gov's statistical charts, I'm still in the "60% of Seattle's median income range," (as in Civil servant or Public elementary school teacher) so I put home ownership aside as just being way, way too far out of reach. I feel slightly better knowing that this is now a recognized social/economic problem that now requires "Further study by official organizations." I'm also a single-income, liberal arts degree person that fits every stereotype of (until recently seemingly directionless) and under-earning. From what's left of my parents, they are in the "If you really want it, I'm sure you'll find a way" mode of family support, so no help expected there.
I grew up in Seattle, and I felt, feel well...entitled to live here...Within city limits. I also was absolutely opposed on principle to moving to Renton, Kent, or other "drive 'till you qualify regions," and signing on the I-5 corridor commute that there is no escape-route from. I'm also one of those weird, idealistic people that prefers not to Have to drive...Everywhere. Fortunately, this is now a trendy outlook, via "How to be Green" Wired Magazine articles for Gen-X adults. Unfortunately almost all of the desirable in-town locations are expensive...in the realm of the absurd for the not-already--catastrophically-wealthy-from-equity-category...but I'm not bitter! Scouting 2bds in my area, every condo I see is close or above 400k. The places I've seen that I can afford...are almost humorously pathetic. "Tear-down" houses says one of my friends.
RE: ownership, obviously it's desirable to own vs. rent from a financial standpoint. But if that's true, then how come most of my age-mates just say "it's not even realistic anymore!" or my very favorite "Anything you can afford (to buy) you will hate." The Seattle market is notoriously difficult to get into...but it's worth a shot, right? Hello? More often the advice that I get is "just move to NM, WI or somewhere other than Seattle, and then move back if you really want to. That is...an option. but my life, my friends are here! (counter advice: you can make new friends!) I hate it when people give me advice when I know they are right, but I don't agree out of some stubborn counter-argument...
In the meantime, I have hired a private "career transition specialist" who is helping me reasses my "marketability" and unlike others I've consulted she didn't immediately say: "If you want to do a career change, you'll have to take a pay cut." In fact she is now flooding me with an impressive array of jobs I technically qualify for, (but would take a lot of luck and resolve to get).
Later in the month, I also have an appointment for a first time home buyer assessment and hopefully she will tell me something not completely demoralizing (as in just stay in the rental market). More updates to follow.
