Work in healthcare field and live in PNW? Or just PNW residents

[deutschman]

Seattle is kind of going the way of SF CA. Over crowded, bad traffic, lots of homeless, and home prices are just shooting up FAST!
I moved up here about a year ago, I don't regret it at all, but its also not what I had been hoping for in terms of affordability.
I rent the bottom half of a house in Edmonds (40 mins N of Seattle) and commute to Seattle for work every day. It is basically impossible to find an affordable rental with a garage or affordable home to buy near Seattle unless you make .com money.
If you are going into the medical field maybe you could find a nice coastal retirement town with elderly people that need lots of healthcare?
My brother and mom Live out in Sequim. Down side is its remote, and does not have much going for it yet. Basic small town with a Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, Safe Way, QFC and so on. But homes are affordable, and it is beautiful. Lots of snow capt mountains and trees and lots of incredible places to drive to and hike at. Very close to the Ocean and you can take a ferry to Canada from the next town over (Port Angeles).
I think Sequim is going to grow a lot within the next few years. On first looks its seams like a quite conservative town with retirees and rednecks, but there is a quiet underflow of young people moving there from CA and other states buying up farm land and doing real cool stuff. Lots of wealthy people are buying vacation homes there. I see it getting bigger, but not in a bad way.
Its worth checking out. If I wasn't tied into a good job where I am now, Id head out there.
Funny enough my little brother is going to college for physical therapy and sports medicine.

[BraveUlysses]

PNW is full.

[mrsleeve]

No kidding. Today was just full of stupid. So many newbie rain drivers being unpredictable at best..

Luckily, there's been a rash of car break-in's that seem to be targeting out of state plates. Maybe they'll get the hint they are not wanted and go back to where ever they came from.

That kinda tactic was tired in MT, the CA,WA,OR,TX plates keep migrating in droves dont get your hopes up

[skids]

newbie

Yeah so reading this thread I had to jump in.

Recently moved to Reno NV for my kid to go to school here and see all of the issues you guys are talking about in the Portland and Seattle areas.

Traffic and drivers are just stupid. Haven't had problems with break ins but the homeless situation here is bad, and its cold outside. There but for the grace of god...

It really makes me wonder about the state of the country. I don't disagree with you guys that PNW is full and I get where your coming from but something just rubs the wrong way with all of that.

What can you do? What do you do if you are trying to get started in a new place that is overcrowded and you are not really wanted there?

I grew up in southern cali and moved out 15 years ago, there is a whole other world out there, people are different in the Midwest.

I had relatives in Reno growing up and spent some time in summer in Reno area, it seems to have changed a lot. Still lots of ppl coming from cali to get away from mess, I guess you see the same in PNW.

When I was a kid I lived north of Ventura, in Santa Barbara county. They would hang signs on Hwy 101 that read "LA GO HOME". I knew when I was still very young that I would never be able to afford to live in the neighborhood I grew up in. I guess a lot of why Trump got elected was the feeling we have of its getting worse not better.

I would like to hear how it turns out for OP.

[djjerme]

Takes a lot of grit to get started and on your feet in one of the cities here, for the aforementioned reasons.

There is also no end in sight. If you cannot afford to purchase in a metro area, then you will waste far more than the approved 30% on housing.

I would love to live in the more rural parts of Oregon or even the coast, but alas, my wife works in downtown so we are stuck in town for the time being.

As I type this, I am sitting on my couch nursing a killer headache caused by the traffic on my way home. I just decided it wasn't worth it to be out anymore today and headed home. No sense in sitting in 2 hours of needless Californian transplant traffic.

Oh, it's raining.

No kidding. Today was just full of stupid. So many newbie rain drivers being unpredictable at best..

Luckily, there's been a rash of car break-in's that seem to be targeting out of state plates. Maybe they'll get the hint they are not wanted and go back to where ever they came from.

[95BMWIC]

Apparently the OP got his answer..

[dereliiict]

Takes a lot of grit to get started and on your feet in one of the cities here, for the aforementioned reasons.

There is also no end in sight. If you cannot afford to purchase in a metro area, then you will waste far more than the approved 30% on housing.

I would love to live in the more rural parts of Oregon or even the coast, but alas, my wife works in downtown so we are stuck in town for the time being.

As I type this, I am sitting on my couch nursing a killer headache caused by the traffic on my way home. I just decided it wasn't worth it to be out anymore today and headed home. No sense in sitting in 2 hours of needless Californian transplant traffic.

Oh, it's raining.

[James Crivellone]

HCIT here, although most of my customers are out of the PNW

[agent]

Jeremy's post made me think you should check out Cleveland:

[lti_57]

all though not as hip as Seattle or Portland I been to both those cities fun to visit but now way in Hell am i living there. A few people above have mentioned some of the issues.
Rent mainly is sky high and the traffic in Seattle is horrendous.
Boise is cool. I am in Spokane and I can tell you its a great place we do have 4 seasons.
Big Medical facilities. about 4 hrs from Seattle. prob 8 from Oregon coast.
Spokane has always been viewed as backwards from the west side of the state.
But Lately we are growing, lots of new breweries, restaurants. close to a butt load of lakes and camping.
good luck in your search
pic of Monroe street bridge.

[Matt-B]

they do some, and did this winter.

The issue is 500000 cars drive on snow before the plows get there, and it gets so compact if cant be plowed

[FredK]

IIRC in metro Portland, they do not treat the roads with ice melt when it snows. They wait for it to melt, as the sun revolves around them.

[ST1G]

Boise is great. We have two large hospital systems. St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus. Housing is affordable and there is lots to do outside. Yes, you're a 6 hour drive from the coast but you don't have to deal with a bunch of ass holes like Austin! and djjerme ;)

[Matt-B]

PNW is full.

Dont Bother with Portland, its a joke...

Rural x1000, any city along i5 is with 2 hours of the coast, Id suggest Washingtn, but tbh, the more people who move here the worse it gets, massive homeless issues, crime is on the rise, landlords and home owners, are gouging ppl because the "transplants" are happy to pay.

People will key your car, steal your bike, and slash tires just because, and because your not from here. Portland really isnt a city i recommend people visit. Its a dump now...

[Keith M]

The more rural parts of the NW would welcome your skills as a health care professional more than the hipster towns. Cost of living is lower and you can enjoy a low traffic/stress environment.