Can I survive in Seattle on $2500 pension?

[haha]

FYI Gig harbor is somewhat affordable compared to the greater seattle area where I live
$240.000 will be a starter home or condo and that might be perfect for you
with property taxes around $1900.00 per year on that amount.

Once you experience metro-Seattle traffic you will understand why people pay more to live right in the city limits of Seattle, or in the urban eastside which is usally more expensive than Seattle itself.

Of course if you plan to live a basically smaller-town life, just in the maritime NW, why not?

Ha

 

[aja8888]

I suspect it will also be difficult, if not impossible, to find good Tex-Mex.

From what I have read, the Mexican drug cartels have created an atmosphere where there is enough demand for halfway decent Tex-Mex in the Seattle area.

 

[Brat]

Housing is cheaper in Bremerton, an alternate cute town is Poulsbo. The advantage of Bremerton is that it has a ferry to Seattle. I think someone mentioned Gig Harbor. Gig Harbor is cute but Tacoma is your nearest city. Tacoma, while getting gentrified, isn't a destination city. Sequim is in a rain-shadow so it gets more sun than other communities in NW WA. A former colleague and his wife moved there in retirement. She hated it because, I think, she is essentially a city person.

I lived on Bainbridge Island about 15 years, it is a beautiful and in comparison to TX expensive.

Traffic is terrible in Seattle (actually up and down I-5 between Everett - Centralia) and east of Lake Washington.

 

[AllDone]

Your money would probably go a bit further in Portland.

 

[Brat]

Portland's housing has gotten expensive too. Cheaper than San Francisco or Seattle but really expensive by TX standards.

Keep in mind the fact that WA lack of an income tax doesn't help them much at all. WA has a significant fee when selling a home, for example. $2,500 income a month, likely most of it SS, would basically be below OR income tax cutoff.

It is hard to know what attracts the OP's wife to Seattle. If we knew that we could offer alternate locals that would be affordable.

 

[SFC-Mike-B]

Thank you everyone for your insights and suggestions. Sounds like it is feasible but perhaps on a tight budget.

Wife and i will take some time in February to visit the surrounding areas and islands for a closer look and see how it feels.

Our intended move itself is late 2018. Hopefully by then i can muster up more cash and savings.

All the best to everyone. Thank you.

 

[VFK57]

Our friends retired a few years ago and moved to Redmond (Seattle suburb) retirement community, close to their only daughter' family. They miss sunny California and living on budget well above $2,500. In order to afford Med/Dental insurance (Medicare for him and purchase ACA for her) she works part time.

 

[braumeister]

One of my favorite stories: A friend built a very nice custom home in Redmond back in the late 70s. Then Microsoft moved in, not far away, and he seriously cleaned up when he sold the place.

 

[Happyras]

Forgot to mention. Prepare yourself for nobody really knowing what good BBQ is in the Seattle area. They all think that firing up the grill and putting on some hamburgers and dogs is BBQ.

You are from Texas. You will be sad about that.

I have lived in and near Seattle all my life. Last week I bought a Prime Brisket from Costco, cheap! $2.89/lb for prime whole, rubbed it, and smoked it for 9 hours on the Kamado Grill. I would challenge you on beating that BBQ!

Being conservative, I have to thank the Californians for bringing up the bleeding liberal vote here. We used to have republican governors and lower taxes. Property owners on the eastside have fought for years to actually control their own property rights. The condo dwellers have the vote.

I would definitely recommend a 2 to 6 month trial living here before making any moves, but after traveling just about everywhere in the world both for work and currently fun, I always recognize the advantages of Seattle when I step off the plane.

I am struggling to buy may kids a starter home within reasonable distance to their work. You bid $400k for a tear down on the eastside and some idiot scoops it for $475, aluminum wiring, asbestos and all.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I strongly advise against moving withou extensive first hand experience. I live an hour south of Seattle and wouldn't want to live closer. One of my coworkers lives on Phinney Ridge (literally no yard, his small houses is perched on rockery walls) and his property taxes are scheduled to go to $10k/yr. .....

And taxes (property and sales tax and car tax) are scheduled to go much higher if that Sound Transit 3 $54 billion! measure is passed next week.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I have lived in and near Seattle all my life. Last week I bought a Prime Brisket from Costco, cheap! $2.89/lb for prime whole, rubbed it, and smoked it for 9 hours on the Kamado Grill. I would challenge you on beating that BBQ!

let me know when you figure out beef ribs

 

[exnavynuke]

A brisket smoked in 9 hours, what was it, 4 lbs or was it cooked "hot and fast" (hint, not bbq) instead of "low and slow"?

 

[Happyras]

A brisket smoked in 9 hours, what was it, 4 lbs or was it cooked "hot and fast" (hint, not bbq) instead of "low and slow"?

OK it could have gone more time, held at 225f, I cut it in half and smoked about 5# on the thick end. Saved the thin end for later. It was delicious. To Big Hitters point, I moved way past ribs, but them are good eatn as well! But it depends on the choice of wood used. Texans seem to use too much mesquite, and never enough apple or cherry chunks.

 

[homestead]

You can live in Vancouver Wa. cheaper than Seattle and drive across the river to Oregon and avoid the Wa. sales tax.

 

[aja8888]

I have lived in and near Seattle all my life. Last week I bought a Prime Brisket from Costco, cheap! $2.89/lb for prime whole, rubbed it, and smoked it for 9 hours on the Kamado Grill. I would challenge you on beating that BBQ!

Wow, just wow! I'd put up pre-cooked, sliced and packaged H.E.B. Grocery store brisket against that! I'm sure it was great, but you are in Seattle and not Texas. We are still marinating our brisket after the first 9 hours. It's all good though!

 

[braumeister]

Man, you guys are way too tough on him!
I would say 9 hours to smoke a little 5 lb brisket is definitely in the ballpark. Probably not as long as I would do it, but if the temp was high enough (like closer to 300), then perfectly acceptable.

 

[Teacher Terry]

It really does not look like you can afford it. It would be no fun to live somewhere you like but have no $ to go out and enjoy things. I would take Ha's advice.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Man, you guys are way too tough on him!
I would say 9 hours to smoke a little 5 lb brisket is definitely in the ballpark. Probably not as long as I would do it, but if the temp was high enough (like closer to 300), then perfectly acceptable.

Don't mess with Texas

 

[Gallaher]

I grew up in Arizona. Lived in Portland, Eugene, Corvallis for last 35years.
Another year and I am moving east to dryer weather.
Besides the wet, you deal with very long nights in the Northwest. With daylight savings time ending we will see sunset @ 4:30 PM.
Done a ton of business travel in Seattle. Stayed there 300 nights in the last 5 years. I would not want to try to get by on $5,000 a month in that market. Even with paid for house.
Better to test drive the market before you move to Seattle.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

OK it could have gone more time, held at 225f, I cut it in half and smoked about 5# on the thick end. Saved the thin end for later. It was delicious. To Big Hitters point, I moved way past ribs, but them are good eatn as well! But it depends on the choice of wood used. Texans seem to use too much mesquite, and never enough apple or cherry chunks.

Mesquite? Fiddlesticks, I only use post-oak. And maybe some Pecan or Hickory chunks. Texas is big, so depends on which part yer talking about.
(Actually- I use oak lump charcoal in my green egg. It's a lot easier than stick burning. But never mesquite charcoal or that compressed stuff)

 

[supernova72]

I live in West Seattle and the housing market is white hot meaning hotter than red. My plain Jane 1924 craftsman style 1240 sq foot home Zillow's out to $570K (no kidding).

I just *retired* 3 months ago (read corporate downsized) and if I paid off my house $5K a month is pretty much the lower end for a budget for me (single, travel a little bit).

Gig Harbor and moving south like Graham or far north (Bellingham) or the Islands will be more affordable. Word or warning, proper Seattle area has the 4th worst traffic in the U.S. not that you will be commuting.

No state income tax, 9.6% sales on on non grocery items. It's a fantastic place to live especially June - Sept. 75 degrees and zero humidity.

 

[aja8888]

I live in West Seattle and the housing market is white hot meaning hotter than red. My plain Jane 1924 craftsman style 1240 sq foot home Zillow's out to $570K (no kidding).

I just *retired* 3 months ago (read corporate downsized) and if I paid off my house $5K a month is pretty much the lower end for a budget for me (single, travel a little bit).

Gig Harbor and moving south like Graham or far north (Bellingham) or the Islands will be more affordable. Word or warning, proper Seattle area has the 4th worst traffic in the U.S. not that you will be commuting.

No state income tax, 9.6% sales on on non grocery items. It's a fantastic place to live especially June - Sept. 75 degrees and zero humidity.

I don't get your reasoning why it's a great place to live, at least 4 months of the year?

1. Rains 8 other months of the year,
2. 4th worst traffic in the U.S.,
3. 9.6% sales tax,
4. Extremely high cost housing,
5. $5K month min cost to live (with paid off house).

Seems like you could do better elsewhere?

 

[supernova72]

I don't get your reasoning why it's a great place to live, at least 4 months of the year?

1. Rains 8 other months of the year,
2. 4th worst traffic in the U.S.,
3. 9.6% sales tax,
4. Extremely high cost housing,
5. $5K month min cost to live (with paid off house).

Seems like you could do better elsewhere?

It's not for everybody. It does not rain 8 months a yr. It ranks right in the middle in rainfall in the U.S.

No flooding or storms to worry about.
No insects or snow to speak of
Four professional sports teams (Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Storm)
Good paying jobs (if you choose to work). HQ for Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing, Nordtstrom, Weyerhauser, and Amazon just to name a few
A super diverse demographic of young professionals

I traveled for work to the SE, Mid-West, NE, South. No thanks. I have no interest in living in the sticks in a 4,000 sq foot house that costs $150K. Not my cup of tea.

The reason housing prices are high is because people are moving here for good paying jobs not so much "ER".

 

[aja8888]

It's not for everybody. It does not rain 8 months a yr. It ranks right in the middle in rainfall in the U.S.

No flooding or storms to worry about.
No insects or snow to speak of
Four professional sports teams (Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, Storm)
Good paying jobs (if you choose to work). HQ for Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing, Nordtstrom, Weyerhauser, and Amazon just to name a few
A super diverse demographic of young professionals

I traveled for work to the SE, Mid-West, NE, South. No thanks. I have no interest in living in the sticks in a 4,000 sq foot house that costs $150K. Not my cup of tea.

The reason housing prices are high is because people are moving here for good paying jobs not so much "ER".

Many years ago, I was stuck in a snowstorm for two days in Kent, Wa. That's one thing you folks don't know how to deal with..snow!

If I was to live out that way, it would be the Bellingham area. I worked for ARCO at one time and they had a refinery up that way I did project work at.

And actually, now we are in Texas and like it here. We also encourage people from other states to stay where you are and not move to Texas.

 

[rodi]

I agree that Seattle doesn't know how to deal with snow. I was there... (well, Bellingham) in the early 90's and a big snow storm wiped out the city for several days. I had a friend who was on a bus heading to her home in West Seattle - the bus couldn't get over the bridge... she ended up walking almost 2 miles in the snow to get home.

I was surprised, when I was researching a job opportunity in the Philly metro area that Seattle and Philly had similar annual rain falls. I ended up taking the job and figured it out... In Seattle it drizzles... a lot... often... But rarely rains hard. Rain comes in 1/8 inch increments. In Philly you get these incredible summer storms that flood everything... trash cans floating down Lincoln drive type flooding. They get all their rain in a few storms... several inches at a time.