We should all be investing in Seattle!

[Chanté Owens]

Hi BP Gang! I've just started my search for an apartment for my move to Seattle. Let me just say that their market is EN FUEGO in the areas I am looking to reside in a studio or one bedroom apartment.

I called about 15 apartment complexes today and only 2 had availability for late March. Now, to be fair, a few of them did say to contact them the second week of March, as some renters who may be vacating in April would put in their notice then.

It's hard for me to wait, because I am a planner, and I prefer not to wait to the last minute for things.

Anywhooo, just thought I would share my recent experience with my attempts in finding a place to rent.

Just as an aside, the areas I am looking in are:

• Lynnwood, WA
• Edmonds, WA
• Northgate area
• Maple Leaf area (I think that's the name)
• Queen Anne
• Belltown

And other areas in and around those areas. Obviously, downtown Seattle area is (currently) out of my price range. Kirkwood, and Bellevue are too, as they are nice areas, but apparently a lot of the Microsoft, Boening, and the like, reside in those areas (from what a couple of the PM's told me); thus pushing those rental prices up, up, up!

Also, for any of you who own rental properties and use PM's, I'd recommend doing "secret shopper" type of calls, because some of the people I spoke with on the line were...interesting, and I'm being polite. Some were completely zoned out; others were nonchalant and vague when asking specific questions. Just some food for thought, because these are the people who are the face of the property and if the potential tenants are turned off even before they see the property, that's not a good thing.

[Stephanie Dupuis]

Yes, it is still much more affordable. Car passes are available. I haven't bought on ein a long time, you'd need to look them up. But even at $200-225/mo in ferry auto pass (or $60-70/mo for walk on passenger tickets) - $200-$300/ mo is what people are paying for parking and/or gas to commute to work in Seattle. So...$200-225 for ferry costs is a DEAL!! Plus it's a beautiful and relaxing ferry ride into Seattle (vs. sitting in hours of traffic...waiting...waisting your life away behind thousands a other people). You need to think about your entire commuting expenses and time - plus you're paying hundreds more in rent over there so that you can spend just as much in commuting and spend twice as much time commuting. Makes ZERO sense.