T Nation

Seattle Commute

Off Topic
#1

For anyone who knows Seattle, i need some advice on the commuting.

I live in Issaquah area. I work in Bothell/ Mill Creek area

Morning commute: average of 40 minutes (when I work out, I drive 20 minutes to gym, the remaining 20 minutes to work)
Evening commute: 60 minutes, sometimes up to 70-80 minutes

We have lived in our current home for 3 years and when I did test runs before we bought our home, the commute times were not as long. Well, I was wrong. We are thinking of moving closer to work since the commute is burning me out. My manager won’t let me work from home. I work the typical 8:30pm -5:00pm, sometimes 5:30pm. Car pooling is out since no one at work is viable based on my hours, their hours and where I work.

We are thinking of moving closer to work next spring but the idea of selling our home is daunting. I have 3 grade school kids and I don’t want to take them out of their current school, but we would do it to move. We will also move again in 3 years once our kids get near middle school in order to go back to California. Part of me feels that maybe I should rent an apartment for 2-3 days a week on the really bad commute days, since it will likely be less expensive than moving (after realtor costs, moving costs). Rent an apartment for $1,000/ month x 36 months might be less expensive in the long term.

Like to hear any input on someone who’s faced a similar dilemma in terms of commuting.

#2

Your commute sounds exactly like mine. We just sold our house in 4 days, found another and close on Sept 13th.

However we are moving closer cause they made me partner and business owner and we are opening a new clinic.

Also my youngest kid is 17 and home schooling her final year of HS.

I would move the kids younger than older is my input. Your drive will not change.

Do you have equity built already in the house? After closing and paying most of closing cost for buyer we are clearing $35k

#3

Dude sell your house and move closer. Selling may seem daunting but look at it this way. If you spend 2 hours a day in the car 5 days a week at 52 weeks it totals out at almost 22 days of the year in your car commuting. It won’t take nearly that long to sell your house and move.

Chances are that your kids friends now won’t be life long anyways so I don’t think it will matter too much if you move now especially if you plan on moving to another state anyways.

#4

Commuting sucks, but really yours isn’t that bad. I’ve lived in the Seattle most my life, so I know the roads well enough. Are you taking I-405 to HWY 9? If so anything you can do to avoid 405 the better. There are a few routes you can take, but without knowing specifics it’s hard to direct you. If it was me, I’d probably just suck it up and deal with it. I did Lynnwood to Bremerton for a little over a year. Other options you can consider is leaving earlier to go to work, gym and a good breakfast or stopping at the gym on the way home to eat up some traffic time.