Relocating

Newcomer’s Guide to Seattle

Moving Advice from Current and Former Residents

  • If driving across states, enjoy the trip!
  • Use Amtrak to ship your boxes. I shipped 6 full boxes of stuff for $125 bucks from DC to SEA via Amtrak Express
  • New buildings will sometimes offer discounted rental rates for residents who have income below a certain level (Income Qualified rates). It’s worth asking about this program if you are looking at newly constructed buildings in Seattle.
  • I rented furniture through a company named Cort since I was only going to be in Seattle for one year. Relatively cheap for students (approx. $100/month) to furnish a one-bedroom apartment. They delivered and set up my furniture before I moved in.
  • Seattle Apartment Finder is a great free resource to help find apartments. Ask apartment buildings if they offer reduced rates for low-income (many buildings do this and we qualify).
  • You don’t need a car, but it’s nice to have.
  • Okay to start looking early, but most apartments will become available only a month before.
  • Try to plan extra time for moving in the rare, but unfortunate event that things get lost or delayed.
  • We used U-haul’s U-box service and it wasn’t great. It was the cheapest of the pod options, but the movers on the Seattle end were not great and our pods showed up late to Seattle. I wouldn’t recommend them unless you don’t have other options. (program note: I’ve had great experience with other Pod companies)
  • Transitioning to a new city can be exciting but also tough at first. Give your self time to settle in, and things will feel familiar quicker than you may think. Cohort is helpful with transition, as they are all automatic friends/people to explore with!
Last Modified: December 28, 2022