Anxious move to Washington
Nov 2nd 2005, 12:37 am
#16
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Remember there is an 8.8% sales tax 
on everything you buy as there is no state tax. We just bought a 2nd hand car of a private individual and had to pay 8.8% sales tax on top of that!! I lived in walmart when I lived in VA and IA and I now have to drive around 45 mins to get to one (there is a good one north) and my supermarket shopping there is so much cheaper than safeway or QFC. (Supermarket shopping is the one thing I miss about the UK give me tesco or M&S anyday, as M&S did prepacked quality foods. Rant over 
)
If you can afford it redmond/bellevue is a good place with good lifestyle but sadly housing is making it unaffordable.
Get google earth (can't live without it) it tells you where local schools and shops are and gives you a better idea of a place than a straight map, when looking for houses etc.
As said before whole foods are good as well as trader Joe's.
on everything you buy as there is no state tax. We just bought a 2nd hand car of a private individual and had to pay 8.8% sales tax on top of that!! I lived in walmart when I lived in VA and IA and I now have to drive around 45 mins to get to one (there is a good one north) and my supermarket shopping there is so much cheaper than safeway or QFC. (Supermarket shopping is the one thing I miss about the UK give me tesco or M&S anyday, as M&S did prepacked quality foods. Rant over )If you can afford it redmond/bellevue is a good place with good lifestyle but sadly housing is making it unaffordable.
Get google earth (can't live without it) it tells you where local schools and shops are and gives you a better idea of a place than a straight map, when looking for houses etc.
As said before whole foods are good as well as trader Joe's.
Nov 2nd 2005, 12:44 am
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
Remember there is an 8.8% sales tax on everything you buy as there is no state tax. We just bought a 2nd hand car of a private individual and had to pay 8.8% sales tax on top of that!! I lived in walmart when I lived in VA and IA and I now have to drive around 45 mins to get to one (there is a good one north) and my supermarket shopping there is so much cheaper than safeway or QFC. (Supermarket shopping is the one thing I miss about the UK give me tesco or M&S anyday, as M&S did prepacked quality foods. Rant over )
If you can afford it redmond/bellevue is a good place with good lifestyle but sadly housing is making it unaffordable.
Get google earth (can't live without it) it tells you where local schools and shops are and gives you a better idea of a place than a straight map, when looking for houses etc.
As said before whole foods are good as well as trader Joe's.
on everything you buy as there is no state tax. We just bought a 2nd hand car of a private individual and had to pay 8.8% sales tax on top of that!! I lived in walmart when I lived in VA and IA and I now have to drive around 45 mins to get to one (there is a good one north) and my supermarket shopping there is so much cheaper than safeway or QFC. (Supermarket shopping is the one thing I miss about the UK give me tesco or M&S anyday, as M&S did prepacked quality foods. Rant over )If you can afford it redmond/bellevue is a good place with good lifestyle but sadly housing is making it unaffordable.
Get google earth (can't live without it) it tells you where local schools and shops are and gives you a better idea of a place than a straight map, when looking for houses etc.
As said before whole foods are good as well as trader Joe's.
Nov 2nd 2005, 12:56 am
#18
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
But you get to claim that sales tax credit on your income tax.
Nov 2nd 2005, 1:01 am
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
Do you!!? Just told my husband and he didn't know that either! Great you are now my official financial advisor
Nov 2nd 2005, 1:20 am
#20
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
How long have you lived here in the US? I mean have you filed taxes as yet?
Though we are here on an H1B visa and we did live in VA and Indianpolis for 3 years about 3 years ago on an L1 visa. So different to here though. My husbands' work does/ helps with the tax, which is great as we obviously don't have a clue as it was a temporary work secondment and I treated it like a long 3 year hoiday, when we were in the US before
!!
Nov 2nd 2005, 1:25 am
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
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Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
Moved on 4th October '05 - could you guess we were newbies here Though we are here on an H1B visa and we did live in VA and Indianpolis for 3 years about 3 years ago on an L1 visa. So different to here though.
My husbands' work does/ helps with the tax, which is great as we obviously don't have a clue as it was a temporary work secondment and I treated it like a long 3 year hoiday, when we were in the US before !!
Though we are here on an H1B visa and we did live in VA and Indianpolis for 3 years about 3 years ago on an L1 visa. So different to here though. My husbands' work does/ helps with the tax, which is great as we obviously don't have a clue as it was a temporary work secondment and I treated it like a long 3 year hoiday, when we were in the US before
!! Is he at Microsoft or not a big company?
Nov 2nd 2005, 1:33 am
#22
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
We've been here a bit over a year. I filed our taxes using Turbo Tax, last year. Although I knew about the sales tax credit, Turbo was a pretty big help. But, I'm sure your husband's job has pretty good tax advisors. Is he at Microsoft or not a big company?
Is he at Microsoft or not a big company?
we can move quickly. It'll be next year anyhow! Are you still in Kent/covington as that's where we will probably be looking - only vaguely affordable place left!
Nov 2nd 2005, 1:59 am
#23
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
Yeah you would think he would be at microsoft living in redmond but he's at boeing - Tukilwa (I think that's how it's spelled!) We wanted to be able to buy as quickly as possible (as we've been priced out of UK we sold our house before we came to live in US 1st time about 6 years ago) and haven't bought since and prices here are soaring. So that's why we renting a townhome - got short lease and month to month on it so when we see our dream mobile home we can move quickly. It'll be next year anyhow! Are you still in Kent/covington as that's where we will probably be looking - only vaguely affordable place left!
we can move quickly. It'll be next year anyhow! Are you still in Kent/covington as that's where we will probably be looking - only vaguely affordable place left!You might want to look further south. Tukwila isn't all that far away.
Nov 2nd 2005, 2:10 am
#24
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
Nope we couldn't afford Kent/Covington, unless we wanted to live in a tiny shack in questionable neighbourhoods. Plus Kent schools are pretty sucky. We ended up in Puyallup because we wanted a bigger house. My husband was more than willing to make that horrible commute as a sacrifice. However, he only works a 3.5 day work week, so things aren't all that bad. Plus he works 6am to 6pm, so misses most of the heavy traffic and rides in a van pool. How bad is that? Can't say Puyallup schools are fantastic, but I suppose we'll cover that bridge should we decide to (currently our 4 year old is in preschool)
You might want to look further south. Tukwila isn't all that far away.
You might want to look further south. Tukwila isn't all that far away.
Will be looking as far south as I can push my husband to commute
or afford! I too want a bigger house - all my relations and friends I didn't know I had want me to have a bigger house, I wonder why But it is hard for me to scope out down there as I am so stupidly far north
also not having a car doesn't help!!
Nov 2nd 2005, 2:24 am
#25
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
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Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by irnbru4u
The furthest north will be renton/kent (know what you meant about some questionable neighbourhoods!) Heard that puyallup is nice to live in but the commute is bad.
Will be looking as far south as I can push my husband to commute or afford! I too want a bigger house - all my relations and friends I didn't know I had want me to have a bigger house, I wonder why
But it is hard for me to scope out down there as I am so stupidly far north also not having a car doesn't help!!
Will be looking as far south as I can push my husband to commute
or afford! I too want a bigger house - all my relations and friends I didn't know I had want me to have a bigger house, I wonder why But it is hard for me to scope out down there as I am so stupidly far north
also not having a car doesn't help!!
Nov 2nd 2005, 2:35 am
#26
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
Ah yes, really need a car. When we were looking for a house our realtor had us looking in Federal Way, Auburn, etc. Nothing was good. And I mean that seriously. We ended up buying a brand new house (Quadrant Homes) that had 2100 square feet. Pretty big just for the three of us. But, my MIL and SIL will be here next week for two weeks and that's what we wanted the extra space for - guests.
Thanks for the advice
Nov 2nd 2005, 4:43 am
#27
Just Joined
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Thanks for all your advice.
Learn some thing about sales tax deductible, never heard of that before, I know the interest on mortgage of the house is tax deductible.
Looking at the cost of some items you have mentioned, education and medical are more expensive there than in Australia, the rest is almost the same. Someone told me income tax is not as high as Australia. We are tax to death here.
Aside from Redmond /Bellevue, I will look at the areas( Kent, Covington,puyallup) you have mentioned.
Learn some thing about sales tax deductible, never heard of that before, I know the interest on mortgage of the house is tax deductible.
Looking at the cost of some items you have mentioned, education and medical are more expensive there than in Australia, the rest is almost the same. Someone told me income tax is not as high as Australia. We are tax to death here.
Aside from Redmond /Bellevue, I will look at the areas( Kent, Covington,puyallup) you have mentioned.
Nov 2nd 2005, 5:19 am
#28
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Originally Posted by cathang
Thanks for all your advice.
Learn some thing about sales tax deductible, never heard of that before, I know the interest on mortgage of the house is tax deductible.
Looking at the cost of some items you have mentioned, education and medical are more expensive there than in Australia, the rest is almost the same. Someone told me income tax is not as high as Australia. We are tax to death here.
Aside from Redmond /Bellevue, I will look at the areas( Kent, Covington,puyallup) you have mentioned.
Learn some thing about sales tax deductible, never heard of that before, I know the interest on mortgage of the house is tax deductible.
Looking at the cost of some items you have mentioned, education and medical are more expensive there than in Australia, the rest is almost the same. Someone told me income tax is not as high as Australia. We are tax to death here.
Aside from Redmond /Bellevue, I will look at the areas( Kent, Covington,puyallup) you have mentioned.
If you need any info generally about the area eastside I have a lot of websites research but none about education.
Nov 2nd 2005, 8:44 am
#29
UK & US Citizen
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 1,276
Re: Anxious move to Washington
Go to www.rent.com if you are looking to rent before you take the plunge to buy. They tend to list mostly apartments, though. I saw houses for rent on www.realtor.com Just select the "rent" check-box. Plus on realtor.com you can get an idea of the housing market.
Nov 2nd 2005, 12:56 pm
#30
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: Anxious move to Washington
I'm not sure if your or your spouse is an Aussie, but you might glean some further info from these websites:
http://www.australiansabroad.com (there are forums...try 'the pub' but you will need to register to view and post there)
and I've been to a couple of events by the American-Australian Association in New York with my Aussie mates. Their website has some info on the E-3 Visa which has had extra visas being awarded just for Aussies - and there is now a new expat Visa credit card for Aussie expats (which is the biggest problem most new expats face when moving to the US without any credit rating):
http://www.americanaustralian.org/
http://www.australiansabroad.com (there are forums...try 'the pub' but you will need to register to view and post there)
and I've been to a couple of events by the American-Australian Association in New York with my Aussie mates. Their website has some info on the E-3 Visa which has had extra visas being awarded just for Aussies - and there is now a new expat Visa credit card for Aussie expats (which is the biggest problem most new expats face when moving to the US without any credit rating):
http://www.americanaustralian.org/