Last fall I mentioned that I would be forced to move in mid 2014 due to the evictions. Well that time has arrived. The builders will start work on my apartment building on Tuesday. This means it is time for me to leave. The problem with moving now is that rents in Seattle are sky high due to strong demand and lagging supply.
In the next six months, 7,000 new rental units will hit the market in the most desirable neighborhoods of Seattle. And they are still building like mad. Low interest rates are like crack to builders. I expect at minimum they will build enough to match current demand, but more likely, if history is any guidance, they will overbuild and the upward trend of rents will correct and reverse. I cover my thoughts in the post Ballard Rents – Don’t Believe the Hype!
Because of all this, I think this is a good time to get out of town for a while.
While I was researching my next move, I got an offer to stay with friends in Silicon Valley for free. They have an extra room for 6 months and they know and trust me. They both have stressful jobs with high time commitments. Having someone to help out with household tasks is a plus for them and a sweet deal for me. Since I am a digital nomad, it doesn’t matter where I reside as long as I have a broadband connection.
I’ve been in Seattle since August 2007. It will be nice to explore the San Francisco area. Besides the great food, the Bay Area has one of the fastest growing specialty coffee scenes in America now. While away I will maintain a Seattle address.
After 6 months my plan is to return to Seattle in full negotiator mode to score a lease at a fair price.
Photo by Ishwar
Ragan
Jun 25, 2014 — 4:16 pm
I am really going to miss you! At least I will still get to read your blog. Have fun in San Francisco and make sure to eat at The Stinking Rose. 🙂
MAS
Jun 25, 2014 — 4:25 pm
@Ragan – Thanks! Reading their menu now. 🙂
Matthew Wendland
Jun 25, 2014 — 4:31 pm
You’re leaving? Then who is going to come tell me what to do with the new shop I am opening?
MAS
Jun 25, 2014 — 4:34 pm
@Matthew – I’ll be back. While I am gone, the Coffee Club of Seattle will continue.
http://www.meetup.com/seattle-coffee-club/
I can relay messages to them about any coffee related events.
Melissa
Jun 25, 2014 — 4:57 pm
And check out Amoeba Records in The Haight. It’s an experience even if you only do digital now. Soooooo jealous of your opportunity!
Dan
Jun 25, 2014 — 6:42 pm
Looking forward to seeing your opinions about Ritual vs. Blue Bottle vs. Four Barrel/The Mill vs. whatever else is popular now. Food-wise, you might be interested in Three Stone Hearth in Berkeley; Sushi Zone in SF is also worth a visit (but make sure to get there 30 minutes before they open if you don’t want to wait 1.5 hours). And drop a line if you want to visit one of the Google offices for lunch.
MAS
Jun 26, 2014 — 9:04 am
@Dan – That is a great offer. Thanks.
I have had both Four Barrel and Ritual already. Both were excellent. I’ll start my adventure using the book Left Coast Roast. I might even start a Meetup group like the one I have here in Seattle for the purpose of exploring the indie coffee scene.
Joe Crawford
Jun 27, 2014 — 7:59 am
What a cool opportunity. Very much looking forward to your take on that area.
Jim
Jul 1, 2014 — 7:26 am
Re: Digital Nomad
MAS,
Good luck with the move.
What’s your day job? Are you an employee, do you consult/freelance, or run a Web business?
(I’m asking in general, not for specifics).
MAS
Jul 1, 2014 — 1:46 pm
@Jim – Run a web business and consult from time to time.
chris powers
Aug 5, 2014 — 11:26 pm
I’m a long time fan of the blog, but hadn’t been on for a few months…. I just saw this post re: 6 months in Silicon Valley. As you noticed right off, its a pretty unappealing place, but there are some great spots in the region.
To the south, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a gem and Big Basin Redwood State Park near Santa Cruz is fantastic. They can be crowded on the weekends, but pretty mellow during the week
I’ve been based in San Francisco for nearly 15 years and although its gorgeous city, at this point, I spend a lot of my free time in the countryside north of town. Millions of acres of protected open space… and lots of beautiful food coming from local farms and ranches.
Between San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley… as well as Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino counties, there is a lot of amazing stuff to take in…
My fiance and I are good tour guides if you’re in the market…. I’m happy to give back after all the enjoyment I’ve gotten from your site.
In addition to the beautiful scenery and epic hikes, I’m well versed on just about every specialty coffee roaster and the best quality/value food in the region. Don’t hesitate to hit me up if you’re wanting to see some of the finer points.
p.s. Small roaster – check out http://www.lineacaffe.com and also, make sure to go to Blue Bottle Mint Plaza for the siphon bar. Its so worth it.
MAS
Aug 6, 2014 — 3:01 pm
@Chris – Thanks for the tips and the offer. I will email you.
I was at Linea yesterday. I really did their espresso. It is a nice change of pace from the sour offerings from Ritual and SightGlass, which so far have been a disappointment.
here is my espresso SS: http://tinyurl.com/sf-espresso