Posts — Page 259

Hi everyone, I’m (35 M, single) planning to move from Mesa, Arizona, to the Bellevue area by late November or early December. I’m looking for a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment with a budget of approximately $2,500–$3,000 per month. What are the best websites, property-management companies, or local resources for finding legitimate listings? I’ve checked the major rental sites, but I’m interested in options that locals actually use. I’d also appreciate advice on: Neighborhoods or nearby areas that are safe and reasonably convenient Apartment communities or management companies to consider or avoid Typical additional costs for parking, utilities and move-in fees Rental scams or warning signs common in the area Planning a long-distance move from Arizona, including movers, containers or truck rentals Anything I should know about moving during late November or early December Thanks for any recommendations or firsthand experiences.

Hi all, I'm renting in Seattle and asked the property management company for my home if we could have our next lease be a 6 month lease instead of a 12 month. They said: "We can review shorter fixed-term options within our policy (leases cannot end between Sept 16 – Mar 31)." I asked for the reason behind this policy, and they said: "The September 16 – March 31 restriction is tied to seasonal leasing patterns in the Puget Sound area. During the fall and winter months, rental demand drops significantly and vacancies take longer to fill. This policy protects property owners from extended vacancies during the slowest leasing period of the year. If you have a preferred end date outside that window, please send it over and we'll review your request." My question: is this allowed? Is this legal? It seems strange to me that a property management company is allowed to bar their renters from having leases that end in specific months of the year, especially when that date range is over half the year. I called the Renting in Seattle helpline and they said it would be 2-3 months until my inquiry was read and I was called back, so...seeing if anyone here has knowledge. Thanks for reading and thanks to anyone who can help!

Hey everyone! I’ll be visiting Seattle soon, I was hoping I could get some local recommendations for your restaurants, I’m trying to support local businesses and trying to get some good food and coffee, ideally looking for a place to sit down and enjoy a meal with my partner. All suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

I just need to appreciate the fact that you can get a 16 oz fresh drip coffee at Metropolitan Market for $2.50 . No awkward, guilt-inducing 25% tip screens flipped in your face. No $5.50 baseline before tax. Just a genuinely great, high-quality cup of coffee (they brew local roasts like Caffe Vita) at a price that actually feels reasonable for everyday drinking. In a city where a standard drip coffee is turning into a luxury expense, the Met Market service counter is an absolute hidden gem. If you want premium quality without the specialty cafe price inflation, definitely check it out.

On 10/4 I discovered that my truck was stolen while parked overnight on Westlake avenue under the Pemco building. I’ve put a lot of work into it and just ask that people keep an eye out for it. It has a little airplane sticker on the back window and the emblem was recently painted bronze gold. SPD is already notified but any additional eyes are appreciated.

Anyone lose a dog recently? There was a white terrier with black spots that like bolted across the road by the school. Stopped in time and watched the little guy trot into the grass and trees next to the road.

Had to make a career pivot and it cost me $25k/yr so I have to downgrade my lifestyle and find housing closer Georgetown and I’m not qualifying for any 1 bedrooms in normal communities. I make $55k. Any good areas for low income housing near Georgetown?

Something I found digging through PSE's filings: the company says it has spent more than $200 million on wildfire mitigation since 2024, but its filed wildfire plan didn't disclose that total. A spokesperson gave the number to a reporter. It matters for bills because utilities earn their allowed return on capital investment, and most of the wildfire spending is capital. PSE's return was set at 9.8% to 9.9% in the last big settlement. The current rate request asks for electric increases of 15.15% in 2027, 3.74% in 2028, and 8.7% in 2029. Public hearing is October 7 (virtual), and written comments are open under UE-260005 and UG-260006 at utc.wa.gov. Wrote it all up with sources, link in the first comment. Curious if anyone here has seen the vegetation or grid work in person. Comment 1: Full write-up with sources, including the wildfire section (I wrote it): https://ewyattmendel.substack.com/p/your-pse-bill-will-keep-rising-a More coming on utilities and public records. Follow along if you're interested: https://ewyattmendel.substack.com/

I keep seeing people say a class action could break up PSE's monopoly, so I went and read the actual law. Short version: it almost certainly fails. State action immunity (Parker v. Brown, 1943) covers monopolies the state authorizes and supervises. The filed rate doctrine (1922) bars damages claims over rates a regulator approved. And Washington's own antitrust provisions (RCW 19.86.170) exempt anything the utilities commission regulates. Any one of those is enough. What does work is the rate case itself. The current request asks for electric increases of 15.15% in 2027, 3.74% in 2028, and 8.7% in 2029. Virtual hearing is October 7, written comments open under UE-260005 and UG-260006 at utc.wa.gov. I'm not a lawyer, so tell me if I'm missing an angle. Full write-up is in the first comment (I'm the author). Comment 1: The legal analysis, with citations (I wrote it): https://ewyattmendel.substack.com/p/your-pse-bill-will-keep-rising-a More on utilities and public records coming. Follow along here if you want it: https://ewyattmendel.substack.com/

Does anyone know what the large film crew is doing at King County International terminal this morning? There is so a lot of police along Airport Way in marked and unmarked (maybe ICE?) vehicles. None of which have their headlights on this very foggy morning 🤦‍♂️