‘Get out of Seattle’: Jake’s blunt advice for a young couple struggling to start a family on $173K

A recent article in The Seattle Times covered the story of a young couple who moved to Seattle but feel they can’t afford to live in the city while saving up for major milestones, despite earning $173,000 a year.

Jorge Aranda and Mattie Gottbrath have a monthly take-home pay of $14,300 and are saving more than 60% of it to purchase a car, a down payment on a home, their wedding, and their retirement.

Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, wondered why the two are worried about their finances at all, and urged them to move out of the city if they think that is the biggest factor holding them back from having a kid sooner.

“They’re a young couple. They’re going to get married. They’re going to buy a home. They’re going to start a family. Can they do it here? That’s the whole question,” Spike said. “They’re putting 10,000 a month towards savings. It’s the frugaltons. These two are doing phenomenally well.”

Jake argues the couple’s love for their child will outweigh their love for Seattle

Jake offered a few other locations outside Seattle where the two could move, noting that their love for their kid would far outweigh their love for living in a city where they think they are underwater financially.

“The article is written in such a way that they’re in an impossible situation,” Jake said. “They’re this young couple, just stuck in Seattle. They don’t know what to do. They want to start a family, but can they afford to stay in the city they love and have a family? My advice to them: get out of Seattle. Honestly, that would be my advice.

“I promise you, if you’re waiting to have a kid because you love your city, and you can’t afford to live in your city, the neighborhood can go and pound sand,” Jake continued. “Honestly, I’m being serious here, and the city can go pound sand. I promise, you will love that kid a million times more than you will ever love the community you live in. Buy a house in Snohomish, Pierce County, or go to Graham. Find a place to plant some roots; it doesn’t have to be downtown.”

Jake continued to explain how the priorities of life change after having a kid, and once all the boxes are checked on owning a home, car, and the wedding is in the rearview mirror.

“Once you have those kids, the most important thing in your world is going to be making sure that you’re planning for the longevity and the health and wellness of that kid for the rest of their life, and taking as much stress off your plate as you can imagine,” Jake said. “Get out of Seattle, buy the house. Don’t factor the city in. It’s not a family member. It’s nice to visit, but you won’t give two bleeps about it when you’re looking at that happy little kid running around the backyard that you own.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3