For what it's worth, I recently moved apartments in downtown Seattle and the there's little in the way of downward price movement... yet. I shopped around at most of the buildings down here (2BR prices) and didn't find too much in the way of desperation, but this is all anecdotal I suppose.

We stayed downtown for my wife who supposedly would be "back in the office" later this year (she doesn't drive), but I really wish I had gone with my gut and pushed for us to move further out. There is absolutely no benefit to being in Seattle proper right now, and it would not surprise me to see more people leave (I've considered just becoming rent-responsible on the lease and eating the cost, it's annoying me to death).

(If you're talking about anywhere near Cap Hill, nobody wants to sign a lease there after they tear gassed the entire neighborhood a few weeks ago)

Also because, you know, a goodly chunk of Seattle was ransacked, covered with graffiti, riddled with gunfire, responsible for at least 5 shootings in a month, looted, boarded up, and deprived of any protection at all.

This is needlessly dismissive of why those events occurred to begin with. SPD themselves (as evidenced by numerous videos) caused more than enough of the anguish and problems, and Durkan's actions speak for themselves.

There are many reasons to not want to be in Seattle right now, but casting it as a warzone without "protection" (from the very aggressors themselves) is a bit much.

What about the rampant homeless and drug use problems that predated all of this?

I see people bring this up all the time for Seattle. However... I've literally lived in the radius of the oft-demonized stretch of 3rd and Pike/Pine for the past 2-3 years.

I can assure you that while it's bad, they generally don't bother people and simply need a system that actually helps them. More police won't solve anything here - I'm confident in this statement as they sit outside my window daily and do absolutely nothing as it is.

You must live on a high floor. The homeless outside my window are annoyingly noisy. Too often they wake me up at night or scare my dog when I'm out walking. I'm tired of spotting needles in the bushes and I'm worried someday I or my dog will step on one without a cap. The other day, I watched one guy threaten another with a knife.

Call me callous, but I'd like to build drugs-allowed shelters so that they leave the streets.

I live pretty close to street level, actually - sometimes people on the corner by the Kress are playing music too loud, but this is a city: you're going to hear some noise.

I walk two dogs here a few times daily and while the litter has been worse post-COVID, it wasn't always this bad due to the city cleaners.

In general I agree with your shelters idea, Seattle does not do nearly enough to help these people.

Without knowing what part of Seattle you're specifically referring to I can't really explain more. If you're referring to Pioneer Square... well, I won't fight you on that one - that area needs help.

Low interest rate is driving house deals these days.