Moving to the Emerald City in Feb. 2001 - want to know what areas are best for affordable apartments (under $900) with good access to public transit and downtown

The "closest-in" neighborhoods to downtown would be Capitol Hill and Queen Anne, but finding an affordable apartment in those neighborhoods will be a bit of a challenge (unless you're ok with a studio). There are 1 BRs under $900 but not a lot. If you don't mind a 30-minute bus ride or so to downtown, try Beacon Hill or my neighborhood, West Seattle, both of which are more affordable.

Thanks for the repsonse - those sound like good options. What about the University district? From looking on the web looks like there are a lot of affordable apartments there and this it is pretty close to the nightlife on Cap. Hill. Finally anyone have any experience relocating to Seattle from the East coast? My main concern is whether to try and finda job before going out there or just plunge in and make the move and temp until I find something. Anyone with similar experiences in Seattle?

Yes, the U District is another option, especially if you are close to student age. I find parts of the area a bit grungy, but I'm well over the average age of the people who live there and wanted something quieter and nicer. You might also consider the Central District just east of Capitol Hill, traditionally the African-American neighborhood, but definitely gentrifying.

I moved out here from NYC in 1987 and came without a job...temped for about a month before finding one (I was a lawyer then). Of course, it depends on what your field is and how high up you are. If you are looking for any sort of service economy job, it will be easy to find one and you may as well wait until you get here, so you can make a more informed choice. Also, despite the recent dot-com fallout, there seem to be plenty of tech jobs.

Thanks for the great responses. I also liked the Central district when i was out in Seattle in the Fall - but have heard it isn't the safest area. To give people some point of reference I live in Adams Morgan in DC. I think I will probably just move out and temp so I can make an informed choice. I have research experience in the legal field and would mostly likely look for a paralegal or similar research type of job. Can anyone who works in this field in Seattle offer any suggestions?