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Seattle Housing/Neighborhoods
radroadkill
MDRegistered User regular
MDRegistered User regular
A relocation to Seattle is a possibility in the next few years for me and my husband. If it doesn't happen sooner it's going to happen later but I'm trying to do some research on housing in the area now to help make the decision making process happen a bit smoother .
It's not exactly easy to get back over there for ground research from Hawai'i. Quid is from the area, but it's been a long time. We both love the area and the majority of his family is a bit outside the city so we'd like to end up back there long term at some point.
If we were to head back in the next few years we'd need to be able to access the University of Washington and Westlake Center on a fairly regular basis for the first few years. I don't think we'd want to live in a super college-oriented area for long after.
We don't have plans to have kids so schools aren't a factor. Something with yard space for current dog and future dog and maybe a small garden and at least some space from neighbors and a couple of bedrooms/garage space.
In the city and surrounding/neighboring suburbs/areas are okay especially if there is a public transit area nearby. We drive but we like options and don't want to be so far out from the city that it takes a couple hours each way if possible.
At the moment we're not too concerned about prices; we're just trying to get a lay of the land. The soonest we'd be moving is still 2-4 years out and we might not buy right away but we're trying to get ahold of our options.
It's not exactly easy to get back over there for ground research from Hawai'i. Quid is from the area, but it's been a long time. We both love the area and the majority of his family is a bit outside the city so we'd like to end up back there long term at some point.
If we were to head back in the next few years we'd need to be able to access the University of Washington and Westlake Center on a fairly regular basis for the first few years. I don't think we'd want to live in a super college-oriented area for long after.
We don't have plans to have kids so schools aren't a factor. Something with yard space for current dog and future dog and maybe a small garden and at least some space from neighbors and a couple of bedrooms/garage space.
In the city and surrounding/neighboring suburbs/areas are okay especially if there is a public transit area nearby. We drive but we like options and don't want to be so far out from the city that it takes a couple hours each way if possible.
At the moment we're not too concerned about prices; we're just trying to get a lay of the land. The soonest we'd be moving is still 2-4 years out and we might not buy right away but we're trying to get ahold of our options.
radroadkill on
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I lived at Greenlake for a year. If you're driving, Greenlake to UW or downtown is still a very minimal commute. If bussing, you take the 16 or the 358 downtown. The 358 is probably the sketchiest bus route in Seattle. The 16 is a longer ride but you get no meth-fueled yelling and fights. Note that Greenlake is a very nice neighborhood - it's just that the 358 starts in a pretty shitty area, and ends where the vagrants hang out downtown. You'd probably take the 48 to UW. I called it the Forty-late, or the 96, since it's never on time during commuting hours, and often two of them show up at once - one is 10 minutes late, the other 25 minutes late.
Wallingford, Ravenna, Wedgwood (if you're not planning on taking the bus), Fremont, Greenlake, Maple Leaf, and Roosevelt make up a swath of Seattle north of the U District that have mostly single family homes that would suit your needs. I personally would be fine living in pretty much any of those.
Greenlake, Wallingford, Fremont, Ravenna, and Roosevelt are the areas you should be looking at. South Lake Union is probably a little more expensive and a little further south than you'd like, and Northgate and Maple Leaf are probably a bit further north than you'd like.
Green Lake is an awesome dog area, because the lake is right there; you don't really need a yard. Green Lake is where my apartment is; Quid had been here.
Greenwood and Wedgewood would probably be okay, too, but not as accessible by bus.
I know we'll need some kind of yard with fence/ability to put a fence in deal because the current dog can't be trusted off a leash and is also terrified of water.
I'm going to do some poking around online today but any more suggestions are also welcome.
We're planning on a trip back to check things out in a year or so but I figured it doesn't hurt to see what's there and what we'd need to plan if we wanted to look into buying at some point. If we decide to rent we'd be much more open in terms of options.
Honestly, UW is only an issue for a year or two while Quid finishes school. But once he's done, how bad is it to get into the city? I know it's not physically that far but taking traffic into consideration changes things and I don't know if any transport runs from Seattle to other areas. I'd be working in Westlake (preferably) or maybe Bellevue Square for the long term (hopefully). Maybe we'd stay in the city for a while but look outside for actually buying a home but I don't want to be stuck somewhere with a horrid commute where people don't get to come out/we don't easily get in or with nothing around.
Even farther north isn't too bad and is cheap. Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, even Bothell are places I could live no problem.