West Seattle people...questions..... (new home, neighborhood, buying)

[wowyouhaveyourhandsfull]

We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Alaska Junction and Admiral areas of WS. BUT, we don't love the prices LOL. We have four children, so we'd love 5 bedrooms (or four with a den), and at least 3000 square feet, but our budget is about 700 (750 at the max if we found the perfect house). Most of the bigger homes in these areas are WAY to expensive or too small.

We have seen some great homes in Arbor Heights and Fauntleroy that are the right size and price, but we don't love the area as much. It's nice but we just have fallen in love with the northern part of WS.

So, what would you do....buy in the location you like, and deal with a smaller house, or buy the bigger house? I know they always say "location, location, location!" But do "they" have four little kids? LOL

thanks for your help

[HuskyDawg]

The size of home you need is tough in this area, but I live in the Alaska junction area and there have been some tear down and new home rebuilds that would be in your price range and size requirement. You could look into buying a smaller home and adding on? We've thought about that with our home if we have another child as the lot line is large enough to do it.

[wowyouhaveyourhandsfull]

Yeah we've talked about it....we really aren't the fixer upper type LOL so I guess it intimidates us a bit! We also don't love the idea of being displaced since we've already been in temp housing so long, but I guess that is a possibility.

Now that you live in Alaska Junction, would you live somewhere else for a bigger house, or are you so happy with the area you'd stick with a smaller place? I appreciate your reply

[sean98125]

If you have kids, your first priority needs to be to check the schools that your kids will be going to. There are some neighborhood schools in Seattle that are dismal, and with the new neighborhood assignment plan you could be stuck sending your kids to a pretty bad school.

[wowyouhaveyourhandsfull]

Yep, definitely thought of that, which is why I asked about those areas specifically Although we are actually sending our kids to private school, we want to be in an area where public schools are good for resale purposes etc....

[Ira500]

Would you be unhappy living in Fauntleroy? Isn't it close enough to the Junction that you could go there to shop and dine?
Or does that the fact that the Junction has all this great stuff you can walk to factor into the equation?
Every single home purchase requires some sort of compromise, unless you're Bill Gates. Fauntleroy's got the water and Lincoln Park...Arbor Heights has some nice houses but really doesn't have a lot of personality...
Yes, you could buy a smaller home in the Alaska Junction and heavily remodel it, but that's not for everybody, and some people are just a lot happier finding a house that they can just move into without making any changes.

[AlohaHuey]

I had a similar decision and I bought a nicer house further south in West Seattle. I still go to Alki and the Junction when I want to, and I have not regretted the decision. I don't have kids to consider, though.

[exit82]

Seriously- don't kids share bedrooms anymore?

At any rate-I would think a ton of 3-4 bedroom houses in that area have full basements- which could be used as a bedroom- especially as the kids get older. 3/4 of a million dollars should get you some great digs.

[wowyouhaveyourhandsfull]

LOL, yes two of our girls do share a room. I'm not opposed to it at all! BUT my husband does work some in the house, as do I, so we need an office space hence the extra bedroom or den. And honestly a "corner" of a room would work but from what we've been looking at the rooms are so small! The only thing we've found with some good size is 800-900 and up.

IRA, I don't think I'd be unhappy living in Fauntleroy, I'm sure I'd love it...it's just so hard to know since I haven't lived here that long. And yeah, I think my issue it's the "walkability" factor, since our temp housing right now is in the middle of everything and I am getting spoiled not having to drive

I appreciate all the help!!!

[HuskyDawg]

Yeah we've talked about it....we really aren't the fixer upper type LOL so I guess it intimidates us a bit! We also don't love the idea of being displaced since we've already been in temp housing so long, but I guess that is a possibility.

Now that you live in Alaska Junction, would you live somewhere else for a bigger house, or are you so happy with the area you'd stick with a smaller place? I appreciate your reply

Yeah I wasn't thinking fixer upper, but rather a smaller home and then hiring someone professional to expand. But yes we love the neighborhood and wouldn't trade the walkability for a bigger house. Also, who knows what's going to happen with gas prices and automobiles in the future, seems like urban villages like this area where you can walk to all your needs is ideal.