We are also relocating!!! (Seattle, Tacoma: renting, high crime, day care)

[Keeks]

Hello everyone, my husband and I are relocating to Redmond from Toronto.

Any advice on living areas, social clubs? parenting courses? anything...

what area do you recoomend to live? shopping good? tell me everything you can really looking forward to meeting some new people!!!

thanks a lot!

Keeks

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Keeks

what area do you recoomend to live?

I'd steer clear of any of the 'burbs along the I-5 corridor --- Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Tacoma, Tukwila, Renton. It's ugly urban sprawl with pretty high crime. Schools are not very good either.

Redmond is actually one of the nicer areas. Very expensive though. Of course, it might be cheap compared to Toronto. Issaquah and Sammammish are also nice, though Issaquah has major traffic problems. I know people who like Kirkland, but personally I find it rather icky.

Winters will definitely be milder than you are used to in Ontario. Snow here happens, but it is rare and never sticks around very long.

Summers are mild. The rain stops and temperatures climb. The big downside is that homes up here have no air-conditioning. You really only need it for about a month of the summer, but during that month you REALLY need it.

Traffic is awful. Public transportation is a joke. Get some good music for your car, 'cause you'll be spending hours inside it.

Great restaurants. Fantastic coffee. Shopping...? Not really my thing, but it seems comparable to most big cities.

[CJMom]

I live in Bellevue (next to Redmond). Very pricey too - the house next door to me is a 1959 1-story with 3 bedrooms, 1 & 3/4 baths, no garage that sold for $425K in 3 weeks. I like living in Bellevue because you're close enough to everything to keep your commute less than an hour.

If you need day care info, just let me know.

[the dufferz]

Keeks,

Assuming that your relocation to Redmond means that you or hubby will be working in Redmond...?

If so, then a home search has a lot of options.

Any way you go, you will find such things like parenting classes offered through a variety of locations, many will be private, or church based. The community colleges have many great classes for a variety of things. The government I am sure has classes, but there is not near the level of government programs that you probably have in Canada?

Not sure what you are looking for in a "social club"

Where you live is an interesting study. If you work in Redmond you can:

Go North - Woodinville: Lots of trees, fast growth area, homes are expensive but usually very nice. Commute: two roads go north from Redmond, Hwy 202 and Avondale rd. Both are 2 lane roads, can get dicey.

Go East - Fall City and beyond: Houses are less expensive, less of them. This was a farming community area (still some farmland). commute via redmond-fall city rd, 2 lane road. Can get dicey.

Go south - Well, you can pick Bellevue (see CJMon's thread). To go farther south means a trip on the parking lot called I-405. South of Bellevue and it's burbs is Renton. Lower cost housing than Bellevue. Not the best reputation.

Go West - That would mean Seattle. Small lots, very high housing costs.

All commute issues are minimized if you can commute early enough (6:00 or sooner). If your job is at Microsoft, commuting will not be an issue in that the normal day there is 18 hours. : )

Shopping:

Remond: Redmond town center is an outdoor mall (kinda weird for the northwest) pretty cool, upscale.

Bellevue: Bell square is a large upscale mall. Going to Bell Square is an "event" for some. I am not a shopper so I don't care, nor does my nose turn that high.

Seattle: Westlake mall is an innercity mall, small footprint but multi-story structure.

Woodinville, Redmond, Fall city etc: Smaller shopping areas, North Bend (past fall city) has a outlet discount mall.

Weather: It is what it is. When it snows, it only takes about 1 inch to bring the city to its knees. Most folks from snowier country laugh when the hear this, but stop laughing when they get here. Our snow is 99% wet slush and compacts to ice. The number of hills make getting around tough, but the biggest issue with the snow is that nobody knows how to drive in it. When you get here you will see people creep up to a hill, then once they start up the hill, they gun it. Smart. really smart.

The rest you will need to experience for yourself. I am a native and would not leave.

The dufferz

[Keeks]

Its been a great help, we havea housing agnect to help us with our needs as well but its nice to get a input a head of time i will take your advice and roll with it!! thanks again!

[compltlyme]

I think you willl love Redmond...what's not to love! I live right next to it in Sammamish and have been here just over a year. Wtih each passing month I love it more!

Lots nearby and people for the most part are terrific. Traffic is a bit congested due to a lot of construction but compared to where I came from I have no room to complain.