Help with family neighborhoods (Seattle, Bellevue: rent, co-op, big house)

[jdias08]

Hi everyone,

We're moving to Seattle in May from San Diego but originally from Dallas, TX. My husband is going to be working in downtown. We will only be living there for 2-3 years so we'll be renting and will eventually move back to Texas with family.

We have a 20 month old toddler and a dog and really want to find a nice home with a yard in a family neighborhood with parks. I am looking for atleast 2000 square feet, 3 bedroom/2 bath home with a nice sized yard. We can spend max $2200/month rent.

My husband would not like to drive more than 45 minutes to work, but he leaves at 6:00 AM and gets off at either 1:00 PM or 3:00 PM so traffic isn't a problem usually for him in San Diego.

I am a stay at home mom that's interested in and don't want to be too far from yoga studios, organic food markets, playgrounds, nice movie theaters (independent films are my favorite) and good restaurants (don't like chain restaurants too much). walking distance to a park or playground would be ideal.

any suggestions on neighborhoods?

thank u so much!!

[Hemlock140]

Ballard has everything you are looking for, and is just a 15 minute drive into downtown along the waterfront. I have seen homes in that price range with nice yards, some 100 years old.

[Ira500]

I agree with bisjoe. Ballard would be a very appropriate neighborhood. Parts of West Seattle would also fit the bill, or Ravenna.

[jdias08]

Thank you so much. This is a start. We are clueless about neighborhoods. It was a total shock that his work is transferring him here so soon so I'm just now researching things.
What parts of West Seattle? Is this where you have to take a ferry to get there?

[Family0f5]

I would suggest you look at Phinney Ridge ( close to Woodland Park and its zoo), Wallingford and Wedgwood

[Ira500]

No, West Seattle is easily accessible by car or bus, no ferry needed. The Admiral district is a nice part of West Seattle, has the PCC Food Co-op and the upscale Metropolitan Market ( with a decent organic section)...The Alaska Junction 'hood in West Seattle is another one, very walkable,lots of little independent businesses .

[jdias08]

Ok, great! These will be some of the areas we'll check out.

A friend that I grew up with just moved to Seattle a year ago. She lives in the Bellevue area and told me that she has a nice big house for not much money. How is the east side of Seattle? Is it not for me considering what i've listed as the things I'm interested in?

[seattlenextyear]

Your friend is a liar. Unless she meant Bellevue, Nebraska.

[VeronikaW]

Bellevue is relatively expensive. However, renting there is probably doable in your price range.

I was going to recommend the east side. I lived in the Issaquah Highlands and loved it. Tons of parks, a great coffee shop, a nice upscale restaurant all within walking distance.

V. =)

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by jdias08

Ok, great! These will be some of the areas we'll check out.

A friend that I grew up with just moved to Seattle a year ago. She lives in the Bellevue area and told me that she has a nice big house for not much money. How is the east side of Seattle? Is it not for me considering what i've listed as the things I'm interested in?

Oh, I don't know. You can likely find a house in Bellevue for the amount of rent you listed. There's a Whole Foods in Bellevue. The school district is well respected....It's a clean place. But there's just something a little more upscale and a little less funky about Bellevue. It's also a suburb transformed into a real city. It has parks. Parts of Bellevue are walkable, other parts are automobile oriented .
It's newer than most parts of Seattle. Some people prefer that. Others like older and funkier.
There is this " Seattle vs Bellevue" thing going on. Some Bellevue people think that Seattle is a dangerous, dirty cesspool, full of liberal hippies. Some Seattle people think that Bellevue is full of shallow, materialistic people.
The truth is somewhere in between.