Studios and 1-bedroom apartments near South Lake Union (Lakeview: rent, neighborhoods)

[eclytic2]

Hey everyone,

I know there are a lot of these threads so I'll keep it short.

I'm going to be working in the downtown area near Lake Union starting this summer. I'm starting to look for single-bedroom apartments now, and I'd like some suggestions on where to live. I'll be using public transportation to commute to and from work, so I don't want to live somewhere too far away. But, I'd still like the neighborhood to be decent without too high a rent ($500-1000 range). Any suggestions on where to start looking? I'm not looking for specific apartment buildings yet, just areas/neighborhoods...

[SitoUK]

Originally Posted by eclytic2

Hey everyone,

I know there are a lot of these threads so I'll keep it short.

I'm going to be working in the downtown area near Lake Union starting this summer. I'm starting to look for single-bedroom apartments now, and I'd like some suggestions on where to live. I'll be using public transportation to commute to and from work, so I don't want to live somewhere too far away. But, I'd still like the neighborhood to be decent without too high a rent ($500-1000 range). Any suggestions on where to start looking? I'm not looking for specific apartment buildings yet, just areas/neighborhoods...

Capitol Hill is a happening part of town and you can easily live there and walk to SLU in 15-20 min if you live close to one of the streets that take you across the motorway, i.e. Denny in South Capitol Hill or the crossing at Lakeview and Belmont further north. I live at Belmont and Olive Way and it takes be just under 20 min to walk to work at Terry and Mercer. You can also take bus no 8 which takes you along Denny, so depending on where exactly you work in SLU it's a very short walk from there. You'll definitely find a studio or one-bed for your budget, just not the shiniest or newest one.

[eclytic2]

Thanks, I'll look into Capitol Hill.

So what is Belltown like? Is that a viable option? It seems to be pretty close to SLU.

[Malloric]

$800-$1000 is doable, but you're at the low end of the market, so set your expectations accordingly. Belltown is an option. It's trendier (more $$) than Capitol Hill with less housing and more entertainment. The rent is higher due to its proximity to downtown. Unless you really want to be in the middle of it, I'd stick to Capitol Hill. Belltown has a reputation for being on the seedy side, and at <$1,000 month you'll be relegated to the corners that earned it that reputation.

[eclytic2]

Someone suggested that I also look at Ballard (and Fremont). This seems a bit far from SLU. Any opinions? Thanks.