Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Washington > Seattle area
 [Register]
Seattle area Seattle and King County Suburbs
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 09-03-2011, 02:11 PM
 
14 posts, read 143,055 times
Reputation: 16

Advertisements

Hello,
We are moving, and we would appreciate any recommendations you have for quiet more rural neighborhoods that are close to Seattle. 30 minute commutes ok.

We will be flying out in a few weeks, and we would gladly check out any areas you recommend. We don't have kids, so schools aren't an issue. We would be renting first and would like to rent a house or single family dwelling. We figure we'd live there for a year and really learn the place before we decide to buy. Where are good places to get started?

We are looking for natural settings, quiet, and space.

We don't require a trendy area or anything urban, though we would like to be close enough to commute.

Thank you!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-03-2011, 05:00 PM
 
9,618 posts, read 27,232,602 times
Reputation: 5382
I think a bunch of areas would qualify.
Woodinville and Bothell both have rural parts. Parts of Sammamish are pretty rural, but pushing that half hour commute. Newcastle( between Renton, Issaquah, and Bellevue) has some rural parts, as do Issaquah and Renton. Parts of Kent, especially the eastern part towards Maple Valley and Black Diamond are pretty and quiet.
Snoqualmie and Fall City would qualify, but also pushing that half hour commute.
In terms of cost, Renton and Kent would be the least expensive choices.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-03-2011, 05:38 PM
 
14 posts, read 143,055 times
Reputation: 16
Thank you for the detailed reply! We will visit those areas. It's nice to hear that many places qualify.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-03-2011, 05:40 PM
 
14 posts, read 143,055 times
Reputation: 16
Most of those places are safe, correct? Is it incorrect to assume that rural equals safe in the Seattle area?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-03-2011, 06:46 PM
 
9,618 posts, read 27,232,602 times
Reputation: 5382
Quote:
Originally Posted by rutart View Post
Most of those places are safe, correct? Is it incorrect to assume that rural equals safe in the Seattle area?
Actually,there are pockets of rural poverty that aren't particularly safe. The south part of Auburn is pretty run down/sketchy...There's a small stretch under the powerlines between Rainier Beach and Skyway that I'd call less than safe, but everything else I'd call safe. Some of those places ( Kent, Renton) don't have good school districts, but that's not your concern.
While you're at it, there are parts of Burien/Normandy Park/Des Moines that are pretty rural. When looking there, try to be as close to the water as possible, and away from Highway 99 and the airport, not just for crime but also airplane noise. There are rural spots that are deafeningly loud from planes overhead.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-03-2011, 07:35 PM
 
14 posts, read 143,055 times
Reputation: 16
Ira thank you for the detailed information. This is very helpful.

I have a silly question. I don't understand the home values in proximity to water. Where I live, proximity to water is everything. Home values and rents are very high near the beach. It seems like you can get great value near water in Seattle. Is it because there is so much of it? And can water be a hindrance?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2011, 12:17 PM
 
9,618 posts, read 27,232,602 times
Reputation: 5382
It depends on which water, whether there are water amenities there, and how close to Seattle. You will pay dearly for lakefront property in Mercer Island or Bellevue. Puget Sound views command a certain price premium, but it's too cold to swim in, and beaches are often driftwood and rocks. More people " go to the beach" on Lake Washington than they do Puget Sound, at least for sunbathing and swimming ( and Lake Washington " beaches" are grass lawns for the most part, not sand.)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-05-2011, 02:25 AM
 
7,743 posts, read 15,803,931 times
Reputation: 10451
If money isn't an issue, I'd point out Bainbridge Island. A 30 minute ferry ride away from Seattle. Definitely has the natural settings, quiet and space.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-05-2011, 10:00 PM
 
14 posts, read 143,055 times
Reputation: 16
Thanks for the info on the beaches. They sound really cool.

So, if I throw the commute out the window. What about Vashon? Bainbridge sounds interesting too. Thanks for the recommendation.

We are not kid people, so that's why I was thinking more rural. I've been reading a lot of great posts on this forum from Ira about Renton and Kent. I wouldn't mind being closer in if it meant being in a more ethnically mixed area, and also one that is not trendy. Diversity, mixed income levels, interesting food, we like those too. And from what I'm reading, it sounds like these aren't your typical suburbs, like the cookie cutter developments of Southern California. So maybe we would get a country feel anyway. We currently live in a very urban area, and we want a change.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-05-2011, 10:45 PM
 
9,618 posts, read 27,232,602 times
Reputation: 5382
Quote:
Originally Posted by rutart View Post
Thanks for the info on the beaches. They sound really cool.

So, if I throw the commute out the window. What about Vashon? Bainbridge sounds interesting too. Thanks for the recommendation.

We are not kid people, so that's why I was thinking more rural. I've been reading a lot of great posts on this forum from Ira about Renton and Kent. I wouldn't mind being closer in if it meant being in a more ethnically mixed area, and also one that is not trendy. Diversity, mixed income levels, interesting food, we like those too. And from what I'm reading, it sounds like these aren't your typical suburbs, like the cookie cutter developments of Southern California. So maybe we would get a country feel anyway. We currently live in a very urban area, and we want a change.
Vashon is beautiful. Artsy. A haven for old hippies. Really a great place. And not all that far from downtown Seattle, if you're fairly close to the ferry dock on the island. There's a passenger only boat that only takes about 20 minutes to get to DT Seattle. The bigger ferry from Vashon only goes to West Seattle, and then it takes at least another 20 minutes from there to DT Seattle, but if you're not bringing a car, the shorter passenger only boat is a great way to go.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Washington > Seattle area

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top