People Say Seattle isnt that bad...... TRUE? RElo Help (Shoreline: fit in, for sale)

[rtloucks]

I will be posting similar posts on this forum as well as Orange County and Denver because we are trying to decide between the three and are not that familiar with any of them

So i have searched this thing for awhile and cant seem to find a lot of relo help in regards to families with 2 school age kids that are on a $150K a year budget.

I get that the southern burbs of Seattle don't appear to be that safe or appealing, but are there any areas in the City that are decent enough to raise two kids 12 and 7 in and enjoy some normal city life stuff. We are in our early 30's and still like to have a life. We are looking for a single family home in a safe neighborhood. Primarily American (NOt neccisarily WHITE but an area wher people do not have cultural barriers that prevent them from getting to know eachother) We aer used to diversity but do not want drug and crime problems out in front of our street sort to speak.

We woudl liek to spend around $375k or less, get about 2500 or more sqft and it does not have to be breand new. Could someone please send me some zip codes where you feel that we would fit in and like the area? In addition to that could anyone reccomend any suburbs that we might like? My wife will work downtown seattle, I will work from home. commutes within a half hour or so would be nice.

US:
White 30's couple with two kids in schools
like pro sports, music, arts and entertainment
like local cafes and bars but not a necessity
prefer some scenery or at least a nice view from our house
like to fish so anything that is close to a lake or river is a plus
we drive everywhere so any input on tolls, fees, parking etc will be helpful
are there are other bogus fees besides taxes and HOA with housing there (example: in florida the have CDD fees which add about $2000 a year to your payments)
are the sporting events reasonable there as in can a family of four go to a seahawks game for under $250 and get decent seats or a mariners game for $100 in the lower level PLus food parking etc
are there any hidden gem typ nieghborhoods in Seattle that we coudl find a nice bungalow fixer upper?
anything else that you might think is cool to know or interesting Im all ears. thank you

[Vinylly]

Originally Posted by rtloucks

I will be posting similar posts on this forum as well as Orange County and Denver because we are trying to decide between the three and are not that familiar with any of them

So i have searched this thing for awhile and cant seem to find a lot of relo help in regards to families with 2 school age kids that are on a $150K a year budget.

I get that the southern burbs of Seattle don't appear to be that safe or appealing, but are there any areas in the City that are decent enough to raise two kids 12 and 7 in and enjoy some normal city life stuff. We are in our early 30's and still like to have a life. We are looking for a single family home in a safe neighborhood. Primarily American (NOt neccisarily WHITE but an area wher people do not have cultural barriers that prevent them from getting to know eachother) We aer used to diversity but do not want drug and crime problems out in front of our street sort to speak.

We woudl liek to spend around $375k or less, get about 2500 or more sqft and it does not have to be breand new. Could someone please send me some zip codes where you feel that we would fit in and like the area? In addition to that could anyone reccomend any suburbs that we might like? My wife will work downtown seattle, I will work from home. commutes within a half hour or so would be nice.

US:
White 30's couple with two kids in schools
like pro sports, music, arts and entertainment
like local cafes and bars but not a necessity
prefer some scenery or at least a nice view from our house
like to fish so anything that is close to a lake or river is a plus
we drive everywhere so any input on tolls, fees, parking etc will be helpful
are there are other bogus fees besides taxes and HOA with housing there (example: in florida the have CDD fees which add about $2000 a year to your payments)
are the sporting events reasonable there as in can a family of four go to a seahawks game for under $250 and get decent seats or a mariners game for $100 in the lower level PLus food parking etc
are there any hidden gem typ nieghborhoods in Seattle that we coudl find a nice bungalow fixer upper?
anything else that you might think is cool to know or interesting Im all ears. thank you

Quit a few demands here, so I'll see what I can do. First, $150,000 is a fairly decent income, so you should have no problem there. If you want a view home for a modest price you should look at Des Moines, Burien, or Beacon Hill. It will be extreamly difficult however, to find a $375,000 view home anywhere. It will probably cost you twice that amount and it probably won't be 2500 sq. ft. Actually, you'll probably find a 2 bedroom, one bath shack for $375,000, but no view.
The families live in the suburbs, so you'll fit in there and most 'burbs' are fairly safe, no problem there. Can't help you on Seahawks games so you'll have to take someone elses advise on that.

[SitoUK]

$100 is spent very easily at a Mariners game. I only went once and we got the cheapet tickets which I think are $17 but of course these are not in the lower tiers. I don't have a clue how much parking is but the food and drink is expensive. A decent beer will be $9.50 and a hot dog around $7. Burgers and more substantial food more expensive. So as a family of four you can easily spend 100 on food alone at Safeco field. Century Link field is similar in terms of food prices.

[Ira500]

There are actually a ton of 2500+ sq ft homes for sale in the Seattle area for 375 and under, just very few within deent neighborhoods in the city of Seattle. But quite attainable in some decent suburbs.
ZIp codes? 98058 and 98059 in Renton. 98155 for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. 98028 Kenmore. 98011 Bothell.98177 part of Shoreline and Richmond Beach.
As far as Mariner tickets go, I usually by mine via stubhub online, where you can buy tickets at a discount from season ticket holders. Also, the sausage stands outside Safeco Field offer a much better product at a lower price, and you're allowed to bring them into the stadium, just no liquids. They don't want you throwing bottles at the Mariners after they've grounded into another double play or struck out.

[Hemlock140]

Generally we figure $150 for a Mariner game, for 3, on the second level. Parking varies by what team is in town and how far you want to walk from $12-$30, and the food is not very good and very expensive.

You can figure on $500,000 for a house 1,800sf in a nice neighborhood of Seattle. In the quiet suburbs (no nightlife) you can find the right house but it sounds like you wouldn't like it. Even a decent condo 2,500sf in Seattle is going to be $400,000. The Seattle schools are not good, a few are decent at best, while their are many great eastside schools, again in the suburbs. Almost all of the single family homes in Seattle are old and have no HOA.
Fixer-uppers, if you find them are likely 100+ years old and may need serious work such as wiring and plumbing, you might look in Ballard as there are many of them and they have better schools than most of the city.

[rtloucks]

this is all helping quite a bit, especially the zipcodes. I will have to look into all of them
As far as having to live in the city.....not at all, We are perfectly fine in the burbs too. We are kind of on the fence with it. We havae lived in both situations and enjoyed the perks of both city life nad burb life. The biggest thing with us is that we dont want to have to drive 20 minutes to go to Target or other conveniences. So if the burb town is normal and has shopping and retail, gas sations, groceries etc.... we are good there too. Some suburbs we have lived in have been basically in the country which has not worked well for us. We really dont want to start looking at $500k and up homes and deffinately no condos or townhomes. That is one reason we are wanting out of DC, Hate the packed in lifestyle. We grew up in MN and loved the pace in the twin cities and the housing. We realize the housing is more in Seattle but we have considered all of that in our decisions. So i will be happy to listen to good suburb ideas as well and I want to thank you all again for the help

[blin9465]

Hi! My husband and I are looking into relocating from S. CA to Seattle or Portland area. Since he's got a potential job interview (restaurant business) in Belltown, WA, we're searching for potential housing solutions if everything works out. We definitely want to be away from all the traffic, all the pretentious people, and be close to nature (main reasons to leave CA). We prefer a family oriented small town outside of downtown area and don't mind a commute within 30 mins of drive. We plan on renting for a while before deciding a place to buy since we will be new to the area. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by rtloucks

The biggest thing with us is that we dont want to have to drive 20 minutes to go to Target or other conveniences. So if the burb town is normal and has shopping and retail, gas sations, groceries etc.... we are good there too. Some suburbs we have lived in have been basically in the country which has not worked well for us.

...

We realize the housing is more in Seattle but we have considered all of that in our decisions. So i will be happy to listen to good suburb ideas as well and I want to thank you all again for the help

The greater Seattle area is dense enough that it doesn't have to take 20 mins for shopping and other kinds of conveniences.

Another suggestion, look into Kirkland-- which has one of the best school districts in the state, lots of beautiful parks, great "beach" and water access. More specifically, the Inglewood/Finn Hill area which does have some housing stock with your wants and budgeting range.

Originally Posted by blin9465

Hi! My husband and I are looking into relocating from S. CA to Seattle or Portland area. Since he's got a potential job interview (restaurant business) in Belltown, WA, we're searching for potential housing solutions if everything works out. We definitely want to be away from all the traffic, all the pretentious people, and be close to nature (main reasons to leave CA). We prefer a family oriented small town outside of downtown area and don't mind a commute within 30 mins of drive. We plan on renting for a while before deciding a place to buy since we will be new to the area. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

The 30 mins drive is the wrench, is this during commuter hours? ... Mercer Island could fit the bill, but it's very pricey.

I think if you're willing to expand the time to somewhere 45 min-ish... your list opens a lot. Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Edmonds are great options to check out.

[blin9465]

Thanks Inkpoe. Is there a "toll" for crossing to/from Mercer Island? Well, my husband HATES traffic...he sat in LA traffic all day long for years and drove him nuts. So we want to avoid traffic at all cost...Are there areas where it's green/safe/family oriented but will with OK commute (like moving at least >40mph) =) oh and we would love to have a single family house since we have two dogs and a cat! ....i know i know...it's a lot...life's not fair!

[Inkpoe]

i90 (which links Mercer Island to Seattle and the Eastside) has no toll. 520 is supposed to become a toll bridge in the near future... some speculate that it *could* lead i90 to be tolled as well-- but honestly I doubt it.

The areas I listed are safe/green/family oriented. Probably the best commute out of those would be Bainbrige Island/Poulsbo-- the ferry may be pricey, but the experience can't be beat. They also have buses at the station as well so if your husband wants to public, it can be done.