Looking for some information moving to Seattle area (Bellevue, Everett: best neighborhoods, for sale)
Seattle areaSeattle and King County Suburbs
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 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.
Looking for some information moving to Seattle area
Hello. My wife and I are researching cities for possible relocation. I'm hoping to get some constructive feed back/information on the following subjects.
My wife would be working for Boeing or some place similar but, there a number of different locations so I can't really narrow down a specific area just yet. Ideally we would want to in a lesbian/gay friendly neighborhood/area, that is also Kid & Dog Friendly,with some restaurants/shops within walking/biking distance. That offers single family or row/town homes with private back yard & private covered parking. It would be great to be within 20-30 minutes of some night life, and other community activities. Of course with out having spend tons.. I realize this is all relative so right know I'm just trying to learn what is available and what things cost out there.
-Friendly, Is it easy to meet people & make friends?, Area population Diversity?, Safety/Crime? Traffic?
-What types of Community Events/Services are offered?? Such as Parks & Recreation Services; Pools/Lakes, Dog Parks, Biking/Hiking, Festivals, Music, Museums, Theater, Sports(Professional & College) and such. Are these types of things offered city wide or more by neighborhood oriented?
-Home prices? (We would want a nice area. If we are closer to amenities we are willing to give up a little, if we have to drive to things we want more home/space. I think we would ideally be looking for a updated home, 2-3+ bed, 1.5-2+ bath, bonus/game room or den, large kitchen, good out door space with covered patio & enclosed good size back yard with room for dogs to play/run (at the very least room to potty no walking dogs at 3am!), central air & heat, 2+ car garage.) Again some compromises can be made... if we live right in the middle but private out door space, 1 private parking space, 2 beds & 1.5 baths would be a minim for us.
-Others Costs of Living like going out, car insurance rates, taxes, food & recreation?
-Best Neighborhoods: We would be looking for a Friendly, Safe, Clean, preferably diverse demographics, Gay/Lesbian Family Friendly, Kid & Dog Friendly, amenities would be nice but, we don't want to pay tons of association fees or be told what color our front door can be. Hopefully, without tons of empty homes. Amenities in the area (hoping for restaurants and such in walking/bilking distance)
-Schools: Are there good public schools or private secular schools? What is the demographic like? Are the LBGT family friendly? What districts or neighborhoods to look into??? Costs of private schools?
-Employment outlook for Systems Engineering Professional and Social Services/Educational professionals?
I should note: We will not be relocating with out job offers in hand but are currently just researching cities to help narrow our future job searching. Really looking for constructive and insider local information that I can't get from google. Please feel free to direct message me.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
This will help you to get some idea of cost of living in comparison to your current location. It may not be scientific but good enough for some first calculations.
The LGBT zone in Seattle is Capitol Hill but I get the impression as long as you stay in Seattle proper the entire city is gay-friendly. Cap Hill is very Central, full of nightlife and totally walkable. As a consequence it is quite expensive and the kind of property you are looking for won't be cheap.
Hello. My wife and I are researching cities for possible relocation. I'm hoping to get some constructive feed back/information on the following subjects.
My wife would be working for Boeing or some place similar but, there a number of different locations so I can't really narrow down a specific area just yet. Ideally we would want to in a lesbian/gay friendly neighborhood/area, that is also Kid & Dog Friendly,with some restaurants/shops within walking/biking distance. That offers single family or row/town homes with private back yard & private covered parking. It would be great to be within 20-30 minutes of some night life, and other community activities. Of course with out having spend tons.. I realize this is all relative so right know I'm just trying to learn what is available and what things cost out there.
-Friendly, Is it easy to meet people & make friends?, Area population Diversity?, Safety/Crime? Traffic?
Seattle is very safe, property crime is somewhat higher than average. Traffic is bad, like everywhere else, but mainly due to geography. easy to make friends is impossible to answer.
-What types of Community Events/Services are offered?? Such as Parks & Recreation Services; Pools/Lakes, Dog Parks, Biking/Hiking, Festivals, Music, Museums, Theater, Sports(Professional & College) and such. Are these types of things offered city wide or more by neighborhood oriented?
I got the feeling they're more neighborhood oriented but there are inter-city leagues and such. Yes to all those recreations.
-Home prices? (We would want a nice area. If we are closer to amenities we are willing to give up a little, if we have to drive to things we want more home/space. I think we would ideally be looking for a updated home, 2-3+ bed, 1.5-2+ bath, bonus/game room or den, large kitchen, good out door space with covered patio & enclosed good size back yard with room for dogs to play/run (at the very least room to potty no walking dogs at 3am!), central air & heat, 2+ car garage.) Again some compromises can be made... if we live right in the middle but private out door space, 1 private parking space, 2 beds & 1.5 baths would be a minim for us.
If you want to live in the city north of I-90, think in the range of 550k or higher. South of I-90 it drops to around 350k for a decent place. In the burbs it is anywhere between 275k-375k, depending on the schools, etc.
-Others Costs of Living like going out, car insurance rates, taxes, food & recreation?
Sales taxes = 10%, income tax = 0. Car insurance costs me $120/mo but I drive a two seater sports car. YMMV. I come from Chicago and costs are comparable for a night out.
-Best Neighborhoods: We would be looking for a Friendly, Safe, Clean, preferably diverse demographics, Gay/Lesbian Family Friendly, Kid & Dog Friendly, amenities would be nice but, we don't want to pay tons of association fees or be told what color our front door can be. Hopefully, without tons of empty homes. Amenities in the area (hoping for restaurants and such in walking/bilking distance)
All areas around seattle are LBGT friendly. Even the burbs. The LBGT center is Capitol Hill but you won't be able to find a house you can afford that you want there on a Boeing salary.
-Schools: Are there good public schools or private secular schools? What is the demographic like? Are the LBGT family friendly? What districts or neighborhoods to look into??? Costs of private schools?
For the best public schools, look in Bellevue, Issaquah, Mukilteo, Bothell, Kirkland. The best districts here are Northshore and Mercer Island. Seattle schools are best north of downtown.
-Employment outlook for Systems Engineering Professional and Social Services/Educational professionals?
I should note: We will not be relocating with out job offers in hand but are currently just researching cities to help narrow our future job searching. Really looking for constructive and insider local information that I can't get from google. Please feel free to direct message me.
My input above. Note that Seattle is an expensive place to own a home. I would highly recommend renting for a year first to explore the area.
Lots of outdoor activities, restaurants, clubs, parks, bike trails, playgrounds, dog off leash area. Anywhere in Seattle would be LGBT friendly ... one more thing - worry more about a good furnace than central air (rarely needed in this town).
Lots of outdoor activities, restaurants, clubs, parks, bike trails, playgrounds, dog off leash area. Anywhere in Seattle would be LGBT friendly ... one more thing - worry more about a good furnace than central air (rarely needed in this town).
I'm glad you highlighted those areas. They're all nice and pretty much the last affordable areas in the city.
I'll second what Tobester said.
Columbia City is a kid friendly, dog friendly, gay and lesbian friendly area. Most of the Seattle area is gay and lesbian friendly, but some places moreso than others. Capitol Hill is Seattle's most dense neighborhood, and the neighborhood with Seattle's largest and longest established gay and lesbian community. But gays and lesbians live happily in Columbia City, West Seattle, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Fremont, Ballard, and suburban outposts like Des Moines, Kent, and Mukilteo.
Public schools in Seattle are a mixed bag. Some great, many mediocre, and some terrible. In general, the schools north of I-90 tend to be better, and the home prices higher. Right now, the inventory of decent homes for sale in sought after areas is very low. So it becomes a matter of choices. If you find an area with great amenities, you may be in an area with lesser schools.
As far as dog parks, there are two great ones within the Seattle city limits, and a bunch of OK ones.
Magnuson Park, NE of the U of Washington, is pretty fabulous, and includes a swimming beach. Westcrest Park, in West Seattle, has off leash trails in the woods.
As far as houses, you might want to look at a site like redfin.com or windermere.com to give you an idea of what's out there.
I've been following up on the information many of you have posted.
Have another question... Any advice on neighborhoods still meeting most of our wish list that are reasonable commute to the various Boeing sites? At this early stage of the game I'm really not sure which one m wife would end up at. I can't tell from the if there is a central location that would make commuting all or the majority of the Boeing sites reasonable if there was a transfer. It looks like Everett is pretty far North of Seattle and many of the recommended neighborhoods. But the rest of the sites are (in order of central to Seattle to south of the city are) Bellevue, Tukwila, Renton, Kent, Auburn.
I'm sure it would be nearly impossible to get a easy commute from one area to all the different sites... but if folks have impute on central locations that still have a lot to offer from our neighborhood wish list. Good Neighborhoods that would offer a reasonable commute for those working in Everett, Seattle ares (Bellevue,Tukwila) or at the southern locations (Renton, Kent, Aubrun) I would appreciate the incite.
I'm thinking about going back to school for a masters if we move so some place that isn't too bad of a drive to one of the universities would be awesome but less important then the drive of the my wife. after all she would be the one commuting 5 days a week!
I'm the one who recommended Columbia City/Seward Park, where I have lived for 25 years. And, I'm a Boeing employee - I find it a perfect location. I have worked at the Development Center (15 minutes away), Kent (25 minutes away), Bellevue (25 minutes away), Renton (15 minutes away), and Everett (40 minutes away). These are morning drive times which are quite predictable because no matter which direction you go you are in a 'reverse commute' away from the city. The toughest commute back home in the afternoon is from Everett, which can stretch to an hour sometimes.
Keep in mind the weather will be significantly different from most places in the US. If the rain and clouds 9 months a year bother you, reconsider.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 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.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 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.
