SoCal Transplant - North/East Seattle Suburban Options (Bellevue, Everett: houses, neighborhoods)

[CA2NW]

I have two kids in grade school & am moving to the PNW in the next few months. After a couple visits & doing some research, I've narrowed down the potential areas we would consider for the move & would love a local's or recent transplant's perspective!

At the end of the day, we prefer an "active" suburban lifestyle with close (driving) proximity to a metro area. We like having a little extra square footage & want to move to an area where the kids can safely ride their bikes & we can walk the dog without choking on exhaust fumes. In my imaginary perfect town, I'd have all the amenities of a suburb (safety, leafy green streets with sidewalks, etc.) & be able to walk to my favorite Italian restaurant on a Friday night... I don't have that now, but a girl can dream, can't she??

#1 Priority - SCHOOLS
#2 Priority - Cohesive Community Vibe

Areas I Like So Far:

MILL CREEK - I know many of you think it's cookie-cutter, but I love the green, natural setting & walking paths winding through the community... pros/cons that I might not notice as an outsider? Is it really as "far" as I've heard people say it is from "everything?"

WOODINVILLE - The hubby likes Woodinville more than me - it seems a bit remote for my tastes, although I do like the Hollywood Hill area... feedback?

JUANITA - I like the Juanita Village activity, but only spent a brief amount of time there... other parts of Kirkland, with the freeway running through the center, just remind me of the San Fernando Valley... not really a compliment. I liked the vibe/feel of the "East/West of Market" neighborhoods, but it's way above our budget. Thoughts on Juanita?

LAKE FOREST PARK - I really, really like the feel of the little Town Center with that awesome bookstore, but not sure about the housing options... Sheridan Beach seems really nice, but there are very few houses available - also don't love that Bothell Way trek through Kenmore - seems a bit industrial. Advice?

EDMONDS - A little too "old" (both age-wise & housing stock) from what I noticed, but the downtown is quaint... although a bit far north, I'm seeing some nice neighborhoods in the Picnic Point & Maplewood areas... what do you all think?

BOTHELL - Where did all the trees go? The housing developments that looked promising online were situated on long, isolated roads with the trees completely stripped from the landscape... I felt like I was experiencing "The Lorax" firsthand... that said, there ARE nice parts I've driven through - I just don't know which areas to consider. I like the "idea" of the revitalized downtown, but right now it just looks like an uphill strip of granny shops... I'm sure that sounds harsh (please don't hate me), but I am used to having pretty easy access to a bevy of shopping options - is this going to be a "downtown" with the requisite Gap/Pottery Barn/Cheesecake Factory trifecta or is something more unique in the works? It seems to be an area with a lot to offer, but - as you can see - I'm not sold yet.

Thanks for your feedback!!

[Hemlock140]

Those are all good choices but the schools are even better in Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish and Redmond. Unfortunately you will not find too many homes with extra square footage and safe bike riding close enough to walk to restaurants anywhere around here.

Mill Creek, if you are close to Martha Lake is actually pretty close to just about everything, including the Alderwood Mall. Hollywood hill is. . . a hill. so not great for bike riding very far with limited flat areas, and the commute traffic getting in and out of there is awful. Of the places you mentioned Juanita is probably on the bottom of the list for schools.

Klahanie in Issaquah is what I would consider the best match for all of your requirements. Good schools, tree lined sidewalks, real sense of community, lots of kids, parks, and community pools. One decent shopping center with some nice restaurants but just down the hill to everything including Costco in Issaquah. Only 5-10 minute drive from my favorite Italian restaurant, Ristorante Simone in Sammamish.

[beautifulseattlehomes]

I really like Mill Creek too. The schools have a great reputation. The town is filled with abundant paths for walking and biking and the town center where Central Market is, while perhaps contrived to some, I think really adds so much to the community. It was an incredibly well done redevelopment plan and contributed greatly to the quality of life of the town and its residents. Central Market is my favorite grocery store in the whole area and one of the best I have ever shopped in anywhere. A huge plus too is that you get so much more for your housing dollar both in terms of square footage and quality. I think the close proximity to all the natural beauty, hiking trails and mountains makes it a slam dunk for me.

Of course the big thing in the metro Seattle area is where and how far you need to commute and at what times of day.

[Seacove]

OP you might want to verify the recommendations you're getting here with an objective realtor. If you're serious about Mill Creek, there's nothing wrong with it but commuting from there is no picnic; will members of your family be commuting from there? The commute from there does have an impact on resale prices. You may be able to buy there for less but you will also sell for less. And the schools are the Everett school district which is probably hit or miss. It's a very pretty community, but to get there requires battling the Bothell Everett highway which is long, crowded and full of traffic lights, or west on 164th, which is not much different because you will then need to join I-5.

Bothell is changing pretty rapidly. It is packed full of new housing developments and they are redeveloping the downtown. I do not foresee it having Pottery Barns and such because really the Eastside has Alderwood Mall and Bellevue Square with Pottery Barns. There is a mall in Redmond, Redmond Town Center, that tried to join the fray but they are not holding up too well. If Redmond can't grow a successful urban style mall, Bothell will not try. They will go the route of small, local shops like Country Village which is in Bothell.

If Hollywood Hill is "just a hill", that might be news to all the $1M+ home owners living there and surrounded by horse farms, wineries and hiking trails. There are additional parts of Woodinville such as Cottage Lake, Paradise Lake, Bear Creek, etc. but you may find them too set apart for easy walking since the home lots tend to be larger. They are all part of the Northshore school district which also includes Redmond north of 128th.

Juanita is a less expensive part of Kirkland but I bet it's a good long term investment; don't know on the schools.

Edmonds is undeniably charming and Lake Forest Park has a nice old feel with lots of trees.

Issaquah is not North/East of Seattle but it is popular for a lot of activities, easy access to skiing and the mountains. Klahanie is an older housing development with small lots but close to a lot of things if you like things close together.

I'm a little surprised to see the quick promotion of Mill Creek without the typical cautions and the quick swipe at Woodinville. I question the objectivity of a poster that says Woodinville commuting is awful (those that live here say otherwise, including me) while Mill Creek is great and no mention of what we all know is true about the commute. I won't get into a debate but it would be unfortunate for you to make buying decisions based on the advice you're getting here.

[tobester]

I'd seriously consider commute as a major decision factor. Good schools are important, but so is lots of quality family time. And, what's your budget? Another major factor. Having said that, have you considered living in Seattle itself. Many neighborhoods have exactly what you are looking for - community vibe, active, walkable, quiet, safe and, yes, even good schools.

[CA2NW]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Don't worry - I won't depend solely on the opinion of you all, but it's nice to get a fresh, unfiltered opinion here... people are often too polite to be honest face-to-face when it comes to neighborhoods for fear of insulting a coworker or boss!!

As for the commute, the job is in Lynnwood. Given that previously we dealt with a 2-hour roundtrip commute, we look forward to shortening it to 15-20min each way therefore Issaquah, Redmond, Cottage Lake & Bellevue are out of the equation.

[CA2NW]

Tobester - I've kind of moved away from the idea of living in Seattle proper because of traffic concerns & the chatter regarding public schools; because so many of the suburbs have incredibly rated public schools, I do not want to invest in private school - I'd rather put those funds toward college and/or enrichment programs.

[CA2NW]

Originally Posted by Seacove

If Hollywood Hill is "just a hill", that might be news to all the $1M+ home owners living there and surrounded by horse farms, wineries and hiking trails. There are additional parts of Woodinville such as Cottage Lake, Paradise Lake, Bear Creek, etc. but you may find them too set apart for easy walking since the home lots tend to be larger. They are all part of the Northshore school district which also includes Redmond north of 128th.

...

I'm a little surprised to see the quick promotion of Mill Creek without the typical cautions and the quick swipe at Woodinville. I question the objectivity of a poster that says Woodinville commuting is awful (those that live here say otherwise, including me) while Mill Creek is great and no mention of what we all know is true about the commute. I won't get into a debate but it would be unfortunate for you to make buying decisions based on the advice you're getting here.

These other parts of Woodinville look quite lovely, but I think they're a little farther out than we'd like to be... of course, one thing I noticed on our last trip is that everything is much closer in proximity than it appears on a map. Getting lost on the backroads of Cottage Lake, however, didn't help me feel as though everyday amenities (grocery shopping, baseball practice, restaurants, etc.) were easily accessible.

That said, what are the "typical cautions" regarding Mill Creek?

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by CA2NW

Thanks for the feedback so far. Don't worry - I won't depend solely on the opinion of you all, but it's nice to get a fresh, unfiltered opinion here... people are often too polite to be honest face-to-face when it comes to neighborhoods for fear of insulting a coworker or boss!!

As for the commute, the job is in Lynnwood. Given that previously we dealt with a 2-hour roundtrip commute, we look forward to shortening it to 15-20min each way therefore Issaquah, Redmond, Cottage Lake & Bellevue are out of the equation.

Cottage Lake is north Woodinville, so it would be closer to Lynnwood than Hollywood Hill. If the job is in Lynnwood, then Bothell Canyon Park and North Creek areas would be good recommendations. You are along 405, in the Northshore School District and there are a couple of shortcut routes to Lynnwood, especially from Canyon Park. I still would hesitate on Mill Creek on the chance that the job location changes, which is not uncommon.

This is Country Village in Bothell:http://www.countryvillagebothell.com/, very local.

[tobester]

Originally Posted by CA2NW

Tobester - I've kind of moved away from the idea of living in Seattle proper because of traffic concerns & the chatter regarding public schools; because so many of the suburbs have incredibly rated public schools, I do not want to invest in private school - I'd rather put those funds toward college and/or enrichment programs.

For what it's worth, I'd pit several of Seattle's elementary schools (check out McGilvra or Montlake) against any Eastside school and Garfield High (right smack in the middle of a "bad" neighborhood) produces more National Merit scholars than maybe all other high schools in the state. But, I do understand your concerns about traffic especially if the job is in Lynnwood.