Mercer Island - Pros & Cons? (Seattle, Bellevue: sales, real estate, rent)

[nyker2seattle]

I would love to hear opinions about living on mercer island. What are the true pros and cons?

I don't have children yet but plan to in a year. My fiancé and I are looking at neighborhoods where we can start a family and be amongst a fun, young, community of professionals. Thoughts?

[eskercurve]

Originally Posted by nyker2seattle

I would love to hear opinions about living on mercer island. What are the true pros and cons?

I don't have children yet but plan to in a year. My fiancé and I are looking at neighborhoods where we can start a family and be amongst a fun, young, community of professionals. Thoughts?

Fun and young are the opposite of Mercer Island. Typically MI is middle-aged and want a more slow pace of life. Now, MI is great for kids assuming you live near the parks or schools, or near the center of the island where there's some surprisingly good trails for exercise, and there's a decent choice of restaurants spanning mexican to japanese and even a decent Jewish deli.

If Mercer Island is within your budget but you want a young and more hip crowd to be with, check out Capitol Hill and east of there, and Ballard and Green Lake instead. You'll get more for your money and be around more young(er) people.

Story changes if you plan on renting. MI is great for young people starting out in the Seattle area if they can afford the rents. Close to both Bellevue and Seattle, no crime, and if starting a family a great school district. They will be looked down upon as their parents will say "Gosh look how my $20,000 a year in property taxes gets squandered" as they imply they are above you as if the rent you pay doesn't go to the property taxes the owner of the complex pays, also ignoring the businesses' contribution to sales taxes. It's a pretty snooty place. They can afford to be in a sense; some of the most rich and powerful of Seattle live there. Pro sports players, software magnates, entrepreneurs, leaders in the science fields, real estate moguls, the works.

Personally, if I were you, I'd want to live in Cap Hill or Madrona areas and at least be around more old money than nuveau riche morons.

[beautifulseattlehomes]

Mercer island is not what one would associate with fun and young! I would look at other suburbs and seriously consider neighborhoods in the city itself such as Ballard, Wallingford and Phinney Ridge. My neighborhood is filled with family's with children who are professionals commuting to Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks and the like. Lots of family friendly activities abound in many neighborhoods of Seattle and in some even more than others!

[Ira500]

Pros: Very easy commute to downtown Seattle and downtown Bellevue, where many jobs are. Nice slow pace. If you're in downtown Mercer Island, you've got the walkability thing with shops and restaurants. Nice parks. An ancient awesome tavern. Good schools.
Cons: Not fun and young. Very expensive housing. Some say Mercer Island is snobby.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Pros: Very easy commute to downtown Seattle and downtown Bellevue, where many jobs are. Nice slow pace. If you're in downtown Mercer Island, you've got the walkability thing with shops and restaurants. Nice parks. An ancient awesome tavern. Good schools.
Cons: Not fun and young. Very expensive housing. Some say Mercer Island is snobby.

No, that's a con. It's a killer commute, especially if there's stormy weather, or if there's an accident on the bridge, backing up traffic. You can't go anywhere without dealing with a bridge and its traffic.

Most housing on the island is cheap cr@p designed to look impressive and expensive. It was built that way because people who didn't really know what quality was wanted to live there so they could feel exclusive and snobby. Live anywhere but there.

[lmealing]

Mercer Island has a great school district though, top rated in WA. So while it may not be the hippest place to live, it is nice, safe and will have good schools for your kids.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

No, that's a con. It's a killer commute, especially if there's stormy weather, or if there's an accident on the bridge, backing up traffic. You can't go anywhere without dealing with a bridge and its traffic.

Most housing on the island is cheap cr@p designed to look impressive and expensive. It was built that way because people who didn't really know what quality was wanted to live there so they could feel exclusive and snobby. Live anywhere but there.

Actually, even when traffic is horrible on the bridge, it rarely takes more than 30 minutes to get into downtown Seattle, and less to downtown Bellevue.
But yeah, there is the snob factor. Paul Allen lives on Mercer Island. So does former NBA great Bill Russell.
Crappy expensive newer homes are all over. What gets me though, on Mercer Island there are still a fair number of flat roofed 1950's houses that sell for 6 or 7 hundred thousand dollars, pretty much the same house that you'd see in Skyway for 200,000.
And really, Ruth, anywhere but Mercer Island? You'd rather live in Skyway or Rainier Valley or White Center?
Me, if I could afford to live on Mercer Island, I'd still choose to live elsewhere. Not because I dislike it, but it's too expensive, and I'd choose other places I like better.

[theyreinphx]

Pros: Great schools, nice people (I don't associate with snobby people and still have plenty of friends), rent is about the same as Bellevue or Seattle, beautiful Island, secluded, easy commute even in the worst of situations, wonderful parks, perfect for kids, low crime (mostly theft from non-residents).

Cons: a little boring, very expensive housing. If you have a dream of home ownership be prepared to pay at least 900k for an old crappy 3 bedroom home built in the 50s.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Actually, even when traffic is horrible on the bridge, it rarely takes more than 30 minutes to get into downtown Seattle, and less to downtown Bellevue.
But yeah, there is the snob factor. Paul Allen lives on Mercer Island. So does former NBA great Bill Russell.
Crappy expensive newer homes are all over. What gets me though, on Mercer Island there are still a fair number of flat roofed 1950's houses that sell for 6 or 7 hundred thousand dollars, pretty much the same house that you'd see in Skyway for 200,000.
And really, Ruth, anywhere but Mercer Island? You'd rather live in Skyway or Rainier Valley or White Center?
Me, if I could afford to live on Mercer Island, I'd still choose to live elsewhere. Not because I dislike it, but it's too expensive, and I'd choose other places I like better.

Well, ok. Assuming she can afford to buy on Mercer Is., then, where would we recommend as a better alternative? Laurelhurst? Magnolia? Queen Anne?

[MaikeerinWA]

It is not a killer commute. I agree with the earlier comment about proximity to Seattle and Bellevue employment centers - it is a big advantage for MI residents and a relatively quick commute. Plus they seem to be able to use the HOV lane to Seattle even with a single driver?

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

No, that's a con. It's a killer commute, especially if there's stormy weather, or if there's an accident on the bridge, backing up traffic. You can't go anywhere without dealing with a bridge and its traffic.