What is the best parts of Renton to live in? (Seattle: middle-class, apartments)

[wsugrad03]

The Problem: Would like to buy a nice, newer home for under $500K with a REAL lot...not the dense, crammed tract housing. This seems virtually impossible unless you start at Renton and keep looking south, or you start at Bothel and keep looking north. However, work locations will typically either be downtown Seattle, Boeing field, Bellevue, or Redmond as I work in the software tech industry. Commute is a pet peeve of mine, so I'm really not interested in living out in the boonies and having to hit the road at 5am to get to work by 7am.

I would prefer to live in Sammamish/Issaquah/Redmond area, but let's get real....unless I want a condo/townhome, there's no way that's happening for under $500K. Looking on Redfin, I've found quite a few nice looking homes in the fairwood area in Renton that would work out, but I'm unfamiliar with most parts of Renton, and I honestly don't have a lot of faith in the quality of Renton living...and I'm well aware of the I-405 commuting nightmare.

Can anybody give me an objective overview of Renton. What areas are more upscale and which areas are gritty and should be avoided. There's also the issue of schools. Right now I'm immediately concerned more with quality elementary school districts. What about gangs, drugs, and street violence? We're looking for a nice house in a safe and upscale neighborhood that's relatively close to ammenities.

Thank you for your advice.

[jwb123]

Renton, good schools and upscale don't really go together.

[CityGirl72]

I have heard there is ONE good part of Renton - but I don't know where it is...it's not where I would live.

[scirocco22]

Especially stay away from Renton Highlands and the area around Rolling Hills.

[MaikeerinWA]

Contrary to what I'm reading here, there are some quality neighborhoods in the Renton Highlands, broadly defined. Yes, there are those stereotypical tough, old housing developments from WWII, but a lot of redevelopment is going on.

The East Renton Plateau, in particular, is a very nice and affluent area that is considered part of the highlands, and part of it is in the Issaquah school district. The Burnsteads are one of the major builders in this area, but the housing is in the $600k+ range for many of the new developments.

I like the Fairwood neighborhood too, an unincorporated - for now -area adjacent to Renton.

[jwb123]

If I was going to spend $600k++ on a home, I wouldn't waste it in Renton.

[MaikeerinWA]

Camwest's Shamrock Heights is another nice development in the eastern highlands, that I drive by much of the time. It's ringed by a bunch of protected greenbelts, but like a lot of new construction, it is a little dense. This part of Renton has definitely lost some of the rural look and feel that it had not long ago.

Farther out (we're near the Maple Valley Highway), a lot of our friends live in the town of Maple Valley and like it there.

Good luck with your search.

[la_fuerza]

I work in Renton. The Kennydale area seems pretty nice. Some of the homes even have views of Lake Washington. As far as being close to amenities and shops, Kennydale is very close to the new Renton Landing.

Renton is an up and coming city. It's in a good location, right off the freeway and close to Sea-Tac Airport and Seattle. There's new condos and apartments going up and areas are being redeveloped and gentrified.

[scirocco22]

True, MichaelinWA, I may have painted the Renton Highlands with too broad a brush. I had somebody else have the same disagreement with me last year on a similar thread. Yes, the eastern part of the Renton Highlands and out toward Lake Kathleen does have a lot of new development, both older and new middle-class areas, and also nice rural properties.

However, I'm sure you'd agree that the "central" Renton Highlands area is not a necessarily recommended place to be if safety is a concern. The area surrounding the Sunset Blvd. shopping strips is still very scary late at night. The area radiating from the the prominent intersection of Union and 4th is better but a lot of crime is still taking place in the general area.

[wannabeaTexan]

I agree with the Renton Highlands statement. I live in Renton and I'm fine with it, but a little wary of the Highlands. Fairwood is a nice neighborhood and the elementary schools are good. Class sizes are decent, some of them have been remodeled recently, teachers are involved and care about the kids.

Depending on where you work, it is possible to avoid a 405 commute, especially if you work in Bellevue.