Potential move for young family (Seattle, Everett: for sale, real estate market, rental)

[BRinSM]

I wanted to get the locals' thoughts on a job prospect I have in Seattle. The position appears be in Belltown near the water. I'm looking for neighborhood recommendations that will meet my budget as well as have a reasonable commute (<30 minutes). It's hard to gauge the take home on the salary because WA doesn't have a state income tax, unlike the nearly 10% rate I pay here in CA, but with that said I can see myself paying up to $3000/month in rent and would need a minimum of 3 bedrooms (though I'd prefer to pay closer to $2500). I would prefer a house, but could manage a townhome as well, though we'll need at least 1500sf. I'm not sure if my budget would allow it, but I also like living in active areas (think parks, shops, restaurants, etc.), though I'm currently in a fairly suburban setting and I'm okay with that too. I'm also open to buying ($600k-$700k), but not sure how long term the move would be, so I'm hesitant to sell my place here in LA and get into the real estate market in Seattle. Regarding commuting, I'm also open to public transit. I think the northern part of the city/region may be a better choice as well since I have family close to Everett and would like to see them fairly often.

Since I'm so clueless of anything related to Seattle, I had a few other questions. First, based on my needs, would Seattle even be a reasonable option for my family from a financial perspective? If so, what are some areas to consider looking for homes. Any other thoughts or advice anyone could provide for me would certainly be appreciated.

[RustinginSeattle]

To be in Belltown in 30 minutes, you will need to live within the city limits. Any suburbs will most likely put you 45+ minutes out. Check out Queen Anne, Ballard, Wallingford, Crown Hill, Greenwood, Phinney Ridge, Eastlake, Capital Hill (east), Magnolia, Ravenna, and Greenlake. Not sure if you can get a house for $2500, but maybe a townhome would be doable (I don't know enough about rental prices, so will let someone else weigh in). All of those areas are very active, although walking to a grocery store in Greenlake will be hard.

Without traffic, I can get up to Everett mall in 30 minutes from Ballard, to give you some perspective

Shoreline is the northern most suburb, but you lose a lot of the liveliness and walkability when you move up there. It is, however, a great family area with good schools. Schools can vary wildly, so when looking for an area, make sure you do your homework on those.

Also, keep in mind that house buying is so competitive, that it's not unusual for a house to be bid up $100K over asking. I only say that because if you were to look online for houses in your price range, consider that there could be 9 other offers bidding it way up (some all cash), so best look at the low end of what you want to pay to account for that.

That being said, I would never recommend buying until you've lived here awhile and know what area you like, what kind of commute you are willing to tolerate, and make sure you can handle the dreariness of our winters -some don't notice it and some become very depressed.

The scenery around here is spectacular. And if you prefer cooler weather, this could be for you. I would recommend searching the forum a bit. You will find very opposing opinions about Seattle. For some it is a mecca and for others it's hell. Poke around and see what you think.

[homesinseattle]

The Greenwood area in Seattle would be great fit with your budget and commute desire. You might also look at the Mount Baker area of Seattle.

[CrazyDonkey]

Try Magnolia. There are houses in your range, plus the commute could be as short as 20 minutes to Belltown.

Magnolia Seattle Real Estate - 112 Homes For Sale | Zillow

[Hemlock140]

I work in that are and commute from Sammamish, but it's more of a woodsy suburban area, not walkable and 40 minutes by car. Public transportation is best unless your employer provides free parking, the garages and lots are $200+/month and no free street parking nearby. I would look at Edmonds and Shoreline, especially if you have kids in school.

[BRinSM]

thanks for your thoughts everyone. my first phone interview went particularly well, so I may have some more follow up questions as the hiring process progresses.