Small towns, rural feel, and crime rates? (Seattle, Tacoma: middle-class, house)

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Crazy, just did a search and found 2 current Vashon active listings on acreage around $465k. I was I guess focused more on the 45 minute to Seattle comment. To get anything on land anywhere else in the 400s, you would be out of the 45 minute range. Vashon at least, with the commuter passenger ferry. can accomplish that. It is also lovely and small town, I lived there for 3 years.

Ah, the last I checked, Vashon was $600k+. Maybe prices are coming down. It would check their other boxes, including good schools.

[homesinseattle]

Yup, 600k would be in better condition. For $475-$500k on Vashon, the place would need a bit of TLC, but would be decent SF on an acre.

[prosin]

First question, is your hubby's job offer with a somewhat flexible work schedule (i.e., he won't be fired if he's ten minutes late), and is he willing to do up an 1.5 hours of commute (at most) plus walking a few blocks? If not, then my suggestion may not work.

If your hubby is OK with bus/walk on ferry/walk to work, you could look at North Kitsap (Kitsap County) communities--Suquamish, Kingston, Indianola, Poulsbo, Eglon, Keyport. Kitsap County is located across Puget Sound from Seattle. North Kitsap has rural communities with homes and acreage in your price range.

Because we have no bridges from this side of the water to Seattle, he would have to ride on a ferry boat, which does incur a fee. Kitsap Transit runs buses from North Kitsap areas to the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, which lands at the Coleman dock in DT Seattle. Walk-on ferry fees are less than $10/round-trip and only charged in one direction. Auto ferry fees are higher and are charged both directions (around $35/round-trip with a monthly pass). If you were not within walking distance to a bus stop, Kitsap Transit offers free Park-and-Ride locations on this side of the water.

Note, this means really careful timing on his part. A missed ferry might mean up to an hour wait before the next sailing.

We keep hearing rumors of a foot ferry again between Kingston and DT Seattle (run by Kitsap Transit), but that might not be running until 2018 or so.

[taylorco]

Vashon is a little too out there for us! Space is great Seclusion, not so much..

Seems like we are going to need to compromise on having the acreage we are looking for. Port Orchard initially sounded promising on paper, but the crime in the area seems very high!

We'd still like at least 1/4 - 1/2 acre. Looking at Kenmore, Maple Valley, Kirkland, Bothell and Bellevue.

Any thoughts on these areas?

[taylorco]

Originally Posted by prosin

First question, is your hubby's job offer with a somewhat flexible work schedule (i.e., he won't be fired if he's ten minutes late), and is he willing to do up an 1.5 hours of commute (at most) plus walking a few blocks? If not, then my suggestion may not work.

If your hubby is OK with bus/walk on ferry/walk to work, you could look at North Kitsap (Kitsap County) communities--Suquamish, Kingston, Indianola, Poulsbo, Eglon, Keyport. Kitsap County is located across Puget Sound from Seattle. North Kitsap has rural communities with homes and acreage in your price range.

Because we have no bridges from this side of the water to Seattle, he would have to ride on a ferry boat, which does incur a fee. Kitsap Transit runs buses from North Kitsap areas to the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, which lands at the Coleman dock in DT Seattle. Walk-on ferry fees are less than $10/round-trip and only charged in one direction. Auto ferry fees are higher and are charged both directions (around $35/round-trip with a monthly pass). If you were not within walking distance to a bus stop, Kitsap Transit offers free Park-and-Ride locations on this side of the water.

Note, this means really careful timing on his part. A missed ferry might mean up to an hour wait before the next sailing.

We keep hearing rumors of a foot ferry again between Kingston and DT Seattle (run by Kitsap Transit), but that might not be running until 2018 or so.

Ferries are not out of the question by any means. I'm sure being late occasionally wouldn't be a huge deal, but if it was a daily thing it would probably be. He's working with his managers to discuss occasional telecommuting. If so, then the longer commute wouldn't be an issue. But daily it would be a bit much. That area looks great though!

[homesinseattle]

Taylorco, I think of the areas you've mentioned, Maple Valley would feel the best to you.

[RustinginSeattle]

Originally Posted by taylorco

Vashon is a little too out there for us! Space is great Seclusion, not so much..

Seems like we are going to need to compromise on having the acreage we are looking for. Port Orchard initially sounded promising on paper, but the crime in the area seems very high!

We'd still like at least 1/4 - 1/2 acre. Looking at Kenmore, Maple Valley, Kirkland, Bothell and Bellevue.

Any thoughts on these areas?

My father commuted from Port Orchard for over 11 years. He worked in Duwamish, which is at the south end of the city (closer to White Center than Seattle). That commute usually took him 1.5 to 2 hours each way. If you took the ferry you would find yourself in West Seattle and would still have quite a commute from there to downtown Seattle. The crime isn't that bad over there.

I commuted from Bremerton for 1.5 years and without a foot ferry it was nearly 2 hours each direction door to door. Plus you are subject to the ferry schedule (as mentioned before - don't miss your ferry!).

Because of all our water and mountains we are super limited in what directions that we can develop. This area just isn't meant to hold the number of people that it is currently holding (and growing!). We don't have enough or large enough freeways to handle all of the cars, so what you are asking for is pretty darn near impossible. You're either going to have a wicked long commute, or you're going to live in a (expensive) suburban environment. Just no other way around it. In the same way, you couldn't ask for a rural environment within 45 minute commute from downtown Chicago. They may be larger, but they can develop in all directions. We can't.

Maybe what you need is to move an hour or more (not during peak traffic) from Seattle and have your husband rent a room to crash in in the city during his commute week.

[taylorco]

We are in a fortunate position of not having to move. So if we can not make it work then it's not a big deal, but we're ready for a change of scenery if it makes sense. The move would be a promotion, but cost of living would just about wash out the pay increase. We value time as a family and it wouldn't make sense for my husband to be away from us during the week, and spending 4+ hours daily on a long commute isn't worth it. Kids grow up too fast and it's too important to be there as much as possible.

We're ready for a change and want to make it work, but we are not willing to compromise on neighborhood safety or on commute time.

[christiner81]

Taylorco, we are sort of looking for the same thing. My husband's new job will be in Everett, which helps with the commute situation considerably. We are looking in Snohomish area, but there is definitely very little to pick from at the 400K mark, regardless of lot size. Closer to 500k seems to be the sweet spot for finding large lots. Had his job offer been in Downtown Seattle we probably would have declined it because I don't think the lifestyle/town we want is compatible with that kind of commute.

[homesinseattle]

Christiner, have you tried the Machias or Dubuque Rd. part of Snohomish? Prices are a little better there and it is surprisingly close to historic Snohomish proper.