Need 2+ acres and good schools near Seattle (Bellevue, Kent: for sale, real estate)

[Mae Herman]

We are moving to the Seattle area ASAP. We have three kids and a couple of dogs, and we all love the outside world - hiking, beaches, biking - love the outdoors! We were thinking we would love to build our own home, but that's not a requirement. The only real requirements now are good schools (our kids are too smart for my own good) and lots of space for the whole family and the dogs to enjoy some peace and quiet, yet still have some reasonable proximity to Redmond / Bellevue / Seattle and also SeaTac. I do not need a fancy home on a postage stamp property in Bellevue. I'd rather have a home from the 50's that needs some TLC, but has some killer views of Puget Sound and/or the mountains.

Please - I would appreciate any an all help to find a great community for my family to flourish. My husband and I have traveled throughout the area, but never with the lens of 'parents of school-age children.'

Thank you all!

[Ruth4Truth]

The main question is: what can you afford? Budget, please. We can't help until we know what you have to work with.

[Mae Herman]

Depends on whether you ask me or my husband. But I think we would both agree that the $750k and under range would be preferred.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Mae Herman

Depends on whether you ask me or my husband. But I think we would both agree that the $750k and under range would be preferred.

You'll probably need more than that for 2 acres, or even 1 acre, unless you go out of town; maybe Issaquah, or up toward Mt Vernon a bit, or Duvall, or Marysville, but others who know the East Side (Redmond, etc.) will know better than I. I'm only suggesting you be flexible with your requirements. I understand you'd be ok with a fixer-upper, which is helpful.

[CrazyDonkey]

Why near Seattle?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Why near Seattle?

And why 2 acres? I can relate to not wanting to be sandwiched inbetween houses, but 1/2 acre would get you plenty of breathing room and dog-run room, unless you're planning on having horses, or something.

OK, I took a quick look at listings in Duvall. Everything was around $400K for a standard city lot, but then I found this (see link). It's only 2 br. and looks like it might be a mobile home, I can't tell, but it's on over 2 acres. So with some luck, your dream might be doable. How many kids do you have? If this place is available for 250K and 2+ acres, for a bit more, you should be able to find something with 3 br, at least. I don't know about the schools out there.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...9_M28475-37486


Here's a listing in Marysville, on a bit over 1/4 acre. This is just to give you a feel for the market: how much you get for how much money. With luck, you could find something like this 3-br. place w/basement on 1/2 acre, or possibly closer to 1 acre, on your budget.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...-17440#photo24


Here's 2 acres in Marysville, no house, for $300K http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M18288-97528

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You'll probably need more than that for 2 acres, or even 1 acre, unless you go out of town; maybe Issaquah, or up toward Mt Vernon a bit, or Duvall, or Marysville, but others who know the East Side (Redmond, etc.) will know better than I. I'm only suggesting you be flexible with your requirements. I understand you'd be ok with a fixer-upper, which is helpful.

There's nothing in Seattle, Bellevue, or Redmond currently for sale for 750k or less with a house and a couple of acres, but some in duvall, and lots in Renton/Kent/Auburn/Maple Valley/Covington, and even a fixer near me in the 98178 zip code in the forgotten semi rural area between Skyway and Renton.

[Mae Herman]

the acreage is my husband's desire. he wants to have room for our boys to set up a bow and arrow range, and things like that. he doesn't want to see his neighbors and grew up on top of a mountain in PA on 20+ acres himself.

i'm a bit more practical. one or two acres would be ideal for me. my housing requirements are basic. i currently live in a 1/3 to 1/2 acre zone in Greenwich, CT, an awful town full of rich *******s and wanna-be rich *******s. the environment is so toxic that we need to get our kids out before any permanent damage is sustained.

for work, though, while we both plan on working from home (i have my own company), i will need access to a decent airport, like SeaTac, and/or business space on demand in areas in and around seattle, bellevue and redmond.

So, I love the entire area and would be happy pretty much anywhere. I'd love to stay within about a 40 mile radius of the airport. And our kids were in gifted programs here, so my strong preference would be to ensure we are in a good quality school district (seems like washington state in general has LOTS of options). and lastly, my guys are nationally-ranked scholastic chess players. so *reasonable* proximity to the seattle metro area greatly broadens the tournament options for my boys.

whew!

[benleis]

Real estate web sites are your friend. Add some filters for 2+ acres, max 750k and start typing in cities (just skip anything central) I was surprised to find that there are some places that actually fit that much of your criteria either on the NE edge or South edges of the metro region. I have no idea what your definition of "reasonable proximity" or good schools is though.

Since I see your above post - how long do you want your drive to that business space or airport to be? 40 miles from the airport can be an eternity away in drive time. Generally, the more competitive chess programs are going to be in the central cities especially if you're looking for a peer group not on the fringe and the same goes for the most well thought of gifted and talented programs but there are options around everywhere for highly capable programs since they are state mandated.

[Mae Herman]

I love the term "SEMI-RURAL" as I think that's where I would be happiest. We are squarely in the bedroom communities of New York City, and the wealthiest (read "most obnoxious") one at that. One where my kids regularly have fights over whose friend's private plane is better. I would be delighted if none of my kids knew of such things until they were at least in college. (Well, that's when I found out.) But it certainly shouldn't happen at ages 8 and 10.