Moving to Seattle Family of 6 (Rainier: how much, schools, closing)

[maddieinoz]

Thank you Vince- this is really helpful. I think we would prefer a home with character and not a recent build. Our current house was built during the goldmine rush in the 1880s so it definitely has character and I love it despite the cracks. We are also quite open to doing renovations so it's really good to hear that something 2100sf in size could become a 4br. Thank you!

[homesinseattle]

Happy to help. When I tell my European friends that I frequently work with "historic" and character homes (usually 1910-1960), they laugh at me and tell me about their friends who live in cottages built in the 1600s .

We planned really tightly, I'd say target something more like 2300 SF plus to safely have enough space, 2500+ even better. Be aware also that home listings may (but not always) differentiate between "total square footage" and "finished square footage". A 2600 sf character home with 1700 "sff" (finished) for example, most likely has an unfinished lower level/basement with windows. Though these are often excellent candidates for space/bedroom/bath additions, you need to ascertain that the ceiling height is workable.

West Seattle, Columbia City, Seward Park and the Seattle neighborhoods we've mentioned have plenty of the character and historic homes. Newport Hills, Bellevue and Renton really don't. The architecture there is modern/contemporary, spilt level (think 1990s) or sometimes single level ranch style (we call them ramblers) homes.

[CrazyDonkey]

Diverse/walkable areas with decent-good schools (elementaries with ESL students, so dive deeper):

Beacon Hill:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...98_rect/10_zm/ (ES "6", MS "7", HS "6")

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...98_rect/10_zm/ (ES "4", MS "7", HS "6")

Columbia City:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...98_rect/10_zm/ (ES "4", MS "7", HS "6")

NE Tacoma (walkable to Dash Point State Park and Browns Point Lighthouse Park):

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...76_rect/11_zm/ (ES "6", HS "7")

[CrazyDonkey]

Here's a rare 4bd gem in Seattle's east Capitol Hill (Miller Park-Stevens neighborhood) for under a mil:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...84_rect/12_zm/

Super walkable to Trader Joe's, Capitol Hill Co-op, Madison Valley shops/cafes, the Arboretum, 15th Ave E business district, Interlaken Park, Volunteer Park, Pike-Pine Corridor, etc. Madison St RapidRide (BRT) coming. Looks like the basement has room to expand.

[maddieinoz]

Thanks for the links!

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Here's a rare 4bd gem in Seattle's east Capitol Hill (Miller Park-Stevens neighborhood) for under a mil:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...84_rect/12_zm/

Super walkable to Trader Joe's, Capitol Hill Co-op, Madison Valley shops/cafes, the Arboretum, 15th Ave E business district, Interlaken Park, Volunteer Park, Pike-Pine Corridor, etc. Madison St RapidRide (BRT) coming. Looks like the basement has room to expand.

Certainly very walkable but would get too much road noise and neighborhood traffic for my taste, being so close to 23rd, which is a major arterial. That's probably why it hasn't sold yet. Also, this area suffers from the same issue I mentioned earlier about Madrona (maybe even a little more so), takes quite awhile to get through the Capitol Hill traffic and over to I-5.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Certainly very walkable but would get too much road noise and neighborhood traffic for my taste, being so close to 23rd, which is a major arterial. That's probably why it hasn't sold yet. Also, this area suffers from the same issue I mentioned earlier about Madrona (maybe even a little more so), takes quite awhile to get through the Capitol Hill traffic and over to I-5.

Location is likely priced in. Hard to be more centrally located.

They are road-dieting 23rd to slow the cars down, so shouldn't be too bad - it is a block over. The back-end of Capitol Hill isn't near as busy as the front-end. Unfortunately, means you can't "shoot" south on 23rd to beat the traffic. You can go south on MLK Way, to Jackson, Rainier, Dearborn, and then I-5. Or south on 12th. For transit, you've got the #8, #11, #12, #43, and #48, all within a few blocks, plus the Madison BRT is coming. They like biking - 19th to Interlaken Park to the Arboretum is a great route.

Trader Joe's, the Central Co-op, Safeway, and QFC are all within easy walking distance. The Middle School is a block away. Elementary is on 19th, near Interlaken Park. HS is Garfield.

[maddieinoz]

Is there an app or service that you would recommend to best estimate commuting times in Seattle beyond Google? Thanks again for all of the property links.

[CrazyDonkey]

Google is okay - just specify the date and time when you need to arrive at your destination. Nothing substitutes for dry-running a prospective commute yourself.

I would avoid I-5. Instead take SR-509 or Airport Way S.

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Location is likely priced in. Hard to be more centrally located.

They are road-dieting 23rd to slow the cars down, so shouldn't be too bad - it is a block over. The back-end of Capitol Hill isn't near as busy as the front-end. Unfortunately, means you can't "shoot" south on 23rd to beat the traffic. You can go south on MLK Way, to Jackson, Rainier, Dearborn, and then I-5. Or south on 12th. For transit, you've got the #8, #11, #12, #43, and #48, all within a few blocks, plus the Madison BRT is coming. They like biking - 19th to Interlaken Park to the Arboretum is a great route.

Trader Joe's, the Central Co-op, Safeway, and QFC are all within easy walking distance. The Middle School is a block away. Elementary is on 19th, near Interlaken Park. HS is Garfield.

I know, it is a good spot, we live not far from there. I just think, for the OP's needs, they could do better with location/commute. West Seattle first then Columbia City.