From MSP to NYC to SEA? (Seattle, Tacoma: renting, daycare, big home)

[flyingmau5]

My wife and I (and a 2 year old) are planning to move to SEA. We've been doing some research on Gig Harbor, Olympia, and Maple Valley. Somewhere scenic like Leavenworth looks amazing, but I don't know how practical that drive would be.

A little about me for some perspective. I'm an airline pilot so driving is a non-issue as I don't drive daily to work (SeaTac) in this case. When I'm gone, I'm gone for 3-5 days straight before going back home. We moved from Minneapolis to NYC so I'm used to "gridlock" traffic. No traffic to JFK can take 30 mins or 1.5 hours with traffic. My wife used to be an executive chef and would love to get back to working once we get situated. We are both Asians but with liberal mindsets if that helps living in SEA.

The diversity and food culture is incredible here in NYC, no doubt but it's just a little too high-stress for us. Every time we get out of our house, our stress levels increase without any other factor other than just being in NYC. We liked the quietness of MSP but it's a little too quiet. I've visited SEA numerous times during work for layovers (downtown Seattle) and liked walking to Union Lake and did touristy things like visiting Pike's Place. Did see some homeless but I'm used to seeing them in downtown areas of other cities The views were amazing. Even did the whole Kenmore Air tour thing around the city. Obviously, living there long term is going to rather different than just visiting.

I guess my thing is where to situate ourselves if we plan to have more kids in the future (+1 or +2). My wife is from Brooklyn, NY and don't mind the city life hence why moving back to MSP is not an option. Schools are obviously important but walkability is also important. My wife and I are more introverts than extroverts and don't mind the Seattle Freeze if true. We were used to Minnesota Nice (fake nice) people.

The weather I'm not too concerned with since I'm originally from Norway so rainy and gloomy days, I'm okay with. Another place worth moving to is LA but that's a whole different discussion.

Does anyone local have some insights or suggestions?

[homesinseattle]

Hi Mau, sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of our little part of the world, best of luck with the move. You might really like Seattle neighborhoods like Phinney Ridge, Green Lake or Wallingford, all walkable and with quite good schools. Other options, a little higher in price but very walkable areas with good schools: Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Montlake.

Olympia (and Tacoma) are also walkable with mostly liberal mindsets. Maple Valley, Leavenworth and Gig Harbor, not so much. Dark horse outside the box candidate, you might consider Vashon Island. Not a bad Seatac commute, idyllic, very progressive/organic/groovy vibe.

[CrazyDonkey]

West Seattle - easier jaunt to Sea-Tac, but not far to DT Seattle. Elementaries: Alki ES "9", Fairmount Park "9", Genesee Hill ES "8".

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4321-SW-Genesee-St-EX3SXF59E-Seattle-WA-98116/2087638667_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...94266191_zpid/

[41Willys]

If your only going to drive to and from work once a week then I would seriously consider Leavenworth like you said. Its a 2 1/2 drive to the airport but the drive is one of the most scenic drives you will take through the Wenatchee Forest and rt 90. The only drawback to the drive would be the winters. Crossing over the Wenatchee Forest takes you up to 4000ft above sea level then 3000ft once you get to rt 90. During the day you can deal with it but nite drives at that altitude can be quite slick!!!! and there will be no one around to help you if you skid off the road.

But that town is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

If your only going to drive to and from work once a week then I would seriously consider Leavenworth like you said. Its a 2 1/2 drive to the airport but the drive is one of the most scenic drives you will take through the Wenatchee Forest and rt 90. The only drawback to the drive would be the winters. Crossing over the Wenatchee Forest takes you up to 4000ft above sea level then 3000ft once you get to rt 90. During the day you can deal with it but nite drives at that altitude can be quite slick!!!! and there will be no one around to help you if you skid off the road.

But that town is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Willys, I agree with everything you said. I just don't think the vibe of the town would work for this poster. I have a progressive minded friend who moved over there for a year to manage the spa/health center in one of the resorts. She found the people in general to be very conservative and judgmentally religious. Great place to visit, I wouldn't live there.

[leastprime]

Beacon Hill, Central District. Directly under the flight path am and pm.
Actually not too bad. Easy to get to the airport since you can catch the LINK or drive.
Close to Asian grocers. Schools are developing.

We live in Redmond. Good schools. Lots of Chinese, Indians and East Europeans with young kids. Many after school, tutoring schools and nursery-kindergarten daycare. My wife and I enjoy sitting in Avondale park and listen/watch the children playing on the apparatus.

Rent first.

[Ruth4Truth]

Hi, Maus. I don't agree about Leavenworth. There was a fire on the forested hillside on the edge of town, which used to be a major component of the scenic value of the place. Now, it's just dead, charred tree trunks. For festival weekends, especially "Oktoberfest", which lasts 4 days, the town not only gets over-run with tourists, but downtown gets taken over by anemic-sounding German-style oompah bands in traditional German dress, trying to create "ambience". Most of the stores downtown are full of horrible cheap kitsch, much of it unrelated to anything German. (I saw a window full of plastic Disney characters, for example.) It's depressing.

Of course there's more to Leavenworth than that, but I wouldn't want to live there. It used to make a nice picture postcard, at least, but the forest fires have eliminated even that aspect of it. And the drive to Seattle in winter would be too risky, if not impossibly during or after a storm.

West Seattle is a good suggestion. There's a people ferry to downtown, so you can avoid car traffic, when you want to pay a visit downtown. It has a beach, a beautiful park with old-growth cedar forest, and is convenient to Sea-Tac. Madison Park is a great suggestion: it has beachfront on Lake Washington, with a park along the lake, that's great for kids. It's a longer drive to Sea-Tac, though. Greenlake used to be a desirable area with a small lake and park in its midst, but part of that area has been taken over by homeless tents.

[flyingmau5]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[flyingmau5]

Originally Posted by 41Willys

If your only going to drive to and from work once a week then I would seriously consider Leavenworth like you said. Its a 2 1/2 drive to the airport but the drive is one of the most scenic drives you will take through the Wenatchee Forest and rt 90. The only drawback to the drive would be the winters. Crossing over the Wenatchee Forest takes you up to 4000ft above sea level then 3000ft once you get to rt 90. During the day you can deal with it but nite drives at that altitude can be quite slick!!!! and there will be no one around to help you if you skid off the road.

But that town is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Willys, I agree with everything you said. I just don't think the vibe of the town would work for this poster. I have a progressive minded friend who moved over there for a year to manage the spa/health center in one of the resorts. She found the people in general to be very conservative and judgmentally religious. Great place to visit, I wouldn't live there.

Leavenworth sounds beautiful but maybe too tranquil for my tastes. My wife, originally from NYC, might find it a little too distant from city life that she's used to.

[flyingmau5]

Originally Posted by leastprime

Beacon Hill, Central District. Directly under the flight path am and pm.
Actually not too bad. Easy to get to the airport since you can catch the LINK or drive.
Close to Asian grocers. Schools are developing.

We live in Redmond. Good schools. Lots of Chinese, Indians and East Europeans with young kids. Many after school, tutoring schools and nursery-kindergarten daycare. My wife and I enjoy sitting in Avondale park and listen/watch the children playing on the apparatus.

Rent first.

I'll be renting initially to get a better feel of Seattle before settling down. Thanks for suggesting Redmond. Haven't even looked into that city.

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

West Seattle is a good suggestion. There's a people ferry to downtown, so you can avoid car traffic, when you want to pay a visit downtown. It has a beach, a beautiful park with old-growth cedar forest, and is convenient to Sea-Tac. Madison Park is a great suggestion: it has beachfront on Lake Washington, with a park along the lake, that's great for kids. It's a longer drive to Sea-Tac, though. Greenlake used to be a desirable area with a small lake and park in its midst, but part of that area has been taken over by homeless tents.

The ferry thing is rather interesting. Going over water from home to work and back.

So the homeless population. I know Downtown has a pretty big homeless tent area. Anywhere else that I need to avoid when checking places out?