Real estate: affordable SFH vs trendy townhouse

[CirculateRX]

Originally Posted by fnh

I would say it comes down to how much you want a suburban-style yard. The SFH vs TH essentially comes down to that, and perhaps a bit more interior space. Green Lake is a much more desirable location amidst lots of nearby attractions, and in our experience (we have both suburban and in-city homes) you need less space in the city with so many attractive options right outside your door. For suburban homes, the home and yard is really your everything because it's all you've got.

Places like Lynnwood and Tukwila are less appealing than Bothell because they lack any sort of town center. At least one that I know of.

That’s a good way to look at it. I am leaning towards a TH closer to the city. However we have small dogs, maybe we should just rent until we can find enough money to purchase a SFH near where we want to be instead of a TH.

[mayfair]

Lynnwood also has space to keep building, build up, fill in areas and Green Lake not so much. So I'd say that and location would make Green Lake hold its value better if there's a downturn. Even with light rail, in many areas of Lynnwood you'd need to drive/park to get to light rail or be near a transit stop to take the bus.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by CirculateRX

Even if the green lake one is a townhouse that I cannot make better and the Lynnwood area house would be able to build sweat equity?

Why do you think you can't make a townhouse better? Unless you are talking about major structural changes like putting on an addition, you can do most of the same kinds of improvements to a townhouse that you can to a single family house - including major or minor kitchen and bathroom remodeling, new flooring, painting walls and so on. It can vary by the complex and specific rules, but you may be able to do some internal structural changes, like opening up walls to make a more open floor plan, for instance. And depending on the current style of things and when it was built, something like changing the staircase railing can transform a townhouse, especially since they are so often designed with the staircase as a focal point.

You may even be able put in or upgrade things like a deck and landscaping, again depending on how a specific townhouse community operates.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

I am from Tukwila. When they opened the light rail, there were speculation that Tukwila would boom because of it. It didn't really. It's nicely situated because it's close to Seattle but Tukwila always has had a bad rep (crime, poor, blue-collar area) which worked against it. Given all the places you've listed, Lynnwood will always be in the bottom in terms of desirability. Kirkland/Redmond already hit the boom-- it's desirable already. Those Seattle nabes have always been popular for as long as I can remember. Bothell already also hit the boom-- it was the cheaper option with really good schools.

So it's hard to say whether Lynnwood would boom because of the LR-- it wouldn't hurt at all. It just would have a hard time competing against those places you've listed.

I was pleasantly surprised by Lynwood. I've stayed there a couple of times when visiting Western WA, and was impressed by the quality of the restaurants, eclectic grocery stores (they have a little Ukrainian bodega), the little parks and proximity to Edmonds. But it's already started to take off; rents in the apt. buildings have taken a jump, building owners are starting to remodel to attract higher-paying renters (like the OP), change is happening. meanwhile, Edmonds already has commuter rail to downtown Seattle. Why not opt for Edmonds? Parts of Everett are nice, too, with the older, more charming homes.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by CirculateRX

We will only get approved for a mil max I’d say. I don’t think there’s anything I’ve seen on Zillow in Bellevue I like for a mil :/

Not true. There are some townhomes in Newcastle commons for under 800, walkable to shops, etc. I looked at Lynnwood, to me, it's pretty boring.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by CirculateRX

Thank you for the feedback.

My friend lives in Cap Hill right now and says he thinks the future is Lynnwood due to the transit to be finished 2024 and also east, Kirkland, Redmond, even Bothell? Would you agree? when we visited we really enjoyed Edmonds, Ballard/Green lake, Ravenna area just because of the eclectic houses, we tended to not enjoy the cookie cutter neighborhoods north and east.

Yeah, IDK. I don't think the light rail would hurt by any means. Kirkland and Redmond have always been hot, from my research.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

I am from Tukwila. When they opened the light rail, there were speculation that Tukwila would boom because of it. It didn't really. It's nicely situated because it's close to Seattle but Tukwila always has had a bad rep (crime, poor, blue-collar area) which worked against it. Given all the places you've listed, Lynnwood will always be in the bottom in terms of desirability. Kirkland/Redmond already hit the boom-- it's desirable already. Those Seattle nabes have always been popular for as long as I can remember. Bothell already also hit the boom-- it was the cheaper option with really good schools.

So it's hard to say whether Lynnwood would boom because of the LR-- it wouldn't hurt at all. It just would have a hard time competing against those places you've listed.

It's not just that Lynnwood is blue-collar, blue-collar areas can still gentrify and light rail can contribute to that greater desirability. That's happening in South Seattle right now. It's that the trend nowadays (COVID notwithstanding, but I don't think that'll have a long-term effect) is toward walkable mixed-use areas, and there's really nowhere in Lynnwood like that, not even the "town center" where the station is going.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I was pleasantly surprised by Lynwood. I've stayed there a couple of times when visiting Western WA, and was impressed by the quality of the restaurants, eclectic grocery stores (they have a little Ukrainian bodega), the little parks and proximity to Edmonds. But it's already started to take off; rents in the apt. buildings have taken a jump, building owners are starting to remodel to attract higher-paying renters (like the OP), change is happening. meanwhile, Edmonds already has commuter rail to downtown Seattle. Why not opt for Edmonds? Parts of Everett are nice, too, with the older, more charming homes.

Lynnwood is always changing, expanding and just growing. They're even planning up with their own urban village.

I... think I know which store you're talking about (Eurofoods or something like that?). That's been there for a long time. Lynnwood also has Ranch99 and H-Mart as well. It's pretty diverse in shopping options. Lots of great eatery options as well.

But Lynnwood being "trendy"... I can't even imagine to be honest. When I started dating my now husband some 15 years ago, he lived right on the Edmonds-Lynnwood border. So we were pretty familiar with the area and thought it was great then.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by TheTimidBlueBars

It's not just that Lynnwood is blue-collar, blue-collar areas can still gentrify and light rail can contribute to that greater desirability. That's happening in South Seattle right now. It's that the trend nowadays (COVID notwithstanding, but I don't think that'll have a long-term effect) is toward walkable mixed-use areas, and there's really nowhere in Lynnwood like that, not even the "town center" where the station is going.

You haven't seen this?

https://www.heraldnet.com/business/1...xt-generation/