Considering moving to Seattle from LA, which subrub is best for me? (Tacoma: insurance, crime)

[dkang76]

Im a dentist and im considering moving to seattle. i heard my career opportunity over there is great. i heard of bellevue and also tacoma area.

since im just starting my practice, i am lookin for some affordable new homes in 400ks-500ks range but in a nice area where there are lots of restaurants, movies, shopping etc near by and also good school district.

seems to me that south seattle is more affordable but also not the safest.
i was looking into federal way, tacoma, auburn etc but can anyone give me their opinion?

one dentist from seattle said tacoma is a great place to practice since lots of dock workers make 150ks per yr, they have great insurances, there are not many dentist and also patients have bad habits so lots of cases for us.

i plan to visit seattle in Feb with my wife, i want to get some infos on which area we should look into.

i wish to be near where i work also.

[compltlyme]

Between the two areas... I personally find Bellevue much nicer and being so close to Seattle is great. Tons to do. You might also check Redmond, Kirkland and if you are going to or already have kids...the Issaquah area is wonderful!

[dkang76]

bellevue, kirkland, redmond all have higher home cost. i want new homes around 3000 sqft and it looks like it will be around 700k plus over those areas.

also most important for me is if there are dental practice opportunity for me. then location(closeness to seattle), home, safety, etc.

are there any nice places in south of seattle?

[compltlyme]

I am sure there are places in that area but the only thing I know about that area is that the crime is higher. But then I don't know it all that well. What about the outskirts of Renton. The down town area is not good but I have seen some nice areas.

What kind of commute are you looking at? Bothell is a great area but that is not south of Seattle.

[the dufferz]

If you think Tacoma may be a good place to practice, when you visit, look east toward Puyallup. Check housing prices around the lake tapps area of Bonney Lake and the areas around the south hill of Puyallup.

You can also check south of Tacoma, but you would want to keep toward the waterfront and away from I-5. More areas to avoid along the I-5 corridor than to look at.

[dkang76]

Bothel seems great. crime index is below 200 and home values are within 400-500ks. hows the school system?

also is bothel very developed like bellevue? such as many entertainment, shopping, restaurants, plazas etc?

what about Issaquah?

honestly i would love to stay in bellevue but home price is the factor.

commuting wise, im not worried since i wont be working in downtown seattle. im looking into opening my dental practice within the same or close area.

thanks

[dkang76]

dufferz,

tacoma is the only area i heard of in terms of dental practice but it could be anywhere.
important thing is im looking for areas with low dentist to pt ratio and also where its a booming city with great growth potential.
can u suggest some areas as close as possible to seattle?

also im asian, i would like to know where in seattle or urbs have asian markets, restaurants, etc... thanks guys

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by dkang76

dufferz,

tacoma is the only area i heard of in terms of dental practice but it could be anywhere.
important thing is im looking for areas with low dentist to pt ratio and also where its a booming city with great growth potential.
can u suggest some areas as close as possible to seattle?

also im asian, i would like to know where in seattle or urbs have asian markets, restaurants, etc... thanks guys

First, the Asian population is Seattle and Western Washington is huge. Seattle does have a traditional Chinatown, less than San Fran. but there is a strong presence throughout the region for all Asian nationalities.

I live in Bothell, so I find it a great place to live. What I cannot advise about in any area is what the patient to DR. ratio is. Hopefully other dentist can help out with that??

The battle you will fight is going to be housing prices in relation to Seattle. The closer you get, the more it will cost. Also, traditionally King county in general is considered expensive to live than Snohomish to the north and Pierce to the south.

Plan to do a lot of "site seeing" when you come out in February. For population centers, focus on the I-5 corridor, but for housing span outward and avoid living along the corridor.

[compltlyme]

Originally Posted by dkang76

Bothel seems great. crime index is below 200 and home values are within 400-500ks. hows the school system?

also is bothel very developed like bellevue? such as many entertainment, shopping, restaurants, plazas etc?

what about Issaquah?

honestly i would love to stay in bellevue but home price is the factor.

commuting wise, im not worried since i wont be working in downtown seattle. im looking into opening my dental practice within the same or close area.

thanks

Not sure about the Bothell school system but I have not heard anything bad about it like some others.

I live next to Issaquah and am in a different school district but Issaquah school district has an awesome rep!!! And the town of Issaquah has lots of shopping and some culture. And it is right next to Bellevue and a 25 min drive to Seattle. You also would be 30 minutes from Snoqualmie pass which is fun if you love the snow!

Check out the Klahanie area of Issaquah... tons of families and a great community!!

[Seattletony]

I spent my formative years in Bothell and it is the quinessential bedroom community. It does have resteraunts along Bothell way but in terms of shopping malls you have to go to either Bellevue or Lynnwood/Alderwood Mall which is been expanded drasctically. All in all, you can't go wrong with any eastside community i.e. Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Bellevue, Issaquah, Renton Highlands/Newcastle, and Redmond it all depends on what you can afford. Another plus about Bothell is you are literraly only 10 to 15 minutes outside of the Seattle city limits.