New job in Auburn, questions for the Seattle area experts!!! (Tacoma: rentals, houses)

[kellyeis]

I've so enjoyed reading the posts on the Seattle area, and feel like I know some of you already! Prple, Jenbar, ira500, allforcats, and many others do such a great job helping those of us newbies to the area. I am finally writing my own thread and hope you won't mind giving me some advice! I just got a new job at Green River Community College in Auburn (very excited), I will be moving from out of state around August 1 to start teaching in the fall. I am a single 40 something mom with a six year old and a 20 year old in college (yes, that's a long story! ha). I consider myself an artsy person (I teach in the Fine Arts) and I envisioned living in sort of an artsy area (hip but age appropriate - I'm not 20). Good farmer's market, coffee shops, quaint little shops, new age-ish kind of stuff, you know what I mean! But to temper all of that with the #1 priority which is the best elementary school for my child who's been in a private school and will be moving to public. I spent a few days driving around when I had my interview and I really loved the Issaquah area, but two things concern me. The home prices (even rentals - which I will do first) and the commute. I don't mind a bit of a commute (I like the buffer between work and home) but not more than 30 min. The other areas that seem preferable would be Maple Valley, Covington, and then south of my work would be Lakeland Hills community and someone told me Puyallup might be a good option (I had a good laugh reading the thread about how to pronounce "Pew-all-up", and someone wasn't going to move there because of the name hahaha -great thread!). I know these areas are more suburbia, should I give up my notion of an artsy area? School choice is first after all. I'm okay with that -that's how I live now - but we can dream can't we? Is there such a thing as an "artsy" suburbia area? (Forgive the length and thanks for any insights)

[Ira500]

Compromises are going to have to happen.
Seattle, for example, has a pretty bad school district, but some really good schools within it, with active parent involvement, etc, but if you don't get involved at least a little, your child could end up at one of Seattle's many bad schools. So...artsy within Seattle, and a fairly reasonable commute to Auburn, I'd say Georgetown.
The town of Black Diamond is artsy, historic, and close to Auburn, and i know nothing about their schools.
maple Valley doesn't have much of an artsy thing, but a well known, very good school system, and also near Auburn.
Parts of Kent are really cool. There's a little pocket neighborhood( around 1st south and Gowe)of historic buildings, art galleries, an herb shop, a Greek restaurant, a fantastic bakery, and some nice old houses. From what I understand, Kent schools are great for gifted students, and maybe not so great for everyone else?
Eastside like Issaquah and Bellevue would mean great public schools and a long commute.

[Prple]

I had to really think about this one... I'm going to suggest downtown Issaquah or North Tacoma, the distance/travel time is what concerns me with both though. Kent might be another good option.

I really like the area around the Univeristy of Puget Sound in North Tacoma. MapQuest says 34 minutes from UPS to GRCC, but would be worse in traffic, so maybe that's not such a good idea? MapQuest: Driving Directions: North America, There are a few public schools in N.Tacoma that would work, but would probably end up needing to private school for H.S. (not too sure). Tacoma schools - Tacoma public schools - Tacoma school ratings - Best Tacoma schools

Good luck with your decision!

[kellyeis]

I know this is kind of a hard one! That's why I decided to write the thread because I hadn't run across anything quite like it. You definitely gave me some new things to consider - Black Diamond - I checked and they do have a 5 star elementary school that sounds very good. That might be a good choice. I don't mind snow since I'm moving from Utah. Didn't know about Georgetown - I'll check that out. And Kent would be a good choice as I would be closer to Seattle and the arts there as well. I didn't know that North Tacoma had some good areas. I'd only heard mostly bad about Tacoma, so I'll look into that. Yes, it seems that if I were north of Seattle I wouldn't have as much of an issue with this lifestyle I'm wanting. The south is more suburbia it seems.

When I looked at the driving directions from Issaquah to GRCC it said 31 min, but I know if I got stuck in traffic that would at least double.

Thanks so much for your responses! It is very helpful! It gives me more options to consider.

[allforcats]

Hi Kelly. Thank you for your kind words! As you know, it's fun to know that what one says contributes in some way to enhancing another's life. And congratulations on your new job!

I leave discussions of schools to those who know much more than I do. What I want to mention is that, as you know, you DO carry within you everything you want your life to be. So you can make your home, in all its bits and bobs, just as artsy and new-age as you want the air you breathe to be, right? And therefore you can plant your body on a plot of earth that may not LOOK exactly as you would want, but will become infused with the spirit that you give it... There was a time when the place fed us; now we feed ourselves, right?

Having roamed around here for a few days, you know how the forests and the air feel, and that this particular ambient sight may, or may not, be exactly what you might envision -- but know that the resonance of this area is healing, enhancing and enriching for those who open their spirits to the frequency of this area. And no matter where you plant your future here, you're never more than about a half-hour, or a couple of hours, by car from the street fairs, farmer's markets, galleries, and so forth, in and around Seattle and Portland.

I welcome you and your children to a place of all kinds of beauty.

[allforcats]

"Each one help one", to paraphrase.... In the thread I've linked below, a young man from the midwest is looking for a teaching job in the Seattle area. I don't know if this is at all something you'd want to do, but if so I wondered if you might steer him toward resources where he could look for such a job? Anyway, enjoy the day!!
http://www.city-data.com/forum/seatt...ould-i-go.html

[kellyeis]

Thank you allforcats! I really loved what you had to say. Of course its true (and it was so New Age-y of you ). I think I've been so obsessed with finding the absolute perfect perfect place that I've forgotten that very thing. I will make wherever I live the place that I want. I didn't say what my "art" was - I'm a jazz singer/musician. I will likely also be performing in Seattle and look forward to slipping into the jazz scene there. Of course, with my young daughter I will not be doing TOO much of that, but will look forward to a little bigger jazz scene than where I'm from now, in Utah (you say jazz around here and it usually means basketball ). I thought it was a good omen (upon learning that I got the job at GRCC) that Seattle-based syndicated radio show host, Jim Wilke with his show "Jazz After Hours," put my album on his "best of 2007" list! So, Seattle, here I come! Thanks again for all of your advice and thoughts.

Yes, allforcats, just getting a feel for the area in those few days made me know that I will love it there.

[kellyeis]

And I will certainly try to help the person looking for teaching position in any way I can - always love to pay it forward!!

[Ira500]

Tacoma has a jazz club:

JAZZBONES - Restaurant & Nightclub

[Ira500]

Oh, and I would not say the south is more suburbia. There's plenty of North Seattle suburbia too.
In fact, south end towns like Kent, Renton, and Black Diamond have character, lacking in some suburbs.