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My boyfriend and I are considering relocating from Dallas to Seattle. We are both in our late 30s. He has a job lined up if he wants it, and I work from home for now. His office will be downtown, about 10 min East of the Space Needle. He is a native of Houston, me of Philly and then I spent 10yrs in DC before moving to Dallas a 5 years ago. We are both looking forward to leaving Texas.
We are looking for your recs on neighborhoods you may think fit us based on the criteria below.
- Max rent $2800 for 2bd/1.5 or 2ba: we'd obviously like to be under that though if possible
- Within 30 min or so commute of his office
- Safety is important to us
- We are foodies, like to go out for dinner and drinks. Love Farmers markets, festivals, coffee shops
- We have 2 vehicles and would like to keep both.. not sure if parking is an issue in certain areas.
- Walkable a few shops, grocery, restaurants or quick drive to more. We don't need to be in the hustle and bustle though.. and we are not late nighters.
Also, for now I'm remote. Strong chance that won't be for TOO much longer so I'll need to look for a new company. I'm in corporate - finance/capital markets/mortgage. Experience working at both BOA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac for several years. Any prospects you all can think of... pls shoot em my way as well.
We'll be visiting within the next month. Potential move end of March.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
13,154 posts, read 7,659,168 times
Reputation: 9947
Hello.
Seattle, core from Jackson St to Lake Union) is Not a car city. The area is heavy public-mass transportation because of the physical-geographic character of region.
Newer apartments are zoned to be <1 vehicle/unit and then you will pay for that spot.
Older apartments will have parking but still limited for demand.
WFH is here to stay for most workers.
Rents are again increasing primarily because home ownership is pushing up pricing and WFH situations.
Belltown-lower Queen Anne (east of Seattle Center) are dense population. Pretty good for 1st timers.
Your BF work location, 10 minutes east of SC, will put you in South Lake Union, by foot. Seattle core isn't very big; about 3 miles long x 2miles wide.
Good apartments go fast. Class B units will go in 2-3 days. Seattle has a rule that 1st application that makes LL's criteria, wins. So have your papers inorder at viewing. Stay away from unreasonable application fees.
Plan that the first abode will not be the more than 1 yr. Lots of neighborhoods. Outlaying towns.
Light Rail (LINK) has opened up North Seattle. Eastside LINK, (Bellevue area to Redmond) will open up 2023-2024.
JMO, stay away from International District, Pioneer Sq, et al, for residences until we figure out homeless and crazy population.
Hello.
Seattle, core from Jackson St to Lake Union) is Not a car city. The area is heavy public-mass transportation because of the physical-geographic character of region.
Newer apartments are zoned to be <1 vehicle/unit and then you will pay for that spot.
Older apartments will have parking but still limited for demand.
WFH is here to stay for most workers.
Rents are again increasing primarily because home ownership is pushing up pricing and WFH situations.
Belltown-lower Queen Anne (east of Seattle Center) are dense population. Pretty good for 1st timers.
Your BF work location, 10 minutes east of SC, will put you in South Lake Union, by foot. Seattle core isn't very big; about 3 miles long x 2miles wide.
Good apartments go fast. Class B units will go in 2-3 days. Seattle has a rule that 1st application that makes LL's criteria, wins. So have your papers inorder at viewing. Stay away from unreasonable application fees.
Plan that the first abode will not be the more than 1 yr. Lots of neighborhoods. Outlaying towns.
Light Rail (LINK) has opened up North Seattle. Eastside LINK, (Bellevue area to Redmond) will open up 2023-2024.
JMO, stay away from International District, Pioneer Sq, et al, for residences until we figure out homeless and crazy population.
Thank you for the info! Are there any "suburbs" we should consider? We definitely want to keep both vehicles unless we really live in an area where we don't need 2.
His job is actually near Jefferson/9th ... not sure if I mapped it accurately the first time.
Unfortunately, my current job has a dept head who hates remote work. That's another convo. Soooo... I'll likely have to look for something out there once my current employer brings us back to the office. Hoping they keep extending it though.
Is it realistic to be able to rent something there while we are still here? Thought so maybe for the bigger apartment complexes, not so much for smaller situations.
It's pretty easy to live in the city with two cars, but you'll want to avoid dense, urban neighborhoods like (most of) Capital Hill, First Hill, Lower Queen Anne, downtown Ballard, Eastlake, etc.
Here's a few recommendations, along with "central" intersections to clue you into where I'm referencing:
1. Crown Hill / Loyal Heights: NW 80th & 15th NW
2. Wedgwood: NE 75th & 35th NE
Or anything north of those - Shoreline, Lake City, etc.
3. Madison Valley area: Madison St & MLK Way
4. Central District / Leschi: Yesler Way & MLK Way
5. Beacon Hill: either North Beacon (Beacon Ave S & McLellan St) or South Beacon (Beacon Ave S & Orcas St)
Overall your budget is do-able but on the tighter end of things. If you can go up to $3200 for a two bedroom you'll find a lot more options. Just my two cents. If your partner's working at Harborview or a similar hospital, the Beacon Hill & Central District recommendations (above) will make for a very pleasant, short commute. The others aren't bad, but recommendations #1 and #2 (and in general, neighborhoods in North Seattle) have to contend with commuting across one of the bridges (Aurora Ave, I-5, Montlake, Ballard, University or Fremont bridges) and that often creates traffic snarls.
As far as jobs, I also work in real estate finance and as I'm sure you've experienced, most of this work is remote these days. Sky's the limit on where you work - I've worked with employers locally, in Virginia, and in Ohio over the past few years.
Also, if you're able to buy, then I'd look for a 6 month lease and then hit the pavement with a real estate agent. Now is the time to buy here, with rates going up and land prices never going back down in Seattle.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
13,154 posts, read 7,659,168 times
Reputation: 9947
Pill Hill (HarborView medical) and north and east are pretty good areas. Not sure about the new Yesler Terrace redevelopments which is new upscale apartments with mandated 10% (?) low income allotments. Pill Hill is fairly difficult to get to by bus. Harborview is at the southend of First Hill, so topographically anything along First Hill will give you fairly rapid access.
A good time to visit is now when it's wet. Spend the money. Hotels are cheap.
It's pretty easy to live in the city with two cars, but you'll want to avoid dense, urban neighborhoods like (most of) Capital Hill, First Hill, Lower Queen Anne, downtown Ballard, Eastlake, etc.
Here's a few recommendations, along with "central" intersections to clue you into where I'm referencing:
1. Crown Hill / Loyal Heights: NW 80th & 15th NW
2. Wedgwood: NE 75th & 35th NE
Or anything north of those - Shoreline, Lake City, etc.
3. Madison Valley area: Madison St & MLK Way
4. Central District / Leschi: Yesler Way & MLK Way
5. Beacon Hill: either North Beacon (Beacon Ave S & McLellan St) or South Beacon (Beacon Ave S & Orcas St)
Overall your budget is do-able but on the tighter end of things. If you can go up to $3200 for a two bedroom you'll find a lot more options. Just my two cents. If your partner's working at Harborview or a similar hospital, the Beacon Hill & Central District recommendations (above) will make for a very pleasant, short commute. The others aren't bad, but recommendations #1 and #2 (and in general, neighborhoods in North Seattle) have to contend with commuting across one of the bridges (Aurora Ave, I-5, Montlake, Ballard, University or Fremont bridges) and that often creates traffic snarls.
As far as jobs, I also work in real estate finance and as I'm sure you've experienced, most of this work is remote these days. Sky's the limit on where you work - I've worked with employers locally, in Virginia, and in Ohio over the past few years.
Also, if you're able to buy, then I'd look for a 6 month lease and then hit the pavement with a real estate agent. Now is the time to buy here, with rates going up and land prices never going back down in Seattle.
Perfect! Ty so much! We'll look into the #4 and #5 option above first.
Since you've done Philly and DC, you know what city living is like. If that's your preference, then it's definitely doable to live in the city here. Suburbs are fine too, but just depends on your preferences.
You are (I assume) not worried about kids or schools, and are likely renting, so I'd focus on living in the city and within an easy commute to your partner's job. After a year, you can reassess. Very easy to start exploring neighborhoods and suburbs once you're here on the ground.
However if you all really like the suburban experience, want the mini-McMansion style life, want a two-car garage+, etc., then the suburbs are the way to go. I am less up to speed on rental prices in suburbs but the order of desirability basically goes Eastside (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish, Issaquah, Newcastle), northeast (Bothell-Woodinville), north (Edmonds, Lynnwood, etc.), and then south (Renton, Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent). Westside suburbs (Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, etc.) are only accessible by ferry, and in your case I wouldn't recommend that.
If I were going to pick a suburb to live in, it would probably be Edmonds. However all of these will drastically increase your partner's commute, just a warning.
Location: Was Midvalley Oregon; Now Eastside Seattle area
13,154 posts, read 7,659,168 times
Reputation: 9947
^depends where your job will be. His job is in a fairly difficult location for bus/LINK even though its only a few blocks away from LINK/Trolley/ID transit station. 9th & Jefferson is on the crest of southern end of first hill. It's a steep walk from south, and west.
#27 bus will get you from lake washington (Madrona District, very nice) down Yesler (Central District) to Downtown.
The 23rd & Jackson area is nice and has the new Paul Allen's Vulcan complex. #14 bus.
Kingco.gov for bus routes/maps.
Last edited by leastprime; 01-26-2022 at 01:36 PM..
Since you've done Philly and DC, you know what city living is like. If that's your preference, then it's definitely doable to live in the city here. Suburbs are fine too, but just depends on your preferences.
You are (I assume) not worried about kids or schools, and are likely renting, so I'd focus on living in the city and within an easy commute to your partner's job. After a year, you can reassess. Very easy to start exploring neighborhoods and suburbs once you're here on the ground.
However if you all really like the suburban experience, want the mini-McMansion style life, want a two-car garage+, etc., then the suburbs are the way to go. I am less up to speed on rental prices in suburbs but the order of desirability basically goes Eastside (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish, Issaquah, Newcastle), northeast (Bothell-Woodinville), north (Edmonds, Lynnwood, etc.), and then south (Renton, Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent). Westside suburbs (Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, etc.) are only accessible by ferry, and in your case I wouldn't recommend that.
If I were going to pick a suburb to live in, it would probably be Edmonds. However all of these will drastically increase your partner's commute, just a warning.
No kids, not worried about schools, don't want to buy yet.. and we def want to explore as much as possible. So yes, looks like burbs should be put to the side for now. We'll be in town for 3 days at the end of Feb to check out the area... any recs on a good area to maximize our looking around?:
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