No Car, New Job in Pioneer Square, Where to Live? (Seattle: extended stay, apartments)

[sinfree]

I am moving to Seattle at the end of this month, as I just got a job in Pioneer Square at an internet company... I've already bought my 1 way plane ticket (I'm selling my car, and plan to go car-less). I have visited Seattle on a number of occasions, and I am very excited about the move (from Alabama, no less).

About me: 24 years old, male, professional

I would prefer to have somewhere within ~1 mile of work (Pioneer Square, 1st ave s) so I can just walk, though a ~20 min, up to maybe ~30 min bus ride would be ok probably. I like to get out and walk in the evenings, so being able to walk around without being mugged (or scared to death) after dark would be a big plus for me . Also, I will be taking the bus down to the Rainier valley with some regularity, so I would prefer somewhere within a ~30 min bus ride of there (considering areas around and SE of downtown).

I've looked at parts of First Hill, and it is probably my first choice, but have no idea how safe it is. Specifically a studio apt. on 7th and Cherry, pretty much it would be a 0.5 mile walk down James St to work. Would that feel like a safe walk if I were coming home after dark?

I've considered Belltown, but I'm not sure I want to live that far north... plus I've heard some negatives about it. Also, I've pretty much marked Capitol Hill off of my list at this point (unless someone convinces me it would be a good fit).

I have been told I do not want to live in Pioneer Square (noisy weekends, etc). Is this true? Also told the International District probably wouldn't feel real safe after dark... thoughts on that?

Other areas I am really interested in are the Beacon Hill and Mt. Baker areas, taking the 7 bus (or other bus, depending on bus stop locations) up to pioneer square. Thoughts on those? Is that livable without a car? Decent commute? Safe to walk around at night?

Any other ideas and thoughts on these areas would be much appreciated... or if you want to rent out your spare bedroom in one of these areas .

Thanks!

[allforcats]

Hi. You may not get a lot of replies until tomorrow morning. But these threads might give you a head start:
City-Data threads about First Hill:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...archid=5782550
Pioneer Square:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...archid=5782566
Beacon Hill:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...archid=5782641
Mt. Baker:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...archid=5782644

FWIW, what you've heard is right -- you aren't likely to want to live in Pioneer Square. Can be very noisy, rowdy, once in a while unpleasant. And 1st Ave. S. is not your most walkable neighborhood, not really a "neighborhood"...
Capitol Hill is a lot of fun, with lots of apartments. Every kind of retail store you might want, including bookstores, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets. Easy bus access to anywhere in Seattle; probably 12 to 20 minute bus ride to Pioneer Square, depending on traffic and weather. Tons of walkability. I lived there for 5 years.
I don't have experience living in the other areas you're interested in so -- tomorrow.

[Ira500]

There is some expensive nice housing in Pioneer Square ( The Florentine) and there are people who enjoy living in Pioneer Square but I wouldn't feel safe living there.
North Beacon Hill is a nice place, close in but a little quieter...The 36 bus goes there.
You also might want to look at the Central district.

[sinfree]

Originally Posted by Ira500

There is some expensive nice housing in Pioneer Square ( The Florentine) and there are people who enjoy living in Pioneer Square but I wouldn't feel safe living there.
North Beacon Hill is a nice place, close in but a little quieter...The 36 bus goes there.
You also might want to look at the Central district.

Yeah, that is the general impression I've gotten about Pioneer Square. Thanks for the tip on the central district... where exactly is that? I get all these districts confused. I'm assuming it is around the Seattle Center?

[allforcats]

Here's an easy map, City Clerk's map, with all neighborhood names. Just click to enlarge any area.
The Central District is east and south of downtown.
Seattle City Clerk's Neighborhood Map Atlas

[pshinspections]

Originally Posted by sinfree

Any other ideas and thoughts on these areas would be much appreciated... or if you want to rent out your spare bedroom in one of these areas . Thanks!

Lots of studios, lofts and apartments in the floors above the first few commercial floors in those old buildings of Pioneer Square. The lofts are louder places to live but very spacious. You could live downtown and bus a mile or so to PS, for the same money but less room in newer surroundings. The bus system is so-so downtown and you could bus in from other areas as well. Personally, if I were working in PS I would live in either Everett or Edmonds, then ride the train in town and skip the bus to work... wifi, comfort and quiet on the train! Both Everett and Edmonds are much quieter, close to the beach and not as rushed. Everett rentals are cheaper than downtown Seattle, but Edmonds are about the same.

From out-of-town, with no time to search and qualify places, you should hire a realtor or management company to find a place with your set of criteria. It will cost you between a grand and three grand (sometimes a fee, sometimes built into your rent), but since you can't visit prior to landing and going to work, that is the price you pay.

Craigslist will get you a good idea of room rentals, but that is really gambling from afar. You need to really be here to try roommates out prior to plunking down cash on a room in an unknown household with one or a dozen equally-unknown housemates.

[AzDreamer]

Another angle you might want to look at is to find an area with good walking potential and with an easy bus ride to work. I like Discovery Park in the Magnolia area, it's big and has trails down to the water. The Arboretum in the Montlake neighborhood is another area with lots of potential.

You can use Google maps satellite views to see where large green areas are and zoom in to see more detail about the area.

[sinfree]

Originally Posted by pshinspections

Lots of studios, lofts and apartments in the floors above the first few commercial floors in those old buildings of Pioneer Square. The lofts are louder places to live but very spacious. You could live downtown and bus a mile or so to PS, for the same money but less room in newer surroundings. The bus system is so-so downtown and you could bus in from other areas as well. Personally, if I were working in PS I would live in either Everett or Edmonds, then ride the train in town and skip the bus to work... wifi, comfort and quiet on the train! Both Everett and Edmonds are much quieter, close to the beach and not as rushed. Everett rentals are cheaper than downtown Seattle, but Edmonds are about the same.

From out-of-town, with no time to search and qualify places, you should hire a realtor or management company to find a place with your set of criteria. It will cost you between a grand and three grand (sometimes a fee, sometimes built into your rent), but since you can't visit prior to landing and going to work, that is the price you pay.

Craigslist will get you a good idea of room rentals, but that is really gambling from afar. You need to really be here to try roommates out prior to plunking down cash on a room in an unknown household with one or a dozen equally-unknown housemates.

Thanks for the tip about the train. I checked out the schedules ( Sound Transit ) but I don't think it runs late enough or often enough.

Thanks for the tip about hiring a management company, I hadn't thought about that. Though, I could do an extended stay place for $1,500 and look around for a month, which I might end up doing.

Did anyone have any thoughts on the 7th and Cherry location (at the edge of First Hill 1/2 mile from Pioneer Square)?

[sinfree]

Originally Posted by AzDreamer

Another angle you might want to look at is to find an area with good walking potential and with an easy bus ride to work. I like Discovery Park in the Magnolia area, it's big and has trails down to the water. The Arboretum in the Montlake neighborhood is another area with lots of potential.

You can use Google maps satellite views to see where large green areas are and zoom in to see more detail about the area.

Thanks for the ideas. I looked at those areas, but they are a bit far north, as I plan to be doing a bus ride down to the rainier valley with some regularity, so I would prefer something either in downtown, or south / east of the downtown areas.

[Ira500]

7th and Cherry would be for me a little sketchy, a few too many winos around...

The Central District is not near Seattle Center. It's just east of First Hill, just south of Capitol Hill, and West of Leschi and Madrona, so roughly between Jackson/Dearborn on the south to around Union on the North, and from 12th on the west to about Martin Luther king on the east. It's a large, diverse area, some parts which are walkable to Pioneer Square. It's also quite a historic area.