Seattle areas with good schools and funky flavor? (Bellevue, Shoreline: apartments, rent)

[kristineh]

We are considering a move to Seattle. We have two young kids so schools are important. If possible, we'd also like an area where we could easily get to a co-op (or at least a Whole Foods-type store) and that sort of thing. Not just a bunch of chain stores and restaurants.

Anyone have any zip codes I should plug in to realtor.com? I have seen some other posts with areas mentioned, but I don't know how to search for them since you can't plug in neighborhoods to search engines, as far as I can tell.

Thanks so much!

[CityGirl72]

YOu'll most likely want to be in the cluster in the NorthEast (it is the prefered area, check Seattle times, they just did an article)

We are there - you'd most likely like our School : Wedgwood Elementary, plus there is a Whole Foods at 65th , and a Trader Joes at 45th

I will tell you - we like "flavor" too, but we are moving. The Seattle School System really sucks. And we are in a top school. My son is getting a poor education. You'll find out the good schools are on the "Eastside"

Unless you'd like to pay for private schooling - most parents do that here.

[Ira500]

The nations largest food co-op is Puget Consumers Co-op, aka PCC. They've got a bunch of locations within Seattle, and also Issaquah, Redmond, and Kirkland.
Within Seattle, PCC stores tend to be in funky neighborhoods with small businesses, but outside of Seattle the PCC stores are surrounded by chain stores...
As a school district as a whole, Seattle's leaves a lot to be desired. But there are a number of good schools within the district, with a lot of involved parents, and some of the neighborhoods where PCC stores are happen to be neighborhoods with better schools.
I don't know what you've got in mind in how much you can afford/want to spend on rent ot mortgage, but the Kirkland PCC is in the 98033 zip code, and does have non chain stores around it. The Issaquah store is 98027, and in Seattle, the Seward park store is in 98118, the West Seattle Store is 98116, and the others don't come to mind.

[CityGirl72]

OH yeah! PCC

There's one in Fremont and one at Greenlake! The one in Fremont is much bigger

[Ira500]

There's also a PCC In View Ridge in Seattle also...The Greenlake and Fremont stores are 98103, and the View Ridge might be 98125.

[Jennibc]

Viewridge in 98115

[seattlenextyear]

What's the area near Greenlake called with the coffee place, sushi restaurant, donut place and tiki bar?

[Ira500]

Tangletown, or Meridian.

Meridian, Seattle, Washington - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Just Sayin']

If you stay north, west or east of downtown Seattle, you will find a PCC, Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Safeway is the only supermarket that now has a big line of it's own organic products throughout the store and most have been remodeled. Albertson's and QFC have gone downhill. You have to join Costco, too, as they have everything and you could live just by shopping there, clothes to food to computers, I love it.

Just Google all these stores and get their zip codes.

When you look at a map of Seattle notice the top of Lake Washington. If you lived somewhere in that area you would have most of Seattle and the eastside (Bellevue and Redmond, aka Microsoft) at your disposal which in my opinion are the best parts. Otherwise your travels will be long and they are talking about tolls on the 520 bridge which is the only other way to travel between Seattle and the eastside.

Of course, where you work will determine everything I assume, so if you work downtown Seattle, it's a short ride to the Green Lake area (PCC, Whole Foods, Trader's Joes, Safeway). GL and it's surroundings are congested with homes and lots to do.

Further north is not so great living at Northgate (105th St.) with its apartments and mall, but west of it is nice Shoreline and that would be about a half hour drive, and you can get there via Highway 99, west of the I5 freeway (pass PCC, Sam's Club which is like Costco, there's a Costco at 205th St., Trader Joes even further north)

If you cross 205th and go east you would wind up at the north end of Lake Washington and further east and south brings you to Kirkland, Redmond and Bellevue. Bellevue is directly across Lake Washington from downtown Seattle, so I have taken you around Lake Washington!

The south end I know nothing about.
If you worked in downtown Seattle or Bellevue, you could head out to Issaquah where I think you have more breathing room and more bang for your buck in housing.

Hope this helps. Ask me more!

[texastrigirl]

Best public schools (by this I mean consistently good from Elem on up to HS) are on the Eastside. I live in Sammamish. No funky flavor here...well not exactly true...we do live a 1/2 block from beautiful Pine Lake...but not Ballard funky flavor. Schools are great though as is the nature. Close to skiing, hiking and 25 minute commute to downtown in traffic other than rush hour. We have a PCC, TJ's and Costco 5 minutes down the hill and a Whole Foods in Redmond 15-20 minutes away. Don't know if you are looking for that but our zip code is 98075. Another Eastside area is Issaquah Highlands (google it). They are getting a Town and Country Central Market that looks really cool, plus you can still get to the same PCC, TJ's, Costco, etc. easily. We moved here from Austin TX just over a year ago and are really enjoying this area as are our two little boys. Good luck with your decision!