Places to live in South Seattle Area?? (Tacoma, Bellevue: real estate, lease)

[GJGV]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Most folks in the western states start work at 8:00, not 9:00. The highways are congested from 7 to 8:30 AM and 3:00 to 6:30 PM, give or take a half-hour in any specific location.

That is certainly good to know. Here on the east coast, it is usually 8:30-9 to 5.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by allforcats

The highways are congested from 7 to 8:30 AM and 3:00 to 6:30 PM, give or take a half-hour in any specific location.

In my opinion, the roads around here are really crowded.

The I-5 in downtown Seattle is backed up everyday ) from roughly 7 am to probably 6 or 7 at night, this includes weekends.

Tacoma seems to get pretty backed up as well though I don't live down there.

Time wise, you're probably looking at least 1 hour, perhaps 2 hours door to door from downtown Seattle to downtown Tacoma. It's a bear!

[GJGV]

Originally Posted by bigtrees

In my opinion, the roads around here are really crowded.

The I-5 in downtown Seattle is backed up everyday ) from roughly 7 am to probably 6 or 7 at night, this includes weekends.

Tacoma seems to get pretty backed up as well though I don't live down there.

Time wise, you're probably looking at least 1 hour, perhaps 2 hours door to door from downtown Seattle to downtown Tacoma. It's a bear!

Your point is well taken. I was checking out areas in south of Seattle to cut down on the commute time. What to do you think of Renton and Kent? Are they still 1 hour drive each way??

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by GJGV

Your point is well taken. I was checking out areas in south of Seattle to cut down on the commute time. What to do you think of Renton and Kent? Are they still 1 hour drive each way??

I live in Auburn and work at the King County Municipal Airport. I figure on a commute time of about 1 hour each way if I don't carpool. Friday nights get really bad, Monday evenings not so much. Partly depends on time, I am on the road at 6 am and don't see a lot of traffic, but there is at 8 am.

Renton would be easier to Seattle but more difficult to Tacoma. Puyallup would be easier to Tacoma but more difficult to Seattle.

In general, having one person work in Tacoma and one person work in Seattle is challenging to do unless one person doesn't mind commuting long distances.

[Prple]

I'm not a particular fan of Federal Way, but it makes a lot of sense because it is sort of a half way point. The Twin Lakes area in particular is pretty nice, but kinda far from the freeway.
You might also want to look at the Lakeland Hills neighborhood in Auburn, its a nice, newer planned community. Lakeland Hills : Home Close to the Sounder too. Sound Transit: Sounder Commuter Rail Schedules

[MsKitten]

My husband and I (both Americans) are relocating to Seattle area from Europe next January. We are looking for a small apartment to get settled in, with the hope of buying a house in the next year or two. My husband will be working in Tukwila and wants to be able to ride his bike to work some days, so would like to live in a 10 mile radius from Tukwila. Kent looks very nice when looking at the city's web page, yet I keep reading things about there being a lot of crime in Kent and Tukwila.

Is it madness to live in or near Tukwila? What neighborhoods/towns are recommended South of Seattle? We want something inexpensive (since we will be saving to buy a house) yet safe, if possible.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by MsKitten

My husband and I (both Americans) are relocating to Seattle area from Europe next January. We are looking for a small apartment to get settled in, with the hope of buying a house in the next year or two. My husband will be working in Tukwila and wants to be able to ride his bike to work some days, so would like to live in a 10 mile radius from Tukwila. Kent looks very nice when looking at the city's web page, yet I keep reading things about there being a lot of crime in Kent and Tukwila.

Is it madness to live in or near Tukwila? What neighborhoods/towns are recommended South of Seattle? We want something inexpensive (since we will be saving to buy a house) yet safe, if possible.

Don't overlook Burien - which is often unnoticed but is currently undergoing a substantial renaissance of sorts. It has a convenient location with VERY easy access to downtown Seattle (that completely avoids I-5) as well as to Tukwila and Renton. For bike riding to Tukwila your husband WILL have a hit to traverse coming back however so that may throw Burien out - otherwise you may want to consider it.


Ken

[MsKitten]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

Don't overlook Burien - which is often unnoticed but is currently undergoing a substantial renaissance of sorts. It has a convenient location with VERY easy access to downtown Seattle (that completely avoids I-5) as well as to Tukwila and Renton. For bike riding to Tukwila your husband WILL have a hit to traverse coming back however so that may throw Burien out - otherwise you may want to consider it.

Ken

Thanks for the reply Ken. What is the quality of life like in Burien? I appreciate being able to walk to some places, nice cafes and restaurants, and maybe even a farmers market.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by MsKitten

Thanks for the reply Ken. What is the quality of life like in Burien? I appreciate being able to walk to some places, nice cafes and restaurants, and maybe even a farmers market.

Well, until recently Burien was pretty much defined by the 1st Ave strip - unatrractive and unsuitable for pedestrians.

However, things are REALLY happening in Burien to change all that. For one thing the 1st Ave strip is being improved with new lighting, sidewalks (finally) and some landscaping improvements at some of the shopping centers along its length. More impressively, old Burien along SE 152nd is being drastically revamped. It's long been my favorite part of town - with broad overhanging trees and a true sense of "place" (ie feeling like a real downtown) - but for years it's been neglected, rundown and overlooked. Now however a brand-new downtown core is being developed there. It began when the road was narrowed (bad for car traffic (not generally all that much) but very good for pedestrian traffic) and new wide sidewalks, lighting, hanging baskets etc were added. Then several new shops and (especially) higher-end restaurants opened up (some with outside tables). Finally construction is well underway on the new Burien Town Square - which will bring some really nice housing to the downtown core and bolster the revival.

There is a farmers market (on Thursdays) - not particulary large, but growing each year (and likely to get much bigger once the Burien Town Square project is completed).

All in all, Burien is on a distinctly upward path.

Burien Town Square - Home

Welcome to the City of Burien website

Burien community center plans are revealed

Ken

[LordBalfor]

PS to MsKitten -

Take a look at the sections about Burien near the bottom of the page in the link below:

Seattle's Urban Villages: June 2007

There are 2 articles - one for June12th and one for June 14th

Ken