Looking for a place to live in Seattle (Tacoma, Bellevue: sublet, prices)

[zl6513a]

I am a young professional who is seeking a summer sublet in the Seattle area. I am not familiar with the city but would like to live in an area that is fun and composed of individuals in their mid 20s-mid 30s. Additionally, I was wondering how bad the commute is to Tacoma from Seattle during the week. I will be traveling there at times for work and was wondering how problematic the highways are. However, my first priority is finding a fun place to live.

Thanks again for your comments and help!

[jwb123]

Tacoma, during rush hour, will probably be at least an hour! The traffic, all around Seattle and Tacoma, is horrendous. Really, I'm not kidding... it's a soul killer.

would like to live in an area that is fun and composed of individuals in their mid 20s-mid 30s.

Yep, that's Seattle!

[Woof]

Capitol Hill or Belltown. I've heard Fremont is youngish and fun also, but don't know from personal experience. Here's the Fremont Troll for what it's worth: http://students.washington.edu/neihart/Pics/fremonttroll1.jpg (broken link)

[dkang76]

Hey in terms of bad traffic, even tho i dont pass thru seattle downtown or bellevue, going north or south of it will run thru a heavy traffic?

so if i go from north of bellevue (like Bothel) commuting north to places like everett or marysville OR going south from renton to tacoma then will i still find heavy traffic???

My logic is that anytime im going against the traffic(away from downtown) then i should be fine. am i right?

[jwb123]

Not in Seattle. There is traffic either way.

We lived in Bothell/Mill Creek and I would sometimes go and pick up my husband from work at the U District. We would get traffic going down, and back. A difference in timing helps though, sometimes as little as 10 minutes - seriously.

When he changed jobs out to Redmond - going south down 405 was often as bad as coming back.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

Not in Seattle. There is traffic either way.

We lived in Bothell/Mill Creek and I would sometimes go and pick up my husband from work at the U District. We would get traffic going down, and back. A difference in timing helps though, sometimes as little as 10 minutes - seriously.

When he changed jobs out to Redmond - going south down 405 was often as bad as coming back.

yup, I second that. The term "reverse commute" just doesn't seem to fit anywhere in the Puget Sound traffic patterns anymore.

I remember when the Albert D. Rosellini bridge was first built (eh *cringes* how many of you remember Governor Rosellini?), the traffic pattern was heavier traffic going into Seattle in the morning and coming from Seattle in the evening. Then Microsoft came into being and we slowly saw that pattern shift the other way around.

--'rocco

[dkang76]

dont get it. isnt most of jobs located in downtown and bellevue? if so then why the traffic the opposite way? where are all these people goin?

[jwb123]

No, it's all over.

In addition, you have the big Boeing plants in the north and south.

PLUS, people have to live so far away from the "major source" of business like - the eastside and downtown, because of housing prices. So, there is commute all over.

South Seattle commutes to Tacoma, vice versa. There is commute to Everett and beyond... etc.

Western WA has so many decent sized cities surrounding Seattle.

Tacoma, South Seattle, Kent, Renton, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Everett, etc all have major employers.