Kirkland Q&A (Seattle, Bellevue: hair salon, real estate, apartments)

[lauralk80]

We are considering two apts. to live in Kirkland, same price, about the same size but one is a triplex on 5th ave downtown and one is a condo in Juanita Country Club. I will be working in Downtown Bellevue and want to take public tranist.

Pros of 5th ave: Location! Big kitchen, cool "old house" features which we love, can walk to Marina park and downtown.

Cons: Shared Laundry, no dishwasher, street parking

Pros of JCC: dishwasher, laundry inluded in the apt., end unit all the way at the back of the complex, more private feel, reserved parking space, bus stop right out front

Cons: not walkable to DT Kirkland or Marina Park, but only a few minutes away....neighborhood??? not sure

We are a young couple, no kids, but are homebodies Monday through Fri. Which would you choose? We drove all over Kirkland, there is no denying that the downtown area seems great, but honestly the only area that looked questionable to us was by totem lake/evergreen hospital (that we looked at anyway). We are from Florida, dont know the area- but I have seen come comments about the Juanita area and I just dont get it....what's so shady about this area? If this is considered a shady area to live, or the ghetto...then consider yourselves blessed! Where I come from there are neighborhoods you cant even drive through without worrying what may happen to you or your car if you get stuck at a red light. We are leaning towards the condo at Juanita...unless it is really a bad area (crime wise?)

Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

[Heiwos]

Haha, yes we're so jaded here! All of the Eastside (of Lake Washington) is relatively tame.

Unless the other job is in Juanita or further north/east, I'd look in Bellevue, or closer to it, though. I lived in Juanita for a couple months last year, and it was a relief to get closer to a better selection of shopping / restaurants in Bellevue. You'd be closer to Seattle that way too. The further north of downtown Kirkland & Redmond you go, the more hickish & Generica it gets. Juanita is about as far north as I'd go myself. If you're in Orlando now, I recommend getting a 6-month lease, because eventually you'll figure out where you really want to live. (Plus rents will likely keep falling for some time.)

[allforcats]

As a long-time Bellevue resident who frequents Kirkland, I can assure you that Juanita is "shady" compared with Kirkland only in its real estate prices which are lower because Juanita is away from downtown Kirkland (population and business density = higher real estate prices). Many years ago this resulted in a snobbery ranking, which had Kirkland much higher than Juanita.

The east side of Lake Washington is quiet, safe, pretty uncomplicated and suburban. If you have read the Seattle and Washington threads here on City-Data, you know that western Washington has no "ghetto" areas of any kind. Totem Lake is as shady as it gets on the east side, and I agree with you that I would not want to live there because there's just too much junk there (stores, traffic, noise) although up the hill and into the trees is nice.

If I were in your shoes, I'd choose the place where I feel most at home, since you say you will spend five evenings a week (actually Sunday evening too, right?) there. Then when your 6-month lease is coming to an end, you will have discovered where you really want to live. I wish you fun!

[seattlenextyear]

I know the neighborhood that the JCC is on, since we don't live too far away. We also looked at the Emerson Apartments which are next door. Here are some pros and cons of the JCC place:

Pros:

You're within quick walking distance of a QFC grocery store and a Starbucks. A much cheaper store, Albertsons, would be a quick drive or a long walk.

There's a Trader Joes less than a mile away

Can get on a bus to downtown Seattle/U district without transfers

Only about a 5-10 minute drive to downtown Kirkland.

About a 10-15 minute walk from the JCC apartment to Juanita Village, this mixed use development complex with some restaurants. Nothing outstanding, but some good choices for, say, lunch on Saturday (sushi, fish & chips, thai lunch specials, burritos, etc.). There's also a wine bar there and some hair salons. Also, a little beach which is nice to eat lunch at.

The Urban Coffee lounge in Juanita Village serves Stumptown coffee, which is awesome

Juanita Bay park=great birding

Residents of Juanita are a little more laid back than those in downtown Kirkland, which is a lot more yuppie/frat boyish

Cons:
124th street can be traffic-y. So can 98th/100th ave.

Totem Lake shopping malls as well as the Juanita strip malls are ugly.

The actual residental neighbhorhoods in Juanita aren't bad, but that particular area is Apartmentland

More time spent on I-405 if driving home from Bellevue or Seattle. This is not fun from about 4pm-6:30pm.

Further from Bellevue, where you'll be working.

The downtown Kirkland location will mean about 10 fewer minutes spent on a bus per ride, if commuting either to Seattle or Bellevue. That can add up to more than an hour per week.

Not many "cute" local business like in Kirkland.

Along with that, you won't really be able to walk to any bars or restaurants right in your neighborhood, except, um, The Olive Garden. The restaurants and bars in downtown Kirkland are yummier.

[Heiwos]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

The Urban Coffee lounge in Juanita Village serves Stumptown coffee, which is awesome

If only Stumptown had trained them too! Big difference between Stumptown coffee at Stumptown, and Stumptown coffee at Urban Coffee. Yeah, I'm a typical Seattleite coffee snob.

Good list of other points. Those were many of my experiences too. It's a great area overall, but we're spoiled.

[Heiwos]

lauralk80, also I recommend you consider renting a house. Many houses are nearing the price of apartments now. Last year I paid $1300/mo for a small 3-bedroom house w/ garage about a half mile from Juanita Bay.

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by Heiwos

If only Stumptown had trained them too! Big difference between Stumptown coffee at Stumptown, and Stumptown coffee at Urban Coffee. Yeah, I'm a typical Seattleite coffee snob.

Good list of other points. Those were many of my experiences too. It's a great area overall, but we're spoiled.

Ah, that might be true. But they do sell the beans at least.

[lauralk80]

Thanks all, looks like we are getting the condo at JCC, just has more of a private feel and having a washer+dryer in apt is a big plus. Agreed that the area near JCC is a little generic but what's a 10 minute drive to DT Kirkland or even a 20 minute drive to Seattle? To us, no big deal. Anyone take the bus from that area? I went to the website and it looks like I would have to take the 230 then transfer to 234...and I am looking at 4 bucks a day round trip? If you take the bus from that area to DT Bellevue how long does it typically take during peak times? Would be going from 124th st to Bellevue corporate plaza.

[seattlenextyear]

You can get right on the 234 by walking to 100th Ave. I don't know how long of a walk that would be for you, but it might be worth it.

I don't know where the corporate plaza is, but it takes about 40 minutes to get from that bus stop to the Bellevue Transfer Center, which is right downtown where the mall is.

It's $2 per trip, but you can get a discount if you get a monthly all-you-can-eat pass.

[Redline]

Juanita is fine, just old, but then again so is most of Kirkland outside of downtown. I've heard that Kingsgate is the "rough" part of Kirkland.