Mercer Island - Resort life or cultural wasteland? (Seattle, Bellevue: apartments, renter)

[Outintospace]

I lived in downtown Bellevue from April 2006 to June 2007 before moving to Iowa and Michigan (and Iowa again) for work-related stuff. I'm planning to move back to the Seattle area this summer and stay there, and even buy a house once the market feels right.

When I lived in Bellevue, I always liked Mercer Island, so when planning my return I decided to consider Mercer Island as a place to rent an apartment before moving on to something different.

My question is, what's it like living there as a renter? Is living near the lake worth giving up the walkability of downtown Bellevue or lower Queen Anne (the other places we're considering)? What does Mercer Island offer for the short-term occupant?

Our budget is <$1800 for a two bedroom apartment. It's just me and my wife, no kids. We make about $160k here in Des Moines, which goes pretty far here, but admittedly buys less up there.

Suggestions are welcome.

[AzDreamer]

There aren't any Mercer Island apartments on the water so if that's important you'll want to look someplace else. Most of the apartments are in the central business district on the North end. You can walk for most of your daily needs but it's nothing like Bellevue of Queen Anne.

[allforcats]

Mercer Island: resort life or cultural wasteland?

Neither. Interesting that those are your only choices.
Mercer Island is residential life with limited business, retail and professional offices. Research will show the wide variety of cultural life.
If you're wealthy you might find a home to purchase "on the lake", but you're not likely to find any place at all to rent "on the lake" on Mercer Island. If you were to rent where apartments are, you could drive or bicycle to the lake.

[Outintospace]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Mercer Island: resort life or cultural wasteland?

Neither. Interesting that those are your only choices.

Those aren't my only choices, obviously. My choice of words is tongue-in-cheek; certainly, Mercer Island (or anywhere else for that matter) would not be summed up in such extremes.

I have found apartment communities via Google that are walking distance to the lake. That's what I meant by "on the lake," which I realize now is a poor choice of words.

[Ira500]

I like Mercer Island. Living near downtown Mercer Island could be like the best of both worlds. Not that far from the lake, and walkability to shops and restaurants.

[LongDawson]

In this day and age your post could be construed as anti-semitic. What do you mean "cultural wasteland"? Mercer Island is Jewish.

[AzDreamer]

Originally Posted by LongDawson

In this day and age your post could be construed as anti-semitic. What do you mean "cultural wasteland"? Mercer Island is Jewish.

Some of these replies seem a little off base. Do you really think the OP knew that Mercer Island has Jewish residents and was equating that to a cultural wasteland? That's a pretty far stretch.

And for the record, Mercer Island is not Jewish. We have a decent number of Jewish residents but they are in the minority.

[MichaelinWA]

Originally Posted by LongDawson

In this day and age your post could be construed as anti-semitic. What do you mean "cultural wasteland"? Mercer Island is Jewish.

[eskercurve]

I am currently a renter on Mercer Island, in the Island Square buildings. There are frequent community events and there's a vibrant community here. There's a QFC across the street, a self-defense school in the building, a Noah's Bagels, Mc D's, chinese, vietnamese, whole organic foods restaurant, walgreens, smoothie shops, coffee shops, bicycle store, ice cream parlor, video rental place, car wash, and bank all within 2 blocks of where I live.

In the center of the island there's a killer sushi place as well. Second only to Tsukushinbo in the intl district.

Not walkable? HAH! Bellevue sucks compared to MI. Too many people, too many consumers, ... and you say Bellevue has culture? What culture, besides "OOH LET'S PLAY SOME POOL AT AN OVERPRICED BAR AND THEN PLAY SOME OVERPRICED BOWLING, WATCH A MOVIE AND EAT SOME OVERPRICED FOOD THEN GO SHOPPING!" Ugh ... I'm gonna throw up. If you want real "culture," go to Seattle.

As for the Islanders being "snooty" or highfalutin, I'll say that I've never met a more dedicated group of people to their community. Yeah there's money here but you know what? If they mostly keep out of the way of everyone else and try to make their community better and do public service, what's wrong with that? Yeah there's some element of snottiness, but that's mostly the old money and money will cause that in some people.

Recently there was a musical event on the island and many people went, it was a lot of fun. The high school band played some tunes at the nearby parks as well.

It's a community ... mostly residential, so you won't have "culture" like you're wanting.

[Outintospace]

I never said Bellevue did or did not have culture. Living in downtown Bellevue, I could walk just about anywhere I needed to go during the brief time I lived there, especially compared to Dallas. That doesn't mean it's better or worse than anywhere else; it's just what I know. If I had already made up my mind about it, I wouldn't ask a question here.

And to the guy who made the comment about anti-Semitism, that's just silly, especially considering that I'm Jewish and I've attended services on Mercer Island in the past. And yes, I've even had Noah's Bagel's.

Thanks for the replies so far!