Where to move with tweenagers? Edmonds? Northshore? Issaquah? (Seattle, Maple Valley: affordable houses, safe area)

[denise8]

We've lived in North Kitsap (peninsula) for 10 years but want to move back to the mainland to a reasonably safe area with affordable houses and good schools. We've gotten used to nature, nice people and a community. I'm familiar with the school districts on paper (thank you, greatschools.com) and want an educated but not necessarily overly overpriced community with a community feel. My husband commutes to the airport 1x to 2x a week. We've thought about the Northshore area but think that the commute would kill us. I like sports, nature, my dog, kids, education and the arts and work from home but want to be more accessible to the city, especially when the kids go to college. We have 1/3 acre and want someplace with at least 1/2 acre or so (how many sq. ' is that?) for $400,000 or so (maybe up to 450K). Our house went down in value, too, but we plan to put it on the market for $279,000 (hopefully soon), so we hope not to go too much over 400K. We've read about Mill Creek and another area by Woodinville and a lake, but I'm afraid that the commute would be too far for my husband. Schools, lifestyle, safety and the commute are issues. We also want a 2200+ square foot house that's not a huge fixer-upper (I can paint and landscape a level yard), so waterfront isn't going to happen. Wow, is there a place for us? If there is, where is it?
Also, we're a little reluctant to leave Kingston, though our house is too small and there's not enough to do here. I think it's those three months a year when it's like heaven. The other months, it seems too desolate for me.

[Woland]

I would say that the commute issue puts you at nothing north of Seattle and nothing on the eastside (Issaquah). I will say good luck finding a home with with 1/2 an acre for so cheap. You may want to look at the outskirts of the suburban communities, but again, stay south of Seattle and away from the eastside (405 commute can be an absolute nightmare).

[Ira500]

Maybe consider Maple Valley. The Tahoma school district there is thought of as excellent, house prices are lower than Issaquah or the Northshore areas, it would be somewhat closer to Sea-Tac, and there are more homes with larger lots available.