seattle neighborhoods and schools (Bellevue, Redmond: best neighborhood, house, schools)

[khanania]

Hi - my husband will be working in Bellevue. We have 3 children grades 1, 4 and 6. We are American, but our kids have never lived in the states - our kids have always attended smaller international community schools (so are a little naive and not used to big public schools). My question is - what is the best neighborhood for us? And which are the best schools? We like to be around open minded well educated people - no bible thumping conservative areas please! We can afford up to around a million for a house. Thanks.

[VeronikaW]

I'm thinking if you can afford a million dollar home, you might want to look at Mercer Island. They are renowned for having great schools. Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah all have very good schools as well. But I'd definitely look at Mercer Island first. The commute to Bellevue would be a breeze.

V. =)

[tlmg21]

I'm interested in the responses you will get as well. My husband and I have a daughter that will be going into first grade after we move to Seattle. I have heard Bellevue quite a few times, so we are definitely interested in exploring that area. Good luck with your search!

[seattlenextyear]

Isn't limiting your friends group to open minded people inherently close-minded?

[AzDreamer]

Originally Posted by khanania

We like to be around open minded well educated people - no bible thumping conservative areas please! We can afford up to around a million for a house. Thanks.

I am the last person to endorse bible thumping but your attitude is scary. You say you are open minded, but without even knowing a person you are willing to write them off. Hopefully as you grow older you'll also grow wiser.

[Ira500]

Wthe city of Seattle, some very good elementary schools exist in Montlake, around Madison Park, and on Queen Anne, and a few other neighborhoods. North Capitol Hill is also very nice. Outside of Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Issaquah, and Kirkland are all fairly easy commutes into Bellevue and all have good schools.
For your price range, you might want to consider, in addition to Mercer Island, the parts of Kirkland near the downtown waterfront, or west Bellevue, or the Somerset area of Bellevue, or around Chism Beach in Bellevue...
Outside of Seattle will have more Republicans, but almost every place around here outside of Seattle is pretty mixed politically, so even if you're an athiest left winger, you won't be completely alone even in a place like Kirkland or Mercer Island, but Seattle is overwhelmingly liberal, so you might have harder time fitting in in Seattle if you were a conservative bible thumper.

[texastrigirl]

Originally Posted by AzDreamer

I am the last person to endorse bible thumping but your attitude is scary. You say you are open minded, but without even knowing a person you are willing to write them off. Hopefully as you grow older you'll also grow wiser.

Amen.

[khanania]

I currently own a house in the suburbs of Houston (we spend our summers there with my mom) and I am tired of my children being treated as outcasts because they don't belong to a church. So if I sound a little closed minded about that - I guess I am. I am also tired of the arrogance and ignorance that comes along with my self proclaimed white wing extremist neighbors. I can't argue with them any more - it is a losing battle. But I also can't live in neighborhoods where my car gets keyed because I have an Obama sticker on it. I am totally happy for people to believe whatever they wish - but I am fed up with them trying to push their conservative values on me and my family. Let's just say that I am intolerant of intolerance. That does not make me closed minded - just fed up!

[khanania]

that was a freudian slip - I meant right wind extremist!

[khanania]

ok will try that again right WING extremist.