Nice neighborhoods with nice neighbors (Seattle, Kennewick: for sale, houses, unemployment)

[motherofcheek]

My family and I are moving to Kennewick from Seattle. We are currently on the market for a home and wondered what neighborhoods are desirable to live in? We aren't particularly religious or political. We like boating, golfing and playing with our children... Any advice?

[Mopac1980]

Originally Posted by motherofcheek

My family and I are moving to Kennewick from Seattle. We are currently on the market for a home and wondered what neighborhoods are desirable to live in? We aren't particularly religious or political. We like boating, golfing and playing with our children... Any advice?

I would suggest living anywhere west of Highway 395 or if you wanna live east of Highway 395 be sure to live in the neighborhoods south of 19th Avenue.

[BomberBoy]

Kennewick Park is a nice area, which is close to the mall, schools, food, freeway etc. Panoramic Heights, Canyon Lakes, Creekstone are all nice as well but a little higher priced.

[sweetcinnamon]

Originally Posted by Mopac1980

I would suggest living anywhere west of Highway 395 or if you wanna live east of Highway 395 be sure to live in the neighborhoods south of 19th Avenue.

I happen to live east of Highway 395, and north of 19th avenue (on 2nd ave) and I LOVE it! My neighbors are all friendly, there are no problems with noise or crime, we have a good-sized yard, and we love our neighborhood! This neighborhood doesn't seem to have a great reputation, but it is great! I love being close to everything and still getting that homey-neighborhood feel.

If homes in this area are in the price-range you are looking for, I would check the area out yourself and see how cute it is!

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by motherofcheek

My family and I are moving to Kennewick from Seattle. We are currently on the market for a home and wondered what neighborhoods are desirable to live in? We aren't particularly religious or political. We like boating, golfing and playing with our children... Any advice?

There are some pretty affordable nice, older houses for sale out our way (near W 27th & S Garfield). Most have decent-sized yards and some have views. We have five immediate neighbors (due to an odd platting) and we find them all wonderful and pleasant. We might not always agree on everything, but we work things out with discussion rather than courts. While it will mainly be up to you to make the effort to say howdy and get to know them--if not, they will tend to keep to themselves--it's easy to have good relations with most neighbors in this part of town. Also, in this part of town there are no bars or taverns--nearest one is about twenty blocks away--so there isn't much nightly ruckus. No locals ever bother me about religion or politics; I get occasional missionaries at the door, but they aren't my neighbors. We live and let live that way. And I would know it if we didn't, because I'm a non-Christian, non-patriot and non-adherent of either major party. If I can live here without any crap, most people can.

A lot of houses over here also have basements, which is really nice for a family. Many are brick or brick facing. Few are grotesquely large, like some of the cardboard McMansions on the other side of town, but most are large enough for a family.

If you buy the view lot on W 26th Pl (500-600) block) and decide to build on it, by the way, don't offer the guy what he's asking. He's had that sucker on the market for seven years. Bear that in mind when you make your offer, because it's obvious he's priced himself way out of the market.

[bajagirl]

We found a house on "bird hill" on Pheasant in West Richland. I don't have a clue who the neighbors are yet, but plan on baking some bread and taking it over to them to introduce us. We loved the neighborhood look, that's why we rented there.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by bajagirl

We found a house on "bird hill" on Pheasant in West Richland. I don't have a clue who the neighbors are yet, but plan on baking some bread and taking it over to them to introduce us. We loved the neighborhood look, that's why we rented there.

Drive very carefully. The WRPD are infamous in the Tri-Cities for rapacious speed traps. I deal with it by driving three under the limit, poking along. If slavish compliance with the law is what the people of West Richland want their police to enforce, very well: they shall have it. If you see a white Toyota truck poking along carrying a bearded guy, you'll know that I'm not just driving like a proverbial granny for no reason at all. Refraining from flipping me off would be quite welcome.

Henry's (Van Giesen) is okay as restaurants go. Get the blackened prime chunks as your appetizer. Best app in the TC for my money. Brick House Pizza (also Van Giesen) is also pretty good; that's where the umps and scorekeepers in our adult baseball league traditionally have our season-end hooraw. I tried Sahara Pizza and while the pizza was good, I never saw such an organizational goatrope in my life. So if you go there, be prepared. I think my old DM Terry is still running the cheese department at Yokes grocery, and he'll do right by you. Yokes in general will do right by you--it's a well-run regional chain.

[barringtons97]

My family made the same move in 2003 ... The first year was really hard ... I was back in Seattle every other weekend ... now 6yrs. later we are actually planning on living here permanently. The people are so generous here, I have grown to love the small town atmosphere ... its amazing how truly "small " the town gets as you start to meet people.

We currently live in Creekstone, centrally located in Kennewick with a quick 20 minute drive max to either Pasco or Richland ... I have to say that the newer communities have so much to offer w/parks, great schools and outdoor area for activities.

We are now planning to build our "Dream House" ... we just put the sign in the yard "FSBO" ... mod cut:

[sunflowers61]

Looking for a family friendly area, affordable, with college/university in WA state. Is unemployment a big problem in WA? Currently living in St. George UT and very weary of the hot summers. Tired of desert area without trees and water. How is Wennatchee area? and what about Tri cities area?

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by sunflowers61

Looking for a family friendly area, affordable, with college/university in WA state. Is unemployment a big problem in WA? Currently living in St. George UT and very weary of the hot summers. Tired of desert area without trees and water. How is Wennatchee area? and what about Tri cities area?

Thumbs down on Tri-Cities. Only has a mediocre community college and a WSU branch campus. Plus, it has blistering hot summers. Next month I'll be mowing in 105 F weather at some point. TC even probably has significant residual radioactivity like St. George--I bet they don't test much around town simply because they know what they would find.