3 homes in Tacoma I am looking at which area is nicer? (Seattle: top neighborhood, short sale)

[lilysorrow]

I have 2 children ages 5 and 2, one is going to be in elementary school this new school year. I have an approved loan so we are looking into moving right away instead of renting like we are currently.

9233 S Park Ave Tacoma WA 98444 MLS# 361697 | Windermere Real Estate

1663 S 48th St, Tacoma, WA 98408 | MLS# 359622

3311 E K St, Tacoma, WA 98404 | MLS# 364595

We are relocating from Sacramento and it is very bad in our neighborhood. I am talking cop chases, police choppers, murderers, robberies (we just had an attempted murderer/robber running from the cops hop our condo gates the other night), hostage situations, a guy blew up his apartment after shutting down all of west sacramento two months ago, the mall just got evacuated the other day, schools are bad...

We don't want to move into an area like that, are any of these areas good? Or at least better than living in the heart of hell where we are? Also there are NO jobs here between West Sacramento and combining regular Sacramento it is 38% unemployment... We have no future here and just visited the Seattle/Renton area. I loved Olympia but it is pretty far from Seattle so I am trying Tacoma. We are white and native american geeky/goth/alternative folk and we have a photography/film business I am young in my 20's...

[Inkpoe]

Honestly... we usually recommend to people to stay from south and southeast Tacoma (which are precisely the areas that you looking in). It'll probably be a tad of an improvement from where you are but yea those areas aren't exactly regarded highly for a reason (I'm looking at your experience in Sac-town, while I'm not saying you'll experience the same thing everyday, it wouldn't exactly be out of place).

I'm assuming your budget is 150K? Try looking up towards DT Tacoma/Northend/North Tacoma. Maybe even Hilltop neighborhood... now with Hilltop, it's a rough neighborhood going through a transition and the community/residents are working together to make it better/greater. With these suggestions, you'd be a lot closer to the whole geeky/goth/alternative (and also trendy) aspect (with better public transit) that the areas you're originally looking in.

For the kids' schools, it'd be hard to beat University Place (which is next door to North Tacoma). UPSD is much much much better than Tacoma School District.

[lilysorrow]

There is nothing available in those areas at all in the budget I am working with. I am really limited on choices because of the budget issue. If I could go 20-40k more I could get more options...

Would the East K street or the S. 48th st be a better choice? Those are the only 2. I have to buy nothing from a short sale so this also limits the choices I can only look at non-shorts.

[Inkpoe]

Ok... what exactly is your budget?

(I personally wouldn't choose any of those areas, sorry.)

[ukiyo-e]

I moved to WA from Davis, and worked in Sacramento, so I know what you're talking about re: the crime there. I'm thinking of moving to Tacoma in a year or so - my kid went to college there and I found I really liked North Tacoma a lot when I visited him; the rural area I'm living in now is becoming an issue for me as I get older. But Inkpoe is right - south Tacoma is probably even worse than parts of South Sacramento. Honestly, you'd be better off renting in north Tacoma, or, as Inkpoe suggested, trying University Place. I wouldn't live in South Tacoma, either.

[mistermissy]

OP, Please look at Hilltop. I own a 1899 Victorian here and we love it, we have lived here the over 15 years, we have a very active neighborhood council, working together with the cops, our street is full of young professionals, and two very hip restaurants within three blocks.

Honestly, the East Side (E. 44th) is the last place I would move in Tacoma. You can afford a wonderful home in Hilltop near all the hospitals and parks, easy freeway access and near the waterfront, and maybe a Mt Rainier view, which we have, for your budget.

As far as the South End, your other address, it is okay, depends on the street you live and your neighbors though. Look out for slumlords who keep icky renters on your street or rent to sex offenders. That is a real problem here in some areas of the Hilltop as well.

[lilysorrow]

I cannot find a home near the Hilltop area that isn't a short sale or forclosure. It is hard finding anything in the whole state in my budget range that is nice with a nice modern kitchen. The East K Street is the only home left is that the one in the bad neighborhood? It is by the dome and near an exit that makes the closest Taco Bell to the address listed in Fife. I am also worried about the smells from the bay right there I have been told now it smells in Tacoma as well. I am plain scared of moving here now and it just blows nothing else is cheaper or safer... I am reconsidering moving but we really need out of this Sacramento area because it is bad here too, but Tacoma sounds worse almost... Can someone reassure me please? I don't want my children or us killed, have a breathing/asthma attack from the smells, etc... I wish I knew the answer...

[Inkpoe]

Tacoma doesn't smell as it did before. There'll be some days where it does smell bad, but even then it's still not as half bad as before.

If you think the quality of life will be improved by moving here... by all means do so. Just rent the first year, explore the area and narrow down and move to where you think fits you the most (who knows? Tacoma may not be your kind of town, but Poulsbo could fit you like a glove). Just because you can and got a house loan doesn't necessarily mean you should automatically buy a home. Especially in a unfamiliar state.

[lilysorrow]

I am sending my husband to look at the homes by airplane on Sunday. He can get a job up there unlike here with 20%+ unemployment he cannot =( It is only me affording us right now and we really need him to be able to work again. I have a small at home business. I want to buy because the market is going to increase I have heard and I just got my credit good enough to buy after years of struggling with ID theft so I just want to secure us for sometime. The one on East K is right by New Tacoma or the better area everyone talks about it is a block or two away from turning into that neighborhood area. I don't know... He is going to see for himself on Sunday before we sign the revised purchase agreement the seller sent us, so at least we got an ammendum to the offer so it gives us time before we go through further to continue with 3311 East K St... The school buildings look AWESOME compared to California's broken down schools ours have like little out house trailers and are all old. So that is a plus... my son just failed Kindergarten here because of the lack of attention to him having a hearing disorder that they just found out like a week before school ended after a 5 month wait list to see the speech therapist for help... Its crap here to say frankly we need a change and quick.

[lilysorrow]

Anyone want to show him around? He is a nice guy and wont bite lol.