Moving to Everett, Questions :) (Seattle, Edmonds: affordable apartments, rentals, crime rate)

[SKGirl]

Well, my fiance is in the navy and we're moving up to Everett...because that's where he's stationed. Plus, it's way cheaper than Southern California. I don't know what area we'll be living in though. Probably within 20min from the Naval Base. Is the area around there a bad one? What's Everett itself like? Is it a good area for a college student who would sooner stay inside and play videogames than go to the beach? Does it rain lots? We love the rain

[fairweathergolfer]

I know there is a good shopping center up there in Everett, but I have not lived in Everett so I do not know specifically about housing. I do know there are some nice places to live close by though.

Maybe things have changed since I have lived in Seattle, but there are many nice areas east of Everett in more rural communities and also north of there are some truly rural areas. If you go south there are many nice areas in Edmonds (that will be pricier) but it is more waterfront based there. But as far as in Everett itself I can't be of much help there.

One great thing about that area in general (Seattle, Edmonds, Everett, the Islands etc) is there is lots of neat places nearby where ever you live, so in my opinion if you like the rain, you'll enjoy the area overall. Across from Everett is also Whidbey Island which is a fun place to go play. There are always a lot of neighborhoods to choose from in Seattle and North of there so I think you will have fun exploring to see what fits. Good luck! I think you will enjoy the whole area overall. Thank you (you make sacrifices too) and your fiancé for your service !

[Screenial]

It sounds like you should like it in Everett by what preferences you are describing. I'm not sure why you will think it's going to be a lot cheaper though. Maybe housing, but after you get married, you should get on-base housing anyway.

[the dufferz]

SKGirl,

The everett naval facility is pretty nice. Everett is an interesting area. Directly north of the naval base is the old part of everett with the homes being nicer the closer you get to bluff and noticeably degraded as you move east. There is a section of north everett that has contaminated soil due to the smelter. There are homes on this property, but there are levels of arsenic that are a health concern.

South of the base you will find the majority of housing for the city. Once again as you follow the shoreline, the homes move from nice to less nice as you move away from the water. Neighborhoods adjascent to Colby/Evergreen (the main drag) are pretty run down.

If you desire to live within 20 minutes of the base you have a large area you can look to for living. Any area south of the base, north of Bothell and Lynnwood will get you to the base within 20 minutes. The good news about this is that you are going against the rush hour traffic so the commute is easier.

There are some really nice areas/apts. in the general area of the 20 minute commute.

You can also go north to Marysville, but not recommended for commute time and living conditions.

Oh. It rains here. Usually a drizzle, but there are times (like this month) where we get buckets of rain.

Please thank your man for me for his service to our country. God Bless.

[wmorgan]

Everett is cool! It's a good place for a military family, there's a lot to do, and the navy is very popular here. The base is brand new, easy to get to, and in a good location. However, there aren't quarters on the base so most of the facilities (commissary, exchange, etc.) are located up the road about 8 miles in an area called Smokey Point. There are lots of houses and apartments for rent; prices seem high but not compared to those in CA. We have a brand new events center which houses our championship WHL hockey team, an arena football team, and a new pro basketball team, and we also have a nice ballpark where the minor league AquaSox play. All major sports are available a half-hour south in Seattle, but WE usually stay here in town due to lower prices, free parking, and less driving hassle. The city also has three theater groups, a nice performing arts center, an excellent symphony, and both sports and cultural events put on by the five local high schools and the community college.
It rains often here, but usually not much at a time. Rarely do you need a raincoat or umbrella (although we've had some unusual torrential rains recently that caused some local flooding in the suburbs). Summer, fall, and spring are glorious; winter sometimes get a little dreary because it's often gray and damp and overcast. There's excellent hiking and skiing an hour away, the town has LOTS of excellent restaurants, including many ethnic types that aren't very expensive. Shopping is decent at the Everett Mall but much better 10 miles south at the Alderwood Mall. If you want to take college courses, Everett Community College (I taught there last year) has a good variety, and Seattle has the University of Washington and several excellent private colleges. This area has lots of water for boating or ferry-riding (a bit cold for swimming most of the time), Canada is only 90 minutes away, and we have TON of espresso stands, coffee houses, microbreweries, and wineries. Teenagers complain there's "nothing to do", but we older folks think the area has just about anything you could possibly want. Everett is a very old town with a lot of history, and parts of the downtown are a little run-down. They tore down the scruffiest parts to build the events center, and lots of new restaurants and night spots have moved into that area. Downtown is old, but there's lots of growth to the south (where I live) and now also to the north (where there's a huge new outlet mall, shopping center, and very popular casino). Obviously I like the place; feel free to ask more questions. I hope you have a good trip up and enjoy our little town.

Bill

Originally Posted by SKGirl

Well, my fiance is in the navy and we're moving up to Everett...because that's where he's stationed. Plus, it's way cheaper than Southern California. I don't know what area we'll be living in though. Probably within 20min from the Naval Base. Is the area around there a bad one? What's Everett itself like? Is it a good area for a college student who would sooner stay inside and play videogames than go to the beach? Does it rain lots? We love the rain

[minnie74]

Rain? In Western Washington?? Whatever gave you that idea? Yes, it rains in Everett; recently....a LOT. I think the news said we broke some all time records last week. But it doesn't rain here all the time. As for the area around the Navy base, it's pretty safe. The city is undergoing some major reconstruction and renovations to make it much more touristy and therefore nicer for permanent residents. You should check out the city web site if you haven't already: http://www.ci.everett.wa.us. The outlying areas of Everett can be sketchy though. You don't want to live anywhere near or on Casino Road or Evergreen Way. North Everett tends to be the more rundown area while South Everett is a lot more clean, more newer neighborhoods, etc. But there is a very high crime rate all around. Other cities that are close by are Marysville and Arlington to the North and then Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Bothell, and Mill Creek to the South. Or you can go out to the country and live in Lake Stevens, Granite Falls, Snohomish or Monroe. Rentals here are in the $850-$1200 range for a two bedroom apartment. TRAFFIC SUCKS. Everywhere you go. No matter what time of day or night. And most roads are under construction, which is part of the reason for the horrible traffic. All of the cities I listed above are within that 20 mile radius you are thinking about, but because of traffic some of them are more like an hour away from the Navy base. I think that pretty much covers everything you asked about. Good luck on the move!

[pickypurses]

I hope that by now you are enjoying life in Everett and have met several new friends. I use to live just ontop of the hill from the Navy base and really enjoyed it there. I have since got married and purchased a house in Granite Falls, WA. I love it here even more. Just close enough to everything I want to do and far enough away from the hussle and bussle.

I have opened up my own business doing Purse parties and have fun with that. If you are ever interested contact me.

[hinsey86]

The Navy also brought us here but my husband just retired and we are headed back to the east coast. I will miss it here. We live in Mill Creek and have loved it. It is a bit more expensive though but not out of most people's range. There are alot of nice affordable apartments to be had and we are close to everything. There are two malls within a few miles and anything else you could want within a few miles. The exchange and commissary are about 20 miles north but we only shop every two weeks anyhow. And the base was an easy commute for my husband because he was going opposite most of the traffic. I worked in Seattle, up until last week, and the commute was about an hour for me.
We looked everywhere in the area before we moved and I am more than glad we settled in Mill Creek.