Socially Conservative, Upper Middle Class income looking for a Home in Seattle (Bellevue: home builders, school district)

[seattlenextyear]

Inventory is higher in the Spring, so you'll theoretically have more choices then. Not many people have their house on the market in December/January.

[Old Salt4]

Bainbridge is worth a look. Primarily left leaning but not looney. I'm conservative, my friends and associates know it and since I am willing engage in those discussions anytime they feel like bringing them up we have some spirited coffee klatches . . . no one has keyed my car yet anyway. Really good schools, city is broke because they've spent too much on social and arts stuff as well as being way overstaffed but they now have the ship righted . . . fiscal pragmatism finally. Jump on the ferry in the morning and before you know it you're in downtown Seattle. No car required, no traffic hassles. I don't commute to the city - love living here though and like the painless city access. Real estate prices are moderating nicely, a mil buys a lot. I'm high on a bluff overlooking the water and enjoy wide Seattle & Cascade views, 70's built 2800 sq ft house, could use a mild remodel, probably would sell today for $750k (was pushing a mil+ 2 yrs ago)

[panjabi]

Originally Posted by Old Salt4

Bainbridge is worth a look. Primarily left leaning but not looney. I'm conservative, my friends and associates know it and since I am willing engage in those discussions anytime they feel like bringing them up we have some spirited coffee klatches . . . no one has keyed my car yet anyway. Really good schools, city is broke because they've spent too much on social and arts stuff as well as being way overstaffed but they now have the ship righted . . . fiscal pragmatism finally. Jump on the ferry in the morning and before you know it you're in downtown Seattle. No car required, no traffic hassles. I don't commute to the city - love living here though and like the painless city access. Real estate prices are moderating nicely, a mil buys a lot. I'm high on a bluff overlooking the water and enjoy wide Seattle & Cascade views, 70's built 2800 sq ft house, could use a mild remodel, probably would sell today for $750k (was pushing a mil+ 2 yrs ago)

Thanks for that update. We loved Bainbridge when we drove through it.

What about Gig Harbor? Any other harbor towns that are well run?

[eskercurve]

If you want to live on an island, I would suggest looking around Poulsbo. Nordic by lineage. Quiet, and cute little town center.

Getting back to MI ...

Gangs are not really a problem. Literally. Zero. Zilch. Nada. The biggest thing to hit MI in years and years were some deliquent teens spray painting swastikas on the local Jewish high school, some other buildings, and just generally being a nuisance. They got caught about a couple months ago. The worst crime on the island by far is people leaving their homes or garages unlocked and end up getting car prowled, or unwitting seniors falling for internet scams from Nigerian phishing scammers.

I live on the north end, in some apartments across the street from the QFC. I think all the teens go there to hang out rather than go and do drugs, as it is noisy most of the year and the store is 24/7. The worst things I've seen are some pot joint smoking and a teen shoplifting a beer or two under a hoodie. But that's basically it.

The schools are wonderfully funded. There's nearly 45,000 people on the island and the vast majority of them are wealthy families, and when the public school district cut funding, they raised more to keep a lot of stuff open. Don't know about the park districts though ... we could be losing a dated but still great indoor pool.

If your kids are into baseball ... the little league team went to nationals this year, I think to semi-finals. Polo is top notch. They are going to China to have their traveling band perform. They are very well regarded for math and science.

And there's even some montessori schools on the island if that's your thing.

[Inkpoe]

Poulsbo isn't on an island, it's on an arm of a peninsula. But yes... Great town... won't make it under an hour to the airport though.

Honestly... Why not check into Magnolia or Madison Valley? Left leaning yes... but no one is going to make a big deal out of your politics unless you make it an issue. Kirkland could do as well.

I would also point out the nice older neighborhoods of Tacoma and University Place.

[Ira500]

And back to Mercer Island:
I just went to the MLS sold records for Mercer Island, and while there have been homes that sold for 4% off the list price, others have sold for 8-10-15% off list price. The average home tends to sell for 5% off the list price, but sometimes that's a list price that's already dropped a couple of times, so it might be 20% off the original list price, and homes at that price point tend to stay on the market longer.
As seattlenextyear stated, there is far less to choose from in the winter. But it's also the time one is more likely to get a better deal, since those folks who still have their homes on the market are a bit more desperate.
Inkpoe suggested Magnolia and Madison Valley...I second that and would add Madison Park, just east of Madison Valley.

[panjabi]

Originally Posted by Ira500

And back to Mercer Island:
I just went to the MLS sold records for Mercer Island, and while there have been homes that sold for 4% off the list price, others have sold for 8-10-15% off list price. The average home tends to sell for 5% off the list price, but sometimes that's a list price that's already dropped a couple of times, so it might be 20% off the original list price, and homes at that price point tend to stay on the market longer.
As seattlenextyear stated, there is far less to choose from in the winter. But it's also the time one is more likely to get a better deal, since those folks who still have their homes on the market are a bit more desperate.
Inkpoe suggested Magnolia and Madison Valley...I second that and would add Madison Park, just east of Madison Valley.

Ira,

Thanks! That is great info. I will follow up on Magnolia, Madison Valley and Madison Park

[panjabi]

Originally Posted by panjabi

Ira,

Thanks! That is great info. I will follow up on Magnolia, Madison Valley and Madison Park

Dear All,

I looked at all of the above. They all seem to be neighborhoods of Seattle proper. Does that mean that they are served by the Seattle school district?

One of the things we would like is a smaller school district (like Mercer or Issaquah) and thus would exclude Seattle proper (assuming it is all one giant school district)

We are both very involved parents and we have seen first hand how much parents can make a difference in a small school district with volunteering and fund raising to help make up for ever larger school budget deficits

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by panjabi

Dear All,

I looked at all of the above. They all seem to be neighborhoods of Seattle proper. Does that mean that they are served by the Seattle school district?

One of the things we would like is a smaller school district (like Mercer or Issaquah) and thus would exclude Seattle proper (assuming it is all one giant school district)

We are both very involved parents and we have seen first hand how much parents can make a difference in a small school district with volunteering and fund raising to help make up for ever larger school budget deficits

Indeed, Seattle is one giant school district, and not a very good one at that. My kids went through the Seattle school district, so I can attest first hand how screwed up the school district is. There are some fine schools within the Seattle school district, but it would be a wise choice to have your kids in a district that isn't Seattle. Some nice neighborhoods on the east side, in addition to Mercer Island include Lakemont ( around the Bellevue Issaquah border), and Somerset in Bellevue.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by panjabi

Dear All,

I looked at all of the above. They all seem to be neighborhoods of Seattle proper. Does that mean that they are served by the Seattle school district?

One of the things we would like is a smaller school district (like Mercer or Issaquah) and thus would exclude Seattle proper (assuming it is all one giant school district)

We are both very involved parents and we have seen first hand how much parents can make a difference in a small school district with volunteering and fund raising to help make up for ever larger school budget deficits

In those neighborhoods, a lot of times, the upper middle class folks tend to send their kids into private schools. Which was why I brought up Madison Valley and Magnolia. Your OP did mentioned private schools.