Shoreline schools Vs Northshore schools (Seattle, Bellevue: best neighborhoods, for sale, low crime)

[bawdylass]

Is the Shoreline School Dist as good as the Northshore School Dist. I'm looking to purchase a home (I'm currently in Redmond). Both areas are attractive based on location to the City. I have 3 kids and MUST be in a good school district. Are there certain schools in either district to avoid?

Additionally, how does crime look in those areas. There's not a lot of crime here in Redmond. I want to be sure I'm moving somewhere safe as well.

All opinions welcome. Certain areas look good on paper but may not be so great in reality. I would love advise/ recommendations based on actual experience.

Thanks a million!

[poopskooper]

I'm not sure if you're giving enough information or not. The Northshore School District covers a lot of territory ...actually, so does Shoreline. Generally, Northshore has a much better reputation than the Shoreline School District but I've been away from it for so long from my teaching days and currently not having school-aged kids. So I'll let others more directly involved with schools give you a better reply.

Crime wise, you probably can't beat Redmond when comparing it with Shoreline. But again, you'll have to give more specific descriptions of the area as there are parts of Shoreline that may not be too bad. However, we all know just how bad it is in Shoreline along the 99-corridor.

Northshore, on the other hand, encompasses Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville, North Creek, etc. which generally, are considered lower crime areas than Shoreline.

Again, specifics will be necessary to really narrow down comparisons of crime.

I'm sure you'll get more replies and opinions if you can narrow it down a bit.

JMO and my opinion means very little and isn't worth much.

[mkarch]

The Highlands in Shoreline may definitely not be too bad. Way better than Redmond, but pricier as well. You're not going to find many homes with water and mountain views out there that can compete with Shoreline.

Shoreline suffers from some deteriorated neighborhoods, especially in 98133. But like Seattle, it's one of those areas where the best neighborhoods are better than anything short of Bellevue/Sammamish/MI waterfront.

Say you're not willing to pony up the cash for a prime neighborhood - Northshore is the better bargain as far as schools are concerned.

[poopskooper]

Originally Posted by mkarch

The Highlands in Shoreline may definitely not be too bad. Way better than Redmond, but pricier as well. You're not going to find many homes with water and mountain views out there that can compete with Shoreline.

Shoreline suffers from some deteriorated neighborhoods, especially in 98133. But like Seattle, it's one of those areas where the best neighborhoods are better than anything short of Bellevue/Sammamish/MI waterfront.

Say you're not willing to pony up the cash for a prime neighborhood - Northshore is the better bargain as far as schools are concerned.

Yes, very true. The Highlands is VERY exclusive. It used to be the place to live amongst the elite in the Seattle area. The areas immediately surrounding The Highlands are nice areas as are the areas along the shore of Puget Sound and most of Lake Forest Park, all in the Shoreline School District. The general Richmond Highlands area is safe and has relatively low crime but I guess it's that 99-corridor that gives it the bad reputation.

As I say, it's really difficult to generalize not knowing the specific neighborhood.

Again, my opinion only and NOT trying to discredit the opinions of others.

[BellevueNative]

Before you get your heart set on The Highlands, it should be noted that The Highlands is filled with estates and is a bit of a co-op community almost. The homes are in the millions of dollars, so unless you're wealthy you simply can't afford to buy there. And that's IF a home is even for sale. Here is the cheapest home for sale in The Highlands right now: 143 Moss Road NW, Shoreline, WA 98177 | MLS# 442464 | Redfin

[Hemlock140]

Both Shoreline and Northshore have good schools, I would consider Northshore the better of the two, but a step down from Redmond. In Northshore I would recommend the Woodinville
schools or Woodmore in Bothell as the best.