Talk to me about the northern suburbs (Seattle, Bellevue: for rent, houses)

[Cecilia M]

I've lived in Seattle for 11 years and I think we need to move north to afford a larger place. We're in a one-bedroom right now, and it's not good for ye old marriage any more.

We've been sort of house hunting in Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, Bothell, Kenmore etc. I work for UW and hubby works from home. I think we will be renting and I have found lots of houses listed for rent in our budget in those areas.

So talk to me about these neighborhoods because I don't know what's a "good" area or not. I'm looking at data on this site with regards to demographics and crime, but I am also curious about other people's experiences- Do you live in those areas, and which neighborhoods do you really like, and why?

Lifestyle wise, we've been living in a walkable neighborhood but not a very "hip" one, and I am not concerned about hipness. I don't care too much about walkability any more but it would be nice if there were businesses within either walking or a quick bus ride because we only have one car, I use it to commute, and want to keep it that way for a while. Hubby doesn't really wander off too much on his own though, so that's not a deal breaker.

Otherwise we are just looking for a quiet neighborhood that's not too far from businesses by car, and extra bonus points if there are fun or local businesses and artsy or otherwise cool stuff going on around there.

[homesinseattle]

There aren't many places on your list with what you mention ("artsy cool") stuff, though downtown Bothell and Edmonds Bowl would have a bit of that. Have you considered northern Greenwood or some of the outlying neighborhoods of Northgate? Both are somewhat affordable (Northgate more so) within striking distance of UW, with good transit options.

[Cecilia M]

Yeah I don't need the neighborhood to be hip or cool. I just was wondering if there was anything going on that people wanted to tell me about that was artsy or cool. It doesn't have to be super edgy either. I think there are events sometimes in downtown Edmonds that would fit my criteria.

I have looked thoroughly at lots and lots of North Seattle neighborhoods but I need the home to be move-in ready and a lot of the homes in my price range in those neighborhoods are fixers.

[homesinseattle]

I hear you. Shoreline has some nice options too. Ideally you would stay east of I-5 with the one job at UW.

[Cecilia M]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Ideally you would stay east of I-5 with the one job at UW.

Why do you say that?
BTW, I work for the UW, but not on campus. I work in a building on Roosevelt in the U District. I'm about 2 blocks from I-5, if that makes a difference.

[homesinseattle]

Just thinking of your commute. If you are close to Roosevelt, places like Shoreline wouldn't be bad at all. Edmonds Bowl is tougher as it takes a while to get to the freeway.

[mkarch]

They all have their good parts and not as good parts.

Edmonds: The nicest areas near the water have the longest commutes. The non-waterfront areas are a lot like Shoreline and Lynnwood.

Shoreline: ranges from VERY nice (Highlands, Innis Arden) to dumpy and run down. Dumpy run down areas are closest to the highway/freeway and offer better commutes generally. It's been a popular location for people who would prefer to live in North Seattle but pay a bit less for a while now, so it feels a lot like North Seattle only slightly more suburban.

Mountlake Terrace: Didn't see much development post 1960 and much of it fell into decline. It's getting revitalized now but not as much as Shoreline, Lynnwood or Bothell. It's the forgotten middle child suburb along with Alderwood Manor.

Kenmore: Closer but not as nice as Bothell. Consider Lake Forest Park before Kenmore. Most of Kenmore is like the older parts of Bothell but lacking any real downtown area.

Bothell: quite far from Seattle. Probably not the best choice if you're working downtown in either Seattle or Bellevue. It's being revitalized and has some of the better schools in the north end though. At this point most of the old run down neighborhoods have improved, unlike Mountlake Terrace. Oddly, some of the parts of Bothell that used to be in bad shape now boast some of the best schools, so there's definitely been a shift in the older areas.

[CrazyDonkey]

Here's a very nice looking 2bd apt for $1,450, a couple blocks from Matthews Beach:

9556 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 | Zillow

[MountainHi]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

There aren't many places on your list with what you mention ("artsy cool") stuff, though downtown Bothell and Edmonds Bowl would have a bit of that. Have you considered northern Greenwood or some of the outlying neighborhoods of Northgate? Both are somewhat affordable (Northgate more so) within striking distance of UW, with good transit options.

This. It may not be necessary for you to move outside of Seattle. Try the areas north of Northgate Way and also Greenwood. Try also Lake City Way, and the neighborhoods in-between Lake City Way and 15th Ave. NE. From there, take a look at Lake Forest Park, and also Mountlake Terrace.


Anything you can do to cut the distance of your commute, to avoid time spent in traffic will translate into less frustration and more happiness for you. So see how far your money will go in the north end neighborhoods of Seattle before going farther afield. Edmonds is nice, though, and does have a transit connection to the UW.

[modc]

Lake forest park has a very nice third place bookstore and a small library branch as well as a couple cafes. I had a friend who commuted from thereto the UW many years ago before tolling on the 520 bridge occurred. It may not be as good as a commute anymore but she didn't mind it back then. I'd check out the transit routes from there and see if it works for you. It's a pretty area with lots of trees. It's pretty tame compared to Seattle