Good Place to Retire Around Seattle Area? (Bellevue, Bellingham: for sale, real estate)

[SYS]

My wife and I are planning on relocating to and retiring near Seattle area within a year. We don't need to be around good K-12 schools as our kids would be off to college by next year. Our search criteria are: 1) affordable housing ($300,000 - $400,000); 2) safe neighborhood; 3) no heavy traffic; 4) decent distance (hour or less) to coastal attractions, mountains and the international airport. Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.

[Thom52]

Are you sure you are in the right forum?

traffic is heavy and everywhere.

hour to the coast? Unless you mean the shores of the Sound equals "coast"?

housing prices in that range in a safe neighborhood?

Maybe Bellingham, if coast = Sound. But that housing budget will be tough. And its a long way to the airport from Bellingham.

[SYS]

How about Woodinville? The housing and safety seem to fit the criteria, no? Have no idea about the traffic in that area, though.

[misscross]

Sequim and Port Angeles are popular retirement areas in western Washington. Woodinville might work if you can find a house in your budget, it has many young families with kids due to the proximity to Microsoft and good school district.

If you're willing to look at Woodinville, then consider Redmond Ridge area which has a 55+ community called Trilogy

[modc]

What type of housing? Condo.house,town home? Square footage?

[RustinginSeattle]

You need to head out to the Peninsula for all that (and still you won't get all of it). On this side of Puget Sound it's all traffic all the time and homes are very, very expensive.

And if by "Coastal attractions" you mean the ocean, you're a few hours away in Woodinville (without traffic). But keep in mind, you won't spend a lot of time on the Washington Coast. It's cold and windy and foggy. It's pretty, but very rural. It's not a sunbathing beach. Part of the reason that it takes so long to get over there is that you have to go around other large bodies of water and a pesky mountain range.

Consider Gig Harbor or Poulsbo. Traffic isn't bad on the peninsula, as long as you don't try to come over to the Seattle side.

I would get a good map of Western Washington, then spend some time using google maps to see how long it takes to get places. Then use a real estate website to look for prices. If you're looking for a 2 bedroom 1 bath for $300K outside of the city that's over 40 years old, you may be able to find it, but if you're looking for a 3/2 with 2800 sq ft and a 2 car garage that's less than 10 years old, you will have to move WAY out.

With your criteria, why are you seeking to be near Seattle?

[modc]

Not sure about the traffic issue but maybe Des Moines Washington?

[homesinseattle]

You wouldn't touch Woodinvile in that price range. Perhaps Port Orchard would work.

[carroll4628]

Originally Posted by SYS

How about Woodinville? The housing and safety seem to fit the criteria, no? Have no idea about the traffic in that area, though.

You can get a town home for about $500k

15544 135th Pl Ne Unit 40 C, Woodinville, WA 98072 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Houses like these won't last long on the market

16519 188th Ave Ne, Woodinville, WA 98072 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Traffic during the day is fine (10-3), otherwise it's long lines in the woods. The weekends are messy as well. It will take an hour (plus) to the airport between 10a-2p. Other times, give yourself at least 90+min. An hour from the mountains. You can get to Edmonds (the Water) in 30-45 minutes Sunday 9AM.

The problem with Woodinville is that the houses are inflated in price because of the lot sizes and the schools. (Mostly the lot sizes.) You are competing with all the Microsoft/tech employees that want 1/2 acre plus that they can't find in Redmond/Bellevue.

I think I would look closer to Olympia or as others have suggested, the Peninsula area.

[fnh]

Olympia!