New moving to Seattle - Near Seattle Children's (Shoreline, Lake Forest Park: apartments, rentals)

[mluer001]

Hi all,

I'm in my mid-20s and recently received a job offer at Seattle Children's Hospital and am looking to relocate from South Florida.

I am not very familiar with the area but am looking for an apartment. Are there any suggestions on neighborhoods / apartments that are in a safe, nice area?

I don't mind a commute up to around 30 minutes and would prefer an area that is close to some stores but pretty green

Any suggestions would help!

[homesinseattle]

Hi mluer. I'm a born and raised Miami boy (parents still in Kendall) in Seattle 28 years now. Congrats! What's your budget? I think the Greenwood area would give you some good options in a vibrant area at a somewhat reasonable price. That commute would be decent for you and stores, pubs, cafes are closeby. You would get a little more for your money if you head a bit north (think Northgate, Licton Springs, Victory Heights). These are all neighborhoods on the north side of Seattle that would allow you to commute without getting on the freeway, important if you are working at Children's. Traffic can be tough around here so choose wisely. Other neighborhoods that could work are Lake City, Meadowbrook, Cedar Park, Shoreline.

[leastprime]

Ideally, a few blocks of 45th and it's associated bus. Shared housing is BIG here for newly graduated people, grad students, and new residents. Our son did 5 years of shared housing ((Wallingford) which enable him to network, not use his car, and save money.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by mluer001

Hi all,

I'm in my mid-20s and recently received a job offer at Seattle Children's Hospital and am looking to relocate from South Florida.

I am not very familiar with the area but am looking for an apartment. Are there any suggestions on neighborhoods / apartments that are in a safe, nice area?

I don't mind a commute up to around 30 minutes and would prefer an area that is close to some stores but pretty green

Any suggestions would help!

Sure: money wasn't mentioned, so must not matter. Thankfully, not another idiot looking for "affordable" housing...

Constraints:

1. Safe, nice
2. Rapid commute, since under thirty minutes means close. I'd take mass transit and stay north of the bridges.

Wandering around an urban area filled with bums, winos, transients, and an administration unwilling to forcefully deal with "the homeless" means you'd better arm up to protect yourself anyway, so "safe" doesn't mean much one way or another. Pepper spray, plastic knuckles, baton, snub revolver will solve that in a hurry anyway. Fortunately, WA is a "shall issue" state much like FL so no problem there. Train up on all that, as I did on arriving here from CA.

Personally, were I in my 20s, I'd rent a studio or 1 bedroom in a nice complex in Fremont, $1,800-$2,500 or so if you can find it, and take a bus to Children's thus avoiding cars as much as possible. Plenty to do there, and another bus from Fremont into Seattle is a dawdle. I've taken those many a time from just on the Fremont side of the bridge.

[mhays25]

A grownup can walk through nearly all of Seattle safely, at least by US standards. Bums are an annoyance only. (If you're a guy, safety doesn't even register as an issue frankly.)

I'd look at the bus map and base my location on that. Or there's a phenomenal bike path (one of the first-ever rail-to-trail routes) going right by. A large percentage of the Children's staff take the bus, as people with decent incomes often to in Seattle.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by leastprime

Ideally, a few blocks of 45th and it's associated bus. Shared housing is BIG here for newly graduated people, grad students, and new residents. Our son did 5 years of shared housing ((Wallingford) which enable him to network, not use his car, and save money.

At one time, the 45th St bus ran out to Sand Point, within hailing distance of Children's. These days the #44 runs to UWMC and Husky Stadium, requiring a transfer (to the #65) to get to Children's.

[Suelli5]

Welcome to Seattle and congratulations on your new job! Children's has an excellent reputation. Given your age, I'm assuming you'll be looking for more affordable housing. Seattle is just flat out expensive. I recommend checking out Lake City which used to be a pretty dumpy part of town, but a big chunk of its main strip has really spruced up in the past few years. It has a couple of excellent breweries and several really nice restaurants now, as well as, of course, several grocery and drug stores, a Value Village, a salsa studio, a nice public library, a summer farmers market - and like all Seattle neighborhoods now -- pot stores. I also have heard Children's offers its employees really nice incentives for commuting by bus because parking there is tight, and Lake City is one of the few more affordable areas that has direct buslines (the 65 and 75) to Children's Hospital which is, frankly, awkwardly situated just outside of the main transportation lines to the University District and the UW, so that most people who bus it have to transfer to get there. Since Seattle is chilly and drizzly much of the year, I recommend avoiding having to transfer busses. And if you were to decide to drive, there's a nice connecting arterial, Sand Point Way, between the two that would enable you to completely avoid I-5 and any other highways. While Lake City itself doesn't have scenic views, you can simply drive down Sand Point Way to two really nice waterfront parks, Matthews Beach and the massive Magnuson (or bike to them along the Burke-Gilman Trail). BTW Lake City is near Northgate but closer to Children's. I would not recommend living west of I-5 or south of the UW or you will be dealing with horrific traffic on a daily basis (unless you are an avid bike-commuter, because if you are then you could live anywhere along the Burke-Gilman Trail and zip to work.) Good luck!

[Ruth4Truth]

Pretty much all the areas around the hospital are great. We can't counsel you without knowing what your budget is, though.

Take a look at Craigslist, to get a general idea of how the rental market is running, in various neighborhoods: Sand Point, Ravenna, Montlake, Greenlake. Farther afield: Lake Forest Park (bordering Seattle's NE, and on the bike trail to the hospital and University), Lake City, Pinehurst/Victory Heights (all in NE Seattle). All are an easy drive to the hospital, and fairly easy bus route. All the bus stops have bus shelters, btw, to keep you dry in the rain. Buses can also accommodate bikes, FYI.

If you don't find an affordable place in any of those areas, check back with us. But commuting in from out of town would be a pain (except for Lake Forest Park). If they're not paying. you enough to afford your own place relatively nearby, you might reconsider the move.

[SaltyDawg]

All about budget and if you're willing to have roommates.

There are apartments and condos sprinkled throughout the UVillage area (primarily students), and lots of rentals as you head further north and east amongst Bryant, Wedgwood, Sandpoint, and Lake City.

If you're super-flush with cash, you can see what's available in Laurelhurst, the tony neighborhood directly South of Children's. There has been a house for rent for months on NE 41st st, which is a 3 minute walk to the hospital, but I'm guessing it's ludicrously expensive.

If you can keep your search within a few blocks the 35th Ave NE corridor, which runs N/S from the Children's area all the way up through Lake City, you'd be in fine shape - great bus service, access to the Burke-Gilman trail (major bike/walk trail thoroughfare). Failing that, stay North of the Ship Canal and not too far West and you'll still be fine.

Good luck! It's an amazing facility.

[mluer001]

Originally Posted by mluer001

Hi all,

I'm in my mid-20s and recently received a job offer at Seattle Children's Hospital and am looking to relocate from South Florida.

I am not very familiar with the area but am looking for an apartment. Are there any suggestions on neighborhoods / apartments that are in a safe, nice area?

I don't mind a commute up to around 30 minutes and would prefer an area that is close to some stores but pretty green

Any suggestions would help!

Thank you for all the suggestions. My budget would be preferably less than 2,000/month