Is there a less desireable area of Bellevue? (Sammamish, Mercer Island: apartment complexes, lease)

[ServoMiff]

Hi - we just moved to the area 11 months ago and landed on Mercer Island in an apartment. Our lease expires soon and we're looking at relocating because Mercer doesn't really fit us that well. We're looking at Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish, Mirrormont and Klahanie as possible landing spots.

I've not really seen any questionable areas of the latter four, but I know we've seen homeless in Bellevue near the Safeway/Staples shopping center, and have heard anecdotally that the area around Crossroads Mall is a little less desirable, but didn't reference why/what made it that way.

Anyone have any data points to chime in on? The closer to I-90 or 405 would be preferred for me as I work closer to SouthCenter (when we go back to the office potentially late next summer). We've looked as far east as North Bend, but think that might be a bit too far of a commute.

We're looking to rent ideally a SFH, but prefer central AC so that we can leave to travel in the summer and let our cat stay home without having to worry about him sweltering to death. Seems to be like finding a needle in the haystack right now.

[rjshae]

Yes, Crossroads can be a bit iffy. But besides downtown Bellevue, the highest crime rate is in Factoria. Both areas have apartment complexes, so perhaps that's a tell?

[Kayela]

Factoria is considered less desirable, as is Lake Hills, but it's a matter of degree, these are not bad areas. Crossroads is where there was a lot of older, cheaper housing - but since it's convenient to MS, it's still plenty desirable. It's also where you tend to get more diversity. Definitely not as cheap as it once was since prices have pushed people further out.

AC is not going to be easy to find outside of some of the newer apartment buildings. Perhaps invest in a portable unit? One big enough for say the living area? That would at least make a chunk of the house comfy for the cat, just not the whole place.

[Hemlock140]

With decent insulation and dual-pane windows no house in this are gets too hot for a cat even in July/August, at least in our 26 years here in Sammamish. Running AC while away will cost you a lot on the electric bill. If you are that concerned then as Kayela suggested, get a portable or window unit. The window unit in our bedroom uses only $60/year electricity per the EnergyGuide. Central AC average cost is $250/month.


Yes, Crossroads, Factoria and Lake Hills are considered less desirable with older homes, and many older, big apartment complexes. Still, it's gotten better since I had a business that worked with the police from 1992-2007. The Crossroads police substation went in back in the 1990s due to crime around the mall and also the Pacific Village Center across the street. Back then it was mostly new Russian immigrants causing the problems and crime. Since then the increased diversity and lower crime is due in part to immigrants being from many other countries, but being well educated and working in tech jobs. I wouldn't rule out any area of Bellevue today other than near the Eastgate Park & Ride, but I would prefer from 156th to the Lake, between NE24th and I90, which is still reasonably close to the commute and there are mostly single family homes.

[CrazyDonkey]

To me, the whole city is less desirable, especially the richer areas. ;>)

[ServoMiff]

Thanks for the feedback so far. We've used a portable AC unit in our apartment this year and even with one in our living room and one in our bedroom, the living room pushed 80 degrees with it on. I'm not sure if this is standard for a non-window portable AC unit, but it never shut off - the compressor did go on and off, but the fan would run and pump humidity into the air whenever the compressor wasn't running constantly. A window AC unit isn't an option for our current place.

Also, we'd be leaving for a week or two at most, so we're not talking about a massive expense to leave central AC on set to 75 degrees in my mind.

[usernametaken]

Worth a read:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/seat...ellevue-9.html

[thatguy950]

The “worst” part of Bellevue is still a million times better than most of the best parts of Western Washington, YMMV, but Bellevue is probably the best place to live in WA with a somewhat large population.

Places like Mercer Island are great but very small so I’m not counting them, kind of lump MI in with Bellevue anyway

[NeedSun25]

I don't have AC and my fat, lazy cat has never complained.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by ServoMiff

Thanks for the feedback so far. We've used a portable AC unit in our apartment this year and even with one in our living room and one in our bedroom, the living room pushed 80 degrees with it on. I'm not sure if this is standard for a non-window portable AC unit, but it never shut off - the compressor did go on and off, but the fan would run and pump humidity into the air whenever the compressor wasn't running constantly. A window AC unit isn't an option for our current place.

Also, we'd be leaving for a week or two at most, so we're not talking about a massive expense to leave central AC on set to 75 degrees in my mind.

An apartment, even on Mercer Island is most likely not as well insulated as a house, and unless you are on the ground floor, heat rises. Portables are weak, most people that bought them complain. The window AC in our 400 sf bedroom cools down from 80 to 68 in less than an hour. It will then come on only for a few minutes at a time through the night. A lot of efficiency is lost on the portables with the long hose which carries heat out (but also into the room). The window unit expels the hot air directly to the outside.