Where should a WFH 50-something couple move around Seattle to get mtn views and still be close to restaurants, etc. (Bellevue: neighborhoods, buying)

[scully2010]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Precisely the time I would move to WA ... NOW!!!!

No need to wait for college, go NOW and for free in WA State. (Instead of wasting time sitting in a HS daycare)

Is college free for WA state residents?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by scully2010

Is college free for WA state residents?

The poster is referring to the "Running Start" program, whereby highschool students in their final 2 years of HS can take college classes without the high bill; the college work is part of their HS program, so there's no university tuition involved. After completing HS, the student then begins university as a Junior, and goes right into a specialized major of their choice. So college isn't entirely free, but the first two years are, because they're completed in highschool.

In order for your teen to do that, you'd have to locate near a community college, at the very least, or within commuting distance of a university. Edmonds, for example, would be commutable to the UW Seattle, or perhaps UW Bothell. Edmonds also has a community college, located in nearby Lynnwood. Most towns in WA State have cc's or share one with a neighboring town, so the Kitsap Peninsula mentioned earlier also has one or two cc's.

https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff...running-start/

[StealthRabbit]

Is college free for WA state residents?

No, not free.
But WA will pay your college tuition during the equivalent of warming a classroom chair during Jr and Sr years of HS.


No need to ever darken the door of HS (or K-12) to participate in Running Start. (A district HS must enroll you, and reap your generous State allocated $$, which they meagerly pay your RS tuition (only) from and they keep the change. But you never need to bother to go to that HS. You will need to pay for your books and extra curricular fees as a RS student.

I.e. you can attend college FT, and not bother attending or getting a HS diploma. (Running Start can issue a HS diploma if you ever think you want or need one). But you can get your AA / AAS, and be enrolled as a full Jr. in a U, via matriculation contract before your HS friends get their diploma.

Passing a college entrance exam is required, as RS ONLY pays for 100+ level courses, any remedial/ prep courses must be private pay. It's pretty simple to pass a college entrance exam in 9th grade, but you'll need to come to the table equipped with an education . (No prior traditional K-12 needed or required.)

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by scully2010

Where would be the best neighborhood to live with views of the mountains, and stay under $1.1 million for a decent sized house? Ideally we'd like to spend $900K to $1 million, but $1.1 million is our top spend.

We need 4 bedrooms so that we can turn two of the bedrooms into offices for ourselves since we both work from home in busy jobs. So being able to commute to a job isn't important. What does matter is the view, being able to have no more than a 20-minute drive to a hospital (you never realize how important medical care is until you need it and it takes 45 minutes for the ambulance to reach you), and having a selection of good restaurants and shopping within 10 minutes or so of our home. So that means rural areas are pretty much eliminated.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Will be tough to find a 4-bd "view" property in Seattle in that range. These check the other boxes:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...48759596_zpid/

$957,000, 4bd/2ba, 1,900 sqft, 4,477 sqft lot, Roosevelt neighborhood. Walk to Cowen Park, Roosevelt HS (8/10), Roosevelt Light Rail Station, UW campus, U District/The Ave (shops, restaurants, cinema, etc.). Close to UW Medical Center.

$888,000, 5bd/2ba, 1,960 sqft, 2,112 sqft lot, Ravenna/Bryant neighborhood. Walk to Ravenna Park, Burke-Gilman Trail, and UW campus. Close to Roosevelt HS, U District/The Ave (shops, restaurants, cinema, etc.), UW Medical Center, Magnuson Park, Arboretum.

Tacoma:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9...49203308_zpid/

$799,000, 4bd/3ba, 2,088 sqft, 3,249 sqft lot, Stadium District, "1892 Victorian in the North Slope Historic District", "views of the Rust Mansion, Puget Sound, and Mt. Rainier". Close to Stadium HS (6/10), Wright Park, Point Defiance Park/Zoo, University of Puget Sound, light rail, restaurants/cafes.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...49310027_zpid/

$850,000, 5bd/3.5ba, 2,760, 3,959 sqft lot, Proctor District, office/den. Walk to Puget Creek Natural Area. Close to Point Defiance Park/Zoo, University of Puget Sound, restaurants/cafes.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Will be tough to find a 4-bd "view" property in Seattle in that range. These check the other boxes:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...48759596_zpid/

$957,000, 4bd/2ba, 1,900 sqft, 4,477 sqft lot, Roosevelt neighborhood. Walk to Cowen Park, Roosevelt HS (8/10), Roosevelt Light Rail Station, UW campus, U District/The Ave (shops, restaurants, cinema, etc.). Close to UW Medical Center..

OMG, you've really pulled the bunny out of the hat with that Roosevelt neighborhood one! It even has a potential rental in the basement, but I gather the OP & company would set up their offices down there. I always wanted a place like that in the Ravenna area! And it's within an easy walk of Whole Foods and an easy bike of Greenlake! Plus within walking distance of Ravenna Park (my fave park in Seattle!) and a quick bus rise of the UW and U District.

***sighhhh***. I can only dream about it now. Amazing find, Donkey! I love those old Craftsmans! LOTS of windows, lots of sunlight! :heart emoji:

[homesinseattle]

Character indeed but just know that there is a reason that home has been on the market 120 days. The place is right next to a large apartment building parking lot and there is lots of commercial activity nearby (Whole Foods, 65th, Roosevelt). These dynamics don’t help create the peaceful neighborhoody vibe many are looking for.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Character indeed but just know that there is a reason that home has been on the market 120 days. The place is right next to a large apartment building parking lot and there is lots of commercial activity nearby (Whole Foods, 65th, Roosevelt). These dynamics don’t help create the peaceful neighborhoody vibe many are looking for.

But look at the visuals, homes! The nice, tidy, green yards and shady, treed lots speak eloquently of a quiet, peaceful nabe. The pix are very convincing!


BTW, is that Whole Foods where the QFC used to be? Or is the QFC north of there? Didn't that immediate neighborhood used to have more SFH's in it? Did they get torn down to build apartments and parking lots?

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Character indeed but just know that there is a reason that home has been on the market 120 days. The place is right next to a large apartment building parking lot and there is lots of commercial activity nearby (Whole Foods, 65th, Roosevelt). These dynamics don’t help create the peaceful neighborhoody vibe many are looking for.

Hey, they don't show that in the pics! (As an ex-web-designer, I know all about editing out what you don't want to be seen.) If a residential parking lot, it doesn't look to be very busy. If it were built upon, it could blocking the afternoon sun. All but one property on that block sold for over a million. It sounds like they want to live in a "happening" area. The street (NE 64th St), itself, looks to be pretty quiet (on Google Maps' street view). With a kid going into HS, being near Roosevelt HS could be a positive.

They have dropped the price twice, so likely initially priced it too high (in a market that looks to have "topped off").

Now, the Stadium District "Victorian" has the views they want and a "neighborhoody vibe". [The OP's initial post was over two years ago, so who knows what their current plans are.]

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Hey, they don't show that in the pics! (As an ex-web-designer, I know all about editing out what you don't want to be seen.) If a residential parking lot, it doesn't look to be very busy. If it were built upon, it could blocking the afternoon sun. All but one property on that block sold for over a million. It sounds like they want to live in a "happening" area. The street (NE 64th St), itself, looks to be pretty quiet (on Google Maps' street view). With a kid going into HS, being near Roosevelt HS could be a positive.

They have dropped the price twice, so likely initially priced it too high (in a market that looks to have "topped off").

Now, the Stadium District "Victorian" has the views they want and a "neighborhoody vibe". [The OP's initial post was over two years ago, so who knows what their current plans are.]

Fully agree, it’s a nice place and I’m not trying to be a Debbie downer, just making the point that that’s a busy area, that can be good and bad.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Fully agree, it’s a nice place and I’m not trying to be a Debbie downer, just making the point that that’s a busy area, that can be good and bad.

I agree that the parking lot is a real concern and something they hope buyers don't see, and probably why they've had to drop the price twice (and may have to again) -- in a falling market? They've got fencing between the house and garage, so it and the alley should be blocked from view. Some people want peace, quiet, and separation. Others want to be close to everything.