SEA: Decent & Above for $650K? (Seattle, Tacoma: house prices, neighborhood, school district)

[Taylor814ce]

Howdie!

Looking to move to Seattle area and need your help. What city should we be looking at with below info?

Job location: SeaTac Airport
Work/Time: Commute 3-5 Tims per week and work starts and ends different time each day including late night and early morning.


Priority in order:
1. Safe place to raise kids and safe enough neighborhood to walk around in the evening.
2. Good to great school for kids.
3. Home price at or below $650K (minimum of 3bd and 1700 sqft)
4. 1 hour or less commute one way.
5. Diversity

What city?

Thank you in advance!

[jabogitlu]

I think your sticking point is going to be good to great schools. That usually pushes your price point above $650k. Look at the Renton Highlands / Newcastle area, where you can pretty much draw a dividing line in the house prices between the Issaquah school district and the Renton school district.

I think Federal Way might be your best bet. Tons of diversity (mostly East Asian), decently rated schools, suburban and safe.

To limit commute stress I'd strongly recommend staying south of downtown Seattle and north of Tacoma on the I-5 corridor. On the I-405 corridor, you could potentially live up to Bothell or Mill Creek and use the tolled/HOV lanes to commute, especially since you're not always commuting at peak times. But again housing prices will be your enemy, at least until you get up to Mill Creek itself. That can be a harrowing commute; if you tell a local you commute *through* Kirkland, Bellevue, and Renton to get to work, you'll get a shocked face.

Other options come with significantly less diversity: Covington, Maple Valley, Bonney Lake/Lake Tapps.


Edited to add: I didn't even consider West Seattle. You could likely find a house in your price point. But I know very little about their schools. I'm sure someone else will chime in!

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by Taylor814ce

Howdie!

Looking to move to Seattle area and need your help. What city should we be looking at with below info?

Job location: SeaTac Airport
Work/Time: Commute 3-5 Tims per week and work starts and ends different time each day including late night and early morning.


Priority in order:
1. Safe place to raise kids and safe enough neighborhood to walk around in the evening.
2. Good to great school for kids.
3. Home price at or below $650K (minimum of 3bd and 1700 sqft)
4. 1 hour or less commute one way.
5. Diversity

What city?

Thank you in advance!

Hi Taylor! Take a look at Burien, you might be able to just slide in there at your price range. It would be a great location for you and has some charming elements and a “downtown” with character.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Taylor814ce

2. Good to great school for kids.

How old are the kids? Elementary, Middle, High School?

[CrazyDonkey]

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