Relocation questions - work at Univ. of Washington (Seattle, Bellevue: to rent, how much)

[jkn2006]

MY DH and I are looking for more information about housing within 30 minutes (definitely under 1 hour) commute from Univ. of Washington. If we move there, DH will be working at the Univ. of Washington. We also have two children age 3 and 1, so an area with good school district and child friendly are very important to us. We are hoping to rent a home (if available) first before purchasing one. What area should we be looking at? What area should we be looking at that isn't too far of a commute from the Univ. of Washington. Thanks!

Edited to say that DH is willing to commute if that will put us in an area with really good school district and an area that is better for a family with 2 small children and definitely will help as well if it is less expensive.

Jen

[jabm67]

Originally Posted by jkn2006

MY DH and I are looking for more information about housing within 30 minutes (definitely under 1 hour) commute from Univ. of Washington. If we move there, DH will be working at the Univ. of Washington. We also have two children age 3 and 1, so an area with good school district and child friendly are very important to us. We are hoping to rent a home (if available) first before purchasing one. What area should we be looking at? What area should we be looking at that isn't too far of a commute from the Univ. of Washington. Thanks!

A half-hour commute will be either difficult or expensive, and almost certainly within the city of Seattle, and even then only parts of it: Wedgwood, Ravenna, Wallingford, Northlake, Fremont, Maple Leaf, Green Lake, Northgate, Lake City; also nearby but ExPen$ive are Laurelhurst, Sand Point, Montlake, Madison Valley.

A one-hour commute opens up possibilities in some of the northern 'burbs (Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, maybe Kenmore) and some other areas in the city (Ballard, Crown Hill, Jackson Park, Queen Anne).

As a UW student or faculty you can get a subsidized bus pass. Parking at & around UW is a serious problem, so some other method of commuting ... bus, bicycle, carpool ... is something to consider strongly. The bus system web site is http://transit.metrokc.gov/ (broken link) ; a map that includes the route numbers that serve the U District is at http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/area_maps/udist_routes.html (broken link) You'll need to look at the routes carefully, unfortunately; some of the ones listed on that map are "rush hour only" routes that are OK if you're an 8-to-5'er but won't work for you if your schedule is more exotic.

If cycling is a commute option for you, look up the Burke-Gilman Trail (a converted railroad line, now a bike trail) ... that makes bike commuting a real option for some distance along its route. Bike commuting is possible nearly every day, albeit frequently miserable in cold rain.

Schools are a mishmash in Seattle itself, some are worse than others. There is the general feeling that schools are better outside the city, which sends a lot of folks in your circumstances to Lake Forest Park.

EDIT: someone else will have to write about the possibility of commuting across 520 (the Evergreen Floating Bridge) ... I don't know where you can get in your 30 and 60 minute limits. I think it won't reach far, and what it does reach is expensive, though.

[scirocco22]

As jabm67 has said, the most viable way to commute into the "U" is to take the bus! Bus service is excellent into the area. I'm fairly sure that DH will find after a few days of driving the car to work, he'll gladly be willing to take the bus for free.

With that said, I highly recommend the eastside. The Lake Washington School district would be a good choice so you'd want to look in the Redmond, Kirkland area. To tie that into the recommendation to take the bus is that he can take any bus coming across the bridge, get off at the Montlake station and walk across the Montlake bridge to the campus. Many do that as it's only a 5-10 walk. That makes commuting by bus a snap when you have so much service coming across the 520 bridge. There is also a Sound Transit route (rt.540) that expresses from Redmond with stops in Kirkland that goes right into the lower campus area.

--'rocco

[Siti]

How much time does it take to commute to UW from Bellevue/redmond/Kirkland- by bus and by car during rush hour? Also, how is the area "Lake City" to live. I will be moving with my husband and my 2 yr old kid.

[CityGirl72]

AHHH there's the rub

Be close to Seattle for commuting - but with good schools

I have kids so I have been there.

Most of the families with school age children got to the East side (more then a 30 minute commute and bear of traffic)...just like any big city - you need to go WAY away from the city to get to the family friendly areas.

My Kids go to Wedgewood, which is the number 2 elementary in seattle school district, but doesn't even hold a candle to Bellevue or the Eastsides schools.

We are moving back to Calif

[jwb123]

To the OP, if you need to keep your commute time under 30 mins, plan on private schools.

[Siti]

Thanks for the input. My 2 yr old will be a preschooler soon, I am not worried about schools much because we may just move back in a couple of yrs.

[CityGirl72]

I wouldn't say Lake City is not all that great - and definately the schools suck, so plan on moving once they go to elementary school, or private school

[Seattletony]

Your from California and you have the nerve to say Seattle schools suck????? jabm67 is right about location to the University of Washington. check out sperlingsplaces.net and greatschools.com for all the potential areas you are thinking of moving.

Originally Posted by CityGirl72

AHHH there's the rub

Be close to Seattle for commuting - but with good schools

I have kids so I have been there.

Most of the families with school age children got to the East side (more then a 30 minute commute and bear of traffic)...just like any big city - you need to go WAY away from the city to get to the family friendly areas.

My Kids go to Wedgewood, which is the number 2 elementary in seattle school district, but doesn't even hold a candle to Bellevue or the Eastsides schools.

We are moving back to Calif

[CityGirl72]

OH no! Schools in California blow chunks too. It was the initial reason we moved. But if I can swing a Montessori and move then we are golden