Good Schools, Nice Parks, Bike Trails........... (Seattle, Bellevue: real estate, apartment, houses)

[US-Traveller]

Hey Seattleites,

I am trying to relocate to the west from the midwest and I am considering Seattle in addition to Salt Lake City and Denver as some of my options. I have visited Seattle many times and love the unique character of Seattle. I am torn between living in the city and the suburbs. Right now I split my time between the Chicago suburbs and the Tri-Cities area of Michigan.

What we are looking for in a community is a place with top-rated public or private high schools in close proximity. We want a place with lots of parks and a plus would be a dog beach. We also would like to be in a pedestrian and bike friendly area. We'll probably be working near Downtown Seattle at the hospitals. I would prefer to be within 30-40 minutes from Downtown Seattle, I know that is relatively close in because Seattle traffic can be pretty bad! (But nothing like Chicago)

To give you an idea of what I like: I really like the look of the Capitol Hill neighborhood with the older renovated craftsman homes. I also like the Madison Park neighborhood with the older homes and newer homes mixed in. In the suburbs my favorites are Mercer Island and Medina. Our budget is about $2 million, but I'd like to stick closer to $1.25 million if we were in the suburbs, which counts out Mercer or Medina, and leaves me with probably Sammamish, which I have no problem with.

Some specific questions I have are:

1. I have looked at the Bush School as an educational option in the city, are there any other reputable private schools in the city?

2. What suburbs of Seattle would be nice for us within 40 minutes of downtown?

3. Are there any Conservative areas of Seattle? We are Mormon converts and would prefer an area where people share some of our ideals. But, by no means is this a must.

4. Is there public transportation in Seattle? If so, how does it work?

[Ira500]

Another reputable private school within Seattle would be the Northwest School on Capitol Hill.
The Northwest School

Public transit is pretty good in Seattle. Some folks here from larger cities complain about it, but most people like it, and it includes buses, commuter trains, streetcar, and ferries.

There are a few dog beaches in the Seattle area. The largest is Marymoor Park in Redmond, commonly known as Doggie Disneyland, as it's one of the largest and best off leash areas in the US, with swimming in the Sammamish slough.

In Seattle, Magnuson Park has a doggie beach, and that's the largest off leash area within Seattle.

Edmonds has an off leash area on Puget Sound.

[US-Traveller]

Thank you for that information Ira500! You've recommended I look into the northern end of Capitol Hill because it is more comfortable. Is that because of traffic and crime?

Is there a website where I can get lots of pictures of the city neighborhoods of Seattle as well as suburbs?

[Ira500]

You've recommended I look into the northern end of Capitol Hill because it is more comfortable. Is that because of traffic and crime?

Yes. North Capitol Hill is less densely populated, has less apartment buildings. The rest of Capitol Hill may be fun, but it's less families and more younger, single people....

About conservative areas within the city: Not so much anymore. Twenty years ago, the Magnolia neighborhood always voted overwhelmingly Republican ( and there's an LDS church there).
Magnolia still has conservative folks living there, and you wouldn't be thought of as some kind of freak if you lived there while holding conservative views, but it is less conservative than it was.

Some of the eastside suburbs are more conservative...Mercer Island and Bellevue often elect Republicans, and both have good school districts...Mercer Island's school district is thought of by some as the best in the state.

[tobester]

Great private school on north Capitol Hill - Seattle Prep (a Jesuit school). Seattle is a very liberal town ... votes overwhelmingly Democratic. More conservative on Eastside ...

[toughguy]

O'Dea and Holy Names Academy are both highly regarded boy/girl private schools, but as the names imply they are Catholic schools, so I am guessing that is out of the question. You would most likely be within a few blocks Holy Names if you lived in northern Capitol Hill, and O'dea is about 2 miles away on First Hill. I have heard that a lot of non-catholic parents send their children there, because the academics are really good despite the religious dogma/brainwashing.

[US-Traveller]

I am glad you recommended the Magnolia neighborhood. I had ruled it out because I couldn't find a private school in that area. Are there any good private schools in that area? Is the Ballard neighborhood similar to Magnolia? Would Madison Park be a good location?

[Ira500]

I'm not aware of any private schools in Magnolia, but Seattle Country Day is less than two miles from Magnolia in Queen Anne, which also has gorgeous old houses and some incredible views...
Ballard is different from Magnolia. Magnolia is more residential with a charming retail area, a lot of it has a bucolic feel, where Ballard is more dense, a bit more industry, and is a lot busier...The last few years has seen Ballard transform into something of a hip, trendy area.
And Madison Park is a fabulous neighborhood! One of the prettiest in Seattle, very convenient to the Bush School...A safe area, nice shopping, very walkable and a neighborhood that's been very nice for a long time.

[US-Traveller]

I think I am settled on the Magnolia, Queen Anne, and Madison Park neighborhoods, if I am going to be living in the city limits. Are there any webpages where I can see a lot of pictures of the neighborhoods?


_______________________________
John McCain www.johnmccain.com

[Ira500]

Maybe something like this?

Seattle Washington Real Estate | Neighborhood Photos (http://www.findseattleonline.com/seattle-washington-photo-gallery.html - broken link)