Confused in Seattle (Vancouver, Bellevue, Republic: for rent, private school, price)

[movingwiththewind]

Originally Posted by specificnorthwest

The way i see it, wanting to be within walking distance of certain things helps in deciding which neighborhood to live in. For example, i would want to be within walking distance of :

-Good public transit, w/not to long a ride to DT
-Good grocery store
-Elementary school
-A nice park
-Local shopping/restaurant strip

So that i can do these five things w/o having to drive..And save the car for more distant trips..Seems to me like its possible in several neighborhoods in Seattle, but not all, and furthermore it would narrow down which area within the chosen neighborhood would be ideal.

For me grocery store is high on the list, as i'd like to be able to make more frequent, smaller trips for fresh food rather than weekly/biweekly larger trips to a market further away.

I totally agree with SN.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by movingwiththewind

Who needs your advice? You're not able to give good advice, anyway.

Jam that comment where the sun doesn't shine, pal. I lived in Wallingford and Fremont and the Eastside and West Seattle, worked downtown and Eastside, and am a 20 year resident. All I hear is you crying that Seattle isn't like NYC. Seattle isn't for everyone, and it seems that rather than appreciating the differences, you complain about why it isn't more like home. People like that shouldn't move away from their safe havens in the first place.

[movingwiththewind]

Originally Posted by AlohaHuey

Jam that comment where the sun doesn't shine, pal. I lived in Wallingford and Fremont and the Eastside and West Seattle, worked downtown and Eastside, and am a 20 year resident. All I hear is you crying that Seattle isn't like NYC. Seattle isn't for everyone, and it seems that rather than appreciating the differences, you complain about why it isn't more like home. People like that shouldn't move away from their safe havens in the first place.

Look, instead of criticizing me and insisting I should stay where I'm, why don't you assume that there may be a reason I'm saying what I'm saying? Every place has it's drawbacks. I'm sure, you as a long-term resident, don't like some things about Seattle, as well. You just got used to it. You may like or even love the place in general, but you may realize that yes, maybe infrastracture in some places is lacking and so on. Because, if you really love Seattle, you want it to improve for the sake of people like you who live there, right? What is wrong about it?

Instead, you get very defensive if somebody says something you don't want to hear about Seattle. You start generalizing, saying things like "people like you", "stay where you're" and so on. What, nothing else to say?

Don't forget, because I don't live in Seattle, I may see things that you, as a long time resident don't see (anymore).

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by movingwiththewind

Look, instead of criticizing me and insisting I should stay where I'm, why don't you assume that there may be a reason I'm saying what I'm saying? Every place has it's drawbacks. I'm sure, you as a long-term resident, don't like some things about Seattle, as well. You just got used to it. You may like or even love the place in general, but you may realize that yes, maybe infrastracture in some places is lacking and so on. Because, if you really love Seattle, you want it to improve for the sake of people like you who live there, right? What is wrong about it?

Instead, you get very defensive if somebody says something you don't want to hear about Seattle. You start generalizing, saying things like "people like you", "stay where you're" and so on. What, nothing else to say?

Don't forget, because I don't live in Seattle, I may see things that you, as a long time resident don't see (anymore).

My basic point, and I apologize if I was sarcastic, is that every place is different. Most of Seattle is houses with neighborhood grocers. True NYC downtown exists in very few places. But make no mistake, I make no apologies for Seattle. Sure it has its problems, but lack of convenient grocers isn't one if them.

There are a fair number of people who move and expect things to be like they were back home, and are disappointed, I think you'd agree with that statement as well.

[Ira500]

I make no apologies for Seattle. Sure it has its problems, but lack of convenient grocers isn't one if them.

I don't know. I heard a lot of people complaining when Albertson's closed their Greenlake store.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by Ira500

I make no apologies for Seattle. Sure it has its problems, but lack of convenient grocers isn't one if them.

I don't know. I heard a lot of people complaining when Albertson's closed their Greenlake store.

They were doing the community a favor. I don't know about Albertson's in GL but the ones I've been to are horrid. I shop at many grocers anyway plus Costco. Thriftway and Metro Market are the best IMO...but pricey.

"Convenient" grocery shopping to me means 1) a local PCC or market I can walk to for must haves, and 2) a bigger chain that's within 5 to 10 minutes by car. That may mean different things to different people.

[movingwiththewind]

Originally Posted by AlohaHuey

They were doing the community a favor.

You don't do a community a favor when you close one and only grocery store. I agree with Ira. I also heard many people complaining about the closing.

[DJKirkland]

Hey movingwiththewind - I assume you haven't completely decided between Seattle and Vancouver yet? There are too many pages for me to read through here, but have you thought about Capitol Hill at all? I know you've toured it, but coming from an urban environment such as NYC I could imagine you'd appreciate its conveniences. I say that just for the pure fact that there is such easy access to grocery stores including 3 QFCs, a Safeway, and a Trader Joes along with corner markets, parks as I think both Cal Anderson and Volunteer parks have playgrounds for the kids and transit. The First Hill streetcar will be running down Broadway by 2013, and light rail a good while after that (boo!)...along with substantial bus service to the rest of the city. I lived at the corner of Broadway & Denny and worked downtown, so had the ideal car-free lifestyle which I think you could appreciate. If you could find a nice place to live between 10th (Broadway) & 15th it would be great. I never felt unsafe in that neighbourhood and loved seeing everyone out walking around - always lots of activity but easy to find a quiet part of the hill to relax in. That and on weekends you can take a nice walk downtown to the Market to get food for the coming week which I loved (stop and grab some java at Stumptown on the way though!!) and back up the hill home. I know Seattle doesn't have the extensive transportation infrastructure some cities do, but for myself and the majority of my friends, life without a car was very do-able. Bus service may not be as sexy as rail, but that's coming and for now Seattle's transit numbers show that we use what we have! You'd be moving to Seattle in a very great time in its history. This city is becoming great...and despite not being as photogenic or internationally acclaimed as Vancouver it is the economic and cultural heart of the Northwest....definitely a city to be proud of. I have multiple good friends here from NYC and Boston, and they would not trade Seattle for the NE any day. That's saying something.

[movingwiththewind]

Thanks, DJ, sounds great! I'll definitely give Capitol Hill more time during my next trip to Seattle in a month or two. Do you have any idea what rents are like for a 1-2 bedroom between Broadway and 15th?

[DJKirkland]

Definitely do take another look! My parter and I paid $1800 for a 2bed 2bath in a new building, but rents have decreased substantially in the past year....I'd say between $950 and $1200 for a decent one bed...2 bedrooms seem to call for a bit more, but its all over the board right now. Land lords are just looking for reliable renters right now so you have that in your favor. Good luck! I hope you find what you're looking for whether it be here or in BC.