Looking for family friendly, not too urban, neighborhood w/ easier commute to UW (Seattle: apartment)

[NikkiWright]

Hi, we are a family of three, with one on the way. Husband will be going to UW. We have never been to Seattle and are going to have to rent sight unseen, very scary. We are looking for an area that doesn't have too horrible a commute to school, he will probably be taking public transportation. Everywhere in and around Seattle sounds so nice that its getting really hard to pick one place to live. We would like a quieter area, no high rises, a nice town atmosphere would be great. We love trees, hiking and water. Being close to major shopping isn't an issue. We are looking at rentals up to $1000 a month. If anyone knows of a specific rental complex they like that would be helpful. We have started looking in Kirkland and Bellevue but it sounds like the commute would be bad. Please help us narrow down our search. Basically we want someplace not quite so urban, quieter but still have people around, safe, and nice scenery. Thanks for your help!

[aa85]

I am going to assume you want a 2-bedroom - unfortunately, $1000/month will not go very far in the neighborhoods near UW. The Eastside suburbs (like Bellevue & Kirkland) are one option, but don't rule out other Seattle neighborhoods. Seattle is not a very "urban" city - there are many quiet, primarily residential neighborhoods that don't feel like a busy city environment. Although prices are generally higher in the city, you might be able to find a deal.

There are direct bus connections from Kirkland and Bellevue to the UW campus, but the commute will be 30-45 minutes each way, and longer if there is bad traffic (not uncommon). Don't rule it out, but be aware that the commute can be frustratingly long.

In Seattle proper, I'd consider looking in these neighborhoods:

1) Wallingford: 1 mile west of UW campus, good bus service, mostly single-family homes with a few smaller apartment buildings. Many quiet streets, close to parks, but I don't know if $1000 is a realistic budget here. Worth checking out.

2) Ravenna & Maple Leaf: 2 neighborhoods 2-3 miles north of campus, probably cheaper than Wallingford. Many bus routes to campus.

3) Sand Point: 2 miles east of campus, mostly single family homes, somewhat less convenient to shopping. #75 bus goes direct to UW campus.

4) Ballard: ~5 miles west of campus. Mostly residential, with more built-up sections along 15th, 24th, and Market. Buses run direct to campus (#44 and #48).

Seattle is generally a very safe city - all of these neighborhoods are fine.

[southking500]

You might want to look at the Edmonds/Mountlake Terrace area. You'll get more for your money than in Seattle or the Eastside. Community Transit has a few express bus lines that go directly to the UW campus. These are great busses, much nicer, cleaner and quieter than the average Metro bus and they get to the UW in 20 minutes, faster than a lot of Seattle neighborhoods believe it or not.
The area is safe and quiet, very woodsy with lots of parks and playgrounds for the kids. Downtown Edmonds is great for shopping and strolling and has a nice beach.
I'd suggest checking the Community Transit website to locate the bus stations for the UW express busses and look for something within a few blocks.