Siberian Huskies + their humans wondering where to live in WA (Seattle: crime, co-op)

[meerabobeera]

Hello! I do apologize for another "where should we live" post and I've browsed a bit but was hoping some of you might entertain my request.

Budget: 800k or preferably less for a not sorely in need of renos 2-3 bedroom home. More important than indoor space is a third of an acre or so outdoor space to train our dogs and enjoy our work days.

About us: Married, mid 30s, not having kids, very outdoorsy, dog people, lol. We both have solid careers with fully remote companies, so we are not very concerned with the local job markets. My husband sails - we currently live in Atlanta, GA and options to get out on the water are quite limited. We'd like to be within 1-2 hrs from sailing possibilities but ideally we'd be as close to the coast as our budget allows. I bike (bikejore) & hike with my dogs a lot so access to (non-paved) biking and hiking trails are important. I currently drive 1-1.5 hrs out of the city to enjoy these activities and would prefer a little more...in my backyard.

Weather wise, we are so over 300 days of 90 degree, muggy, sticky weather (ok, a slight exaggeration, but what it often feels like!) A more moderate climate is the main appeal for a cross-country move with more cooler days to be outside with our northern breed dogs. I can handle misty/overcast - it rains a ton and often heavy here in Georgia (and trails usually shut down for 24 hours after a rain) so it will be nice to have "rainy" days that we can still get outside.

We are liberal and wouldn't do well in an extremely red area. We like good food (and delivery) options, as well as an enjoyable town/square/boardwalk area to relax over a glass of wine or coffee. Access to fresh vegetables and good meats - a nice farmers market and grocery store or two is highly desired.

Safety: Living in Atlanta, we are acutely aware of how different neighborhoods matter in terms of property theft. We do not want to have to excessively worry about break-ins. A break-in could mean losing our dogs forever (With Siberian Huskies, a door left open and they could be 2 counties away in a couple of hours.) So, an area with low property theft is crucial.

Top contenders right now are West Seattle and Bellingham but wondering if Port Townsend or Gig Harbor may work for us. Bainbridge Island looks lovely, but I'm unsure if we can afford much there - I'm also unsure how nice the trails are for biking or whether we would need to commute on the ferry for variety. Mukilteo, Edmunds, Bothel and possibly Everett look nice and more affordable, but I worry this may be more subdivision sprawly without a real "downtown" or character vibe that I'm hoping for.

So, what do you think? Is there somewhere in Washington that might suit us well and is within our budget?

Thanks!!!

[mayfair]

Bellingham has great access to unpaved trails right in town. It's a little grittier, so you'll have to contend with property crime or the possibility of it. Fairhaven would fit your criteria, but is more expensive than your price range. Everett has a real downtown, and has some good areas. So does Edmonds. Edmonds has a great waterfront. But you won't find a ton of unpaved biking trails in either.

[Ruth4Truth]

You do sound like Port Townsend people. And you can afford Pt T. It's a sailing town, too. If you visit, be sure to visit the little marina. West Seattle's a good choice, too, but will be pricier. You'd get a 2-br. + basement (for that 3rd room), but no 1/3 of an acre. Pt T stays cooler during heat waves, too; Seattle's a heat island, and that includes West Seattle. But W Seattle has more going on that's to your liking: more restaurants, Alki Beach and cafes and eateries along the length of part of it, kinda "boardwalk-ish", and has great parks (visit Lincoln Park).

Edmonds is nice and has a cute downtown, and there are additional restaurants in neighboring Lynnwood that are surprisingly good. I would have suggested San Juan Island, if you hadn't said you like good food options/delivery, etc. The San Juan Islands are a sailor's playground! But they're more for people who are into "bucolic" as opposed to "happening".

The one downside about Port Townsend: it has a pulp mill, whose stench blows out over Puget Sound (away from the land) 98% of the time. Every once in awhile, though, the wind shifts.... Best to buy across town along the bluff on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or over the city boundary to the east, which is a nice rural area while being close enough to town for grocery shopping and enjoying town. Pt T has a great co-op on the edge of downtown, too, fwiw. I love a good co-op.

[meerabobeera]

Originally Posted by mayfair

Bellingham has great access to unpaved trails right in town. It's a little grittier, so you'll have to contend with property crime or the possibility of it. Fairhaven would fit your criteria, but is more expensive than your price range. Everett has a real downtown, and has some good areas. So does Edmonds. Edmonds has a great waterfront. But you won't find a ton of unpaved biking trails in either.

Thank you so much. When you say Fairhaven - you mean the area in Bellingham?

[meerabobeera]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You do sound like Port Townsend people. And you can afford Pt T. It's a sailing town, too. If you visit, be sure to visit the little marina. West Seattle's a good choice, too, but will be pricier. You'd get a 2-br. + basement (for that 3rd room), but no 1/3 of an acre. Pt T stays cooler during heat waves, too; Seattle's a heat island, and that includes West Seattle. But W Seattle has more going on that's to your liking: more restaurants, Alki Beach and cafes and eateries along the length of part of it, kinda "boardwalk-ish", and has great parks (visit Lincoln Park).

Edmonds is nice and has a cute downtown, and there are additional restaurants in neighboring Lynnwood that are surprisingly good. I would have suggested San Juan Island, if you hadn't said you like good food options/delivery, etc. The San Juan Islands are a sailor's playground! But they're more for people who are into "bucolic" as opposed to "happening".

The one downside about Port Townsend: it has a pulp mill, whose stench blows out over Puget Sound (away from the land) 98% of the time. Every once in awhile, though, the wind shifts.... Best to buy across town along the bluff on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or over the city boundary to the east, which is a nice rural area while being close enough to town for grocery shopping and enjoying town. Pt T has a great co-op on the edge of downtown, too, fwiw. I love a good co-op.

Interesting you say we sound like PT folks - it's honestly the place that I keep coming back to the most but I don't read the best things about it in other forums (namely, Reddit). My dad is a truck driver and as a kid I rode with him to many a paper mill. That smell is really not one I enjoy so your feedback on the less smelly areas is invaluable!

West Seattle is attractive, I know all our dining desires would be met, LP would be a fantastic place to enjoy with the dogs and we could live with a smaller yard as long as there's a little space we could enclose to enjoy with them.

In theory, I'd love to live on SJI - we spent some time out there and it was delightful. Friday Harbor reminded me of Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls for some reason. However, I think it might be just a bit too isolated from other explorations and trails when we could just sail there for visits.

Thank you so much for your feedback!

[StealthRabbit]

Being on the water is very handy if you have water sport interests. We lived on an island in nearby Canada when pursuing sailing and kayaking.

With active dogs, please find them a lot of space. (For their benefit and noise free for neighbors). I could never imagine my farm dogs in a pen or fenced yard, on a leash, or in a people house. They are very pleased to be FREE with significant daily duties to fulfill.

You can search for regions with huge dog parks, if you must be located in urban zone.

Fairhaven is south suburb of Bellingham, both are nice. Birch Bay would be worth a look too.

[meerabobeera]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Being on the water is very handy if you have water sport interests. We lived on an island in nearby Canada when pursuing sailing and kayaking.

With active dogs, please find them a lot of space. (For their benefit and noise free for neighbors). I could never imagine my farm dogs in a pen or fenced yard, on a leash, or in a people house. They are very pleased to be FREE with significant daily duties to fulfill.

You can search for regions with huge dog parks, if you must be located in urban zone.

Fairhaven is south suburb of Bellingham, both are nice. Birch Bay would be worth a look too.

Thank you!

PS Farm dogs (I imagine you mean LGDs) have very different needs than Siberians. While Siberians are working dogs they do not do well free range - they are bred to run and run (away) they will - off leash is also a no go except for the rare unicorn in this breed. But you can trust my dogs' needs are met - we compete in everything from bikejoring to agility to rally/obedience and we do a lot of conditioning fitness (think yoga/gym for dogs) during warmer temperatures. Their exercise *never* comes from the backyard. Actually, if we are sitting in the yard they lay at our feet and if we go in they would be extremely upset if we left them outside alone. We do not do dog parks nor would I recommend dog parks to anyone, really. But trust me, they are extremely fit and well-worked and have wonderful "off switches" - they know how to be great pets too. They also never make noise unless I get them howling intentionally.

[mayfair]

Bellingham is also very dog friendly. Everyone seems to have a dog there. There's even a dog friendly tavern (Paws for a Beer) in Fairhaven of course. Fairhaven is a cute historic area with Village Books, restaurants, shops etc. It's the more upscale yet historic part of Bellingham. Bellingham also has a downtown, which is grittier and has more restaurants, bars, shops and homeless people.