Olympia area vs Bremerton/Port Orchard/Silverdale

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Hey, West Seattle is nice. I hear they're having trouble with the West Seattle Bridge, though. Still true? But that view of downtown from West Seattle is so beautiful. Seattle is the prettiest city in the world, it really is.

I'm not surprised that West Seattle real estate bargains are gone, however. It's so close to Boom Town!

West Seattle has some nice areas, and some beautiful hidden corners adjacent to parks, or in park-like neighborhoods. Kind of like some of the the properties bordering on Ravenna Park. And it also has Lincoln Park, and Alki.

[Diana Holbrook]

I commuted for a decade from Olympia to downtown Seattle, in 1991-2001 traffic, and at THAT time, it was a two hour trip, most days. But timing was everything... If I got out the door by 6 am, I could roll in to the office at 8. If I waited until 6:30 - it would cost me another hour.

Same in the afternoon... If I left the office by three, I'd be home in Oly by 5ish. If I waited until 4 to leave, I wouldn't get home til 7.

There may have been more traffic in the recent past.... but most recently because of COVID, there may actually be less. If you can avoid the peak hours and shorten the days in office by that much, I think the same forces would still apply. If you have to commute and work 8-5 those days, then I would plan on buying a lot of good books on tape, and make a hobby of it.

Personally, I think the added aesthetic of the ferry trip would make Bremerton a very attractive option.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

I commuted for a decade from Olympia to downtown Seattle, in 1991-2001 traffic, and at THAT time, it was a two hour trip, most days. But timing was everything... If I got out the door by 6 am, I could roll in to the office at 8. If I waited until 6:30 - it would cost me another hour.

Same in the afternoon... If I left the office by three, I'd be home in Oly by 5ish. If I waited until 4 to leave, I wouldn't get home til 7.

There may have been more traffic in the recent past.... but most recently because of COVID, there may actually be less. If you can avoid the peak hours and shorten the days in office by that much, I think the same forces would still apply. If you have to commute and work 8-5 those days, then I would plan on buying a lot of good books on tape, and make a hobby of it.

Personally, I think the added aesthetic of the ferry trip would make Bremerton a very attractive option.

That's a heck of a long commute to put up with! Is there no train between Olympia & Seattle you could have taken? I guess the train isn't set up for commuter hours?

Bremerton has become the popular alternative to a stressful road commute to Seattle. It's been driving prices up in Bremerton, too.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

That's a heck of a long commute to put up with! Is there no train between Olympia & Seattle you could have taken? I guess the train isn't set up for commuter hours?

Biggest issue with commuter transportation from Olympia is you usually have to endure several stops along the way at Tacoma or Fife or Federal Way.... It's hardly ever direct nonstop and that makes it even longer than driving. And I'm not set up for taking the train. I don't live on public transit lines, so I'd still have to drive there, and I'd personally rather have my own space and radio than a public transit ride.

At least now we'd have internet and smart phones to keep us occupied.... we didn't have that back then! I'd have had to buy a newspaper to read on the way up!

Bremerton has become the popular alternative to a stressful road commute to Seattle. It's been driving prices up in Bremerton, too.

Being able to get out and breathe the salt air and scenery would be pretty Washington-cool.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by Sockeye66

I've been watching condo prices in W. Seattle, they are dropping and I think will continue to do so. Haven't been watching single family homes though.

They seem to have gone back up... true?