Seattle area: "Nice" neighborhoods to live & such?

[Camel]

Howdy! Was wondering if Seattle area folks can suggest relatively nice neighborhoods/areas to live.

I might be relocating up there, and am just wondering where are the nice & not so nice areas. Would be working at harborview med.

-Would like to cycle commute, or combination metro/bike.

-Suggestions for area BBS/Websites are very welcome. BBS's where I could ask stupid questions like: "WHich grocery stores have good deli meats like Boars Head brand?" or "Which grocery stores carry good frozen pasta like Marie's Ravioli?" -- along with the usual questions "Where's a good place to go ___, or see ___".

I'm relocating from Portland OR subburbia, but have been here only a few months so have been spending time getting familiar with down here (but haven't found a job). Before that spent 30 years in Boston metro area.

Thanks a bunch!

[gknep]

I lived in Ballard for 5 years and loved it. I don't know your commute would be like though.

[FlowerBlossom]

It would help to have more details.

It really depends on whether you want to rent or own, your budget for either rent or own, and how far you want to ride on your commute. Some people can ride 20ish miles one-way, which would open more opportunities for you. You also want to think about the quality of the ride...are you open to riding on streets without bike lanes or do you prefer safer routes with bike lanes and/or bike trails?

As for getting to work, Harborview is located on Captal/First Hill area. There are many buses that go up there, so, you could ride the entire way, or combine bus + riding. You might want to also ask Harborview where you can store a bike while you work. It's not the greatest neighborhood for keeping a bike locked outside.

[unixpro]

I agree with FlowerBlossom -- your choices will be defined by what you can/want to pay and how you want to lice and commute. Harborview is the primary level 1 trauma hospital for the Seattle area, so it's a big hospital with lots of traffic. It's also built on the side of a hill, so I hope you like going up.

Capitol Hill is nice, but crowded IMHO. Rents are high and ownership prices are higher. In point of fact, rents and prices anywhere near downtown are going to be high, even in the less desirable areas.

As far as other sources of information, the only one I read on a semi-regular basis is the seattle.eats newsgroup. They're all about restaurants and the like, with opinions on markets thrown in from time to time. Fairly low volume group, with some highly opinionated members.

[Camel]

Oh wow, thanks for the info folks-really appreciate it!

MOre info:

I'd hope for a 10mile commute +/- 3 miles. Anything over 15miles (or excessivley hilly) I'd have to drive/metro a bit, then cycle (or vice versa). I've no problem cycling with motor vehicle traffic (combinations with trails are allways nice too).

I'd be renting for a few years. Hoping for a 2bedroom, 1.5 (or 2) bath (950-1000sq ft ish?). Budget up to 1000$ including water/sewer ($850 would be MUCH better).

Thanks

[bizzz111]

I think one bedroom apartments are about $1000 a month within seattle, on average.

$850 would probably get you a 500 sq. ft. studio apt. That being said, 10 miles puts you in the suburbs, so you might be able to find something in that range. West seattle might be doable.

[MillCreek]

Oh boy, with that sort of budget to rent, I think you are going to have some difficulty within a 10 mile radius of Pill Hill. Many parts of the Seattle area have an apartment shortage right now due to condo conversions. I think that due north, up in the Greenwood-Shoreline area and due south, around Columbia City-Rainier Valley may have some potential.

http://marketplace.nwsource.com/rentals/ is one of the more popular rental search tools.

[Camel]

Yeah my budget is a bit on the low side. But I've seen listings in both craigslist and that marketplace (huge thanks for the link!), which fit. Will likely need to go with 1 bath, but thats allrite.

So-you all recon "Burien" area is nice as well?

will check north too.

Thanks!

[FlowerBlossom]

Burien? Probably not. It's near the airport, and at some point you'll have to ride your bike through the industrial/port area of Seattle (bad big-ass semi and dump truck traffic, minimal street lights/visibility in winter). I see some people doing it. I never would. It's also far enough from Seattle proper that you'd end up driving into Seattle to do stuff. Might as well try to find something close-in to make it worth your time here.

The Burke-Gilman bike trail starts in Ballard to the west, heads east towards the University, then swings north along the western edge of Lake Washington. Any of the neighborhoods/communities along the Burke-Gilman would be totally ridable. Ballard, Fremont, Phinney Ridge, some parts of Greenwood (some parts of Greenwood aren't the greatest), University, Ravenna, Portage Bay, Wedgewood, Sandpoint, Lake Forest Park, maybe Kenmore. The last two are probably a bit farther north, but, if the apt is easy access to the Birke-Gilman, then it might be worth the extra time. Farther north of Fremont is Phinney Ridge, and north of Phinney Ridge is Greenwood, then Shoreline (as Millcreek suggested), but, there are probably some routes that are low-volume enough to ride. North of Ballard is Crown Hill, and north of Crown Hill is Bonney Lake, and then that gets into the western part of Shoreline. I know nothing about Columbia City, heard good things about it.

There is currently a glut of condos for sale---many from the rush to convert apt buildings into condominiums. However, the prices are staying relatively high compared to the rest of the country. If you have the cash, you could consider buying a condo. I'm not sure I'd buy, but then again, I said that 12 years ago when I thought the housing market in Seattle was much too over-priced to be able to make a profit later. :)

[EffSizzle]

Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah...eastside.

Laurelhurst, Madison Park, Magnolia, Alki...westside.

[FlowerBlossom]

Eastside=east side of Lake Washington
Westside=west side of Lake Washington

I completely forgot about Laurelhurst. I love that neighborhood, for some reason.

[MillCreek]

If your budget would permit it, anyplace north of the Ship Canal to the county line would be nice. I am just somewhat pessimistic that you will be able to find anything south of 145th Street in your price range.

[unixpro]

<rant on>

Ahem. Not to be too prickly here, but I live in Burien and actually like it. For one thing, while we are close to the airport we are, for the most part, *beside* it and not underneath it. This means that the aircraft taking off and landing don't generally go over our residences, as we're in a flight-restricted area. Conversely, they regularly go over such "nicer" areas as downtown, Mercer Island, etc. In addition, we have some of the best access to Seattle, Tacoma, the East Side, and points between, of anyone in the entire area.

As far as "doing things" is concerned, what do you want to do? Shop? We've got the only Ikea and Frys in the area in the south end, as well as one of the areas largest shopping locations in southcenter. Movies? Tons of really good theaters. Dining out? Lots of good restaurants. The only reason to go into downtown would be live theater, but that is true for all locations. If I didn't work downtown, I'd personally never go.

Finally, bike access to Seattle: I do a commute just under 14 miles each way. Pill hill would be a bit further and have a significant uphill grade as you approached the hospital. Yes, I ride through the South Seattle industrial area but guess what...the streets are very wide there and traffic is reasonably light. I feel far safer riding the streets of the industrial areas than I do either in downtown or on the waterfront.

</rant>

Unless your budget is larger or you're willing to enter a roommate relationship, I seriously doubt that you'll find anything reasonable anywhere near the University of Washington (most of the communities along the Burke-Gillman Trail), downtown, or in the reachable north end.

If you choose something on the East side, you're probably looking at Renton in your price range. Bellevue and Kirkland are expensive, as are Woodinville and Issiquah. To the north, check out Kennmore or possibly Edmonds. Either would probably require Metro as part of your commute, though.

One possibility is the far south or north end, using Sounder rail for part of your commute. I know a number of people who live in Puyallup, Auburn, Kent, etc. who ride the train to King Street Station and then either take the bus or ride into work. I'm not sure where the stops are in the north end, but I've been stopped by the train coming from the north, so I know there must be at least a few.

Sorry for the bad news, but the Seattle area is relatively expensive.

[Camel]

Oh hey unixpro thanks for the expanded info re Burien.

No worries about it being expensive, was kinda expensive in Beantown too. Go out a few miles and rents drop. Trick is finding good neighborhoods, which all you folks have given lots of info.

[HardyWeinberg]

Eastside=east side of Lake Washington
Westside=west side of Lake Washington

I completely forgot about Laurelhurst. I love that neighborhood, for some reason.


We had 2 great places in Laurelhurst, good on grad student budget, but they materialized as if supernaturally when needed, were never advertised (take home lesson: talk talk talk to lots of people; the 2nd place turned up when a stranger overheard me talking to a bus line acquaintance). Worth burning some incense or whatever to score a place like those, though. Before the 2nd one turned up, budget was steering us up past Northgate/Shoreline.

[octopuswithafez]

ravenna, bryant, viewridge are nice close to the Burke-Gilman trail and UW ( catch the UW medical bus, I think it goes to Harborview still)

[ollo_ollo]

On your budget, try to find a bachelor or "mother-in-law" apartment in West Seattle, Georgetown or Beacon Hill. I don't think you can avoid hills in the Seattle area but you might come up with a mostly flat commute.

[Camel]

Hey than2s f6r the 35n2 ns25nn. apprec5ate 5t.

0Y 2EYB6ARD 5S N6T W6R25NG!!!

[Camel]

OK, after fiddling with removing my keyboard driver, and checking for conflicts etcetc I finally figured out that my "numlock" was on-this is on a laptop. So there's no little green light. WOW!


Anyways-I was up Seattle way Sun&Mon. On my way back I saw a cyclist on I5 not too far out of town. ??exit 118?? He/she was on a road bike and was barely visible (black/dark clothing, barely working blinkie on a hydration pack/bookbag).

A bit crazy if you ask me, as the shoulder dropped not too far ahead of where this cyclist was, traffic was at 50-60mph. Tailwinds to whoever it is. Hardcore.

EDIT: adding that I can't see the image nskinn put up (is a red X in a box). Using "properties" I checked out the site, but for the same maps with descriptions check out the seattle government site here: http://web1.seattle.gov/seastats/doStatistics.aspx

[InTheRain]

OK, after fiddling with removing my keyboard driver, and checking for conflicts etcetc I finally figured out that my "numlock" was on-this is on a laptop. So there's no little green light. WOW!


Anyways-I was up Seattle way Sun&Mon. On my way back I saw a cyclist on I5 not too far out of town. ??exit 118?? He/she was on a road bike and was barely visible (black/dark clothing, barely working blinkie on a hydration pack/bookbag).

A bit crazy if you ask me, as the shoulder dropped not too far ahead of where this cyclist was, traffic was at 50-60mph. Tailwinds to whoever it is. Hardcore.

EDIT: adding that I can't see the image nskinn put up (is a red X in a box). Using "properties" I checked out the site, but for the same maps with descriptions check out the seattle government site here: http://web1.seattle.gov/seastats/doStatistics.aspx

Not too far out of town? Exit 118? That would put this cyclist near Dupont, WA... about 45-50 miles from downtown Seattle. I doubt he was commuting by bicycle to Seattle. If you are able to do that kind of commute on your bike, then you can find much nicer neighborhoods than the ones mentioned in Seattle. Also... rents 45-50 miles south are about 50-60 percent of what they are in Seattle neighborhoods. If you are willing to bicycle commute from the South Puget Sound to downtown Seattle by bicycle... then you are HARDCORE! I don't think you could legally ride on the freeway the entire distance.

[Camel]

Not too far out of town? Exit 118? That would put this cyclist near Dupont, WA... about 45-50 miles from downtown Seattle....

-It must be another exit number then, as I think it was closer to SEATAC. Long couple of days, so I have no idea then which exit# it was.

Don't know if he/she was commuting or not, but it seemed pretty hard core to me. Especially considering the shoulder dropped not that far ahead of where he/she was cycling and his/her lack of lighting/reflectivity. I wouldn't find it fun that's for sure.

As for me, a 1 hour commute (each way) would be my max. Either cycling, driving or a combo. Anything longer would be a bit much (for me) to work, and still have a life.

[HardyWeinberg]

Although, down in the 118 area (or between 116 and 119, the actual exits bracketing that mile marker), I don't think you can legally bike anywhere *but* I-5, since off the freeway is highly access-restricted Fort Lewis.

[CliftonGK1]

Oh wow, thanks for the info folks-really appreciate it!

MOre info:

I'd hope for a 10mile commute +/- 3 miles. Anything over 15miles (or excessivley hilly) I'd have to drive/metro a bit, then cycle (or vice versa). I've no problem cycling with motor vehicle traffic (combinations with trails are allways nice too).

I'd be renting for a few years. Hoping for a 2bedroom, 1.5 (or 2) bath (950-1000sq ft ish?). Budget up to 1000$ including water/sewer ($850 would be MUCH better).

Thanks

Where you want to live in the Seattle metro area is going to be largely influenced by where you work. There's 3 ways to get from one side of Lake Washington to the other: The 520 bridge, the 90 bridge, or go around it. For a bike commuter, it's a tough call to work on one side and live on the other if you aren't near the I-90 bridge. The 520 bridge doesn't allow bikes, so you have to bus it across. Going around means taking the B-G Trail, which could be as much as a 25 mile trip one way.
An $850-$1000 limit is going to seriously cut down your choices if you want anything near 1000 sq. ft. Count out anything on the eastside in a managed apartment complex right now. You're looking at around $1.25 to $2.00 per sqare foot depending on proximity to city centers over here. We're moving out when our lease is up because the 1000 sq.ft. units in our complex are going up to $1537/month. (Currently paying $1300 for almost 1200 sq. ft.)
There are some nice buildings in Cap. Hill on the west side. (Stay away from The Capitola, though. We lived there and it's a dump.) Steer clear of Pioneer Square area, because it's picking up in violent crime recently.
If you end up working in S. Seattle-ish to downtown, you might consider a place in Issaquah. You can hop the I-90 bridge for your commute (although it could be a bit of a long ride, depending on where you work vs. where you live in Issaquah.)

[FlowerBlossom]

Also, if you have to live farther out, plan on a bus + bike combo. Most buses have racks for 2 bikes. I know someone who buses over the 520 bridge from the eastside to the University of Washington. You could do the same, riding to Capitol Hill from the UW.


I have to say it once...to heck with being illegal, riding on I5 is just plain stupid.

[Camel]

...I have to say it once...to heck with being illegal, riding on I5 is just plain stupid.

I'm glad you said it! Not being from around these parts, I didn't want to...

-And again thanks for all of the input everyone, very helpfull! I'm still not sure where I'll end up working, have since had a few more interviews down here. Have a phone interview scheduled for another position up Seattle way.