Any info on Seattle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in Seattle (the city, not the east side of Lake Washington, e.g., Kirkland/Redmond/Bellevue/Issaquah) and hope to move back some day.

Western Washington State is generally pretty liberal (versus Eastern Washington which is more conservative) but the suburbs, and particularly the east side, are more conservative than Seattle proper. While historically Seattle and the general area was very working class (lumber, shipping, Boeing, etc -- my mother worked in a paper mill to save money for college), its economy is now much more tied to high tech -- it's a highly-educated community with a LOT of Microsoft and other tech money (far more than when I lived there in the early 90s ....), and a lot of people who have moved there in the last 20 years or so.

Depending on what you are looking for, housing is not that much cheaper than here. For example, I own a two-bedroom rowhouse in DC; I could buy a two-bedroom SFH in one of the good but not fancy Seattle neighborhoods for about what I could sell my here house for. There are lovely neighborhoods with very pricey homes, well over your $1 million, and there are plenty of good neighborhoods where your $1 million will buy a very nice house. From what I recall, Bellevue schools are considered the best on the east side. People do commute to Microsoft from Seattle, but it can be a haul ... and traffic can be awful. Honestly, I see the suburbs as kind of sprawling and not nearly as attractive as Seattle itself -- and Seattle includes a lot of neighborhoods that have a pretty suburban feel -- but it may be more convenient to live closer to Microsoft.

I think Seattle would be a great city for raising kids. There is a very outdoorsy culture and the Sound and the Cascades are right on your doorstep; the city has lots of good cultural resources (music, theatre, museums); it doesn't have the same competitive feel as DC and other parts of the east coast and people place a higher premium on lifestyle than they do here.

You're also relatively close to some other great areas, like Olympic National Park, Vancouver, Victoria, etc. It's a gorgeous area all around.

[Anonymous]

I'm from the Seattle area and I've gotta say, there is no place I'd rather live.

Microsoft is in Redmond (slightly North East of Seattle), good places to look at living are:

Redmond itself - Nice area.

Issaquah - Very nice, some areas are very close to lots of shopping etc. Good Schools.

Kirkland - Don't know much about it, other than its got some nice areas.

Bellevue - More of a city environment. Big mall. High Rises etc.

Newcastle (part of Bellevue) - Very Nice area, greats parks, (lake) beaches, but very suburban. Issaquah SD.

Renton - Has good older established neighborhoods and some not so awesome areas. The city is working on a major revamp. Great Schools. A lot more bang for your buck house wise.

Mercer Island - Most Expensive, good schools etc.


Education is pretty important here, and schools tend to be very good on the "East Side" (all the cities I gave you are on the East Side). Very high literacy rate and the city itself has tons of museums and learning experiences. We have a large Art Museum, the Science Center, an aquarium and two zoos all very close.

Weather: Is not as bad as everyone says. We have a lot of days where it drizzles off and on. We do not get huge snowstorms that shut things down for weeks. We do get one or two snow "events" a year that may mean a day or two off from school/work. Summer days are generally in the 70's and 80's, occasional 90 degree surprises. Fall is gorgeous with the leaves turning color. Very green year round in general.

Traffic into Seattle (AM) or out of (PM) can be brutal, but commuting to Microsoft isn't horrible in general (405 N can be a pain, but its not as bad as some places in DC).

Tons to do outdoors (hiking, biking, fishing etc). The mountains are gorgeous and can be seen most all the time. There is a lot of water and many things to do on weekends (Ferry rides, whale watching, etc).

Oh and every two feet there is a coffee place...but not all Starbucks, you can get some of the best coffee around from little stands that seem to be everywhere.


If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[Anonymous]

PP here,

Forgot to say -

Seattle in general is fairly liberal, but very laid back. So even if you don't tend to agree with others views, they don't tend to push them down your throats.

We have an amazing mix of people here, and people tend to be friendly, nice and accepting.

There are also some beautiful, amazing churches and other houses of worship around here, though people are definitely more relaxed about religion than in other areas.

[Anonymous]

Cost of living is way cheaper - as PPs have noted, $1mil will get you a great home in a great location. Weather - summers are sunny and gorgeous. The rest of the year is dreary and rainy - not thunderstorms but overcast and drizzly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's cold and very cheap (compared to here).

Did you look at the website for the Seattle Chamber of Commerce? The weather in seattle is wet and cold in winter, wet and chilly in fall and spring, wet and warm in summer. It is a beautiful lush green. It is a lovely city and, I have never lived there, but my cousin says she never wants to leave.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! This has been so helpful.

[Anonymous]

Queen Anne neighborhood had lots of appeal, tho I don't know how the commute would be. Lots to walk to. Lots to do with young kids. Local public, great at the lower grades. Not so much later.

http://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/114-Queen-Anne-Dr-98109/home/130985

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking for a neighborhood like Bethesda, McLean or Chevy Chase and the types of people that come with it, choose Mercer Island or Bellvue. In the city, Magnolia is where you'd live at that price range. You could get something with great views of the sound and the entire city. I work for a company that is based in Seattle and go there often. I don't love it. Very hipster and crunchy and I get the vibe that animals and the environment are more important than people. It is not as diverse as the DC metro area. There is a significant Asian population, but not much else.

Your description is very accurate. I am crunchy too but Seattle is just too extreme for me. You are right about the environment and animals. The more I travel to Seattle the less I like it.

[Anonymous]

Seattle has a volcano

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seattle has a volcano

No...it doesn't...although Washington has several...All are beautiful, none are gonna lava you to death if you live in Seattle or the Eastside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking for a neighborhood like Bethesda, McLean or Chevy Chase and the types of people that come with it, choose Mercer Island or Bellvue. In the city, Magnolia is where you'd live at that price range. You could get something with great views of the sound and the entire city. I work for a company that is based in Seattle and go there often. I don't love it. Very hipster and crunchy and I get the vibe that animals and the environment are more important than people. It is not as diverse as the DC metro area. There is a significant Asian population, but not much else.

Your description is very accurate. I am crunchy too but Seattle is just too extreme for me. You are right about the environment and animals. The more I travel to Seattle the less I like it.

As someone born and raised in Seattle suburbs...maybe very close to dt is like this...but everywhere I've lived (and I've lived in about 15 places within a 20 mile radius) has been normal and lovely. OP - Try the East Side (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Issaquah etc).

[Anonymous]

My is DH is from Seattle, we visit often and would love to move there. And a college friend of mine moved there about 8 years ago and works for microsoft. They live in Issaquah and she is a SAHM.

Bellevue is a great area to live and rise kids. The communte from Bellevue to microsoft is like from Arlington to Tyson/Reston and just like Arlington is across the bridget to DC, Bellevue is just on the other side of Lake Washington, very easy to get into Seattle. There are alot of constructions going on now in Bellevue much like Clarendon in the last few years. Bellevue school district is better than Seattle public schools. Some of the elementary schools to consider - Clyde Hill (some of the home in Clyde Hill has great view of the lake), Cherry Crest (some of the homes have view of the mountains) Somerset (mountain views as well, the school is pretty new and in on top of the hill , Medina (Bill Gate's neighborhood), Enati (our friend used to teach there). Downtown Bellevue is somewhat like Reston Town Center.

Kirkland is next to Bellevue. It does not have the 'downtown' area like Bellevue, more local own shops. If you like the water and would like to have a boat, Kirkland is a great area to live. I do not know the schools as well.

Good luck with the decisions, it is not an easy one but I wish we are in your situation!