Best places to live near Seattle?

[MzNov]

I am very seriously thinking about transferring to our Seattle office but don't know the area. I will be renting, with cats, and would very much appreciate any info on communities within commuting distance. I would very much like to use any public transportation, esp. rail, to get to work in downtown Seattle. Our office is on 4th Ave. I've been pouring over city maps, but you never really know the neighborhoods until you actually live there.

Thanks so much for any suggestions. Regards!

[The empressof all]

1. There really is no Rail here

The Sounder commuter train comes into Seattle from Tacoma and Everett once a day (I believe) but other than that all of our Public Transportation is by bus. If you are planning on living in the cit you'll have no difficulty in using the bus system to commute to work.

There are so many great neighborhoods. It would be helpful to know more about your interests and your rent limits to give you better advice. It's pricey to rent in the city but not impossible.

[MzNov]

3. Thanks for the info.

I very much appreciate it.

[maxsolomon]

2. the bus can get you almost anywhere in an hour.

belltown, capitol hill, lower queen anne for urban dwelling.

upper queene anne, fremont, ballard, wallingford, green lake, madison park for single family & apartment-building neighborhood scale.

beacon hill, central district for urban pioneering

bainbridge island if you like the idea of a chi-chi "small town" within commuting distance. the ferry is a half-hour to downtown. i work downtown with many island dwellers.

bremerton is a little farther ferry ride, and more down-market.

the eastside, excepting downtown kirkland, is an auto-centric cultural wasteland that should be razed. avoid it.

if you go further afield, up or down i-5, your life will be a traffic nightmare, even on a bus.

be warned: anywhere close to downtown seattle will have lots of scary looking transients that are mostly harmless.

[MzNov]

4. I very much appreciate the info.

Thanks maxsolomon!

I see many rentals listed on Craigslist, among other places, in the above neighborhoods. It's very good to know where NOT to go. I'm trying to get an idea from my firm how much of a comp decrease I will take since living in the Bay Area is the most expensive in the country. That will help me decide where I can afford to live, along with actually coming to Seattle to explore the 'hoods.

Thanks again!!

[pnwmom]

5. Downtown Kirkland IS a very good place, with lots of apartments and condos,

and easy access to the bus system to Seattle.

I would also look at the neighborhoods near the University of Washington -- Montlake, Ravenna, View Ridge.

[MzNov]

8. I see a lot of rentals in Kirkland.

thanks for the info. Very helpful!!!

:hi:

[LisaM]

6. You might check out Maple Leaf or Northgate.

just north of the U-District. It's not too pricey, and very easy to get downtown.

Another alternative (and they've got a nice downtown) is West Seattle. It's also easy to get to downtown, and in the summer they have a nifty little water taxi.

[MzNov]

7. That sounds great. Thanks!!!

:hi:

[ziggysane]

9. Lynnwood

It's really easy to get from Lynnwood to downtown Seattle (25 minutes on Sound Transit) if you live near one of the Park&Rides (Northgate TC or Ash Way P&R). Plus Lynnwood is very interesting and diverse, and has a pretty decent transit system itself if you don't have a car, like me.

[liberaldem4ever]

11. South Everett

I live in South Everett and I think it is a good choice. You have close access to a lot of great towns like Mill Creek (with the new Mill Creek Town Center), Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Snohomish, Edmonds. Snohomish is a great place for antique shopping. My husband uses the Ash Way Park and Ride and the Mariner P&R every day. It is a great way to get to work and he has a lot of good friends he rides with everyday. We have pets (a bunch) and it seems like there is a lot of nice places to rent that will accept pets with a pet deposit. My family moved here from Texas in 1995 and we think the Seattle area is a great place to live. We have lived in Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Lynnwood and Everett since we have moved here. I liked every one of them. Lots of progressives and terrific people. And great coffee. :) Good Luck!!

[MzNov]

13. very helpful info. Thanks!

:hi:

[ConsAreLiars]

10. Unless you have some fondness for the 'burbs and like commuting,

consider the many diverse but distinct communities/neighborhoods that actually form Seattle.

See this for a start, and then ask more questions: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/webtowns/

Look particularly at the "Alphabetical list" for a finer grained look within the city limits.

[MzNov]

14. I've always been a city limits kinda girl.

I will check out the info you provided. It is much appreciated! Thank you!

:hi:

[Norrin Radd]

17. Yep, places like Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, Magnolia, etc.

are very much like living in the burbs with greenery all about.

[chknltl]

12. Don't consider Tacoma

The rent may be cheaper but that commute is a nightmare! Worse yet, we don't get good reception on the only local progressive radio channel. (AM 1090 be sure to tune in when you get here)...(Oh and if you need to complain when they pre-empt Randi Rhodes with WSU's Cougar Sports, here is the complaint number: 187-753-1090...its in my speed-dial)

[BlooInBloo]

16. The smell isn't nearly as bad as it used to be.

[geniph]

15. Commuter rail is viable

Actually, to correct something you were told earlier, the Sounder commuter rail train from Tacoma and points south runs northbound 5 times in the morning and 5 times in the evening, and one "reverse-commute" trip southbound early in the morning. I live in Auburn, about 30 miles south of the city, and take the train whenever I need to go downtown for the day. It takes about half the time of driving (plus parking downtown is horrendously expensive). The Sounder does make the southend viable for those who can't afford in-city prices and who will be working downtown. There are stops at Sumner, Auburn, Kent, and Tukwila before the downtown stop.

The Sounder from the north end (Everett) runs less frequently, but they're looking at adding quite a few more runs later this year (they do some kind of cooperative thing with Amtrak from Everett to serve a couple more runs than the Sounder per se).

I *heart* the train! 28 minutes from Auburn to downtown, comfortable seats, bathrooms, and the train has never been late in all the time I've been taking it.

Rentals in-city can be difficult to come by and quite costly; going just a little bit south (Tukwila, for example) can cut the price in half. But then you have to deal with all the suburban sprawl ugliness and all that. I work in the south end too, so for me, it's not bad. I'd take the Sounder every day if I worked downtown.