My family and I are thinking of moving to Seattle/Redmond area as a job opportunity has emerged there. We currently live in Ireland (have done so all our lives) and have 2 kids (3.5 and 5 yo). While I will be working, my wife will not (but may later).
What areas/neighborhoods should we consider to live in? How are the pre- and elementary schools? What is the Pacific NW like to live in? We are a relatively active family and interested in getting the most out of life. Any advice appreciated! Thanks.

I do not live in the northwest but I have been there and I know that Seattle is a very outdoors/active place where you can get a lot out of life. It is also an area which is more liberal than the rest of the US.

I don't live in the northwest either. (I'm sure you'll hear from people who do.) But, when we went to Ireland, I remember being told that the climate is very similar to that of the Pacific Northwest.

And the "bit of a mist" (and maybe then some) that often pervades the Northwest will have you feeling right at home!!

You will probably have a real estate agent assigned to you. Talk to people you will be working with, as well. Are we talking Microsoft?

Beware of long commutes. Distance should be judged by drive time at rush hour and not by mileage. Watch for any major highways (520, I-90, I-405) or waterways (Lake Sammamish, Lake Washington)that separate you from your employer. Also, look for narrow roads that carry a lot of traffic (the infrastructure hasn't kept up with development). All add time to the commute.

All the schools sytems are good, though you might want to check on individual schools within for the better elementary schools. Preschool is not included in public education and you will have to find your own. It is provided by a variety of organizations including some churches and you will find this after you have chosen a neighborhood by talking to your neighbors.

The agent will steer you to the "Plateau," which is where a lot of families are moving. Schools are excellent; lifestyle is middle/upper middle class. It is far from urban amenities and the commute to your employer (assuming it is Microsoft) is somewhat of a killer.

Redmond has a lot of great neighborhoods. Be sure to look there. Traffic can be heavy between some parts of Redmond and the Microsoft campus.

Bellevue is very convenient to Microsoft and also has good areas to live. It is closer to Seattle than most of Redmond. It is an older suburb and some areas are spotty. The west side of Bellevue is ridiculously expensive; east side more affordable and very close to Microsoft.

Kirkland is more of a commute but has lovely neighborhoods.

Mercer Island is expensive but a great place to live. The commute isn't too bad, though you have to go over a bridge to get to the eastside.

Living in the northwest is great. It is very outdoorsy. There's lots of beautiful water and mountains, with all the sports that go with them. Also, bicycling is big.

Weather is a lot like Ireland, I think. We have warm, dry summers and cool, misty winters. It is green here.

I don't know what you pay for housing in Ireland, but the cost of housing is a shock here and should be a consideration in your decision about moving. Make sure you can afford it. Traffic is also bad, so it is important to get within reasonable distance of work, especially with little kids at home, a wife in a new country, and if you are going to work the long hours at Microsoft. People are free to come in at odd hours, but they still complain about traffic if they don't live close.

I can give you more details if you want on some neighborhoods to look in, at least in Bellevue, if you want.

Guess I will chime in here since I do live in the PNW

We live in Portland now, but DH is from the Seattle area and we lived there for a while too. Yes, the PNW has fantastic outdoor opportunities! Mountain climbing, hiking, biking, trails to run/walk...you name it. Lots to be had here! We lived north of Seattle, so I cannot help with neighborhoods that you mentioned. If you need help with the Everett/Mill Creek area though I would be glad to.

The schools vary quite a bit, but if you find a good neighborhood, usually a good school goes hand in hand with that. One web site to check out schools is www.greatschools.net. That site shows how the school did in state tests and the demographics of the student/staff. It may help you narrow down some areas.

Seattle does lean toward the liberal side, but there are many areas around it that are quite conservative. We lived in one of those areas and it was vastly different than downtown Seattle.

Orcas and I posted at the same time. Listen to Orcas for great neighborhood areas, she knows that area!

Hi Orcas
Yes, we are talking Microsoft. I'm kind of familiar with the areas myself but don't know where the 'Plateau' is.
Traffic in Dublin is mad so I know that we can cope with what Seattle and the Eastside throw at us. We are leaning toward family oriented neighborhoods on the Eastside rather than living in Seattle proper. Kirkland has been high in our mind for a while but I wanted to find out more about Redmond/Bellevue or other areas too.
BTW, property in Dublin is perhaps the most in Europe after London so Seattle may actually feel 'reasonable' to me

Just a moment to reply. More later.

We regret having bought rather than rented when we moved here. I realize Microsoft benefits encourage buying rather than renting, esp because they help with closing costs for one year only. That is why we rushed into a house. Not a great idea. There is not a lot on the market at any point in time right now. The market is red hot with houses selling within a few days of hitting the market. Some people are selling their homes and renting, believe it or not, thinking the bubble will burst, values will fall and they will be able to pick up a deal. I don't think there are signs of the market bursting, though, so they are taking their chances of further increases of up to 25% a year. Just be careful if you buy, and try to give yourself time to look, as it is expensive to move again.

The Plateau is the area east of L. Sammamish, and is on a plateau. It is newly developing. Sammamish is a newly incorporated city on the Plateau. The area is split between 2 school districts. North is L. Washington, south is Issaquah. The Issaquah School District is growing really fast and overcrowding could be an issue. It is considered excellent.

It is hard to judge a school area just by test scores as areas with new immigrants from third world countries may bring down test scores, but the schools may actually be as good for the average kid. Plateau schools, Mercer Island test very high due to the homogeneity of the population, basically white or highly educated Indian or Asian, with good income.

School districts: L. Washington includes the Redmond area. Bellevue is for the city of Bellevue and a couple of nearby communities (Clyde Hill, Medina - both out of sight costwise). Mercer Island for MI. Issaquah for the Plateau and Issaquah. All are good, though I'm sure some elementary schools are considered better (more parent involvement).

Check this out for starters:

http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwso...?letterIndex=L

Don't hesitate to call the school districts and ask about the schools. Also, you might ask Microsoft if you can talk with an educational consultant to help you decide, especially if you have any special concerns.

Now off to our boat on a glorious sunny day!

I agree with Orcas about the test scores. The nice thing about that website that I mentioned is that it also shows the demographics, such as the number of free/reduced lunches, etc so that helps in figuring an area out as well.

Back! Great day on the water. We took our boat through the lock between L. Washington and Puget Sound. The Ballard locks (also called the Hiram Chittenden locks) are a great place to visit when you come here. You can look through glass and see the salmon jumping through the ladders trying to get upstream to spawn, as well as watch the boats making their way up and down the locks. Plus there are nice gardens.

We saw lots of houseboats on Lake Union that make the boat in Sleepless in Seattle look shabby, if that is possible. We ate at an outdoor restaurant on the water underneath the Palisades restaurant in Elliott Bay. We could see Mt. Rainier towering over the city of Seattle skyline, the snow pink from the sunset. It is really incredibly beautiful here.

My hubby says there are lots of Irish people at Microsoft in Redmond. Do you have any way to connect with them? If not, I'll find a way to get you a contact. They can probably give you some good ideas about how they have found it heren and give you suggestions on neighborhoods. Microsoft is very international and I think you and your wife would quickly make friends.