Hi. My husband just got a job in the Seattle area and we'll be moving shortly from NYC (Greenwich Village) to Seattle. Neither of us know much about the area but we're flying out this week to tour around and look for housing. We're desperately trying to get some good, inside information on neighborhoods and where we'd be most happy living. My husband will actually be working on the eastside (Redmond area) and I don't want his commute to be a nightmare, but on the other hand, I'm not ready to move somewhere really suburban yet, and would prefer the city. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions (even websites or good books to buy) that could help me figure out where we'd best belong? Thanks so much- jacqui

First, there's nothing like the village in the Seatlle area, no matter how much people would like to pretend there is.

Second, how much of a commute is a nightmare? From the trendiest parts of downtown Seattle to Microsoft country takes around 45 min. each way (worse some days) which is hellish for many people here but often peanuts for easterners. There is excellent bus service and numerous car- and vanpools, so commuting need not be that dreadful an alternative.

The hippest neighborhoods in Seattle (all subjective of course) are usually regarded to be the Capitol Hill, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne and (parts of) downtown areas. On the eastside, most people would think downtown Kirkland (20 min. from Redmond) is the most attractive; certainly it's the most expensive.

Coming for a look-see is crucial. Look at www.windermere.com for comprehensive real estate listings, www.seattleweekly.com, www.seattletimes.com, or this site: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/neighbors/

Good luck!

I would second Kirkland or Bellevue--
they are the closest to Redmond....

Kirkland and Bellevue both have apts and homes on the Lake-great views.

wonderful little restaurants in Kirkland...and only 1/2 hr over the floating bridge into Seattle...with none of the horrid driving...

I agree, there is nothing ike the Village in the Seattle area but you might some of the neighborhoods Gardyloo mentioned to be good ones. Depending on your husband's hours in Redmond the commute might be ok. My sister lives in Redmond and, while I love her dearly, if you are coming from the Village Redmond and its surrounds will put you in shock. Seattle has some great food, its beautiful and has great theater. If you get a chance to check out Seattle Rep,do. What you'll be losing in the realm of corned beef and pastrami, you'll be gaining in the salmon and other seafoods. BTW~Three Girls Bakery in Pike Market does have both NY Corn Rye and Marble Rye. Have lunch or dinner at Matt's at the Market..it's a gem! Good Luck.

It's not in the city - just north - but I love Green Lake area.

Agree with most of what has been said here. I love NYC and the Village and culturally you won't find anything like that here, but there are some great tradeoffs--mainly in the natural beauty right at your doorstep here.

The neighborhoods mentioned in Seattle will be more "exciting" for a city person than anything on the Eastside, BUT the IMO that commute would be awful, so from what you've said, I'd recommend checking out the downtown Kirkland area. And while it is expensive, after NYC it will probably seem like a bargain to you. (Plus I believe it's a buyer's market now.)

As people have mentioned, and you will discover, there are some fine cultural events here--namely the opera, ballet, and theatre scene. Unfortunately there is nothing that can come close to the art in NYC (sigh)...

Probably one of the biggest differences you'll notice is the energy level and the intellectual environment. I'm not saying there aren't intellegent, energetic people here, but it's not the same constant high energy level of NYC.

I love it here and wouldn't live anywhere else (except maybe Spain during the rainy season here), but it will be different. Good luck!

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post so far. Your info is definitely helpful! I'm still torn b/c although I really don't want my husband to have a hellish commute to Microsoft, I'm still very much a city girl (lived in Boston for years, then NYC for the last 5 1/2 years) and I haven't even driven a car in about 7 years! I'm really used to walking everywhere and b/c I'll be new to the city without knowing a soul, I'm just scared that I'll feel very isolated on the eastside by myself all day. (although I do plan on finding a job at some point in the near future!)
After talking to people, the areas that have been mentioned the most within Seattle are Capital Hill, Belltown and Fremont. What about Wallingford? Any opinions? And is there a significant different in commuting time to the eastside from these different areas? Thanks!

Belltown is essentially closer to the downtown area than any of the other areas mentioned and I think will give you the closest to an "urban feel". Capitol Hill is hip and lively, rather gentrified and also the identified "Gay" district of Seattle.
If possible, I think you would do well to come and check out the neighborhoods trying the commute times to Redmond. Everyone has different things that are important and each of these neighborhoods have distinctly different feels. What might seem essential in one neighborhood may also mean a slighter longer commute while a shorter commute might mean you give up something you really love somewhere.For instance, perehaps you have yet to see what a Pacific Northwest bungalow looks like. Some neighborhoods have many of them and might seem appealing..this would be a departure from the more urban Belltown but one you might want to try. Good luck, let us know what you find!

Hi!

If your husband will be working at MS, then there are plenty of transit options. There are several bus routes that serve the Microsoft campus from downtown Seattle. There are also carpool and vanpool options. Microsoft even has their own little bus, although I'm not sure if it travels as far as Seattle.

I actually live in Redmond and I love it, but I'm a country girl at heart and prefer a more rural setting. Redmond's actually *too* crowded in my estimation, but it's the farthest out that I can live and still get around without a car.

Someone suggested DT Kirkland, but Kirkland is still a very suburban city and it sounds like you're a "city" city person, so Seattle is probably your best bet. I think the Eastside is a wonderful place to live, but like anyplace, it's not for everybody. I don't think that someone used to urban living in a big city would enjoy it over here anymore than I would enjoy living in the city. It's the whole "nice place to visit" adage. For the record though, the Eastside is only a short jaunt to Seattle. No one is stuck over here unless they choose to be. I personally don't have any reason to go to Seattle often, but the cross bridge traffic shows that I'm in the minority in that regard.

Here's a link that provides a snapshot of Seattle area neighborhoods:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/webtow...?from=jumptoHP

The P-Is website is being a little loopy today, but it may just be my connection.

There are two freeways over Lake Washington, SR520 (aka Evergreen Point Bridge) and I-90. SR520 "leaves" Seattle from the north end of Capitol (with an "o") Hill while I-90 leaves from just south of the city center. Redmond, Kirkland, and the northern half of Bellevue are served by 520, while I-90 serves the south half of Bellevue and suburbs farther east, such as Issaquah. Another interstate, I-405, runs north/south more or less along the line of the east coast of Lake Washington, plus there are several major N/S arterial streets that do an okay job of handling the N/S traffic that clogs I-405 most days.

Both bridges over the lake are extremely crowded at rush hour, with the delays (surprisingly to some) generally worse eastbound in the morning (out of the city) and westbound in the evening. (This "backflow" thing has gotten worse as Seattle has become more prosperous and livable; also the housing choices for singles and dinks are broader in Seattle than in the bedroom suburbs.)

The big problem in locating in Seattle for bridge-users is the hassle entailed in getting to the bridge. Fremont and Belltown, for example, are fairly distant from the main feeder routes to either freeway, so car-commuting becomes very difficult. (Lake Union, located in downtown Seattle, gets in the way of straight shots E/W in the city.)

Wallingford is somewhat closer, but in general is still rather inconvenient to eastside commuters. Capitol Hill offers slightly better access, although getting on 520 from most parts of the hill involves fighting University of Washington traffic and plenty of left turns against oncomers, what a pain.

Two neighborhoods not mentioned that you might want to have a look at are Mountlake and Madison Park. Mountlake is located at the northeastern foot of Capitol Hill and is where the last onramps to the 520 are located. It's a lovely area, full of beautiful houses and tree-lined streets, with a sprinkling of funky shops and eateries, excellent bus service to downtown (15 min) and the eastside (express buses to Redmond right there) and very close to the University and upscale shopping at the University Village center. Not cheap, but not that much more than W'ford or Capitol Hill. Not very many apartments or condos, though, if that's what you're thinking of.

Madison Park is farther from the 520, located at the northeast end of Madison St., a major arterial to downtown. It's a very upscale and rather yachty area, with a nice little village full of fun shops, cafes, etc. You can get to the 520 bridge by traveling through the U of W arboretum directly to the freeway entrance. It takes a few minutes, but is easily the most scenic commute in the city. Madison Park is pricey but has a lot of choice in housing types compared to many neighborhoods in the city.

Across the lake, downtown Kirkland has been mentioned, and actually Redmond itself is working diligently to create a more welcoming "downtown" living environment. Don't overlook these places because they're not as PC as Seattle. Remember Cambridge is a suburb too.

I can't believe I spelled it "Mountlake." Montlake.

jacquiro, congrats on the move. My husband and I just moved here this spring and we love it. Since your husband will be working for MS, he might appreciate the short commute of living in Redmond. They work your tail off there...

Anyhow, I think if you want to stay on this side of Lake Washington, you would enjoy Kirkland or Bellevue. (As has already been mentioned...) Kirkland has some beautiful homes/views, and Bellevue has some pretty decent restaurants/shopping.

I'd give Redmond a chance, too. I like the feel here. Really. My husband and I make it out to Seattle a couple times a month to get our quota of "hipness".

Regarding Wallingford, it's a neat neighborhood with wonderful older homes. If you like Craftsman homes, this is your place.

You are so kind to Redmond, Gardyloo. They *are* trying, but truth be told, Redmond doesn't have all that much downtown to work with. However, it is a very nice area that's walkable, convenient to transit, and has the Sammammish river trail running right through it. I'm tempted to move to downtown Redmond when my lease is up.

Bellevue is also working on its downtown. For that matter, I'd say Bellevue is the most urban city on the Eastside. There's good shopping, plenty of events and activities, and an attempt to increase cultural offerings. It's not Seattle, but for a city of 100,000, Bellevue is quite the hub. Too bad the Bellevue Art Museum had to close temporarily due to lack of funding.

The Eastside is also a lot more diverse than people give it credit for. I think that a lot of people's perception of the Eastside is stuck on what it was a decade or so ago.

Did you get this squared away yet? Probably. But, for my two cents, I have family in Boston and NYC and understand your love of being among the hustle and bustle. I haven't driven in six years and have lived in Queen Anne (walking distance to downtown) and Belltown. Nice homes mingled with apartments in Queen Anne with it's own street of restaurants and bars and grocers. Belltown is a condo/apartment mecca and walking distance to every Starbucks, bar, restaurant and retail shopping. I like it because I use the downtown area and market a lot. But it has a quiet feel to it as well. If I were you, I'd rent a place downtown for a few months and have your husband try the commute. If it's too hellish, then consider a move to the East side.

I think Lucy's right. If it weren't for the fact that I love being in the woods and the schools were supposedly better here in Bellevue, I'd be in Seattle. Much more exciting. However, I love being on the Eastside because of the woods and the best dogpark in the U.S. (Marymoor). But you didn't say if you're a doglover. That could make a difference too.

Well Jacquiro~what did you find and where are you moving to? Ah Marymoor, a great dog park and I can't tell you the number of kids' soccer games I watched there over the years!

Sorry for the lateness of the post, but I also recommend Capitol Hill. It's not going to be a pleasant commute but I am unsure that anything in Seattle is easy anymore since the city has grown so much!

As a former Kirkland resident who worked in Bellevue (on the Redmond border), I would have to say that it would really get me down to fight my way from Seattle to Redmond every day. Downtown Kirkland has most everything you could want in walking distance, and it is really pleasant. There are so many beautiful homes just north of downtown, some with fine lake and/or mountain views. It ain't The Village (but then, what is?), but it has a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood feel.

Bellevue is now a small city in its own right, but its all new glass towers. There are many attractive housing developments east of downtown, but you would have to drive to everything.

Redmond is getting nicer all the time, particularly with the new Redmond Town Center. We lived for a short time just off Lake Sammamish, and it was delightful. Again, if you want to walk everywhere, this might not be the place for you.

Of course, the above-mentioned neigborhoods of Wallingford or Capitol Hill will probably make you feel more at-home, but I wouldn't look forward to greeting my grumpy husband who just spent 45 minutes (an hour on bad days) getting home!

A.L.F.
(Happily loving in Snohomish, working in Everett, and visiting Seattle twice/month).

Hi--great thread! Great insights!!

I too could be moving to Seattle next spring. The prospective job could have me working out of two offices: Arlington (North) and Lacey (South).

I've done some internet searches...and it appears housing is really affodable around the Lacey/Olympia area. I'm led to believe it's about 45-minutes away from Seattle proper.

I may have to check-in occasionally at the "mothership" office in downtown Seattle. So my question is: If given the choice, which of the two locations would you (Seattle locals) choose: Arlington or Lacey? My criteria would be based on housing affordability moreso than the commute. Also, what are the two areas like?

Thanks!

I live in Snohomish, a little south of Arlington. This is a very affordable place to live, primarily because it is a longish commute to Seattle - allow an hour during non-rush hour times, add 45 minutes more for rush hours. Arlington itself is a small one-main-street town. Whenever I walk down the main street, I feel like I've been transported back to the 1950's. You can buy a nice house in the hills above Arlington, where you can get some nice Puget Sound/Olympic Mtn views.

Lacey is basically a suburb of Olympia. Once you get away from the Interstate, there is some nice country as well. It too is a long commute to Seattle, and rush hour would be pretty bad, as you would have to deal with Olympia, Tacoma, and then Seattle traffic. Housing prices are going to be reasonable there as well, although I would imagine higher than Arlington.

If you want to live in a small town, I would go to Arlington. If you want to live closer to city attractions, I would live in Lacey.

Here is a John L. Scott Realtor Web site for Washington State
http://www.johnlscott.com/statelisti...StateProvCd=WA

Go to Sohomish County for Arlington, and Thurston County for Lacey.