DoxieMama

Hey everyone!

My boyfriend and I are a young professional couple moving to Seattle this spring. We have 2 small dogs both under 15 pounds, and a budget of $1000 to $1200 to rent a home. We REALLY need a place with a fenced yard but are having a hard time finding this. We would like to live around Queen Anne or in north Seattle in Wallingford, Raveena, U district, Fremont, etc.

Thanks for your help!

vjpblovesitaly

www.city-data.com might be helpful to you

suze

Unfortunately that's a pretty low rent for a single family home. Even studio apartments in those neighborhoods you mention go for more $750-950 range.

I think you may need to up your budget or look further away from city center. Especially for a stand alone home with a fenced yard.

Another strategy would be looking south, instead of north. Central District, Columbia City, Beacon Hill, etc. are up and coming neighborhoods but not as posh as the ones you mention. Lower rents and more single family homes available.

happytrailstoyou

Good suggestions from suze.

Also, in some of the neighborhoods you mention there are houses that have been converted into apartments. A ground floor apartment with garden access in such a building might suit you.

HTTY

DoxieMama

Thanks everyone! All your tips are really helpful and we will definitely start looking south of the city. Unfortunately we only know what his income will be, not mine, so it's making it difficult to look for a place. We will keep our eyes out for ground floor apartments and look for places south of the city as well.

I REALLY appreciate all your help!

tomfuller

You can rent a houseboat on Lake Union for more than 6 months starting at about $1300/mo. http://www.seattlehouseboatrentals.com/
Have a great time in Seattle.

suze

I don't think their dog wants to live on a houseboat, tom!

suze

Of your original list, Ravenna is my favorite neighborhood, also "Maple Leaf" or "Greenwood". While there are also north because they're out a bit further rents might be a bit lower than Wallingford/Fremont.

Ballard is another you might want to consider. It's also north, well north/west and a bit out of the way depending where you work but loads of single family homes and reasonably easy access.

West Seattle is another, south/west of the city. It also, like Ballard is isolated in that you have to go over a bridge to get there, but there are modest single family homes available.

If you look south as mentioned, check in with us, because it's an "emerging" area neighborhoods change more quickly in that area. What's one really nice block, could have a not so savory one fairly close by.

DoxieMama

Suze, I am now aware of the "emergent areas" in the south.

I had a friend look into a place in the Central District and he said it was a good place to stay away from. We have found a few places in Northgate and some in west seattle, but landlords have not been good about responding to our inquiries. It's difficult when we are not living there yet but do have a friend that can look at places for us.

We will just have to keep looking and hope for the best.

happytrailstoyou

The Central District is not, of necessity, a place to avoid. Ditto for Columbia City and Beacon Hill, which you should consider.

It will be easier and quicker for you to get from place to place if you live in Northgate rather than West Seattle.

HTTY

suze

Central District is not necessarily a place to stay away from imo. I lived there for a number of years before I bought my condo a bit further north on Capitol Hill. Perhaps a certain streets might not be that nice, but "the CD" is OK overall as a neighborhood.