Seattle Bound

After several years of trying to get up to the Seattle area, I finally landed a great job in the area and am making my way up to WA in the next month! Hoping to compile a list of trails to conquer and especially sites to drive out to and snap photo ops.

 

Congrats, what will you be doing? Do you know where you'll be living yet?

 

welcome to the PNW

 

I spent ten years in the PNW and miss it, but what can you do. If you are going to live there I'd recommend getting into diving -- I've spent many an hour under the waters of Puget Sound and my only regret was that I didn't start diving earlier in life.

 

I'll be working in downtown but currently looking to reside in the outlying areas. The North and east sides are nice but seem to be a little pricier. If I find a place on the south it'll probably be around Kent or federal way...or even into Covington or maple valley. I don't mind the commute as long as I can find a quiet, safe, affordable rental house for the time being.

Diving? Being from the pacific islands Im assuming that water is bone chilling cold! But hey, that's what dry suits are for. I will get back into fishing though and plan on some good trips with my kid.

 

If you want a few numbers, I might be able to scrounge up a few people who still live out there. I think I know a realtor who could possibly find you some properties.

 

Welcome to the PNW! I live in West Seattle and love it. The commute downtown is super easy. Depending on if you have parking paid for by your company or not you can drive (less than 10 minutes) or take the bus or water taxi (less than 30 min). Parking downtown is a B. Most places are at least $15 a day for parking.

Fishing should start to heat up here in the next few months as the weather improves. Salmon fishing in the Sound was great last summer so hopefully we're in for another good year.

-Rob

 

When I live there I lived in Fairwood (Renton) and loved it. Of course that was 11 years ago, I'm sure it's probably changed.

 

@Tacoma2012 : I'm pretty sure I'll be taking the train or bus into work as I don't think they pay for parking. I'll be working on First Hill so it'll be about a mile or so walk to the stations. Actually looking forward to it as I can have a few minutes or so reading the paper during the commute.

I think I may have found a nice rental house in Federal Way. Any thoughts on that area? I've heard mixed reviews, but all say it ain't as bad as some neighborhoods around Tukwila/SeaTac.

 

If you can take the Sounder train in from your home that is ideal. I have some friends that take it into the King St. station downtown and they love it.

I have mixed feelings about Federal Way...you can find some pretty affordable housing but some areas are pretty run down. As with most places in Seattle, if you can get closer to the water there are some nicer houses in Federal Way.

If you are going to take the train in you might find some nicer areas by going a little further away from the city. Puyallup is pretty decent and has its own stop. Auburn and Kent are nice options too. Even Federal Way isn't bad, but I would definitely check out the neighborhood before you sign the papers. Hope you find something great.

Cheers!
Rob

 

Personally I would avoid federal way and Tuk/Sea Tac I work in belleuve and commute from the north. You could get into the Edmonds/Shoreline/Kenmore/Bothell area and it would be a much better, safer, neighborhood. My dream is to get a place in the Woodinville area, far enough away form the city to be rural but easy to get downtown .. Bellevue or Seattle.

 

I live on the Eastside (Bellevue) and take the bus each and every day that I work. It saves a lot - wear and tear on the truck as well as ga$ and parking!! This is a very helpful website for navigating around and there is a trip finder tool that you can enter where you are coming from and going to with the time and it will route you...

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/

Just read in the paper they are putting another streetcar in the First Hill neighborhood so that might help with a longer walk to/from the train/bus stop. I work Downtown and am lucky enough to be able to walk to my bus stop so the truck stays garaged all week!!

Not sure of your situation but if you are looking for a realtor I work with someone that keeps her real eatate license/office active and would be happy to forward her name/number but understand if you are taking care of all that yourself. As far as trails - this is a great place and don't forget the Overland Rally @ the end of July will be in Leaveworth this year!! Last year was in Ellensburg and was awesome - I went but still new to all this!! Photo Ops - feel free to take a gander at my flickr page - and share yours if you have one - I am an avid hobby photographer and get out whenever I can. The eagles along the Skagit River in Dec/Jan are my favorite thing -- but this area is LOADED with photo stuff!! Right now the tulips (world famous) are starting to pop in the La Conner area and along with being beautiful there are lots of areas to poke around in there too!! Fall are drives over Hwy 2 to see the changing colors on the way to Leavenworth - Winter with new snow in the Cascades - Spring take a drive to the Arboretum at the UW or Japanese Garden....and if you like freak -- in June the Summer Solstice Parade (naked bicycle riders) is fun. From the Ballard Locks to the Space Needle and Pike Market for urban to the drive to Paradise or Christine Falls for landscape....it really is all here!!!!

Welcome to the beautiful PNW!!! Within two hours is all you could every dream of!!!!

 

Thanks for the info! The Northside of Seattle is my first choice i.e. Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Everett, Lake Stevens as it's a little bit more affordable the further north you go. Bussing it would be the best idea from that side. With the input I might not go for the FedWay house someone is supposed to look at for me. I will have 2 weeks or so when I get up there to really view and find a place, so I'm in no big rush. If I find something on the Southside...any thoughts on Covington, Maple Valley areas? I've even thought as far south as Puyallup and hopping on the Sounder train...only 45 mins or so to downtown.

 

A couple of my coworkers live in Maple Valley. They have nothing but good stuff to say about it. If you have kids: the school district is top notch.
I doubt the public transic commute would be easy...

 

i used to live in Lynnwood. i was renting a condo that had 5 minute access to i5 or 405, and about 1/2 mile walk to big bus stop. I now live in lake stevens. I haven't ever looked into buses for commuting for work though. i am in construction and have to carry tools around with me. i also went to school in bothell where my mom still lives and grew up in everett where my dad is at. i know the north end pretty well. northshore school district (bothell area) is supposed to be pretty good. i have 2 younger brothers at bothell high school now. if you want any help more toward the north end, PM me and i can find time to meet up with you if you want. also, in everett, there is a bus/train station that could take you down into seattle pretty easily.

 

Well, we finally made it here a few days ago and loving it! (Minus the chumps smashing up Niketown Seattle etc. yesterday!!!)

We've looked at several rentals on the north and south sides. The Mill Creek area was real nice but we managed to find a more affordable and a little more commute convenient place in the Renton, Cascade-Fairwood area. Looking forward to getting back to some normalcy and then exploring the PNW regions.

 

Cool man are you near Fairwood greens and that cascade shopping center?

 

Yup. Right in that area.

 

hey, welcome to Seattle. I just moved out of that neighborhood! The traffic was driving me nuts...