Locals: Help us find a new place to live!

[textualdeviance]

So, as I've mentioned, one of the key reasons we're moving is to get somewhere closer to real civilization again. We're way too far up in the North Boonies right now. It's not that Mill Creek is a bad neighborhood or anything, it's just way the hell out of the way for just about everyone we know, which is seriously of the suck.

Seattle proper isn't an option for us for reasons of commute, newer construction and pricing. Bellevue and Redmond are out of the question on pricing, too. Mercer Island, of course, would be ideal, but as I have yet to strike it big as a webcam whore, that's out of the question.

For the most part, the further out we go, the cheaper things are, but the more likely it is we're just trading one set of boonies for another. Question is: Where is that line?

This is where you come in!

I've narrowed our possible choices down to the following areas. For the first poll, check as many as you think are reasonably close. For the second, check as many as you think are too far away. As in, if you were contemplating a visit, you might think, "Ugh. I don't want to go all the way out THERE."

I can't guarantee that we'll necessarily end up in the place that gets the most positive votes, but it'll certainly help us narrow down our search radius.

[Poll #1398762]

Comments

[caraeileen.livejournal.com]

I marked no for Bothell areas and north, also Kenmore and LFP. Essentially because the commute is going to be yucky. I realize it will be marginally better than your current commute from Mill Creek, though. Woodinville is a little iffy in my mind because traffic there is hideous during rush hour. Even on the back roads, which I know quite well. (I grew up near Cottage Lake). What about the older parts of Redmond? (near the Redmond-end of Avondale Rd. and up near Redmond H.S. or even in Overlake? Are those houses insanely pricey?) I think you have lots more options for back road and alternate road travel in the Renton/Issaquah/Newcastle area. No matter what you decide, people are going to have to travel from Seattle to come visit you. Might as well make it somewhere that you absolutely adore. :)

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

Hmm, interesting. The apartment we're renting right now is in Canyon Park (just off 195th) and we're amazed at how quick M's commute is compared to what it used to be when we were in Mill Creek. It's honestly 20 minutes shorter. I didn't realize exactly how far out we really were until we started working from a farther-south base.

I imagine that trying to head either direction on 522 would probably suck, though in looking at Kenmore (the part north of 522), it's likely that M would pretty much bypass that and go through the Kirkland backroads to pick up his carpool mate. He wouldn't get on the freeway until 128th.

It's probably wisest to try to be south of 522 in any case, because that whole 405 bottleneck just gets ugly during rush hour. But if we're relatively close to it, we can probably find back ways to skip past that interchange and get on at 160th or something.

I've also been considering what things might be like when they're finally finished widening/improving 522 proper through Kenmore. It's a mess right now, but I think an extra lane might help things a lot.

[waterfaery.livejournal.com]

Can I come with you to look at houses in my neighborhood this week?

Commute is 45 min during rush, 30 min in HOV lanes or outside main rush, 22 minutes outside commute hours. Ok, it can be over an hour when there's some kind of disaster, but wherever you live that'll come up.

Plus I'd join his carpool if he was up for that.

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

We're holding off on the real house-hunting for the immediate moment (got too much in love with a few places early on, so we're trying to rein the horses in now!) We're just kind of looking at Redfin and seeing what prices are here and there. We'll probably start officially looking once we get this place on the market, which should be in a few weeks.

And yes, having an additional carpooler would be awesome!

[waterfaery.livejournal.com]

There is this house for sale that I pass every day, and every day I think "that's Shawna & Mike's house". It's had a for-sale sign up for weeks tho oddly it's not on Zillow. 8724 NE 134th St Kirkland WA 98034. You can't see any good pics of it online anywhere because it's unimpressive from the roof but it's totally the most adorable (LARGE) hobbit house I've ever seen. To be honest, I want it myself, but H won't give up the lake view... ;-)

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

Interesting! I don't see it on any of the listing sites, but yes, it does look interesting from the outside--or street view, at least. If you get a chance, can you see the agent/agency name on it?

[havdrake.livejournal.com]

Hmm, okay, well I am looking at this completely selfishly. From the perspective of someone who lives on the west side, east is hard, no matter how you look at it. You either have to climb your way north and then come down 405 or go south til you come up 405 (depending on where you are off of 405. 520 is such a pain, I would mostly prefer to drive around than deal with it. 90 is generally less of a problem (at least until they start the tolling)so my first choice of the options listed would be renton, then second anything along 90.

Then again, I would probably drive anywhere (even if I was whining about it) so that I could see you.. cuz you know... I need to see you sometimes!

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

Then again, I would probably drive anywhere (even if I was whining about it) so that I could see you.. cuz you know... I need to see you sometimes!

Oh, cool! I guess that means we can move to Hawaii! Although, the drive might get a little damp... ;P

<3

Also, we're hoping to get a place that has a nice little guest suite, which will always be yours if you ever need it. :)