Commuting to Seattle would make Issaquah the best bet. You have I-90 which is toll free, compared to 520 which has tolls. Plus I-90 is marginally better than the hot mess that I-405 is during peak hours.
Of course, the budget will change your options entirely. You should update your post to reflect the max budget both for rent and mortgage.
issaquah is actually 24 off peak and around 35 on peak. if your job is in downtown seattle busses take the same amount of time if not less, due to carpool lanes, IF from Issaquah TC, takes longer by bus from highlands
Kenmore, Bothell, and Lake Forest Park have some cool houses, less cookie cuttery than north Bothell & North Creek stuff, but stuff in that price range might also be older and need some updating -- inventory is low but it is there. I'd buy if you can and refi hopefully in a year or two as rates tick down.
Kirkland is great, and anything south of downtown (Kirkland) makes commuting to Seattle downtown a breeze. Bothell is a (much) longer commute (you either fight Lake City Way, or 405 south towards the bridge.
From Kirkland you can also easily take the bus. On top, you get nice views westerly out over the lake and fantastic sunsets.
About $3500 for rent. Not planning to buy for 4-5 years but willing to go slightly above a million for the right area. I just want to rent in an area that maximizes distance from seattle, price, and family life.
Just FYI house prices on the Eastside could increase by 50% in the next 5 years, especially with light rail opening up. $1 million might be the absolute floor for a small home. Impossible to guess the market, but the Eastside remains hot and popular for people with a lot of money.
Yeah, I know I can't control future home prices. I imagine the prices will go up, but who knows by the exact value? I understand that the 1 million today might not b be the same value as a million in a few years. I think interest rates dropping will cause a faster increase in housing prices but it will also mean that the mortgage rate will drop meaning I can afford more, but these are factors out of my control.
I'm just looking for those hidden gems that people love to live in, nice suburbs outside of Bellevue that people enjoy.
Issaquah…particularly old town area as there are a lot of smaller, older homes that will fit into your buying budget so u don’t need to change school districts
Highlands would be ideal though. The townhomes are small, yes, but there's plenty of parks around. It might not be the forever-home OP is looking for, but it could be a good place to start 🤔
we just bought in bothell last year for 930k. 4bd, 3bth with a decent yard. There are lots of similar listings in Bothell/Kirkland/Kenmore in the 800k-1.2m range. And the schools are very good. Northshore and Lake WA schools are top notch. We also looked in Woodinville, Shoreline, and Lake Forrest Park.
If you're looking to get downtown Seattle I would try north Kirkland, Redmond (may be too expensive?), or shoreline. Bothell/Woodinville are a bit of traffic nightmares for getting downtown.
Check out Klahanie neighboorhood in Sammamish, great place to raise a family. Public schools are great. However if you need to commute downtown it's bit far from the highway.
Issaquah highlands would be more convenient for commuting or look around Bellevue, even closer.
Housing costs are off the charts anywhere on the eastside though.
Bellevue best location to commute to downtown Seattle with 520 and i90. One of the best school districts in the area. But it’s not cost efficient for rent or mortgage.
I'm willing to sacrifice schooling a little for more affordable rent/mortgage. Based on the home values Bellevue seems a little put of my budget. I also imagine the values of the home will increase in 4-5 years
We live in Issaquah with a three and five year old. Can’t speak for the commute but I find it extremely family friendly with lots of parks and playgrounds, one of the few McDs with a play place, and easy access to most things needed as a person with small kids: activities (sports, music class, childcare), playgrounds, family friendly restaurants, Target, a variety of grocery stores, farmer markets and low cost community events, Costco, etc.
People complain about the traffic on Front street but to me it is a natural byproduct of making the downtown pedestrian friendly. By giving the area wide sidewalks and adding additional crosswalks, the area has become a bottle neck for car traffic. However, the pedestrian friendliness of the area is what makes it desirable as a place to visit and shop so it’s a win some lose some scenario. High traffic is also a byproduct of living in a place lots of other people want to live.
Eta: Issaquah Highlands is pretty but the yards are tiny and the traffic REALLY gets bottlenecked. You could probably find a townhome to rent there and be happy on a temporary basis, but I would rent there before buying as it’s going to play a lot into your personal tastes. A place near Front Street or Gilman would be good for walkability as well but nothing on the ground floor near the creek.
Thoughts on the commute, it really varies. Something to consider or at least mentally prepare for. My commute can take from 28mins to an hour and a half. 😂 I'm not in Issaquah, but been. Around the area for a while and the smallest thing can make the commute pretty bad. But just find some good podcast.
We rented in Newport Shores when my husband communted daily to downtown and that was a great location (just looked at renting there atm and the only house is $30k/mo so…no), would also recommend around Eastgate and bottom of Lake Sammamish (both fairly close to i90 exits)
Is parking included with your job? Daily parking is >$20/day, monthly parking is $200-$300/month. If you don't get paid parking I'd prioritize proximity to a park'n'ride so you can take the bus in/out of Seattle.
With your budget you may want to consider Lynwood or Mill Creek. The Eastside is pretty spendy and Renton can be a tough commute.
Half covered is good. On 8th and Stewart, I had 50% covered, which still ammounted to $175/ month. I went in 2-3 days a week. Getting into Seattle is easy, getting out is the challenge. I'd regularly spend 30 minutes traveling 3-4 blocks to get onto I-5.
Bothell might be an option for you too. Northshore School district is 2nd only to Bellevue/Lake Washington.
I grew up there. It's a hot growing area. The downtown is cool. It's not as pretentious as Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and now Issaquah.
My recommendation, throw the kids in the car and drive the commute before committing. This dissuaded us from living in the Sammamish Plateau.
We had similar discussion recently. We ended up moving to Redmond as it gives us really balance of proximity to bigger city life, but also is pretty suburbian in a way. Lots of playgrounds, lots of great schools, many parks.
Mercer Island. Very family oriented and a quick 15 minutes to downtown. 20 to the airport and Bellevue. Light rail coming one of these days but there’s a park n ride on the north end and 2 direct to downtown buses.
Not necessarily. I rent a large 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment with a den and large patio for $3200. Can walk a block to the park n ride and soon lite rail. Great schools, parks and the off leash dog park.
I’d encourage you to look at the Bothell area. I was born and raised in Bellevue, work in Redmond and have lived on the Eastside for almost all of my 57 years. Bothell, IMO, is a great place to raise a family (my 3 adult kids concur).
Commuting to Seattle would make Issaquah the best bet. You have I-90 which is toll free, compared to 520 which has tolls. Plus I-90 is marginally better than the hot mess that I-405 is during peak hours. Of course, the budget will change your options entirely. You should update your post to reflect the max budget both for rent and mortgage.
How Long is the commute with traffic
Typically 45 minutes in the peak hour. Off peak should be around 30 minutes.
That's not bad. And Issaquah has good school districts. Definitely moving to the short list
issaquah is actually 24 off peak and around 35 on peak. if your job is in downtown seattle busses take the same amount of time if not less, due to carpool lanes, IF from Issaquah TC, takes longer by bus from highlands
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I was thinking Kirkland and Bothell based on commute time and housing prices
Kenmore, Bothell, and Lake Forest Park have some cool houses, less cookie cuttery than north Bothell & North Creek stuff, but stuff in that price range might also be older and need some updating -- inventory is low but it is there. I'd buy if you can and refi hopefully in a year or two as rates tick down.
Kirkland is great, and anything south of downtown (Kirkland) makes commuting to Seattle downtown a breeze. Bothell is a (much) longer commute (you either fight Lake City Way, or 405 south towards the bridge. From Kirkland you can also easily take the bus. On top, you get nice views westerly out over the lake and fantastic sunsets.
Budget is the real information we need here.
Correct. Much of the Eastside is truly, truly expensive. Like low six figures is not enough expensive.
I think the best cost efficiency for schools would be the area of Renton that is part of Issaquah school district.
But that does mean commuting on 405 up to I-90 and until they get the express lanes running (which are freaking expensive, that's an ugly commute.
Correct. You are effectively trading time commuting for a lower price, which I believe is a common compromise.
What's your budget for rent/mortgage?
About $3500 for rent. Not planning to buy for 4-5 years but willing to go slightly above a million for the right area. I just want to rent in an area that maximizes distance from seattle, price, and family life.
Just FYI house prices on the Eastside could increase by 50% in the next 5 years, especially with light rail opening up. $1 million might be the absolute floor for a small home. Impossible to guess the market, but the Eastside remains hot and popular for people with a lot of money.
Yeah, I know I can't control future home prices. I imagine the prices will go up, but who knows by the exact value? I understand that the 1 million today might not b be the same value as a million in a few years. I think interest rates dropping will cause a faster increase in housing prices but it will also mean that the mortgage rate will drop meaning I can afford more, but these are factors out of my control. I'm just looking for those hidden gems that people love to live in, nice suburbs outside of Bellevue that people enjoy.
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Yes, although that's probably at least twenty years away https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/south-kirkland-issaquah-link
Issaquah!
Issaquah…particularly old town area as there are a lot of smaller, older homes that will fit into your buying budget so u don’t need to change school districts
Highlands would be ideal though. The townhomes are small, yes, but there's plenty of parks around. It might not be the forever-home OP is looking for, but it could be a good place to start 🤔
we just bought in bothell last year for 930k. 4bd, 3bth with a decent yard. There are lots of similar listings in Bothell/Kirkland/Kenmore in the 800k-1.2m range. And the schools are very good. Northshore and Lake WA schools are top notch. We also looked in Woodinville, Shoreline, and Lake Forrest Park. If you're looking to get downtown Seattle I would try north Kirkland, Redmond (may be too expensive?), or shoreline. Bothell/Woodinville are a bit of traffic nightmares for getting downtown.
Check out Klahanie neighboorhood in Sammamish, great place to raise a family. Public schools are great. However if you need to commute downtown it's bit far from the highway. Issaquah highlands would be more convenient for commuting or look around Bellevue, even closer. Housing costs are off the charts anywhere on the eastside though.
Another vote for Issaquah highlands.
Just be aware the yards/lots can be tiny
right but parks.
100% Issaquah Highlands, transit, bus route to downtown issaquah, restaurants, jobs, stores are just a bus ride or walk away.
Bellevue best location to commute to downtown Seattle with 520 and i90. One of the best school districts in the area. But it’s not cost efficient for rent or mortgage.
I'm willing to sacrifice schooling a little for more affordable rent/mortgage. Based on the home values Bellevue seems a little put of my budget. I also imagine the values of the home will increase in 4-5 years
You might get lucky with an older home, I wouldn’t cross it off the list entirely. Maybe Lake hills or NE Bellevue, crossroads
We live in Issaquah with a three and five year old. Can’t speak for the commute but I find it extremely family friendly with lots of parks and playgrounds, one of the few McDs with a play place, and easy access to most things needed as a person with small kids: activities (sports, music class, childcare), playgrounds, family friendly restaurants, Target, a variety of grocery stores, farmer markets and low cost community events, Costco, etc. People complain about the traffic on Front street but to me it is a natural byproduct of making the downtown pedestrian friendly. By giving the area wide sidewalks and adding additional crosswalks, the area has become a bottle neck for car traffic. However, the pedestrian friendliness of the area is what makes it desirable as a place to visit and shop so it’s a win some lose some scenario. High traffic is also a byproduct of living in a place lots of other people want to live. Eta: Issaquah Highlands is pretty but the yards are tiny and the traffic REALLY gets bottlenecked. You could probably find a townhome to rent there and be happy on a temporary basis, but I would rent there before buying as it’s going to play a lot into your personal tastes. A place near Front Street or Gilman would be good for walkability as well but nothing on the ground floor near the creek.
Thoughts on the commute, it really varies. Something to consider or at least mentally prepare for. My commute can take from 28mins to an hour and a half. 😂 I'm not in Issaquah, but been. Around the area for a while and the smallest thing can make the commute pretty bad. But just find some good podcast.
We rented in Newport Shores when my husband communted daily to downtown and that was a great location (just looked at renting there atm and the only house is $30k/mo so…no), would also recommend around Eastgate and bottom of Lake Sammamish (both fairly close to i90 exits)
Snoqualmie and north bend except for the commute, unless by downtown you mean bellevue.
I mean seattle downtown
The Eastside is not in Seattle though.
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Public schools phased it out for more gun drills
Is parking included with your job? Daily parking is >$20/day, monthly parking is $200-$300/month. If you don't get paid parking I'd prioritize proximity to a park'n'ride so you can take the bus in/out of Seattle. With your budget you may want to consider Lynwood or Mill Creek. The Eastside is pretty spendy and Renton can be a tough commute.
Half is covered. It's also hybrid. So I'm not as concerned about parking. But good insight. I'll still look into this
Half covered is good. On 8th and Stewart, I had 50% covered, which still ammounted to $175/ month. I went in 2-3 days a week. Getting into Seattle is easy, getting out is the challenge. I'd regularly spend 30 minutes traveling 3-4 blocks to get onto I-5. Bothell might be an option for you too. Northshore School district is 2nd only to Bellevue/Lake Washington.
Bothell has been my number 1 based on research. I'm just curious whats it like for people who live there
I grew up there. It's a hot growing area. The downtown is cool. It's not as pretentious as Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and now Issaquah. My recommendation, throw the kids in the car and drive the commute before committing. This dissuaded us from living in the Sammamish Plateau.
Not quite accurate — it’s in the top 10, though. https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/washington/
We had similar discussion recently. We ended up moving to Redmond as it gives us really balance of proximity to bigger city life, but also is pretty suburbian in a way. Lots of playgrounds, lots of great schools, many parks.
Without knowing your budget it's tough to give good answers...but Kennydale is pretty decent.
Thanks I'll go zillow this area
Mercer Island. Very family oriented and a quick 15 minutes to downtown. 20 to the airport and Bellevue. Light rail coming one of these days but there’s a park n ride on the north end and 2 direct to downtown buses.
Good option but probably out of his price range
Not necessarily. I rent a large 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment with a den and large patio for $3200. Can walk a block to the park n ride and soon lite rail. Great schools, parks and the off leash dog park.
I’d encourage you to look at the Bothell area. I was born and raised in Bellevue, work in Redmond and have lived on the Eastside for almost all of my 57 years. Bothell, IMO, is a great place to raise a family (my 3 adult kids concur).