My wife and I are seriously investigating the idea of fleeing MD and moving to WA, specifically the Seward Park area of Seattle. This is kind of an open-ended question, but what are people's impressions of that area from a gun-owner's perspective? Good shops and ranges? We are planning on visiting at the end of summer.

(We are specifically looking at Seward Park because of the Jewish community there, as an aside. I only wish I could afford Mercer Island.)

Unfortunately Seward Park is fairly close to Seattle's own ghetto, and has a higher crime rate as a result. Personally I wouldn't live there. I considered living in Leschi once (north of Seward Park). One of the houses we looked at had a concrete wall surrounding it, which made me think twice, and then I noticed someone had gone around and smashed every single exterior light on the wall. Broken windows theory, anyone?

Mercer Island is just across the lake but the difference is pretty profound. There are parts of Mercer that aren't crazy expensive yet. Also, much better access to the freeways from Mercer Island. And a great Jewish deli.

Closest good range is West Coast Armory in Bellevue. No good gun stores anywhere near Seward Park to my knowledge. There is Outdoor Emporium downtown on 4th, then Bellevue is your next best option with three good but expensive gun stores. There are a couple in Renton I think.

I'd consider your commute carefully as well. Seattle traffic can be a cruel mistress.

There is a historically Jewish neighborhood there, however they have been radicalized and liberated, its not what one- especially from the east cost, thinks of as an enclave. It os surrounded on all sides by hostile broke people and is within the political subdivision of Seattle- this taxed at Seattle rate.





If you can afford to buy there, you can buy almost anywhere. It depends on where you work as to where you should live. Downtown Seattle is accessed quick by the western water corridor (Burien to Browns Point) with some awesome houses. Bellevue/Redmond have places local urban and close rural- depending on what you prioritize as important. Gun shops are everywhere, ranges are scattered. Nothing is more than 1/2 hour usually, an hour at most.

Are you and I talking about the same Mercer Island? It looks like the houses there start at $550k-$600k, and while we do fairly well for ourselves, that's a stretch for us. Part of the problem here is that I need to be in easy walking distance of a synagogue, that really cuts down on the options...

You're in for a shock if $550k seems like a lot for a house. Any house you're getting for less than that has "lives next to the ghetto" priced in to it, that's why it's so cheap.

Cousin bought a cheap house in Georgetown - has airplanes taking off right over it all day and a sex offender hotel a half block away. Last time I looked it was $350k and it's only a couple thousand square feet.

Seward Pard is a great area to live. its east of the Ghetto and has a synaguoge there.  I have reletives that have lived in that area for many years with no issues. They even went to Franklin HS. the pain about it is access to the freeways.  its a pain to get to 1-5 or 1-90 at the rush hour.  

Another Jewish area i have seen is in the crossroads area of Bellevue.  its seems to be a more Orthodox area. the guys with the black and white and beards style.  its also an older area of bellevue so the houses are less expensive.  Also close to MS and high tech places.

Mercer Island is Mercer Island.  schools are great,  prices are high. too many Asians  Also, they might toll the bridge so if you are working in Seattle, its gonna cost you to go back and forth

I've lived here for more the 40 years so i know a thing of two about the area.

Yeah, I suppose I should clarify: when I'm talking Seward Park, I mean "the north/east area near the actual Seward Park and the synagogues". I get that the areas out on the west part of it are a little sketchy. I also get that $450-$500k might be the order of the day... that's alright, my problem with MI was that it ramped up like crazy from $500k. Maybe I'm underestimating the salaries in the area for technical guys like me, too. *shrugs*

what do you do? Google pays the best, then Microsoft, then amazon. I hear twitter pays pretty well, too. Shouldn't have any problem starting at over 100k if you have any experience at all.

I already make $100k+. I'm a software project manager (MBA and a PMP)... got some experience doing it on the federal contracting side out here in aerospace, figure that's enough to leverage out there. *shrugs* I used to be a pretty damn good coder, but those days are a bit behind me.

I am also being conservative about what we can afford, since we're planning on sending our kids to private school.

All those area west of Seward Park are slowly getting gentrifed. Columbia City is a good example.  got a vibrant dining scene.  Slowly but surely, area that were populated by minorities will slowly go white.  All the Asians have mostly left for the east side.  Blacks are in Kent and Renton.  Hispanics also.  

Google Kirkland is going through a huge expansion.  Something like 1000 more jobs?

I vote Bellevue/Kirkland/Bothell/Woodinville.  I405 corridor.

There are zero Orthodox synagogues in Bellevue, so far as I can tell. Kind of a shame, looks like a nice place, but that puts it off the table.

Trip from Bellevue to Mercer Island is a couple of miles and Seattle is really quick when traffic is light.  It's only a couple of miles over a bridge.


Do you need to be walking distance?  


ETA:  I know nothing of Orthodox Synagogues, but a quick google search pulls up this wiki link which lists 1 in Bellevue and 1 on Mercer Island.

this is the place in bellevue, kind of wack area to live if you want to walk to it, thought. Right by Crossroads. Very car focused.

With an MBA and a PMP you should have no problem landing.

Yeah, I kinda forgot about the Chabad in Bellevue. Not really my thing (proudly Ashkenazi), but I admit I've prayed in such places before. Walking distance is non-negotiable, alas. I'll add that area to my search criteria.

Thanks for the help guys... I actually do have family in WA, but they're all in Yakima and Spokane.

I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one to catch that.

What the fuck Wash-Ar15?

I missed it entirely

People who say "it's close to a bad neighborhood" in the Seattle area don't understand that everything follows topography.  You will have nice homes on the view side of a ridge then once you cross over to a non-view side you will just as likely have not-so-nice homes.  It's like this with Seward Park: lake view side really nice, valley side pretty crappy.  Columbia City is gentrifying.  Last report I saw was that minorities were tending to head into cheaper suburban areas.  Heck even Mercer Island used to have some pretty crappy houses up on the ridge where there was no view, I haven't been there in years.

There's some sort of Jewish church in Newcastle, which is a pretty small suburban city.  I've always heard it's more like a pissy HOA than a city.

Avoid the public schools and it won't really matter.

I live in Bellevue and belong to Herzl Ner Tamid on Mercer Island.  It's conservative but too liberal for my tastes.  You might find a bargain on the Island it's worth a look if you wand an older smaller house.  While the schools are good the kids are spoiled and have the best cars, drugs and alcohol.  There is a great shul on Mercer Island called Shevet Achim, rabbi Kornfeld is an awesome guy, great d'avar torah's.   His shul is an Orthodox shul with a Chabbad rabbi, it's my favorite shul in the whole area, I'm sure you won't feel out of place there, quite a few members drive there on Shabbat.
The Chabad shuls in Bellevue and Issaquah are great too.  The Chabad in Issaquah is worth checking out, it's new and that might give you some more housing choices.   The area in Issaquah has larger lots and it's hilly so you might be walking a little further.
Since you're shomer shabbat you really need to do some shul shopping before you make the plunge.
The Newcastle congregation is a reformation congregation from what I've heard, beware.
The previous comment about the neighborhoods changing rapidly as you travel away from the lake is spot on, with a few firearms strategically located around the house I wouldn't fear living there.
If you move to Seward Park I have a good FFL there so you can do your transfers with him, contact me at davidgpob17 at gmail dot com and I will hook you up.   The demand for houses in walking distance to shuls is high and that's another factor that drives the prices up.

Thanks for the offer - a good transferring FFL would be one of the first few things I'd look for after moving in. :)

I've heard great stuff about R' Kornfeld and Shevet Achim in MI. If I could afford that neighborhood within walking distance of the shul, I'd be there.

I will keep in mind the advice about being near the lake... I saw some houses I think we could afford in that area...

Georgetown's a great neighborhood. I love it. Watching all the amazing airplanes that go in and out of Boeing Field is a big part of its charm.

Honestly, what they see as a liability, I'd see as a plus. Not everyone loves planes, though

Yeah,  it's a real bummer to have a population that is more entrepreneurial, more educated, more affluent, more law abiding, and more family focused than the rest of the population.  I hate that.

Next time try that in English. Do you know how long its going to take me to google all that?






Now i understand the walking distance.





Not surprised they have big parking lots in Seattle.





 

True, that. Fortunately, I do love them. I even volunteer at the Museum of Flight.

So what the fuck about the too many Asians comment? Do we have to go into the pit for you to explain this statement or are you going to explain yourself?

Granted that it’s been awhile, but I grew up within a few miles of Seward Park in the Mt. Baker area in the late 70s, but I go back home twice a year, so I somewhat know a thing or two about the area still.  To my understanding most of the single family homes within a few block or so of the Seward Park are in the high $800Ks and north ballpark.  Plus, remember that the property taxes in the Seattle area are not a joke and will only get worse!!

Yes, it’s relatively close to Rainier Beach and Rainier Valley areas (Somewhat depressed areas) and in the summertime, thugs and gangster tend to hang out at Seward Park as well, but Seattle PD pretty much have a strong presence in that area to counter them.  Also, the negative thing is that the thieves know that the homes around Seward Park are prime targets verses the ones around Rainier Valley.

BTW, forget about swimming in the lake at this point, unless you would like a nice case of the “swimmer’s rash.”

Don’t get me wrong, but it’s a super nice area and the areas around Seward Park/Lake Washington are now making a come-back, but you can do better… I will be retiring at the end of this year and moving back to the Seattle/Tacoma area in early/mid 2015 and I’m sorry to say that my old neighborhood is not even on the list due to cost and taxes AND future rises in taxes since Seattle is heading towards a full “Commie” system.  As for me, I’m looking in the $400K to $450K range, so I’ll be heading south to get what I want… Yes, there are still plenty of nice properties away from Seattle and close to the water.

As for the ethnic mix of that area, “I” feel that it’s one of the areas strongest points… I’m of mixed races and having friends that were Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Native American or a blend of these groups was a great thing for me to experience.  I’ve lost contact with most of them, but my last conversations with several of my friends from my “teen years” would lead me to believe at most of us did fairly well in life and making well above $100Ks a year and living within the American Dream…  Several of them are now millionaires with the tech companies or have “retired” to enjoy their lives.

After living all over the United States for the last 33 years, you cannot beat Western Washington!!  It’s a great place to live and raise a family.   The area is such a melting pot, one’s race, nationality or religion isn’t an issue at all... As long as you are not an @ss about it or think that you're better than everybody else.

Kumbayabs.com





IDGAF about race, religion, whatever as much as anybody else, there are some places I wont live. MI has 15% Asian, Im great with that. Rainier Valley is 100% ghetto and my Black ass aint living there-or right next to it.





I dont want to live around thug life, barrio life, trailer life or any of that bullshit.





Call me Gov Wallace, segregation now segregation forever...