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  8 3 I worked in downtown Bellevue for a while whiling living in the U-district (just after college). The commute (a mix of streets, 520, and I-5 depending on the day) was so bad I did the stupidest thing I've done in the last ~13 years: moved to the east side. After living in cool parts of Seattle (Belltown->Cap Hill->U District) I did not adjust well to the east side. The people over there are antisocial, rude, and boring. There are some nice people (usually breeders) and there are some nice areas (Kirkland and... Issaquah are my picks if a gun was to my head), none of it compares to Seattle in any way. But, thanks to Kemper Freeman's car utopia, my commute went from 45-60 minutes to about 10 minutes. I ended up back on Capitol Hill and am staying here for a long time. You kind of have to decide if you can deal with the east side or not. I can't, so I live in Seattle and deal with driving there (not to downtown anymore though, better location for driving, worse for busing). So, if you decide you're driving, from a practical standpoint, you have to think about how you're getting to work. It's time to spend some quality time with Google Maps. I realized the reason my commute sucked so badly is because I had to deal with 2 choke points on the way to work: one bridge over the canal, and one bridge over Lake Washington. It didn't matter how I did the middle steps, getting through choke points is the only thing that matters. Capitol Hill/First Hill/Beacon Hill are all good options because you can sneak onto I-90 via Rainier Ave and be going against rush-hour (which, generally, is into Seattle in the morning and out at night). Timing is also really important. I am fortunate to have super flexible hours and can show up as late as 10:30 (or as early as 6:30 but I am not the getting up early type). I work 10-ish to 6-ish and rarely see any traffic on I-90 during the morning, but at night there is a 20-30% chance that it will suck for about 10 minutes. I have no idea how Mercer Island manages to slow down all of I-90. Maybe it's like Lost and opens up a rift in time. Anyway, it all boils down to a simple choice: boring city/suburbs and short commute, or cool city and somewhat bad commute. Not everyone finds the east side as boring as I do, but the people who own all of the buildings on the east side (aka the Bellevue City Council) are so scared of Seattle they oppose light rail between the two cities at every opportunity because they are afraid people will flee the east side for a cool city and all the homeless people from Seattle will flood their extremely expensive strip mall and its nice bathrooms. protosaurus answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  3 1 Are you working for Microsoft? If so, you want to live on Capitol Hill. Get in touch with your HR person, and ask them for the route of the Microsoft Connector which runs from Cap Hill into Bellevue, and then make sure you get an apartment within walking distance of one of the stops. I say this because the Connector only has one route running from Seattle to Bellevue right now, so living anywhere other than where that Connector runs is going to annoy the shit out of you. Even if you're not working for Microsoft, you DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE ACROSS THE LAKE EVERY MORNING. We're getting a tolling system that will be implemented in the next month or so -- tolls will be around $3.50 EACH WAY. I live in Seattle and my commute across the bridge is going from $3/day in gas to $10 a day. Insane. So, in other words, plan to take the bus. You can research various routes, etc., by plugging in info here: http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl?resptype=U Also, you don't want to live in Bellevue. It's weird, it has no nightlife (beyond expensive restaurants frequented by cougars and their husbands), and is not very pedestrian friendly. Say no to Bellevue. MyrnaMinkoff answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report 1 comment by siggg… 0 0 Yes I am working for Microsoft. Thanks for the tip about Microsoft Connector, I will definitely be picking a place near a stop! siggg commented 12 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  2 0 Capitol Hill's not a bad idea; you can be tied to I-90 instead of 520, and thus avoid the toll. Generally I'd stay east of I-5. disintegrator answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report 1 comment by protosaurus… 1 0 I'm a little worried the toll is going to just destroy I-90 because everyone will switch to the free one. I would have preferred they toll both of them as opposed to just one. protosaurus commented 12 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 Potential additional angle to what others have said: I recently met a youngish guy who relocated from SoCal to Bellevue (Microsoft), and his opinion was that Seattle was gross and dirty and he didn't feel he ever needed to leave Bellevue. I didn't agree--he also thought our women were unattractive and he obviously had some L.A.-type expectations of, well, everything--but I figure at least a few other people probably share his attitude. If you want a fairly generic type of city, with upscale malls and young bankers drinking at Rock Bottom Brewery on a Friday night, you will find that in Bellevue and it's not the worst thing in the world. Bellevue also has some interesting immigration patterns (often because of Microsoft) so you can find good South- and East Asian markets and restaurants, which in my experience Seattlites tend to forget because they automatically discount the East Side. On the other hand, if I were a young college grad (and assuming you don't hate commuting), I personally would opt for Seattle, which is colorful and fun and hipster-y and introverted and musical and just generally interesting (a friend visiting from Ohio thought a random girl walking by in a short skirt and striped tights was a hooker), and if you want the full Seattle experience I'd go with Capitol Hill or some such. Good luck! pickled ginger answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report 2 comments by Black Beetles in Amber and siggg… 0 0 "his opinion was that Seattle was gross and dirty and he didn't feel he ever needed to leave Bellevue" Haaaaaahahhha. He also didn't feel like he ever needed to do anything, ever, apparently. Seattle is extremely clean, aside from Pioneer Square and the ID. Black Beetles in Amber commented 12 months ago | Report 0 0 Hmm, I am from Miami but I went to college in Texas. I took the job in Seattle cause I heard the city was interesting like Austin or SF, so I'm def looking for the real Seattle experience! siggg commented 12 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 Everyone's covered the basics already. I'd just add that if you do end up living in Bellevue, please register to vote right away, so you can immediately help to counteract the skullduggery and douchebaggery afoot: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2015167978_the_cost_of_dithering_bellevue.html Good luck and welcome aboard! capicola answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 My family lives in Eastlake, more or less between Capitol Hill and the UDistrict, and my husband commutes to work at MSFT each day by bus. It's about a 20 minute walk to the 545, or he can catch the 25 and then the 545. Eastlake tends to be a little quieter than Capitol Hill or the UDistrict (less nightlife, more families) but a number of restaurants have opened here in the last few years and it tends be cheaper than Capitol Hill. I mention Eastlake because my husband likes the flexibility that taking the 545 allows - the Commuter only runs a few times a day in each direction, and you have to schedule your spot on it in advance. Emily Steed answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report 2 comments by Black Beetles in Amber and schala… 0 0 "I mention Eastlake because my husband likes the flexibility that taking the 545 allows" Of course, you can also take the 545 directly to OTC, from the ID/Chinatown, downtown Seattle, and Cap Hill. Black Beetles in Amber commented 11 months ago | Report 0 0 In fact, the 545 makes a special stop on Capitol Hill, because of the crazy number of MSFT commuters. schala commented 11 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  2 2 My suggestion would be to check out the U district in addition to Cap Hill, especially if you're up for taking the bus. It's a great central location for many bus routes - the 271 goes from the U district to downtown Bellevue in about half an hour, and there are plenty of buses which will get you to Cap Hill, Pioneer Square, Seattle Center, etc. with few to no transfers. The U district also has some pretty excellent bars of its own and a wide variety of restaurants within walking distance. If you're more interested in driving to work, and you're on a standard work schedule, living in Seattle is going to mean horrible traffic. There are some good options on the east side, although it sounds like protosaurus didn't have any luck with them. Eastside nightlife certainly isn't as dense as that in Seattle, but it's not all snobby suburbanites. I like the Three Lions and Celtic Swell pubs in Redmond; they have a more laid-back atmosphere than most of the places in downtown Bellevue. Teleute answered in Renting 12 months ago | Report 1 comment by jaron… 0 0 As of 8/11, what is the closest Microsoft Connector stop for First Hill--specifically, Terry Ave.? Thanks! jaron commented 9 months ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 I have some great ideas. I would be happy to help you if you needed it still. You can email me your answers and I can email you back with better suggestions. How many bedrooms do you want/need? Do you want private parking or street parking? Are you renting or buying and what is your monthly range for rent? what is your lifestyle? active, adventurous or couch surfer? my email is Shilo.Conn@century21.com As far f the other areas have been mentioned already. Nightlife comes with a cost so if you want to save money you can life close to nightlife and on buslines or walk or expect it to be a little more expensive. But there are definitely other areas to consider. Not looking for business, just want to help. I love moving and have lived across the country and several places in the city. As nightlife goes, have you considered Fremont? Many areas have been mentioned but there is still much to consider! Shilo D. Conn answered in Renting 11 months ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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