Tell me about Seattle neighborhoods

[Jon Holdman]

Looks like a move to Seattle is in the works for me.  I'd like to hear about neighborhoods.  I'll be working in South Lake Union.  A relatively short commute would be nice.   Say 15 minutes driving, maybe 30 by transit, which I'm willing to do.  We've done a little driving around and looked at Queen Anne, Magnolia, Shoreline, Fremont, Wallingford, Capitol Hill and up to Shoreline.  We liked the walkability of Wallingford.  Some of the views and the larger lots in Magnolia were nice, but I understand Magnolia Bridge is not long for this world.  This would be for a primary residence.  Budget is somewhat up in the air, perhaps up to about $1.2M.

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Originally posted by @Jon Holdman:

Looks like a move to Seattle is in the works for me.  I'd like to hear about neighborhoods.  I'll be working in South Lake Union.  A relatively short commute would be nice.   Say 15 minutes driving, maybe 30 by transit, which I'm willing to do.  We've done a little driving around and looked at Queen Anne, Magnolia, Shoreline, Fremont, Wallingford, Capitol Hill and up to Shoreline.  We liked the walkability of Wallingford.  Some of the views and the larger lots in Magnolia were nice, but I understand Magnolia Bridge is not long for this world.  This would be for a primary residence.  Budget is somewhat up in the air, perhaps up to about $1.2M.

 Seattle neighborhoods have their own personalities. Magnolia tends to be lawyers, doctors and businessmen. It has the best views in the city of Mt. Rainier, City Lights, the Olympics and Elliot Bay. It's quiet, safe and well kept. ( I flipped a place there). With all of the "high rollers" and influential legal types in Magnolia, they will find a way to get the Bridge replaced. Magnolia leans left politically. Easy bus ride to So. Lk Union. Queen Anne has a split personality. Upper Queen Anne is families and quite a bit like Magnolia. However, it is a steep walk to So. Lk Union or an easy bus ride. Easy access tho' to just about everything in the city. Lower Queen Anne is more artsy, new wave types. Fremont is where the solstice naked bikers ride, a statue of Lenin stands, (and yes, Lenin would have slaughtered everyone in Fremont for thinking differently than he, so go figure why they would honor such a villain), and it's where the troll (sculpture) lives under the bridge. Fremont leans, left, left, left. No tolerance for anything other than "Fremonters". Fighting traffic from Fremont to get to So. Lk. Union in the rain is a terrible experience.  'Nough said about Fremont. Wallingford is more of a "live & let live" type of place. Even if you don't lean left but you aren't centerist, you'll get along well. Easy access to the zoo and green lake. But, you will find yourself going through Fremont on rainy days to get to So. Lk Union. Capital Hill doesn't sleep, home of ANTIFA and has the same patronage/problems homelessness as the Tenderloin District in San Francisco. It's mostly apartments anyway. It'd be hard to find a nice house. 

Keep in mind that property taxes will be about $12,000 a year on a $1.2MM house and the state will hit you with an excise tax of 1.8% or about $22,000 when you sell a $1.2MM house. 

The city just passed an $800 million dollar bond for the stadium that you will help pay for even if you don't use the stadium. They are tearing down the Viaduct and you will have difficult access trying to get out of town. 

Other than that, the salmon and crab are delicious.