Welcome to Seattle Louis! Yes, there are so many neighborhoods making up the city, some obviously better than others. I owned a property management business in West Seattle and can help guide you on being a landlord in the city/state. Providing input for you on renting vs buying (investing) at this point doesn't help much as it really depends on your budget and short/long term goals. You've also probably already discovered that inventory remains very lean. Plus Jake's comments above are spot on.
I'm also new to BiggerPockets but I'm a 3rd generation investment property owner in Seattle. There are many pros/cons to consider and I'd be happy to chat about them offline. Feel free to reach out anytime.
@Suzanne - I know people are still big on the appreciation play in Ballard, Queen Anne, etc. but a property like that with a CAP of less than 3.5% doesn't seem very attractive. Especially with rents in Ballard getting a little soft after a crazy 10-year run. My brother and I cashed out of our 5-plex in Ballard last NOV and moved our funds to a property in Boise, ID. It has been a great decision. Reading this Seattle Times article back in June helped reassure us on our plan to 1031. Seattle rental market
