Seattle has buses. And ferries! Use them In which case you might as well find a place to live along a line. One line at a time. Here's the next one, selected at random for the fun of it.
A line that leads from an island to downtown, how many cities have transit routes that give you that option. Meet Metro's Route 118 that runs along the spine of Vashon Island and ends in downtown Seattle.
↑Got $2.3 million and want to take the bus to work? There are such people in the Pacific Northwest, and that's a good thing. What's more luxurious than living on an island and not having to drive to get downtown? Of course it is also luxurious to have two acres of waterfront with a view of Mt. Rainier, a special place for your piano, a sauna, and lots of rooms oriented towards the water and the views. You also have your choice of ways to get wet: swimming in the Sound, swimming in your pool, or sitting in your hot tub. It is a large house, but then you'll probably need 7,340 square feet, 6 bedrooms, and 5 baths to accommodate all your guests; especially, for those times they miss the late boat.
↑ For about half that price you get about half as much house in some ways, but more in others. The square footage is 3,090, with 3 bedrooms and baths; which sounds smaller than the first house, but this one has a second building, 5 acres of view property that doesn't have to worry about beach erosion. That $895,000 still gets you a jetted tub and a hot tub, and a house that fits into native landscaping and wrapped with its own trail system.
↑ For just about half of that price, you get a place that sounds similar. They're asking $545,000 for which you get 3,200 square feet of house, 4 bedrooms and 2 baths - so the room count is the same. There's the main living area, and an in-law section; 5 acres of pasture, woodlands, and herbs; and Northwest contemporary styling. The floor plan encourages entertaining, and the peaceful setting encourages relaxing. A nice combination.
↑ If that last house left you feeling too removed from the Sound, for about the same price you can be on the water. You still get a lot of land, 1.3 acres, and at least 100 feet of waterfront. The house is smaller, at only 1,008 square feet, with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths; but that setting can be worth $549,000. If you want to do more with the water than watch, swim, and fish, you can also use the shared boat launch. Maybe that's the backup plan for when the ferry has an interruption.
↑ Drop the price by half again, and you can buy the ultimate ferry commuter's luxury: being able to wait in line by sitting inside, at home, and strolling up to the terminal just as it comes in to dock. Of course, that may be different if you're taking the bus. The lot is smaller than some houses, at only 3,659 square feet; so the house is also small, at 820 square feet. But, 2 bedrooms and 1 bath may be all you need. That $249,975 buys a lot from a commuter's perspective. The views are still there, and so is beach access. What more could you do by not spending a few hundred thousand extra dollars?
See anything you like?
· Route 118 [Metro]
· Vashon Ferry [WSF]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath