Seattle has buses. (Really, they're throughout King County, and reach into the neighboring counties, too.) 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.
All day long, or at least for about twelve or thirteen hours, Route 68 runs from Northgate to the U District, shuttling people from stores to schools (and undoubtedly more.) Maple Leaf and Ravenna have attractions, too. Right?
↑ Congratulations to the generations of owners and residents who've maintained this 1921 classic. The sellers are asking $779,000 for this 4 bedroom, 2 bath house that has 1,750 square feet. The character distinguishes it, because it still has it. The wooden siding, the trellised front porch, the fireplace, and even the post (not a pole) in the bedroom seem like they're from a quieter and simpler time. Of course, that was the Roaring '20s. So much for quiet. Maybe it's a good place to settle in to as we wait to see how the next '20s work out.
↑ It's zoned commercial, allows residency, has been a vacation rental, and has a sign out front from an island business (but where's the island?). It can, however, return to its original 1925 incarnation which was probably a house. After ninety years and so many variations, it may be hard finding the oldest bits. Now, it is listed as a 5 bedroom, 2 bath property with 2,180 square feet and has an asking price of $680,000. Vacation rentals can be comfortable because people expect them to be relaxing. Enjoy the leftover touches built in for tourists, and maybe pretend you're on a protracted sabbatical.
↑ A 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 970 square foot apartment for $245,000? What's the catch? The catch is that there's a tease. The space isn't available until the current lease runs out in July 2016. In the meantime, it has a convenient location beside Northgate Mall, some reasonably new-looking appliances, and an image of two dogs and a cat watching over the space.
↑ What's so much better about a unit at nearly the same address? It's available. It's also cheaper, at $165,000. That's probably because it only has 1 bedroom, 1 bath, and 744 square feet; though for some, smaller is better. And, in this case, smaller is cheaper and available. Moving in now instead of two seasons from now can be a luxurious experience. The other luxury is being on the ground floor. That may not be quieter, but you might find a bit more space for a container garden.
↑ For some people, 3,550 square feet is enough for one house, or maybe just a wing. In this case you get two, count them, two 2 bedroom, 1 bath units for $899,000. Either this three story becomes a couple of rentals, or a owner-occupied rental, or an opportunity to knock out walls and connect floors - you get to choose. (Regulations and legalities permitting, of course.) It has probably changed dramatically since 1908. That two car garage and those two balconies look a bit more current; that's part of staying up with the times. Considering Seattle's interest in densification, maybe change again and turn it into a quad.
· Route 68 [Metro]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath