Seattle has buses. 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.
What would the miners think? Black Diamond was named for the coal pulled out of southeastern King County. Their commute was a lot shorter, and they probably couldn't imagine their neighborhood sprouting expensive commuter homes. Now, Route 143 picks up folks all along Maple Valley Highway, passing Kent-Kangley, and going through Renton on the way to downtown. An hour away from the city, and still in the county.
↑ Buy a backyard park; not one of those parks that are nothing but green, but a park with hoops, swings, firepits, decks, and professional lights. Don't forget the hot tub. When you own 0.91 acres, there's lots of room for toys. Plunk down $699,950 and buy a 3 bedroom, 3 bath house in Black Diamond, and own a fenced off world. Inside is equally refined, with wainscoting, French doors, butler's doors, and a (relatively) grand staircase. With 3,120 square feet inside, the rooms are large, and even provide enough space for a home gym - handy in case you didn't have time because of your commute.
↑ Is rustic modern even a term? Maybe steampunk is sneaking in. This new 2,859 square foot house is modern, because it was finished in 2015, but has elements that are purposely rough, or at least unrefined. An accent wall, a ceiling treatment, a fireplace fixture, and the some of the kitchen furnishings are darker, richer, and definitely not chrome. It is still a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath house for $459,950, and it comes with 1.6 acres; but it isn't like every other house. Some designer architect decided to try a new style, and hope someone would buy in. Let the experiment begin!
↑ Build it right and even a 1,680 square foot house can have lots of storage. Only include 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, and end up with bigger rooms than you might expect for $335,950. Sometimes the greatest luxury is a job done well. Touches like the front porch, planter kitchen window, and the level and therefore useful lot can be worth more than touted luxuries in daily living. The house is nine years old, so it is probably up-to-date enough. And the homeowners dues are $22. That's probably the cost per day in some neighborhoods. Deal.
↑ It looks new, but it's 3 years old. What do you expect from a three year old? In a house, it means the appliances still shine, the floors and walls aren't too scuffed, and the landscaping is just settling in. This is a new home in what looks to be a new neighborhood; a 4,791 square foot containing a 2,310 square foot house with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, and neighbors very near by. It may not be as spacious as the Black Diamond homes, but at $389,950 the price is still appealing compared to some condos in downtown Seattle. But hey, maybe you work in the area and won't need route 143. At least it looks like there's construction work nearby.
↑ Let's upgrade this style to Modern Craftsman instead of simply Craftsman, because the original craftsmans were probably a lot smaller than 3,040 square feet, and didn't have 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Spend $415,000 and get the house and the 7,884 square foot lot, and a good chance at low maintenance. The house is only 10 years old, and the hardscaping is extensive enough to hold back the hill, provide a landing spot for parties, hold a hot tub, and generally eliminate a fair amount of mowing. More free time can be valuable. That's one way to buy it.
· Route 143 [Metro]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath