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.
From Arbor Heights, past Westwood Village, through Gatewood and up to Alaska Junction, There's enough traffic to warrant Route 22 - a ride that stays west of I-5 without touching downtown (unless you transfer). Sometimes you just need a way to and from West Seattle.
↑ Just for a sense of numerical style, maybe they'll get an offer for an extra 77 cents. The asking price has such a nice rhythm to it, $1,999,888, that maybe it should continue to $1,999,888.77. The main story, of course, will be the house that includes 5 bedrooms and 4.1 baths distributed as part of 6,530 square feet. Despite its size, it doesn't take up much room because it is a 3 story, though it looks like 5. Is the story really how many stories it has? There's a lot of lot, too: 1.75 acres. Inside is beautiful craft work with high wood ceilings, extensive tile floors, iron railings and steel strapped beams. Outside is the view that probably inspired all that effort, because Puget Sound and the Olympics are spread out as a marvelous piece of art. Enjoy that from 9 patios and decks, which means watching a sunset from a different space every day takes more than a week (assuming the weather cooperates).
↑ Some homes make sure they create warmth, in this case, through a gas fireplace, a dry sauna, and a stone firepit big enough for 12 people to sit around. Back in 1968, someone built a Pacific Northwest Contemporary house with 3 bedrooms, 2.75 baths, and 3,130 square feet. Now, it is on the market for a nice, round $1,200,000. The views haven't changed, though the demand for them has increased. The lot size is larger than most at 0.26 acres. Inside there's lots of room, with twelve foot ceilings and big windows, because, why not? The Vashon ferry is probably part of the show, considering the house is so close to the terminal and Lincoln Park. That would make an interesting reverse commute.
↑ More views, because that's one of the consequences of being far enough west of I-5. If the perfect window is ever designed, lots of houses will be remodeled to take in even more of the view, this one does well enough; but saves a few hundred thousand by being on the other side of the road. For $815,000 you get the view, plus 4 bedrooms, 2.75 baths, and 2,430 square feet. You also get an interesting mix of high-end materials, some of which are from the perspective of when it was built in 1955. What is rainforest marble? Did they have to dig up the rainforest to get it? If you want to grow things, celebrate the greenhouse; one way to garden without having to worry as much about slugs, snails, bunnies, deer, and dreary weather. Or, maybe use it as an excuse to soak up the warmth yourself.
↑ After so many remodels and upgrades, you probably can't tell that the house was built in 1942 - unless you climb up to the rooms where the roof line defines the ceiling, or drop down into the basement where there's a shop out of the boom era and Popular Mechanics. Though, like so many things, even the shop is back in style as the Maker movement grows. The 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 2,145 square feet are part of the package that's on the market for $549,950. Another retro element to play with is the garden because growing your own is back in style. Oh yeah, and by the way, the views are nice, too.
↑ "DO NOT ENTER HOME-DANGEROUS!" Now, that's an ominous start to a listing, but at least you can expect that few people will complain about improvements you make to the property. Sure, the tiny house community would like to see a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 480 square foot house within Seattle city limits, but there are limits. It could be that the house is coming down without help. But, for $219,000 you get all of that and a 9,127 square foot lot that already has utilities on-site. Take lots of 'Before' pictures; then, get to work!
· Lincoln Park [SP]
· Route 22 [Metro]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath