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.
If you live in Federal Way, you may be more interested in heading over to Tacoma rather than heading up to Seattle. The bus ride (Route 182) to the north side of Commencement Bay may be a half hour shorter than the ride up to the east side of Elliott Bay.
↑ Some folks are more comfortable living where others work. This 0.93 acre property has commercial businesses and zoning for neighbors. The house is a 1,770 square foot Craftsman with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. They're asking $650,000, which may include a second lot. It is a working property with an outbuilding and plenty of flat ground for projects and storage, and storing projects that aren't making any progress. Keeping up with the neighbors is a different hobby when they're dedicated to tearing things apart, putting them together, and selling what they can. If everything else is office buildings, then the house is always the best looking home on the block.
↑ Cul-de-sac, an odd name for a simple idea that typifies suburbia for many. A road that is purposely a dead-end to keep traffic down, the neighborhood quieter, and sometimes the bane of delivery trucks. That chance at a bit of quiet is appealing to many, so there must be someone who wants this 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2,400 square foot house. They're asking $330,000, for which you also get a fenced backyard; definitely a bonus for someone who wants to let their dog(s) and kid(s) run free - as long as they don't make too much noise.
↑ Some houses are sold as-is because they must be, like the estate sale of this 4 bedroom, 1.5 bath rambler. It is within walking distance of shops, which saves gas and is good exercise. It also has a pond and a waterfall, though think more in terms of a small water feature, not some natural geological wonder. The 2,040 square foot house sits on 8,398 square feet of land; and has an asking price of $279,900. If the as-is is good enough, the price may be low enough. That could be a good thing because there are probably at least a few projects waiting to be taken on.
↑ Somewhere behind that garage is a condo that has an asking price one-third the median sales price for houses in King County. Of course, a 975 square foot condo is a lot smaller than the median sized house, but the 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths may be enough. And, $144,950 may be just what someone can afford. The interior is open, clean, and un-ostentatious. Simple, and yet sufficient. Why buy more?
↑ When a condo is only 582 square feet, it is impressive that they can fit in a laundry. That certainly makes life simpler, or at least less reliant on quarters. The 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit has an asking price of $77,000; which is the same as someone's down payment for a much bigger house and mortgage. Being debt-free has its appeal, but keep in mind the monthly $203 homeowners association fee.
· Route 182 [Metro]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath