"Richmond Beach Totem" by J Kraemer via FlickrHere's a message we got from Lee, who's thinking about possibly moving to the Seattle area. Please share your thoughts about Shoreline in the COMMENTS section.
I just have a few questions. I am wanting to relocate to the Seattle area. Not for work, I just have wanted to live there for a long time. I love the outdoors etc. Hiking, kayaking, snow skiing. I arrived back in the U.S. after 4+ years in South America. What can you tell me about Shoreline? I am wanting to do a career change. I'm an accountant, but I think I am going back to school to become a nurse (I think I may take a CNA course in Shoreline). I have been to Seattle twice, don't really know the area that well. I am completely open to where I live. Just give me your thoughts on the pros and cons of Shoreline in contrast to other areas of Seattle.
Thanks,
Lee
Let's all be good neighbors and help Lee out. Whaddya say? What do you like best (or least) about Shoreline? Don't be shy. Let's all share our ideas - it'll be fun to see what everyone has to contribute! Just click below where it says COMMENTS. You can also see what other people have said.
Lee thanks you!
Hi Lee. You should know that the average house in Shoreline is between $350-$450,000 to buy. Rents are also steep. As an accountant, you should be able to live, but if you are changing to nursing you may have to consider a shared living situation for awhile. I worked briefly in a care facility as the medical supply coordinator, and most CNAs there worked 2 or 3 jobs, making no more than $12 hr I think (I had to leave due to an insufficient medical package). Also, you should know that while there is a shortage of nurses, strangely there is a wait list to get into most nursing programs, at both the community college and college level - they are not expanding programs to meet demand.
ReplyDeleteGood luck but you may find like so many who have moved here drawn by the natural beauty that you have no time to go out and enjoy it, or the horrendous traffic makes it so it takes so long to get anywhere that you end up skipping it.
A problem with Shoreline: the public transportation is awful. You should figure out where you're going to work before you settle in to a new home, if possible. Except for the express buses -- which don't run all day -- pretty much any time you're going from Seattle to Shoreline by bus, you're going to have to transfer at the Northgate Transit Center. This gets old fast.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like: we could afford a house here. Trees. The Shoreline Public Library. Central Market. Hamlin Park.
Oh, another thought: if you're young and single and hoping to meet people, that might be harder to do in Shoreline. It's a great place for families, but there's no night life.
ReplyDeleteBut if you want a yard for a dog, say, or to do gardening, you're more likely to find that here than in Seattle.
For what it's worth, Seattle Magazine recently ranked Shoreline "Best Neighborhood" in the Seattle area.
ReplyDeleteMore info here:
Best Neighborhood 2008: Shoreline
We moved to Shoreline recently from a neighborhood much closer to downtown Seattle. Bearing in mind that we do have young kids, we love it here! It's been very convenient in terms of parks and store that are within walking distance, there's a local bike path, and while public transport isn't fabulous, it is okay. The express busses are good, but there is also a bus that runs down 99, and even one to the zoo from the Shoreline Community College. They might put in light rail some day.. :) FYI, we live west of I-5. Our old neighborhood was nice, but hugely more expensive than where we are now.
ReplyDeleteWow, Some of the previous comments border on negative, and I disagree with all of them. I have found many affordable houses (2 bed 1 bath) at the $295-300 price range. My partner and I just moved here about 5 months ago. We wanted to be as close to Seattle as possible, but the trade-off for a larger backyard for our dogs and more affordable housing led us to Shoreline. From our house, we have many choices for bus routes to downtown, but we live almost on top of Aurora. The HUGE trees are great, and our neighbors are all friendly, and the one thing that sealed the deal for us in Shoreline, compared to other areas of Seattle, was how well maintained the properties are; home owner as well as city-owned. We think it is just beautiful here.
ReplyDeleteWe have lived in Western Washington State more than 3 decades. We travel a lot, but we always love coming home.
ReplyDeleteShoreline is close to urban yet has a small community feel, diverse yet open and inclusive, near the water and mountains. Trees, parks and open spaces are valued and appreciated. Nightlife is within driving distance when traffic flow is much better.
In essence, we're big enough to be noticed, but small enough for each of us to matter.