Compare Alexandria VA to anywhere in the Seattle area (Bellevue: apartment, to rent)

[rosiro]

Hello all,
This is my first time posting here and I notice that there a lot of very knowledgeable people on this site.

I might be signing on to a new project (within my current company) supporting Microsoft in the Redmond/Bellevue area and I was hoping that someone could give me detailed suggestions with regard to the following:

-I currently live in Alexandria VA, outside Washington DC. What parts of the Seattle metro area can compare to the Alexandria/Arlington area?

-I would prefer to live as close to work as possible and wondered what the areas Redmond/Bellevue and I guess Kirkland, maybe, are like?
- I intend to rent for as long as I am there (at least for 2 years) until I decide that Seattle is a long term deal or I leave for another project. I currently work for a management consulting firm. What is the average rent for a good apartment? My apartment must have a washer and dryer and a carport. Everything else is secondary.

-How far is the commute from Redmond/Bellevue into Seattle proper? Is there reliable public transportation similar to the metro in DC?
-I am a single female and though I have read that Seattle is not as "dangerous" as most other metro areas, what are your suggestions for someone moving to a new city? I am used to living alone but just wondering if anyone had special suggestions.

-The DC area is pretty diverse especially with regard to restaurants and grocery stores (asian, african and hispanic markets). Can I expect something similar in the Seattle metro area, even if not in Redmond/Bellevue and Kirkland? I eat a lot of thai, indian, indonesian, vietnamese, african and other diverse foods. Not much of a meat and potatoes type of person, not to say that I dont eat them but would prefer something new/different from the norm.

-Social life in the area? Sports? I play tennis and normally find my partners off craigslist.

Thank you very much.

[Jennibc]

Lucky for you that rents here are less than in Alexandria/Arlington.

Seattle is not nearly as diverse as that area but you will find some Asian grocery stores here. Lots and lots of Thai restaurants and Pho shops here but not very many of the other ethnic varieties (now before someone jumps all over me and says we have xyz - note that I wrote not very many as opposed to none)

Our public transportation is primarily the bus and while it is better than some eastern cities, IMO DC's Metro is far better.

I have never lived on the eastside (always in Seattle) so someone else will have to chime in on questions relating to such.

[rosiro]

Thanks for your reply. I just read another thread and see that people have a preference for Kirkland, Edmonds, Bellevue and Redmond.

Can someone please help me with the pros and cons of both areas? I understand that Bellevue and Redmond are a bit steep wrt rent and other things. Any worse than the DC metro area?

Someone also mentioned that Kirkland was really pretty? What is shopping like in those areas? Groceries, supplies, clothing etc? Is it preferrable to go outside to some other areas to shop? Where are the malls? As I am single, I dont care to shop at Costco or any of those family stores so I am pretty okay with the average grocery store.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

Seattle is not nearly as diverse as that area but you will find some Asian grocery stores here. Lots and lots of Thai restaurants and Pho shops here but not very many of the other ethnic varieties (now before someone jumps all over me and says we have xyz - note that I wrote not very many as opposed to none)

Odd statement considering Seattle is one of the great "foodie" cities in the country with a wide array of ethnic restaurants and markets...markets with foods from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Scandinavia, etc. We certainly have a greater choice of ethnic restaurants than many other cites.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

Odd statement considering Seattle is one of the great "foodie" cities in the country with a wide array of ethnic restaurants and markets...markets with foods from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Scandinavia, etc. We certainly have a greater choice of ethnic restaurants than many other cites.

Have you been to the DC area lately? It has so much more, so when comparing the two it is not nearly as diverse. As I mentioned we have SOME but not way the DC area does. And in diversity I am talking about population as well. The DC area is much more ethnically diverse than here.

[seattlenextyear]

She's right. DC is bigger and does have more diversity in people and restaurants, especially in districts like Adams Morgan, etc. Or maybe Adams Morgan before it got yuppified*. I haven't been there recently.



*er, I mean "urban renewaled"

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

Have you been to the DC area lately? It has so much more, so when comparing the two it is not nearly as diverse. As I mentioned we have SOME but not way the DC area does. And in diversity I am talking about population as well. The DC area is much more ethnically diverse than here.

Of course DC has more being that it is our nation's capital, AND a much larger metro area.
I'm sorry, I'm just not one of those people who are never happy with what Seattle has, and constantly feel the need to compare it to other places.

Would it be nice to have more, yes…of course, however Seattle has more than just "SOME" and that does not change the fact that Seattle is widely regarded as a serious "foodie" city.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

Of course DC has more being that it is our nation's capital, AND a much larger metro area.
I'm sorry, I'm just not one of those people who are never happy with what Seattle has, and constantly feel the need to compare it to other places.

Would it be nice to have more, yes…of course, however Seattle has more than just "SOME" and that does not change the fact that Seattle is widely regarded as a serious "foodie" city.

I am fine with what Seattle has in those areas. The OP asked how they compared. Please don't automatically launch into an ad hominem attack when someone honestly responds to a comparison question. If someone asked how ethnic restaurants and ethnic diversity here stacked up against Rock Springs WY, well, Seattle would come out way ahead. Some is a relative term and in my estimation, we have "some", it may be different to you. But it's not worth getting upset about or accusing another poster of being "never happy".

[seattlerain]

Not upset...and not an attack against you...

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by rosiro

Can someone please help me with the pros and cons of both areas? I understand that Bellevue and Redmond are a bit steep wrt rent and other things. Any worse than the DC metro area?

Of course the rent is going to depend on the type of building you live in, but as far as I know, Bellevue and Redmond are much more reasonable than rents in Alexandria and Arlington. It's really a question of what one is used to. If you are coming from someplace like Denver, Bellevue and Redmond rents will seem high, but from where you are coming from they will seem downright affordable. For instance I just found the following description on Craig's list "Penthouse Apartment in Redmond TownCenter 3bed/2ba 1900 sqft. two balconies." The price: $1595.

Can you imagine finding a 3 bed/2 bath almost 2000 square foot apartment in Alexandria for that!