bellevue washington?

Question

I would very much appreciate knowing what you like the most and the least about Bellevue, WA. Thanks. Big relocation decision coming up.

Answer 1

Like: Factoria Mall. It's largely uncrowded.
Don't like: It's largely snob-city.

Answer 2

You didn't say where you are considering moving from, but be aware that the Seattle area has awful traffic. And I 405 into and out of Bellevue is among the worst in the area.

Yes, we're all hoping for light rail soon, but it isn't even in the planning stages yet, so it's at least a decade away. So when making your decision, think about whether you can afford to live close enough to limit your commute, or if you are willing to put up with the traffic.

Otherwise, Bellevue is a nice place. Reminds me a lot of the Walnut Creek CA area. Kinda upscale, a nice developing downtown, but still quieter and friendlier than Seattle in some ways. If you have kids, the school districts in and around Bellevue are good. You are close to a plethora of outdoor activity possibilities.

In typical Seattle fashion, the winters are dark and damp. Right now our summers feel that way a bit too as we've had a wet summer!

Answer 3

Bellevue is a real city on the grow. It's been developing more and more and the downtown area is a "real downtown" now. The shopping has become a real high-end shopper's dream and more department stores are coming downtown near Bellevue Square. Bellevue is located close to Seattle, although the commute on I-405 in the Bellevue area is horrid most of the time and the 520 bridge is never a dream. Biking and busing are great alternatives to reduce commuter stress! There are a lot of good places to eat, recreate, and work in Bellevue and on the eastside and the greater Seattle Metro area.

On the downside, Bellevue might feel a bit "stuffy" and "yuppy-ish" to some people. I know I get that impression a bit, but eh, it's cool. If you really don't like that, though, it might be an issue.

Overall, it's a great area, it's like Seattle's quieter sister to the east.

Answer 4

Bellevue is on the eastside of Lake Washington. Its a smaller city compared to Seattle. You'll find a lot of newer housing/condos near the Bellevue Sq Mall that are pretty cool. There are a lot of older houses with "character" as well, if thats what you're into.

There are a lot of good places to eat both on the eastside and in Seattle! (Seattle downtown is just a 10-20 min commute with no traffic) The traffic is getting pretty bad but we're hoping there's going to be a metro rail from Seattle- Bellevue soon.

The best part of the Seattle area is theres so much to do. Outdoor as well as indoor (theater, arts etc) Loads of parks, lakes around the cities. And the weather is very mild. Temperatures range between 50-80F. And no, its doesnt rain everyday! :)

The cities on the eastside are pretty close by. So say you work in Bellevue, you dont really have to live there. Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Lynwood and Seattle downtown are all within commuting distance!

Answer 5

Pros: good location - only 15/20 minutes out of Seattle. Easy access to I-90, I-405 and I-5. Lots of parks. Lots of shopping.

Cons: getting far too overpopulated. Traffic's a nightmare. Microsoft is right next door in Redmond and adding office space in downtown Bellevue so the thousands commuting to and from there alone adds a lot of vehicles. Very expensive - housing prices are insane and rental properties few and far between and getting more and more expensive. A bit too plastic for my taste - all the women with their designer purses and strollers at Bellevue Square - gack! And far too many SUV's.

Not sure if you're thinking of buying or renting. If you're thinking of buying I'd highly recommend being a bit further north in Bothell or Everett. You'll get a lot more house for the dollar plus be in a more friendly atmosphere.

Answer 6

I used to live just outside of Bellevue in a town called Issaquah. The thing I think is best about Bellevue is that you can be close to the city, while still being sort of secluded if you get a house in a nice neighborhood on the outskirts of town. If you don't have to be in Bellevue, look in Issaquah, it is a developing city with everything you need, and you can buy places with land. Issaquah is about a 20-25 minute drive from Seattle.

Answer 7

It's nice enough--and certainly smaller and a bit less crowded than Seattle--but the entire area between Tacoma and Everett, including the Eastside (which includes Bellevue) is overcrowded with a ceaseless influx of people moving in from out-of-state. Over-development and sprawl are rampant, and the traffic is horrendous--partly because the roads aren't well-designed or maintained, partly because so many people insist on driving instead of bothering to consider public transit, and partly because 99% of the people moving in are HORRID drivers. The influx of people moving in isn't likely to abate soon; I've lived here nearly my whole life and it's gotten more crowded in the last 5 years than it did in the previous 20 before that. Crime's also gotten worse with the increase of people living here, including in areas that rarely saw such things ten years ago. You're better off in Bellevue than in Tacoma, certainly; but property prices on the Eastside are pretty high, thanks to King County's greedy property taxing and the fact that so many out-of-state and in-state yuppies insist on living there. Lots of nice cars in that area; and very few of their drivers have a clue how to drive them; I got rear-ended by a moron driving a brand-new red convertible Jaguar who had been fiddling with his radio and not paying attention, while on the I-405 in Redmond (just north of Bellevue).

There's no doubt that it's a pretty area; but the prettiness is fast waning with all of the friggin' people migrating here in droves and turning the development and traffic jams into some sort of macabre imitation of California. It almost doesn't even feel like home anymore here. Forgive me for sounding a bit bitter; but how would you feel if this were happening before your eyes in the area you grew up in?? Many of the very things that most people find attractive about Washington are being trampled by the stampede of people coming to live here from elsewhere.

Answer 8

The most woudl be the big city feel without the big city. It's still large compared to other towns, but is still a suburb of Seattle in many ways and has enough open space to give you the open, and in the case of the Pikes Peak area, rural feel.

What I like least is that there is a lot of traffic, there, and that most of the malls have become more female oriented. However, this seems to be true across the board.

Answer 9

The best option is to live on Mercer Island and shop in Bellevue.