New to Redmond Area - Need Advice on Where to Live and a Stroller!!!

Updated on August 31, 2008
L.T. asks from Issaquah, WA
5 answers

My husband as just accepted a job with Microsoft and we will be moving to Redmond ASAP. I am so excited!!! I would love any advice in finding a family friendly place to live...we probably cannot afford a house but am looking at condos/townhouses, etc. Also, I need a stroller for my 8 month old as he has grown out of his old one and I have NO idea what would be appropriate for the Seattle area. I love the outdoors but don't know what to expect with the weather there. Do I need something more rugged? Thank you!

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L.M.

answers from Seattle on

Hi,
I live in Seattle so I don't have any advice on housing. I have two children and I love the outdoors. What I did was bought a Maclarin umbrella sroller for the mall ect. (great stroller had it for 5 years) Then I bought a Dreamer Design jogging stroller very easy to use they come with a rain cover and has lasted through two kids. I also own the double jogger. They are higher end than the jogging strollers sold at Baby rus but worth the extra money. Also, I bought my jogging stroller on line through Amazon. I know some of my friends have the BOB jogging stroller sold at REI those are very nice too. I really like jogging strollers since I enjoy jogging around Greenlake ect. The big wheels make for a smooth ride.
best of luck,
Lenc

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M.H.

answers from Seattle on

Hello L.,

Welcome to the area. We live in Woodinville and LOVE it! We are closer to Duvall than Woodinville, but my husband's commute to Microsoft (he worked in two location - both right near the Redmond/Bellevue border off 520) and his commute was usually 30 minutes - without traffic 20 minutes. Another place where there are lots of Microsoft commuters is Duvall and the north side of Carnation - they jump right over the hill via Novelty Hill/Union Hill. Woodinville has a GREAT school district as well. I don't know what the communte would be from downtown Woodinville as we live 15 minutes outside of Woodinville.

Avondale has become a bit of a freeway - I grew up just up the road from Avondale - and it has changed a LOT! Much faster and constant traffic - but easy bus lines. And it has such easy access to Microsoft.

I came up here with an older Peg Perego and it was great. You don't need one that is more rugged - unless you are into outdoor hiking with a stroller - but you do need one that is waterproof - hehehehe....we had a great summer - but I can "feel" that autumn is around the corner. Get ready for a wet winter. A secret to keep you sane up here "Smile EVERY TIME you see a hint of sun."

Positively,
M.

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T.J.

answers from Seattle on

There aren't many "bad" areas in redmond! Depending on where exactly he'll be working, you can also look in Woodinville, might be able to get more housing options there. But the closer you get to Kirkland then Bellevue then Seattle, more $ less house.

There are a lot of cool trails and places to go out here, we love our jeep liberty limited three wheel stroller. It had "real" tires which provide better traction, and you can lock or unlock the front wheel depending on the terrain where you are walking/running (dirt vs. cement, corners, etc.) You can look at them at babies r us, there's a few locations near seattle (lynnwood, tukwila, and I heard they were adding a store in bellevue- closest to you, check their website)! Welcome to the Pacific Northwest!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

Z.A.

answers from Seattle on

<Grinning> Redmond, almost by definition is family friendly. The (small) downtown area is eminently walkable, with a TON of interesting things to do (books/music/art/coffe/pubs/breakfasty places/firestations/parks etc), Redmond Town Center is a gianormous (for the area) mall, and then most of the rest of the city is bedroom community. Decent public schools ... some of the best in the Puget Sound ... but not up to California standards. Of course, kyaking, hiking, snow stuff in the winter and boating in the summer are all nearby, but that's this whole area ;)

For strollers
-------------------------
1 - rear facing pram-type if your little one's still small enough...
2 - On the Eastside most of the sidewalks are in great shape, Seattle's are lousy. Rubber wheels are a must on the Seattle side of the lake unless you want to feel like you've got the woogidy wheeled shopping cart and have numb hands all the time.
3 - Something EASY. It's drizzly and damp here most of the time, so you don't want little cold droplets of water getting you on the small of your back and neck for ANY LONGER THEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. (Best investment here, btw, is good quality, expensive raingear. The kind that breaths and feels like clothes instead of punishment. We don't get a lot of heat or snow, or even "Umbrella Worthy Rain" but boy...do we get the drizzles.)

On places to live
--------------------
I'll check with some friends who live over there currently for specific condo/townhomes communities in the area and repost...but...Has your husband checked with HR? I seem to recall the MS has (or should darn well have) relocation services available to you.

Great Pediatricians (okay, this wasn't on the list, but we commute from Seattle to Redmond to see our pediatrician, so I thought I'd toss it up here anyway)
---------------------

Pediatric Associates (of Redmond, 161st St is ours, but they're all reeeeaally good)
http://www.mypediatricassociates.com

They have 6 or 7 clinics on the Eastside, Weekend & Late Hours, & have Priviledges and rounds @ Children's Hospital. A VERY good group.

~Z.

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

Hi L. - The one area of Redmond you probably don't want to live is Avondale. You may find cheaper prices there, but the apts and townhomes over there are surrounded by not so nice apts and townhomes. If you are going to live right next to Microsoft you will be looking at a LOT of money for rent. if you look outside of the redmond city limits, maybe some Kirkland (between redmond and kirkland) you can find some nice homes for rent. My husband and I were looking for a while and found some around $1,500.
i would think that unless you are going hiking with a stroller there really isn't that much of a difference in what you buy. And if you can hike with a stroller, then god bless ya! We do a lot of music festivals in seattle and I love to take my boys to the park and I am using a stroller that I got at a garage sale 6 years ago. And it's a great stroller! Graco, I think. But, like I said, I don't see the point in spending hundreds of dollars on those fancy strollers when just a regular ol' run of the mill stroller is fine.
There are lots of nice parks out by Redmond, and you are close to Kirkland and the waterfront as well. That area is nice, I lived there as a singleton, and I wish we could afford it again!
Good luck to ya,
L.

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