Best Neighborhoods 2009: Affordable Areas

Even with prices taking a tumble, real estate hasn’t exactly tanked. (Those homes on Queen Anne still aren’t in the easy-on-the-wallet category.) But head toward the edge of the city and a bit beyond for four areas that have a wealth of amenities—including homes in a friendly price range.

South Park
Though still rough around the edges, South Park, on the banks of the Duwamish River, boasts a vibrant Latino population, a nearly new library and great access to downtown Seattle. The neighborhood has battled both crime problems and public perceptions of those problems, but it’s come out stronger for it, says 10-year resident Becca Riggs.

“We don’t have a post office or a grocery store, but what I like is we do have a sense of community,” Riggs says. “Our house is a Habitat for Humanity house. Four [Habitat] homes came up in eight days here. By working together, it really established a sense of community.” The annual Fiestas Patrias parade, which celebrates Latin American culture—adds to South Park’s cohesion.

South Park also is gaining attention as an increasingly popular location for wineries and breweries, including OS Winery, Cadence Winery, Nota Bene Cellars, Laughing Buddha Brewing and Baron Brewing.

W.H. Owen, winemaker at OS Winery, says the access to major roads in South Park is terrific. “We’re right within 200 yards of Highway 99,” Owen says. He also notes that there’s new residential development in the neighborhood—pointing to 20 new contemporary-style townhouses, some with solar panels. “It’s great they’re doing it,” he says. “It’s top-quality housing.”

Renton
While working as a chef at the Renton Boeing plant, Joe Kennedy passed through Renton plenty of times and fell in love with the neighborhood. “After work, I got to know some of the [local] restaurant owners, and I just decided it was a neat place.” So neat, in fact, that when Kennedy decided to open his own place, he chose to locate it in Renton. His first venture was Calico Cheesecakes, situated in the historic downtown center of the city. Since then, he’s also opened Café Lure and the sleek but cozy Tapestry Saloon, both in downtown Renton.

“I didn’t want to live in [Seattle],” Kennedy says. “I had worked at the Pike Place Market in a restaurant, and I’d had my fill of downtown. And I’ve always liked small towns. When you’re walking down the street here, chances are you’ll see three or four people you know.”

Renton, which claims everything from the region’s only Ikea store to a library built over a river (the main branch of the Renton Public Library, spanning the Cedar River), comes up tops in affordability and boasts plentiful amenities, including excellent access to interstates 5 and 405, a popular outdoor aquatic park and a thriving series of community centers.