Amanda and I are on to our third home (already!), but we really only had to move because of the renovations undergoing at our old complex. We also wanted to get out of Kirkland because of the high cost of living there. We found a new place in Bothell, basically in Mill Creek. It's certainly different from our old place. I think there are more good things about it than bad, but I thought I'd share both good and bad things about it. First, to get it out of the way I'll go over the bad things.
Bad:
- We can hear the upstairs neighbors too easily.
We live on the 2nd floor of a 3 floor complex. We have neighbors above and below us. We're used to having to not make too much noise on the floor (we've always lived on the 2nd floor), but at our last place, we didn't have any upstairs neighbors, which was nice. We hear them walking a lot, and Amanda can even hear them talking and snoring or their TV.
- Longer commute
With moving to Bothell comes longer commutes. Because of COVID-19, I am not working at the moment, but when I do go back to work, the commute to work will be longer than before. Fortunately I do not have to deal with that yet.
- Less bedroom space
Our bedroom is a bit noticeably smaller. Our living/dining room is about the same, maybe a tad smaller as well. It's not a big deal, especially since we are using our space better. At our last place, our couch was basically in the middle of the living room, because if it was against the wall, it would have been too far away from the TV.
Good:
- Best amenities I have ever seen
Literally the best amenities I have ever seen at an apartment complex. Swimming pool, billiards, huge gym, coffee and tea bar, TV, brand new Apple computers, etc. Just so many great things for residents to do. Unfortunately the amenities are closed right now, but we'll get to experience them some day.
- Big balcony and outdoor storage
Our outdoor balcony area is the biggest we have had so far at our three places. It's got plenty of space for a patio table, chairs, and even a grill. And our outdoor storage is bigger than what we had at our last place.
- Deep pantries
We definitely have more space to put our non-perishable foods. Before, we used to have space just for cups, plates, bowls, etc., but now we have a place for those things AND groceries. And the pantries we have go pretty deep, so they can accommodate a lot of stuff. We just have to be careful some food items don't get lost back there and go bad/expire.
- Valet garbage service
Because our complex is so large with only a few dumpsters, we have the option of a garbage valet service. Five nights a week we have the option of leaving our trash and recycle out for a paid attendant to pick up. All we have to do is put it outside our door. It's awesome, and whenever we move out of here, I know I will miss this service immensely.
- Surrounding area/shops
I think the surrounding area is even better for us here. We're still within walking distance of a Safeway, but we have more restaurants, a dollar store, and a Fred Meyer. I also really like the surrounding nature, which we can see right from our living room window.
- Even better nature views
Being at "North Creek", there is a flowing creek and a bunch of trees in our area that almost make it seem like you're far removed from the city, which we're not, fortunately. On our walk to the leasing office/mailbox, there is a bridge which goes over a flowing creek. We also get a lot of bunnies around our complex.
Well, that's all I have for now, if I think of anything else, I'll be sure to add it here!
