Life is good in Wallingford. At least this is the sense one gets driving through this restful, colorful neighborhood. The word satisfied comes to mind. A sense of urban-quirky intelligence also comes to mind.
Located between the University District, Fremont and north of Lake Union and downtown, Wallingford is known for its gorgeous bungalows and craftsman-style homes. There are also condominiums, modern designs and apartment buildings sprinkled amidst the early- to mid-century houses. Corners seem to sprout some enormous magnificent houses and a few Victorians were spotted as well. The new construction is tasteful, and respects the going style.
Many of the homes are propped up off the street, seeming to reach for views that can go east or west, north and south: to Lake Union, Green Lake, or to either of the mountain ranges. Steep and curved cement stairways run up to porch entrances.
Two main arteries run through Wallingford: 45th Street and 50th Street. The main downtown district is the always-bustling 45th Street, a busy thoroughfare that runs east-west and is filled with pedestrians. People from all over the city come here for the wide array of restaurants, coffee shops, a tea house, movie theaters and funky retail stores.
Wallingford is packed with good schools, and has been a tight-knit community for years. Another main thoroughfare is the Burke-Gilman Trail, a paved recreational path for bicyclists, runners and walkers. The trail begins at the nearby Gas Works Park, off Lake Union. And the zoo, in nearby Woodland Park is a short drive or manageable walk for those north of 45th.
POPULATION: 4,800
DEMOGRAPHICS: young singles, couples, families with children
TYPES OF HOMES: Bungalows, Craftsman, Victorian, Condominiums, Apartment Buildings
COMMUNITY BLOG: My Wallingford, Wallyhood
LIBRARY: Seattle Public Library Wallingford Branch, located at 1501 N. 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103, Tel. 206-684-4088
FARMERS MARKET: Wallingford Farmers Market, located at the corner of Meridian Avenue N and N 50th Street. Open every Wednesday, 3:30-7 p.m., from June 1 to September 28, 2011.
FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Tilth,Musashi’s, RoRo BBQ & Grill,Cantinetta
FAVORITE COFFEE SHOPS: Fuel Coffee, A Muddy Cup, Diva Espresso
Recent posts about Wallingford
Free Tools
DIY home improvement sounds nice and all, but let’s face it: tools are expensive. They take up space. And odds are, you don’t know how to use them—at least not well enough to increase your home’s value by installing new flooring or leveling the yard. Tool libraries like the PhinneyWood Tool Library remove those barriers.…
$2,000,000 for Our Neighborhoods
The City of Seattle wants us—you, me, and our neighbors—to decide how to spend $2,000,000 on small-scale neighborhood improvements. Does your community need a new crosswalk? How about a median? Or a flashing beacon, repaired sidewalk, curb ramps, park benches, or trail improvements? That’s what this project, “Your Voice, Your Choice,” aims to accomplish. As real estate…
How Racist Real Estate Shaped Seattle
We all know the “bad” neighborhoods. We all know the “rich” neighborhoods. So, too, did 1936 Seattle. Much of the city we live in today was shaped by early 20th-century home loans, as you can see in this Great Depression map from the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC). HOLC took all sorts of data from mortgage…
ST3 Light Rail–The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good: Light rail lives! The new Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium stations are operational and successful, and riding on the wake of their popularity, Sound Transit has announced the new ST3 draft plan, which lays out the future of Seattle’s public transportation. This draft plan matters. It’s huge, developmentally speaking. As Seattle keeps growing…
North Seattle Home Prices Rise 42 Percent
Home prices are up. Way up. Central Seattle and Beacon Hill both saw their median home price climb nearly 40 percent last year. In parts of North Seattle, the median home price leapt 42 percent. Forty-two percent. That’s absurd. The Seattle-wide median home price isn’t as bad. That measure only jumped 24 percent last year,…
People on People on People
Seattle is now the #10 U.S. city for density. Density isn’t what usually comes to mind when most people think of our city. I know I used to picture the waterfront, the comfortably impressive skyline, and the charming village-esque neighborhoods. But I’ve watched more and more people move into those charming neighborhoods, and I’ve noticing…
Our Sellers’ Story: Bettykay and Robb
Bettykay and Robb found us through the GSBA, and the GSBA led them to our video, and our video was enough to put the Real Estate Gals on their shortlist. They were selling their 1918 Wallingford house and moving to Arizona, and their shortlist for a real estate agent consisted of two others. Bettykay planned…
Prime Now, Wine Now
Seattleites, booze has never been more convenient. …for some of us. Amazon just launched—for the first time ever in the U.S.—Prime Now, alcohol-style, which can bring a bottle of wine or a pack of beer to your doorstep in under an hour. It’s more than just a booze service. Prime Now lets you pick from more…
Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance
Do you know the new rental licensing requirement, SMC 22.214 (Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance)? The Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) requires landlords to register ALL rental housing units in Seattle, from single-family houses to large apartment buildings. ALL properties must be registered from 2015 to 2016, with specific deadlines based on the ZIP code where…
Photo Contest: Seattle Bloomin’
It’s springtime in Seattle! For May’s photo contest, send us pictures of nature in bloom. Step 1: Take 1-3 photos of blossoms. A flower, a tree, a blooming onion. They’re all fair game. Step 2: Email your photo(s) to josh.realestategals@gmail.com with: • Your name • A brief caption Step 3: We’ll post your photos on our Facebook page. The photos…
What does your zip code say about you?
Age? Check. Income? Check. Neighborhood? Check. Overall lifestyle? Check. It’s creepy, but once you get past the creepiness, it’s actually a useful tool for house-hunting and neighborhood-shopping, and, in a spying-on-the-Jonses way… it’s fun. Esri released an interactive map that analyzes your zip code information. You can zoom into Seattle and see…
Beat the Seattle Commute
The commute, the dreaded commute! Bumper-to-bumper for miles, moving down I-5 slower than you backed out of your driveway. Wait, wait, wait—move forward ten feet and wait some more. Watch the minutes pile up. You should think about this when you pick a house. Map potential routes and test them. Imagine driving from that potential…