SperlingViews - Kirkland, Washington

Beautiful water and mountain views, enticing wailing culture, bars, restaurants and upscale shopping. Lived here for 7 years now and lookig to move to someplace sunnier and warmer. I will say though I could see myself coming back if only for 6 months of the the year when I retire![read more...]

We are not living in our home in Kirkland at the moment (retired now and moving about) and we miss it. Our home is in a lovely small cul de sac and backs on to a wonderful wetland preserve with a small creek running through those giant Big Leaf Maple trees and tall Fir Trees. Deer visit frequently and birds of all kinds made a stop on their way north or south so our back deck overlooks a huge natural aviary. Our neighbours have been wonderful and we miss them too. We chose the location primarily because of the surroundings but also because it had great access to so much. Boeing, Microsoft and the hi tech corridor are all an easy east side commute. (Our neighbour used to ride his bike on the Burke Gillman trail to work.) The Woodenville wineries are near as is the village of Kirkland on the lake with lots of restaurants, some art galleries, walks and places to go swimming in the lake. After living in Kirkland for 9 years, I would recommend Kirkland or the east side of Seattle to anyone.[read more...]

Having moved recently, finding a central place to access anything from family activities to that important sense of community was challenging, have to work hard at settling in, the weather can be well PNW and summer is for play, the other months are more head to the grindstone.[read more...]

When the sun shines it is probably one of the most beautiful spots on earth but don't come here if you need a daily dose of Vitamin D. I am looking to relocate for this very reason. If you don't mind the drizzle and grey and your fairly liberal then the greater Seattle area is perfect for you.[read more...]

I live in Kirkland, WA, a suburb of Seattle. I enjoy living here very much except that I find the cost of living, namely real estate, is too expensive. Homes in good neighborhoods cost at least $400,000. It's too much for a middle class family. Contrary to common belief, the weather is pretty good on a lot of levels. I like the mild winters (highs in the 40s, lows in the upper 20s). The springs and falls are nice, too. But the summers are almost nonexistent - -June tends to be in the 50s and 60s, and summer consists of two weeks of July plus the month of August. The 4th of July frequently does not have good weather. September and October are beautiful months but they're not summer. [read more...]

Kirkland is an eastside suburb of Seattle - the only city on the eastside city with a lakefront downtown. There are many small shops, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. Lake Washington Boulevard is the main street that begins off the 520 exit to Seattle and ends in the heart of downtown Kirkland - a stretch of 2-3 miles dotted with a handful of public parks along the waterfront. Here, you will see many walkers, joggers, and even volleyball players and kite flyers when the weather gets warm. As with many water-centered cities, Kirkland draws quite a crowd of visitors during the summer months and is transformed into a quieter, quaint suburb during the cooler months.[read more...]

Tired of the gray skies and cold wet weather. It's like living in a black and white movie that has colorized only the trees. Ready to move somewhere sunny.[read more...]

I have lived in beautiful Kirkland for almost 2 years now, and the gray, drizzly days have done me in! Having never suffered from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) before, even having lived where it was foggy for weeks at a time, this has been a major issue for me,living here. I actually LIKED gray days until I moved here! But SAD is a REAL thing, and I know it from personal experience now. I have tried dawn-simulation lights (I highly recommend them), vitamins...you name it, but I can't seem to beat the depression I feel from living in this area. I happen to believe most people in the Seattle area suffer from a low-level depression and just don't realize it, or are too depressed to DO anything about it! It shows in the lack of colors people wear, the lack of makeup women wear (too depressed to enhance themselves? - a little would go a long way!), the dark colors people use in their homes and offices...I can't take it any more! I realized recently that no matter HOW much I work on my own happiness here it won't matter, since I'm surrounded by depressed people everywhere I go! Don't get me wrong - it is truly BEAUTIFUL here - especially on the occasional sunny day, but this last year has been unbelievably dreary - only about 3 weeks total of sunny days since last spring! I really feel I've been lied to, since my first spring and summer here was gloriously sunny! The other thing I find really hard to deal with is the difficulty of connecting with people here and making friends. People are "nice" but you can't get beyond a superficial relationship with them. As one woman I met recently who's lived in this area for over 20 years put it "It's as if people here HAVE enough friends and don't want any more!" I never thought making friend would be a problem, since I am outgoing, friendly and the person who has all the fun dinner parties, but it's practically impossible to get people to connect here. Most of our friends moved here from other states, countries and feel the same way I do. I really understand why the locals hate us Californians...it's awful being around someone happy when you are depressed! If you love to hibernate, cocoon and hide from the world, and still be near a city, this is the place for you. For me, I feel like I have retired, and am on my own. Perhaps I am more of a city person, but whatever the reason, I need more life than I find here! [read more...]

Many of my friends moved to the Northwest when housing was too expensive in California. After a couple years they moved back because of the gray skies here. There are a few months in the summer that are nice, but the rest of the year it's cold, gray, and drizzling. Beware living where there is moss growing on everything (and don't stand still too long, or it will grow on the north side of your body!)[read more...]

It really doesn't rain as much as people like to think. We just get more gray days.[read more...]

Expensive is all I have to say. I have lived in Kirkland my whole life and it has gotten to be too much to make it here. Housing prices are absurd and so are the prices they are asking for an apartment.[read more...]

The weather here is great. It's beautiful to see the season change over here.[read more...]

Seattle is very clean and good people to work with and to live with to.[read more...]