"Eastside" Seattle/Redmond neighborhood recommendations

[Chipiki]

So my husband works in the redmond area (right next to microsoft, but not microsoft). We currently live on the other side of Lake Washington in Lake City, which I really like, but crime is getting really bad in our area, the schools aren't great and the commute is driving my husband crazy...so we are interested in moving to the "east side" to be closer to my husband's work-- I am just really freaked out about it because I know very little about the area. I really like neighborhoods in Seattle like Wallingford, Wedgwood, Ballard -- I love safer neighborhoods with unique old homes, sidewalks, farmers markets, coffee shops. Not really into living in a dark forested area at the end of a long driveway, if that makes sense. Husband would still be using the bus and biking-- he looked at bus maps and said that these areas would be good:

Lake Hills

Issaquah

Pine Lake

Education Hill

Would appreciate any input about these areas, and any additional recommendations for good neighborhoods on the East side-- THANKS in advance!

[yentroc]

We live in Kenmore, and really like it.  My dh works in Redmond as well.  What about Bothell?  Bothell is getting totally revitalized.  

[DahliaRW]

I would recommend looking up real estate listings in those areas and then on a weekend go drive around those neighborhoods and see what you think.  I think any of those might work for you, but some are big areas (like issaquah).  If you're going to public school, my personal preference is to avoid Bellevue.  Didn't like what I saw when I interned there.  Issaquah, Lake Washington, and Northshore are all excellent districts, but there is some variance school to school of course. 

[simplehome]

We live in the Lake Hills area, and I just love it here. It isn't Ballard or Wallingford, but depending upon where in the neighborhood you live, you can walk to things, crime is fairly low, and there is more economic and social diversity than there is elsewhere in Bellevue. Our neighborhood elementary (Spiritridge) is well-loved by our neighbors, but there are others in the Lake Hills neighborhood that aren't as good. The general feeling I get is an elementary school ranking like this: Spiritridge, Phantom Lake, Lake Hills.

PM me if you want to meet up sometime and walk around. This neighborhood was built in the 50's in response to hiring at Boeing, so we have a lot of good 50's character.

[lkoz2]

We live in Woodinville, and it is a very easy commute to Redmond for him. We are in the Cottage Lake area, which is just north of Redmond.

Laura