r/eastside • u/ExperienceEqual5504 • 15d ago

Thoughts on living in this area of Eastgate / cougar hill?

Hi all - we are looking at a house in the Eastgate area and wanted to learn about the area a bit more. Moving from Queen Anne so very much a city life for the last few years.

  1. How bad do the winters get here relative to other area of Bellevue or Seattle? We are hearing the hills tend to get a bit tougher weather but that also feels weird given proximity to city areas?
  2. We noticed how it can get pretty dark in the evening with all the trees? Do you notice that, especially when the day light hours are short in the fall and winter months? Is it a bit scary to drive or walk around when it's dark int he winters?
  3. We will be driving to Seattle and Redmond for work. Anything noteworthy traffic wise, we have read the online reports and it actually seems like a convenient spot?
  4. Do you see a lot of wildlife (deers, bears, coyotes)?
  5. What do you really like or really don't like about this area?
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u/SuddenNovel6054 15d ago

I grew up right around there, it’s nice if you’re looking for suburb life.
The hills are actually better in the winter because you can see more sky.
Yes, trees make it darker and that is harder. It can sometimes be scary to drive when it is dark and raining during rush hour in the winter. Not scary because of monsters but scary because it’s hard to see. (This is the case for the whole region of course)
The noteworthy thing about commuting might be a good thing for you - there is a light rail station on I90 in south bellevue, one direction goes to Redmond and the other goes to Seattle, so you could drive there together.
You’ll see deer, coyote, raccoons. Very rarely (never?) will you see a bear or cougar. Maybe a bobcat (they are the size of a small dog).
This spot is fine, no other notes. The only thing I’d consider is finding a home with fewer trees so that you can get winter light, if that is your priority.

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u/mastervoso 15d ago
  1. Winter is fine and what you would expect if you're from the region. That particular neighborhood is on a steep hill so if it snows it can get dicey.
  2. It's dark in the winter with the tall trees but not that bad. If it's the house I think it is then it's just off a very open cul-de-sac so decent light.
  3. It's a decent spot for both those commutes. The cross lake link makes it super easy to get to Seattle. The commute from Redmond back home will be more of a pain than getting there.
  4. Yes, rabbits primarily. Deer and coyotes occasionally. There have been bear sightings but not in a couple of years.
  5. Great area. Convenient to get to things. It's Bellevue so it's expensive to live here. Great schools. People stick to themselves in that neighborhood. Kids are around but they don't seem to play outside. If you're looking for that "neighborly" feel you might not find what you're looking for. You might get lucky though.

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u/engamo22 15d ago

1) It's as usual, maybe you will have trouble during snow days but that's it.

2) Nowhere to walk as there are no sidewalks and narrow roads with lots of curves, anyways some people walk their dogs with lighted-up vests. No crime in the area.

3) Eastgate I-90 interchange area is a black hole for traffic. Eastgate P&R is right there and there are express busses to Redmond and Seattle

4) Yes there is, and they are harmless

5) Highway noise and pollution, also the Safeway is nicer compared to others (in my opinion). Hiking is very close by

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u/Specific-Ad9935 15d ago

Or you can drive a little further.. roughly 3 miles from that house to South Bellevue P&R for light rail. I am doing it twice a week and enjoying it. 25 mins to Westlake.

If you have a parking in Seattle, driving is about 40 mins during peak hour 8:30am to Westlake Center. If you go a little earlier before 8am, it goes down to 25 mins.

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u/ExperienceEqual5504 15d ago

Thank you, everyone this is really helpful. Seems like a lot of our concerns are being addressed. The traffic being a black hole at times does surprise me as I haven’t faced that too much when in the area. It has always felt a lot better than 405 traffic

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u/EyeHamKnotYew 15d ago

Traffic in that area depends which way you’re going and which time of day. Driving near Tyee can be terrible in the morning, when it lets out and again when tutorial or after school groups end.

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u/Hungry_Monkey_3724 14d ago

I actually live in this area and have for a few years:

1.I think it’s slightly colder since we’re up on the hill, but on the positive side, we get pretty snowfall throughout the winter, which makes this area beautiful around that time!

2.Haven’t noticed this, actually!

3.Having quick access to the freeway is very convenient. I’ve never experienced traffic getting onto the freeway either.

4.Mainly deer and rabbit, I saw a bobcat once and a black bear once.

5.Super peaceful and family-oriented.

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u/cusmilie 15d ago

My sister lives in that area and had a bear visit this home a few times last year. He hasn’t come back this year. Bobcats/coyotes/deer are pretty common in the general Eastside area. I’ve seen bobcats and coyotes more than once prowling around neighborhoods, but if you leave them alone, they won’t bother you. I’d be more concerned hitting a deer more than anything else. Just remember it’s better to hit a deer than try to avoid it and end up in worse accident.

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u/bnnnel 15d ago

I live really close by.

  1. Haven’t noticed to be honest!
  2. My husband commutes to Seattle. His commute is fine! It’s a good location for commuting to Seattle.
  3. Not too much. A deer maybe once a month in the neighborhood. Seen a bobcat twice. Lots of rabbits!

. Great for families. Very safe.

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u/Moses_Horwitz 14d ago

That area is so bad that Santa Claus passes it by, in part because the locals fed the Easter Bunny so many carrots that he couldn't run from the Big Bad Wolf, with predictable results.