Where we work: Seattle and the twenty-minute ring

Seattle neighbourhoods

Cities around Seattle

Neighbourhood by neighbourhood

Ballard — home base, ZIP 98107, 98117

Ballard is home base — the van starts on NW 58th St — and it is 1910s bungalows and craftsman boxes on 40-foot lots, now shoulder to shoulder with townhome rows, which means tubs squeezed into side yards, under decks and against alley fences, often with one reachable side. We cover Sunset Hill, Loyal Heights, Crown Hill, Adams, West Woodland, Whittier Heights, Blue Ridge, Shilshole.

West Seattle — 15 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98116, 98126, 98136, 98106

West Seattle is a peninsula of view lots: Alki and Beach Drive at sea level, Admiral and Gatewood on the ridge, Fauntleroy and Arbor Heights sloping to the Sound, and Delridge and High Point in the valley behind. We cover Alki, Admiral, Fauntleroy, Arbor Heights, Gatewood, Genesee, Seaview, Delridge, High Point, Westwood, Morgan Junction.

Magnolia & Queen Anne — 10 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98199, 98109, 98119

These are two of the city's older hill neighbourhoods: 1920s brick and stucco homes on Queen Anne, mid-century houses on the Magnolia bluff, big lots, long driveways and spa circuits that were added decades after the house was wired. We cover Magnolia Village, Magnolia Bluff, Carleton Park, Lawton Park, Upper Queen Anne, West Queen Anne, North Queen Anne, Interbay.

Capitol Hill & Madison Park — 8 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98112, 98122, 98102

This is the oldest housing on our route — 1900s to 1930s homes on Capitol Hill and Madrona, lakefront houses in Madison Park, Denny-Blaine and Leschi — with tubs on terraced lots, behind hedges, and at the bottom of a flight of stairs more often than not. We cover Capitol Hill, Madison Park, Madison Valley, Madrona, Leschi, Denny-Blaine, Washington Park, Montlake, Stevens, Broadmoor.

Green Lake & Wallingford — 10 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98103

Green Lake, Wallingford and Fremont are craftsman and bungalow streets on tight lots; the tub is in a narrow side yard or a back patio reached through a gate, and the equipment door is usually the side facing the fence. We cover Green Lake, Wallingford, Fremont, Tangletown, Meridian, Latona, Woodland Park, East Green Lake.

Greenwood & Phinney Ridge — 14 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98103, 98117, 98133, 98177

Greenwood and Phinney Ridge are bungalow streets that turn into mid-century ramblers and larger lots as you head north into Broadview, Bitter Lake and Haller Lake — easier access, bigger decks, and tubs that are often original to the house. We cover Greenwood, Phinney Ridge, Broadview, Bitter Lake, Haller Lake, Licton Springs, North Beach.

Northgate & Lake City — 15 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98125, 98115

Northgate, Maple Leaf and Lake City are post-war neighbourhoods — 1940s and 50s houses on decent lots, with lakefront homes along Matthews Beach and Cedar Park — so most tubs sit on open patios and decks that are easy to reach. We cover Northgate, Maple Leaf, Lake City, Pinehurst, Victory Heights, Meadowbrook, Olympic Hills, Cedar Park, Matthews Beach, Jackson Park.

Ravenna & Wedgwood — 12 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98105, 98115

This is northeast Seattle's larger-lot territory: 1920s brick Tudors in Ravenna and Laurelhurst, mid-century homes with real backyards in Wedgwood, View Ridge and Windermere, and lake access along Sand Point. We cover Ravenna, Roosevelt, Bryant, Wedgwood, View Ridge, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Hawthorne Hills, Sand Point, University District.

Beacon Hill & Columbia City — 12 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98108, 98118, 98144, 98178

Beacon Hill, Columbia City and the Rainier Valley are the most varied part of the city: 1910s houses on the ridge, lakefront homes in Mount Baker and Seward Park, post-war ramblers in Rainier Beach and Lakewood, and tubs on everything from a hillside deck to a flat slab. We cover Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Mount Baker, Seward Park, Hillman City, Rainier Beach, Brighton, Dunlap, Lakewood, Georgetown, South Park.

City by city

Shoreline — 20 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98133, 98155, 98177

Shoreline is the north edge of our route: mid-century neighbourhoods from Richmond Beach and Innis Arden on the Sound across to Ridgecrest, North City and Briarcrest, with real backyards and easy access. We cover Richmond Beach, Ridgecrest, Echo Lake, North City, Hillwood, Innis Arden, Briarcrest, Meridian Park, Ballinger, Highland Terrace.

Burien — 18 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98146, 98148, 98166

Burien is bluff and beach on the west — Seahurst, Three Tree Point, Gregory Heights — and 1950s ramblers with big lots across the rest of the city, which makes for open patios and straightforward cabinet access. We cover Seahurst, Gregory Heights, Three Tree Point, Lake Burien, Boulevard Park, Sunnydale, White Center, Shorewood, Olde Burien.

Tukwila — 15 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98168, 98188

Residential Tukwila is the hill neighbourhoods above the Duwamish — Tukwila Hill, Allentown, Foster, Riverton — mostly 1950s to 70s houses on decent lots with the tub on a slab or a low deck. We cover Tukwila Hill, Allentown, Foster, Riverton, Cascade View, Thorndyke, McMicken Heights, Duwamish.

Renton — 20 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98055, 98056, 98057, 98058, 98059

Renton climbs from the Boeing flats and the Landing up into the Highlands, Kennydale on the lake, and Benson Hill, Fairwood and Cascade to the south — mostly 1960s to 2000s houses with real yards and open deck access. We cover Renton Highlands, Kennydale, Benson Hill, Cascade, Fairwood, Talbot Hill, Maplewood, Tiffany Park, Earlington, The Landing.

SeaTac — 20 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98188, 98198

Residential SeaTac is the lake neighbourhoods — Angle Lake, Bow Lake — and the 1950s and 60s streets of McMicken Heights and Riverton Heights east of the airport, with level lots and easy cabinet access. We cover Angle Lake, McMicken Heights, Bow Lake, Riverton Heights, North SeaTac, Madrona (SeaTac), Tyee.

Bellevue — 15 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98004, 98005, 98006, 98007, 98008

Bellevue is large lots and large spas: Somerset and Newport Hills on the slopes, Enatai and West Bellevue by the lake, Bridle Trails and Lake Hills on level ground — and tubs on substantial decks that were specified with the house. We cover West Bellevue, Enatai, Woodridge, Somerset, Newport Hills, Eastgate, Lake Hills, Crossroads, Bridle Trails, Wilburton, Beaux Arts.

Kirkland — 20 min from downtown Seattle, ZIP 98033, 98034

Kirkland runs from the lakefront in Houghton and Market up the slopes to Rose Hill and Finn Hill and north to Juanita, Kingsgate and Totem Lake — 1960s to 90s houses with real yards and a lot of lakeside decks. We cover Juanita, Totem Lake, Houghton, Rose Hill, Finn Hill, Kingsgate, Market, Norkirk, Bridle Trails (Kirkland), Lakeview.

Just outside the ring?

Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Newcastle, Normandy Park and Des Moines are a longer run; call and we will tell you honestly whether it works that week.