It really is strange to cast one's net a bit further than just Seattle for renting or buying: you'll find it hard to spot a reasonable deal surprisingly far from the city itself. Growth really is oozing out all throughout western Washington.
Looking at 1 or 2 bedroom rents for a somewhat, but not too, newer unit shows rent prices that are not terribly far off from the city itself - at distances beyond commute.
I sometimes think people don't understand just how many people have moved to the (very) broader Seattle area in the last 15 years.
Broader Seattle has been a growth area since the early nineties, but this has expanded to far beyond the broader reaches of the area. I know of at least six people who own small second homes on the peninsula (Kitsap), the greater peninsula (Olympic), and up-and-down the broader I5 corridor from Olympia to Marysville/Totem Park.
