Sometimes referred to as “The People’s Republic of Fremont,” other times as “The Artists Republic of Fremont” this neighborhood is one of the best examples of Seattle living. Once the symbol of 60’s counterculture, Fremont has become more gentrified over the years as they have attracted a diverse range of people, restaurants and coffee shops.
Living in Fremont is not like living in other neighborhoods in Seattle. Here in Fremont, you get a unique experience that you would normally only be able to find in a city like Portland, OR, Brooklyn, NY or Silverlake, California. Signs dot the neighborhood with advice like “Set your watch back five minutes,” to advising to throw the watch away entirely. Some signs boast that Fremont is the center of the universe and a local historical landmark will show you the distance from Fremont to a variety of cities across the planet. It’s this kind of avant guard art and statues that make Fremont such an amazing and unique place to live.
The residents in Fremont have a particular pride in art and culture that range from the breathtaking to the confusing to the downright disturbing. For example, in Fremont, you’re just as likely to see an 18 foot tall statue of Vladimir Lenin (the controversial Communist figure). As the story goes, a local art lover took a mortgage out on his house to rescue the enormous statue after the fall of communism in 1991. Since then, Lenin has looked down disapprovingly on the residents of Fremont.
Controversial statues from the 20th century aren’t the only statues that are on display. A rather large statue of a troll crushing a Volkswagen Beetle in its hand sits directly underneath the Aurora bridge. The Troll over eighteen feet high and weighs over 13,000 lbs. Visitors are encouraged to climb up on the statue to try to poke out his remaining good eye (a hubcap). Aurora Ave North was renamed Troll Avenue in honor of this local landmark.
With the best of both worlds, Fremont real estate is a great buy for artists, young professionals looking to make their first purchase on a house. Fremont is a promising area with many Fortune 500 companies opening offices there. Companies like Google, Adobe Systems, Tableau Software, BEA and Cutter and Block have all purchased office space in the Fremont neighborhood. As a result of all the tech companies owning Fremont real estate, the southern edge of Fremont is sometimes referred to as “Silicon Canal.”
With the large selection of restaurants, the unique culture that has flourished in Fremont and the proximity to many of the major tech companies, Fremont real estate is something you should be seriously considering for your new home. With the recent uptick in the local Seattle economy, places with available inventory like Fremont will sell quickly. The recovery is in full swing in Seattle, especially with housing and unemployment. All these factors are pointing towards a very strong year for home prices in Fremont. Get in now, or regret it later.
Leave a Reply