In Bellevue, the possibilities are dazzling

along with the variety of neighborhoods made for living and exploring. In a way, Bellevue is a lot like New York City, where business districts are interspersed with more quirky neighborhoods than you could easily explore in a day or a weekend.

Picture the city like a spoke, with the sophisticated downtown at its core. This is the hub of business in the city, where more than 150 companies have their headquarters, and 900 businesses regularly engage in international trade. It’s a smorgasbord of diversity and talent, with more than 130 languages spoken from all around the world. Indeed, during the day the city swells with workers from all over the region, drawn to companies like Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon and Expedia. It’s one of the liveliest places in the state, a unique spot where jobs are actually forecast to grow, and commuters enjoy a shorter-than-average drive to work.

But the downtown doesn’t cater only to business and commerce. It is also becoming increasingly residential, mirroring the growth of high-rise condos and apartment complexes in the area. The demand of Bellevue real estate has come from people wanting to be close to not only their jobs, but to the region’s best shopping, dining, and attractions.

Many people have chosen to move to Bellevue because of its centrality and convenience. But the current 122,000 residents know that Bellevue’s unique appeal goes beyond just serving as a gateway to other places. It is in being the kind of place where people love to be, where you never have to choose between the big city and a close-knit community, and where itʼs just as possible to start a company as it is to start a family. And that has made all the difference.