looking for master planned new community neighborhood in Seattle or surrounding areas (Redmond: apartments, rental homes)

[debfromtx]

Hi, I am moving to Seattle or a surrounding area mid August. I am looking for a beautiful family friendly neighborhood that has newer homes, a community center, planned neighborhood events, parks, playgrounds, a neighborhood pool, and trails. I would also like good schools and to be close to shopping, and not too much more than 5 minutes away from a grocery store. I will have a car, so walking distance isn't important. I have 3 children (newborn, kindergarten, and 6th grade). I also need to be in a neighborhood that has school bus service. Can you recommend a neighborhood that comes close? I will rent for the first year and need a 3 or 4 bedroom $2000 max. Thanks for your help. Forgive me if I broke a City Data "rule". This is my first time to post.

I've been looking on Craigslist for rental homes but I am overwhelmed without knowing anything about the areas.

[Seacove]

I know a planned community like that. It's called Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

We don't have much in the way of planned housing with community centers like Texas. You might find something like that in Klahanie in Issaquah or Redmond Ridge in Redmond. However you will need to increase your budget or plan for a long commute.

[eskercurve]

The sort of "master planned communities" like that don't exist here. Period. There's plenty of central business areas and neighborhoods that fit what you're looking for that they aren't needed. If you live in a right area, you can find all that you're looking for and more in the city and what it has to offer. In particular, Issaquah Highlands is an entire new development but it is the whole city which is a "master planned development" if that makes sense. The homes there are nice too.

A way I think about it is, "why develop the golf course, central business district, parks, trails, etc. when they already exist? just build some nice homes and viola!"

I second Redmond ... near the town center. It feels planned.

Also check out Talus. Kinda pricey though.

And I highly doubt you can find a $2000 / mo rental with utilities and etc. included. Plan for at least $2500.

[texastrigirl]

The usual suspects have been mentioned...Talus and Issaquah Highlands, both in Issaquah. Also The Trossachs in Sammamish would meet some of your qualifications (but there is no pool and no shopping right there) though it's a beautiful place to live and it's teeming with children. You'd have to shop in Klahanie but it is only a 5 minute drive. All of these locations are still a healthy rush hour commute to Seattle though relatively close in no traffic. Issaquah/Sammamish runs exits 15-18 off of I-90 out of the city with the city being around exit 4-5.

Klahanie in Issaquah/Sammamish would actually be your closest fit but it's old...though it has everything else you want, including a pool...might also be in your price range. Great community feel, trails, pools, sports field, its own little shopping center, lots of play areas and open space and families. Terrific schools as well. I moved here from TX and lived in the master planned community you describe there (Circle C in Austin) and Klahanie was as close to it as I could afford at the time. But I was also buying at the top of the market too...so that's changed a little. I didn't end up buying in Klahanie because we found something in a small neighborhood off of Pine Lake in Sammamish that we loved. And being near the lake trumped all...but Klahanie would have been fine.

DM me if I can help you further. We reloed from TX in July 2007 when our boys were 4 and 7.

[MichaelinWA]

Snoqualmie Ridge is a "master planned" community that might be worth a look.

[seattlenextyear]

Agrestic. I hear it's got a great bakery.

[Hemlock140]

I agree that Klahanie is about the only one within a reasonable commute. It's not really old, the most recent homes/apartments are from the mid 1990s.
Figure about $2,100 for a 3 bedroom apartment, before utilities, very few if any 4 br. For a house, good luck finding a rental there, but a small (2,000 sf) 4 br will run about $2,500 plus utilities. Townhomes are more available to rent but at about $2,300 for 3 br.

[Molly N.]

Look at the builder Quadrant they are master minds of planned communities in the area. We currently live in one in Redmond and love it since there are 4 parks in a 3 block area and lots of trails. QFC is only a few min away and then we have Safeway,Fred Myer and Albertsons with in driving distance. They have the bus stop here too. Best of luck!

[sekhmet1974]

Mercer Island. I wouldn't call it "master planned" but it has just about everything you are looking for. In general though, Seattle doesn't do "cookie cutter." One of the positives of why I lived there for so long.

[noexcuseforignorance]

Most neighborhoods in Seattle are like that. We're just smart enough to not need a master to plan things like that.