Snoqualmie Ridge - pros and cons from those who live there (Seattle: houses, schools)

[snuggarelli]

would love to hear your pros and cons.
Husband commutes to the city and I stay home with 3 kids. Currently we have a home on Bainbridge but door-to-door the commute (although pleasant for him) is 2 hours. As you can imagine, I'd like him home earlier. I don't think we can afford our ideal location of Issaquah, but it seems like Snoqualmie Ridge is close by and does have plans to increase shopping and restaurants amenities?
My other concern is how welcoming are the schools and how supportive are they to IEP students. Socially, Bainbridge has been a tough nut to crack if you're an outsider.

Anyway, I would love to hear what you like and don't like about Snoqualmie. I should probably start the same on BI so that people wanting to move there has some forewarning too.

[flyingsaucermom]

I'm in Issaquah.. what's your price range for homes?

I can't comment on Sno Ridge as a resident, but it was definitely on the very short short list of Eastside communities we had considered. Actually, it was the only other community It's beautiful and many homes are more affordable, or perhaps rather, you get a little more house for what you'd spend closer in. I'm sure you've read that schools are probably considered not quite as good as ISD, but that elementary is more highly regarded than the secondary... perhaps when all the new Sno Ridge kids grow up that will change too...

But I will say that I am very satisfied with my choice to move my special ed student into Issy schools. His school took up his case as soon as I let them know we were moving in. His IEP is for 60% special ed. They take care to have him transition with another special ed buddy in and out of the IEP sections of his education. His future teachers are always selected beforehand based on both the his and the teacher's characteristics. These past two years he's gotten the most highly regarded teachers of the grade level.

If you would prefer Issaquah, maybe you should see if you really can afford it.

[Prple]

I used to live in Snoqualmie Ridge and now live in North Bend and like both. My husband commutes into downtown Seattle which ranges from 45 minutes to an hr. The things I liked most about living on the Ridge: nice neighbors, safe community, trails, walkability, scenery and commute. My kids never attended schools in the Sno Valley S.D. so I can't comment on the schools.

[snuggarelli]

Thanks Prple and flyingsaucermom! Great things to consider.

[Hemlock140]

With the last metro route cuts, they eliminated many of the bus trips from Issaquah Transit Center to North Bend/Snoqualmie. There are only 8 trips now all day long. For people taking the bus (I see them there) it can be a 90 minute or two hour trip. For those that commute, traffic has gotten worse. A co-worker in North Bend was complaining about it until she managed to find enough people to form a vanpool.

[Yakscsd]

I would add that the commute becoming worse is relative. i drive it every day and find it to be super easy for the most part. You can bank on the drive from Exit 25 ((Snoqualmie Ridge) to 18 (Front Street)being wide open and beautiful. I would take that part of the commute over anything else in King County. West of Front street it can get tougher, but seldom is stopped like 405 and 5 are on a daily basis.

Other plus include being part of King County even though you are out a ways. You get the government amenities without the crowds for services like the library, fire protection and senior resources. the police department there is top notch and one of the best I have ever seen, based on what they have accomplished in nearby North bend. Down the back side of the ridge you have old town Snoqualmie with great restaurants and shops. A bit further down 202 you have the falls, Salish lodge and the town of North Bend all very close. North Bend has 2 full size grocery stores and when considered with the outlet malls, puts most of your shopping very close by. Of course even a run down the hill to Issaquah is easy enough to do for dinner when or a trip to Home Depot/Lowes. If you ski, you are closer to the Summit and easy access for winter sports.

The only knock on the Ridge that I have is cookie cutter subdivisions. It's row after row of beige color houses with just enough variation that you can find your way home. You will get more snow and more rain than where you are now, so if you are at all freaked out about driving in the snow it might be an issue. We can count on some snow up there every year. I can't comment on the schools as i have no direct experience. Anecdotally, I hear good things and the community seems to be very supportive of the schools and visa versa, as is true in most smaller towns.