Real estate

For the first hundred years since its founding in the 1890s, things didn't change much in the quaint town of Snoqualmie, down the road from one of Washington's major scenic attractions, majestic Snoqualmie Falls.

The big change started in the 1990s, when Snoqualmie annexed 1,300 acres of underdeveloped land for the master-planned community of Snoqualmie Ridge.

Since the first residents moved to what locals call "The Ridge" in 1998, it's now home to more than 80 percent of the residents of Snoqualmie, helping to make it the fastest-growing city in the state, its population jumping from 2,150 in 2000 to 10,670 in 2010.

"We moved here from Ballard to be out of city life, but close to city attractions," said local resident Cynthia Kuni, whose family moved to Snoqualmie Ridge in 2005. "We considered other Eastside neighborhoods, but the fresh mountain air is worth the 10-or-15-minute commute. I'm a runner and the trails and parks were a big draw."

Kuni said Snoqualmie Ridge's location also is a plus. "My husband works on Mercer Island, a handy, scenic commute on I-90, and there's lots of handy shopping options, like the North Bend outlet mall."

Most areas of Snoqualmie Ridge, on a hillside near downtown Snoqualmie, boast expansive views of the surrounding Cascade foothills.

The residential communities of Snoqualmie Ridge are along both sides of Snoqualmie Parkway, providing proximity to Interstate 90 for commuters. And Metro Transit has a Park & Ride lot at Snoqualmie Community Park. It's about a half-hour drive to Seattle to the west and to Snoqualmie Pass to the east, a major draw for buyers who are winter-sports enthusiasts.

All residents are dues-paying members of Snoqualmie Ridge Residential Home Owners Association (ROA) that approves design plans, sets standards for upkeep, fence height and other "good neighbor" rules and coordinates community and neighborhood events.

As a planned community, neighborhoods reflect design guidelines that encourage social interaction, "arranged for people rather than cars" according to the master plan, with sidewalks and trails that encourage nonmotorized transportation.

Homes are all of traditional design; as part of a planned community, designs must be approved and the bylaws stipulate "historic Craftsman, cottage, bungalow, colonial and farmhouse styles, with differing roof forms, window design, surface materials ... utilized to achieve variety" within developments.

Front porches and rear garages are encouraged. Nearly all homes are two stories and built close together, a juxtaposition of density contrasted with the surrounding green belts and mountain scenery.

"Lots of buyers here are from the Eastside or Seattle," said Snoqualmie Ridge resident Heather Boll, who also is a Windermere Real Estate agent. "We also get people moving from out of state because of the proximity to I-90 and the Cascade foothills scenery. The parks, trails and open spaces are a strong draw for most residents, too."

Most of Snoqualmie Ridge is single-family housing priced from $300,000 to the $500,000s, with condos and town homes starting in the $178,000 range.

"People come here for homes in the entry-level and mid-price-range," said Boll. "It's a safe, clean community where your kids always have someone to play with."

According to the Zillow Home Value Index, the median value of all single-family houses in Snoqualmie Ridge, not just houses that have recently sold, was $365,600 in November, down 8.0 percent year-over-year, and up 0.2 percent month-over-month. The median value of all condos was $228,900, down 7.6 percent year-over-year, and down 0.9 percent month-over-month, according to Seattle-based Zillow.

Large homes, many overlooking the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course and mountain views are $500,000 and more, including an expansive, five-bedroom, 4,050 square-foot home recently on the market for $659,900.

Many two or three bedroom, 2 ½ bath 1,700- to 2,000-square-foot homes are available in the $260,000 to $400,000 price range. New construction continues in several areas.

Families with children make up a sizable percentage of homeowners, reflected in the aptly named Cascade View Elementary School, built in 2005, with a panoramic view of the surrounding foothills near Snoqualmie Ridge's small retail area.

The Snoqualmie Community Center, scheduled to open early in 2012, is part of the 33-acre Snoqualmie Community Park adjacent to the school.

The King County Library System's Snoqualmie Library, opened in 2007, is a well-used community resource anchoring the other end of the Center Boulevard retail area.

Despite all of the new development in the area, it still retains the feeling of being out in the country.

"There's deer in our yard, often with fawns, almost every day," said Kuni. "I've had to give up my roses but it's well worth it!"