Talus in Issaquah - A Mountain Village 20 Minutes from Seattle

The Talus Neighborhood in Issaquah offers a truly unique living experience. Located 15 miles from Seattle and just 25-30 minutes to most of the area's major employers, this "urban village" offers something for nearly anyone.

Enjoy hiking? Talus is nestled at the base of Cougar Mountain and has access to a trail network of about 200 miles a and nature preserve of more than 20,000 acres. Totaling 630 acres in size, you might think that Talus is quite dense and heavily populated, like the Issaquah Highlands, across the valley. However, only 25% of those 630 acres are developed and lived-in, leaving a great expanse of untouched nature surrounding and flowing through the neighborhood. Since there are such great expanses of undeveloped & "enhanced" wild areas, Talus residents will regularly see such wildlife as white tail deer, woodpeckers, raccoons, opossums and perhaps even the occasional bear or mountain lion. No animal attacks have been reported in the neighborhood, however.

Talus is divided into ten distinct neighborhoods, offering a wide variety of housing in all price ranges and geared towards varied lifestyles and life-stages. One of the earliest neighborhoods, tucked away at the lower end of the development is TreAris. TreAris has single family homes built by three different developers - Lozier, Conner Homes & the Kirkland Builders Group. These homes range from the somewhat basic, 2,000 +/- sqft range to the luxurious 4,000+ sqft. Even the more "basic" homes, however, are finished with a high degree of polish and curb appeal. Alley-loading garages in many of these homes create a warm, approachable curb-side where architecture and details can shine. Although yards aren't too large, you do get more space in this neighborhood than most others in Talus. Landscaping is thoughtfully done and there are public open spaces and a park in this area.

Next up is Wilderness Peak. Luxury is the name of the game here. Large view homes are carefully fit onto standard 4,000 to 6,000 sqft parcels, but the arrangement works well and provides for privacy in areas where it matters most. Homes here again range from the high 2,000 sqft to more than 4,000 sqft. Wilderness Peak was developed by the Kirkland Builder's Group, Rick Burnstead Construction, Boitano Construction and Schademan Country Edition Homes. As you might expect, the level of finish in these homes can be quite extraordinary and snowcapped mountain views can be had from most of the houses. The neighborhood is quiet and like TreAris, you wouldn't know it was there from nearby State Route 900. It hides behind the trees and retaining walls visible from the road.

Next to be built was Ascent, a townhome community offering 2 and 3 bedroom units with 2 car garages. Some units include dens, as well. This little village of just over 100 homes was loosely based on styling queues taken from Whistler Village, a premier ski resort in British Columbia, Canada. Homes here range from 1,090 sqft to more than 2,000. Built by Intracorp between 2002 and 2005, these homes are exceptionally well crafted and offer unique floor plans. More than 70% of Ascent homes are located along dedicated greenbelts and open spaces, affording peace, quiet and some spectacular Cascade mountain views. Standard finishes are ceramic tile, granite tile, laminate wood floors, black & stainless steel appliances and gas heat & cooking (in many units). Landscaping is very tasteful, with a mix of trees, lawns, natural/wild spaces and a small playground for little ones. Trail access is right in the heart of Ascent and there are even various pieces of exercise equipment spread out over the property so you can do some of your own "circuit training". Colorschemes, both inside and out are tasteful and even whimsical. Ascent leaves you with a happy feeling. We have sold many homes in Ascent, both as new construction, representing buyers, and as resales, representing sellers. Its one of our favorite neighborhoods and we are grateful to work for its residents on such a regular basis. Currently, we have this home listed for sale: 2088 NW Boulder Way Drive. Prices in Ascent run from the mid to upper $300's to the mid $400's.

As Ascent was being completed, ground was being broken on another townhome neighborhood, CopperRidge. CopperRidge is located on the left side of Talus Drive as you enter the development from SR 900 and is another Intracorp community. Once again, you will find 2 and three bedroom homes, but a bit larger, with sizes ranging from over 1,300 sqft to more than 2,100 sqft. Some homes even offer loft areas and bonus rooms. These homes feature granite & stainless steel kitchens, laminate & tile floors and plush carpets, should you choose to upgrade a bit. Styling here is quite different from Ascent, both inside and out. We'd recommend that you have a look at both resale homes in Ascent and the new homes in CopperRidge before choosing one, since styling and feel are so different. CopperRidge homes can have a single or two-car garage, depending upon the plan. CopperRidge is laid out across the hillside in two terraced phases, vs. with the hillside, as Ascent is. This affords for some better views, but you lose a bit of privacy and there are no tall trees or mature landscape within the neighborhood itself. That being said, the landscape that's been installed is beautiful and features many native plant species. I have found maneuvering to park at homes in CopperRidge to be more of a challenge than in Ascent, due to a wide, landscaped center island that runs between the drives that serve each terrace. Large SUV drivers beware! CopperRidge is still under construction, with prices in the high $300's to more than $530k.

Intracorp has a major stake in Talus, offering not only Ascent and CopperRidge, but also MountainAire, a development of 72 detached homes in 4 floorplans. MountainAire is tucked up against the wooded hillside near the top of the development and homes offer some breathtaking views. I own a "Madrona" floorplan home in MountainAire and adore the house. It is a three level, 2,302 sqft home, with the entrance, a two-car garage and bonus/home theater room on the lower level. Great room, kitchen/dining room, den and a 1/2 bath are on the main level, with a large, covered deck out front and a nice patio out back. The upper level has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and the laundry (thanks for putting that with the bedrooms where it belongs!). Standard features and finishes included slab granite & ceramic tile countertops, hardwood & ceramic tile floors and a good quality carpeting. Spending only $10k in upgrades, we were able to put hardwoods on the entire main level (kitchen & dining room are standard), ad crown molding, tile main bath countertops, a Kohler under-mount kitchen sink, extra thick carpet pad and some extra wiring for future uses, such as ceiling fans, etc. Click this link to see some photos of our home: Our Madrona . Other MountainAire floorplans include the "Cascara", a master on the main floor layout with 2,700+ sqft, a slightly smaller version of our "Madrona", called the "Birch" (less the lower media room) at 2,123 sqft and the "Maple", a 2,452 sqft home with a large loft upstairs. All MountainAire homes are 3 levels, so that's a consideration to keep in mind if you're not a fan of, or have trouble with stairs.

Hawksridge at Talus is another Rick Burnstead Construction project. Homes here are some of the largest in Talus, with plans upwards of 4,700 sqft. Many of these homes not only have mountain views, but also views of Lake Sammamish. These are top of the line "McMansions", with prices currently ranging from just over $1M to $1.4M.

Aliante is similar to Hawksridge, with top of the line homes built by Conner Homes. Aliante is built along roughly the same plane as MountainAire, set high on the hillside. Many of the 7 floorplans are 3 levels and prices run from the high $800's to just under a million. Square footages run from 4,400 sqft to over 5,400 sqft. I've toured the models in this development and they are stunning, to say the least. Even the pickiest buyer will find satisfaction here.

Talus also offers apartment homes with The Estates at Cougar Mountain and a new project under construction called Rose Crest. There are many floorplans and styles to choose from, including flats and townhomes. Rents run from the low $1k to nearly $3k a month. I've helped newly-relocated Microsoft & other employees settle in there and they are nice units. Just a few years old and very well maintained. Appointments and finishes are quite nice and floorplans aren't your usual four walls. Island kitchens and gas fireplaces are just a couple of the nice touches, as well as architectural like columns and marble-like fireplace surrounds & mantles.

Finally, Talus will soon cater to the retired lifestyle with Timber Ridge, a new senior living community. This community offers "LifeCare", a virtually unlimited scope of assisted living options. This is not to say that Timber Ridge is for the infimred, however. Timber Ridge will accommodate folks at all stages of retirement. Amenities include an art studio, garden spaces, casual & formal dining, many cultural, social & recreation opportunities, a fully-equipped fitness center and business center/computer room. For those times when residents choose not to drive the short distance to downtown Issaquah, chauffeur service is available. Construction is currently underway on this massive project that will reside directly below CopperRidge.

I hope that you have found this overview of Talus helpful and informative. Its a great place to explore on a sunny Sunday afternoon. For more information about any of these neighborhoods or projects, feel free to contact us. As always, remember, if you already have one, take along your Realtor, or at least their business card, when visiting sites that are still under construction. The various sales staffs are friendly and helpful, but never go without a dedicated buyer's representative of your own - they will serve you well as you purchase your new Talus home.

Until next time,

Tim

Tim Andrews

TK2 Associates, LLC...powered by John L. Scott

425-444-2121

tim@tk2homes.com

www.tk2homes.com