Snoqualmie Ridge or not to Snoqualmie Ridge (Bellevue, Sammamish: ski resort, for sale)

[Kjohn0511]

We recently relocated here from outside Atlanta, GA. We are currently renting a home in Issaquah. We do like it here but have concerns over finding a house big enough (4 beds, 2800 sq.ft+) for a price we can afford ($500k max). We are continuing to look in Issaquah/Sammamish but do not really like the Highlands. We have started looking in Snoqualmie Ridge and like the feel of that town. I saw other questions on here about "the Ridge" but most of the questions/answers were from 5+ yrs. ago. I'm looking for a more updated opinion on that area. We have 3 children under 8 and the schools are a big concern. We were told to stay in ISD when we moved here but noticed that the Snoqualmie schools are ranked just as high on paper as Issaquah. They have recently redrawn the elementary lines (2010) with a split between Cascade View & the new homes by D R Horton going to North Bend Elementary. There are also some in Snoqualmie Elementary. I'm looking for opinions on those schools as well as middle & high school. Thanks for any/all opinions on leaving Issaquah to get more house for our money vs. staying in Issaquah for schools & convenience.

[NWbyNW]

Snoqualmie Ridge is a new and upcoming area for the town of Snoqualmie. I hate to say it, but it may be hard finding a home for under $500,000 in Snoqualmie. Around some of the neighborhoods though, you can find them in the 300-400 price range. If you look outside of the town, you might find some more choices, but they may be older homes.

The town of Snoqualmie is going through a growth spurt. Most of their new shopping area didn't exist even five years ago. The actual town of Snoqualmie was a small strip of old buildings along Railroad Avenue. This is really changing the town, and city government is expanding and growing services such as police, fire, and medical. It is a up and coming community, and looks to be promising at this point.

I can not help much on how the schools are, but in general, schools on the eastside are pretty good. I don't know how they would be in Snoqualmie.

Do you want a more rural or suburban area?

[Inkpoe]

Actually 500K max budget would definitely get her a nice home in Snoqualmie Ridge area-- its not an impossible task. I wouldn't want to live within the town of Snoqualmie or in the valley given the flooding issues during winter (its even in its city website: Flood & Storm Information ).

SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools ranked ISD as the 6th best school district in the state and Snoqualmie Valley as the 8th best SD. Mt. Si HS isn't as good as the ISD high schools... but its not bad at all. Honestly, if the OP believes her quality of life would be improved by living in Snoqualmie, then definitely she should go for it. SVSD is obviously above average, the kids are getting as good an education as those in the ISD.

[texastrigirl]

There's a gorgeous house in South Sammamish just down the street from me (just feet away from the Issaquah border) that is $519K that fits your specks. Takes less than 5 minutes to get to I-90 Exit 15 from there. Schools are fantastic - Creekside, PLMS and Skyline.

3605 212th Pl Se Sammamish WA - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - MLS #237371 - Realtor.com®

I wouldn't do the Ridge or the drive to/from for that much when you can be in ISD. Elementary level may be comparable but there's no way the MS and HS experience is comparable. You're not just looking at schools, you are looking at Issaquah Schools Foundation and the overall goals of the district as a whole. It matters in this budgetary climate. I have many friends on the Ridge that discouraged me from moving out there for that reason. They all have said to me they would move in here if they could afford it. Also, the weather is more extreme in either direction on the Ridge. The last thing that deterred us were the resale values. When there is still so much building happening, prices do not hold. Lovely neighborhood in so many ways but for $500K, look elsewhere.

[texastrigirl]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

Actually 500K max budget would definitely get her a nice home in Snoqualmie Ridge area-- its not an impossible task. I wouldn't want to live within the town of Snoqualmie or in the valley given the flooding issues during winter (its even in its city website: Flood & Storm Information ).

SchoolDigger.com - School Rankings, Reviews and More - Public and Private Elementary, Middle, High Schools ranked ISD as the 6th best school district in the state and Snoqualmie Valley as the 8th best SD. Mt. Si HS isn't as good as the ISD high schools... but its not bad at all. Honestly, if the OP believes her quality of life would be improved by living in Snoqualmie, then definitely she should go for it. SVSD is obviously above average, the kids are getting as good an education as those in the ISD.

Here's another tool to compare...

Washington State Report Card

Then you have greatschools.org and this...

How do Washington schools compare? | Fraser Institute

I still would be concerned about the inability of SVSD to pass much needed bonds and that fact that Issaquah School District is very financially sound with a huge, well run foundation backing it.

[angiej936]

Can someone please provide an updated response re the Snoqualmie Ridge schools? There isn't a lot of updated responses on this forum that I've found and I'm wondering about the middle and high schools. Greatschools has rated them very well so I'm wondering what the negative comments are about. Is it just because people who respond live in ISD so they are going to say their schools are better? We've lived in the Bellevue School Disrict (and there are plenty of top rated schools there) but after living in older houses that need fixing for so many years in neighborhoods with no sidewalks, we're ready to find something in a planned community, that doesn't require work and is family friendly. So yes, Bellevue would be ideal if we could get what we want, but since that's not an option, is going out further east really going to ruin our kids' futures or is it all relative? TIA!!

[Hemlock140]

We looked at all of the eastside when we moved here in 1993, and attended school board meetings in Lake Washington, Northshore, Issaquah, and Snoqualmie Valley districts. Just that meeting was enough to eliminate Snoqualmie Valley for us, at the time. The misplaced priorities and ignorant parental comments put us off. Obviously that was a long time ago, but according to my brother who lives in nearby North Bend, there is a significant battle of attitudes/philosophies now between the residents of the old downtown and more rural areas, versus the new residents of Snoqualmie Ridge, and apparently that makes it's way into the schools. We decided on Lake Washington schools and Sammamish, and with the kids grown and doing well now we are happy with out choice. If you are concerned about schools, in addition to parental experiences and ratings, I would definitely recommend attending school board meetings, and even visiting to talk to principals though that's hard this time of year.

[angiej936]

I just saw on the school's webpage that the bond has been approved for a new Mt. Si High School so that should be a good thing. http://www.svsd410.org/site/default....10964&PageID=1

I've heard the same issues happening with Issaquah residents...the existing ones are unhappy with all the new building that's happening. But I'm sure there aren't as many issues now since it's grown so much. Perhaps as the Ridge continues to grow, it will be similar to ISD and with any luck, like BSD.

But even when we lived in Bellevue, I always thought that people would just keep getting pushed farther and farther out of the city, in all directions due to rising housing costs. I've always preferred going east and now that our kids are school age, there's more emphasis on family friendly neighborhoods and good schools.

[505HPC6Z06]

I lived in Snoqualmie for part of 2013 and it has a small woodsy like town feel to it. I like it. The summer gets really hot there, over 100F at times. You will need A/C. As you may know, Snoqualmie Pass Ski Resort is nearby.

Issaquah has some bad traffic. I commuted from Microsoft to the Plato and its freaking insane at peak hours. Totally sucked. Not nearly as bad as Los Angeles, CA though.

The culture in Snoqualmie is more laid back, less impatient people. More drug use and street people.

I had my car vandalized on the Plato in Issiquah. A 2013 volt. Someone busted out the rear window overnight; In the rain. Other family members had their car vandalized as well. My bros friend had his car keyed. Bro's wifes sista had dog **** smeared on her drivers door handle. Rich kids are problematic too.

[angiej936]

There are definitely times when I've gone to Issaquah and it appeared there were a lot of high school kids with nothing to do, but loiter in parking lots with their nice cars. So you experienced more drugs and street people in Snoqualmie?? Where would they hang out? In the older part?

We're currently living in Orange County and yes, the traffic in LA is terrible. Our area it's not so bad because the streets were actually made for cars to drive on them, unlike a lot of the eastside that is trying to be bike/pedestrian friendly on 2-lane roads. Traffic was terrible when we were there a couple weeks ago, everywhere. People talk about CA drivers being bad. Ummm...

That's a big advantage of the Ridge, everything is very close so it seems in a lot of cases you can walk to where you want to go. And if not, you don't have far to drive.