Issaquah, which means "the sound of birds," is a former mining town surrounded by nature. On the outskirts of Bellevue, it has developed into one of Washington's most flourishing cities. While many Pacific Northwest hubs lack a true center, this city of nearly 42,000 has a classic downtown with trendy restaurants and whimsical statues that bring life to Front Street.
Issaquah's moniker is the "Trailhead City," with 60 trails across vast mountain ranges, lakes and vista views. "Issaquah is a great area to have a suburban lifestyle with a city feel," says Ali Forde, a lifelong native and Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Realty Bothell. "People who love the outdoors have a happy medium here."
Neighborhoods with mountain views
Winding roads rise and fall under the shade of pine trees, bending around mountains and leading to scenic views. The city's housing stock combines midcentury and New Traditional architecture. The neighborhood with the highest home values is Montreux, which is close to Lake Sammamish State Park. Another option is the Issaquah Highlands, a master-planned village in the hills above the city. In Issaquah, the median price of a single-family home is $1.4 million, which is significantly higher compared to the statewide median of around $580,000 and the national median of slightly over $400,000. Additionally, the median price for townhouses is $850,000.
Costco Wholesale Corp. is a Fortune 500 company with its global headquarters in Issaquah, employing about 7,000 people. NAES Corporation is an energy service provider with around 2,000 employees. Microsoft is an industry leader in the PNW. While their facilities have been temporary in Issaquah, residents can commute to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, about 15 miles away.
Homes in Squak Mountain are nestled among lush forests that bend around mountains.
Issaquah Highlands is a master-planned community located on the Sammamish Plateau.
Midcentury and New Traditional architectural styles blend seamlessly together in Gilman.
Costco's global headquarters is in Issaquah and the Fortune 500 company employs about 7,000.
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Lake Sammamish, hiking trails and troll sculptures
The city has access to green spaces, state parks and 200 miles of hiking trails. Lake Sammamish State Park features two sandy beaches and boat access in a 500-acre area for water recreation. Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park has scenic views and wildlife. The Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park has a variety of obstacle courses and tracks for all skill levels. Squak Mountain State Park and Tiger Mountain have distinct hiking areas, such as Poo Poo Point, a trailhead reaching a peak where paragliders make their launches. The city's community center has basketball courts downtown next to a path leading to Jakob Two Trees, a 14-foot sculpture made of recycled materials, and it is one of only six troll statues spread throughout the PNW.
Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park near Klahanie has obstacle courses and challenging trails.
Squak Mountain State Park has hiking with scenic viewpoints near Lake Kathleen-High Valley.
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park near Lake Kathleen-High Valley has scenic views.
Lake Sammamish State Park near Montreux has boat access and 500 acres for water recreation.
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Olde Town - a vintage city center
Issaquah's iconic city center is Olde Town, a walkable historic neighborhood painted with classic brownstones, theaters and diners, with a vintage vibe below the mountains. Olde Town could be mistaken for a rural town center. Front Street is its main thoroughfare, featuring dessert shops, restaurants and breweries. The Village Theatre is a performing arts center. Another area for restaurants and retail is Newport. Gilman Boulevard flows through a modern selection of dining options and retail, such as the Issaquah Commons, a popular plaza with retail chains.
At Issaquah Commons near Tibbetts Creek Valley, residents enjoy an open-air shopping center.
Near Newport, the Village Theatre has put on plays for residents to enjoy since 1979.
Locals can get shopping done at Target located in the Issaquah Commons near Olde Town.
Olde Town is Issaquah's iconic city center with a vintage vibe nestled below the mountains.
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Accolades at Issaquah School District
The Issaquah School District serves around 19,500 students and earns an A-plus grade from Niche, which ranks it the fourth-best public school district in Washinton. Issaquah High School is at the southern end of town, while Skyline High School is in Sammamish. Both schools receive A-plus grades from Niche and are among the state's Top 15 public high schools, according to Niche. "The school districts are amazing, with super high ratings. They're good, not only for academics but also sports," Forde says.
Issaquah High School offers the advantageous Advanced Placement program to its students.
Issaquah Middle School serves almost 800 students in the Issaquah School District.
Cougar Mountain Middle School in Talus has a 130,000 square foot facility opened in 2022.
Skyline High School ranks among Washington state's top 15 public high schools.
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Two park-and-ride areas and bus systems
The Issaquah Transit Center provides bus service through Sound Transit, while the King County Metro has a park-and-ride area in the Issaquah Highlands. Interstate 90 is the city's expressway, heading west to the area's most populous neighboring cities. Bellevue is about 12 miles away on I-90, while Downtown Seattle is roughly 17 miles west. Swedish Issaquah is a medical campus with an emergency room less than 2 miles north of the city center. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, or SeaTac, is just over 20 miles southwest.
Lower levels of violent crime and some flood risk
According to FBI data as of 2023, Issaquah's violent crime rate is lower at 41 out of 100,000, compared to the national average of 119. Though, the property crime rate is 331 out of 100,000, higher than the national average of 180. In 2023, the Issaquah Police Department reported a 7% decrease in overall crime and a 14% decrease in property crime.
The city's residents experience a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Some areas are susceptible to potential flooding from Issaquah Creek and Sammamish Lake.
Despite his international upbringing, there is no place like Seattle where Kevin feels more at home. Born in Toronto, raised in Hong Kong, lived in Tokyo and New York all prior to putting down roots here in the Pacific Northwest over a decade ago – of all people, Kevin recognizes the importance in finding your home where you can make memories, foster relationships and build communities.
As a landlord managing a portfolio of rental properties within the Greater Seattle metropolitan area, Kevin embraces real estate with a passion. He prides himself on his savvy knowledge of the local market and its specific neighborhoods, which allows him to share all relevant information that may impact a client’s position, good or bad. He understands first-hand how stressful buying and selling real estate can be, and is committed to making that process easier, one client, one transaction at a time.
Kevin graduated from Yale with an economics degree and acquired his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. His wide spectrum of professional experiences stretched across trading distressed property assets at Lehman Brothers to managing homeowner insurance products at Liberty Mutual. Kevin’s continual pursuit of education, strong business acumen and analytical mindset, along with trilingual abilities being fluent in Chinese and Japanese, are assets that benefit his client.
When Kevin is not previewing properties or conducting market analyses for his clients, he enjoys cooking with his wife and playing with his Goldendoodle puppy. Kevin also finds joy in giving back to the community through music and performance arts.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
