How would you like to live in one of the top five neighborhoods in the country? Like most people, your answer is probably a resounding “Yes!” (give or take a few enthusiastic exclamation points). In 2014, Money Magazine named Kirkland the fifth best place to live, calling it a bustling “hotspot” full of good jobs, schools, and neighbors. Rest assured that nothing has changed since 2014. As such, Kirkland’s many neighborhoods are prime real estate, and you deserve to know all the wonderful facts about living in each and every one of them. That’s where the neighborhood of Juanita comes in.
The neighborhood of Juanita is situated in northern Kirkland. Bordered by Lake Washington, I-405, Finn Hill, Bothell, and Forbes Creek, Juanita serves as a bedroom community for Seattle and other cities on the eastern shore of the Puget Sound, such as Bellevue and Redmond. Juanita is a small neighborhood with a population of about 13,000 people, most of whom enjoy a commute time of about 25 minutes each way. While most commuters drive their own vehicles on I-405, many others take advantage of the area’s ride-sharing culture by utilizing its many park-n-rides. Juanita’s prime location and amenities make it a popular place to call home, and so it is unsurprising that, in 2013, the median market time was only ten days.
While there are several parks in the area, the heart and soul of the neighborhood is Juanita Beach, especially in summer. In fact, it’s worth noting that about a quarter of Juanita’s waterfront consists of parks. Juanita Beach Park boasts an enclosed swimming area, tennis courts, volleyball courts, picnic areas, Little League fields, and more. It has a sandy beach (a rare and valuable luxury in Washington State), and was recently renovated to include authentic marsh and wetland areas. Additionally, the park hosts a farmers’ market on Friday evenings during the summer, and so you can compliment your outdoor activities with some locally sourced fruits and veggies. Residents of the Puget Sound have been enjoying the area for almost 100 years, and there’s no reason to expect that this trend is going to change any time soon.
Within walking distance of the park you’ll find several small restaurants and businesses in Juanita village. This includes perennial fish & chips favorite, SPUD, and restaurants representing a variety of cuisines from around the world. Or if you wish, you can visit Café Juanita, whose chef Holly Smith was victorious on an episode of “Iron Chef America.” In short, it’s easy to get a good meal in Juanita after you’ve worked up an appetite in the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest.
Housing in Juanita is a mix of apartments, condos, and single family homes. In 2013, 37% of home sales were condominiums. The median condo was 2 bedrooms, 1.75 baths, 1,016 square feet, and sold for $185,000. Prices ranged from $70,000-$580,000, and the most expensive condo was an 1,800 square foot waterfront property. Of single family homes sold in Juanita in 2013, the median home was a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,085 square foot model sold for $449,000. Prices ranged from $195,000 for a small fixer, to $2.3 million for a modern home with 5,500 square feet and 75 feet of waterfront. All in all, Juanita boasts not only an enviably high quality of living, but also a wide range of property prices catering to many different budgets and lifestyles.
For more information about buying a home in Juanita, contact Pickett Street at (425) 502-5397, or at info@pickettstreet.com.