Flanked between Bellevue and Kirkland, this Seattle suburb is grabbing the spotlight.
Bridle what?
If you haven’t heard of Bridle Trails, the neighborhood to earn the number one spot on Redfin’s annual hottest neighborhoods report, prepare to start favoriting homes in a frenzy.
A small leafy enclave known for lush pastures dotted with grazing horses, Bridle Trails relishes a more tranquil vibe than buzzy neighbors Bellevue and Kirkland.
“For those who can afford it, Bridle Trails is desirable because of location and uniqueness,” said Redfin agent Kathi Kelly-Billings. “It’s like entering a forest. The Bridle Trails neighborhood is all about horses and trees, where a good portion of the homes have large, heavily wooded lots, complete with barns and pastures. It also has highly-rated schools, and is just minutes to Bellevue and Kirkland, which are home to companies like Microsoft, Expedia and Amazon. It’s as good as it gets.”
Kelly-Billings said her clients who move there love the short commute complemented by a life that embraces the great outdoors. “Several recent clients who bought there work in tech and are super outdoorsy.”
And while Bridle Trails is its own draw, an address flanked between Bellevue and Kirkland adds to the appeal.
“Bellevue has grown from a small suburb of Seattle to a thriving business hub with vibrant dining, shopping and hotels,” she explained. “Kirkland has a hipper vibe. In summer, everyone flocks to the marina–it’s all about boating–to be outdoors by the water. Bridle Trails has easy access to both.”
Bridle Trails earned the top spot in Redfin’s annual hottest neighborhoods report, which makes predictions for the coming year using a combination of agent insights and data that indicates the areas with rising interest from home buyers. In Bridle Trails, the median sale price is $1,300,000, while the median sale price for the Seattle metro area is $545,950.
To get the best feel of Bridle Trails, Kelly-Billings has a few suggestions.
“I drive clients by the park and down the quiet lanes to get the unique feel of the area. There’s an exclusive gated neighborhood, The Hunt Club, with a winding lane of homes centered around a large shared barn and gorgeous pastures.
To see what else makes it the best neighborhood to call home, dive into Kathi’s guide to the spots she seeks out between showings, and the places her clients who call Bridle Trails home love.
Where to Savor the Great Outdoors:
“On the way from Bellevue you drive through strip malls, and then you go up the hill and are in another world. It’s centered around a 500-acre park with horse trails, and full of trees (you can’t take them down). Bridle Trails State Park is nature at its best, and you are literally five minutes into the city. It’s amazing with so many horse trails, and people running and jogging, and you just feel transported to another place.”
“The Central Park Tennis Club is one of best tennis clubs in the Seattle area, and it’s right next door to the Hunt Club.”
Where to Mingle with Locals:
“Locals in Bridle Trails love this cute little coffee shop with craft coffee drinks. It’s a good place to start when you get to town, right near the local shopping center. It’s got an industrial vibe and outdoor seating, that’s a great place to sit and take in the neighborhood.”
“Pagliacci Pizza is a small Seattle chain known for great pizza, but the Bridle Trails location has something most other locations don’t: seating. So order takeout or delivery, or sit in with the family. It’s so good, I love their salads.”
Where to Go in Bellevue:
“There’s one shopping center in Bridle Trails so for big things, you have to go into Bellevue or Kirkland. There are great restaurants in Bellevue, with high end chains like McCormick & Schmick’s, Ruth’s Chris, and Carmine’s, as well as fantastic local seafood at Pearl or Seastar. But my favorite is El Gaucho. It’s a really cool, old Seattle restaurant all about steaks, and steeped in history. The original one was in downtown Seattle and it’s just a great restaurant, with excellent service, a neat atmosphere, and superb steaks. It’s busy though, make sure to make reservations in advance!”
“I love 520 Bar and Grill, which is a really cute restaurant on Main Street in Bellevue, with sandwiches, salads, and outdoor dining in the summer. Old Main is just so charming, full of old buildings and this is right in the middle of all that. It’s a little hidden gem, with great food and also gets loud and fun.”
Where to Go in Kirkland:
“Where Bellevue is fancy with high end stores, Kirkland is little, with a tiny downtown that’s just a few blocks filled with small local businesses. There are cute restaurants tucked all around, like Restaurant Paradiso on a little lane that runs through downtown Kirkland, or Anthony’s, a Seattle chain right on the water known for seafood and brunch. But I like Vovina, a fun, tiny restaurant centered around craft cocktails and wine, tucked in by the marina. It’s just out of the way so most don’t see it.”
This post first appeared on Redfin.com. To see the original, click here.