History
Sandwiched between the Redmond and Issaquah plateaus, Sammamish is one of the newest neighborhoods in western Washington. Sammamish officially became a city on August 30, 1999 and lies on about 13,000 acres of land. The area was formerly a part of both Redmond and Issaquah, but the name originally comes from a branch of the Duwamish Indian tribe who lived in this area. Sammamish broke apart from its neighbors to become its own incorporated city and is slowly developing a character all its own. Small forests and rolling hills surround long, beautiful Lake Sammamish, which was formed by ancient glaciers cutting through this terrain. The lake now connects the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah and Sammamish.

Description
Still a part of the Lake Washington and Issaquah school districts, Sammamish shares much of its personality with Redmond, Issaquah and Bellevue . The hill that makes up Sammamish rises from East Lake Sammamish Parkway up to Redmond-Fall City Road. Sammamish enjoys being called a `family friendly, kids safe community’ and has made that the city’s motto.

Residents
Sammamish is mostly a family-oriented neighborhood mixed with single professionals primarily working in the field of technology. Microsoft’s Redmond campus and its upcoming Issaquah Highlands campus bring many employees to the area, and the suburban lifestyle is appealing for those fed up with city living. A commute to downtown Bellevue takes only a few minutes, while downtown Seattle offices are about 30 to 45 minutes away during morning traffic.

Fun Stuff
Closer to Issaquah and under development is the East Lake Sammamish Center, which boasts Pacific Northwest’s only Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Lines can stretch down the street when locals gather for their morning fix. This area will soon be home to new retail stores, restaurants, offices and apartment buildings. East Sammamish Park and Pine Lake Park are both beautiful and joggers and bicyclists enjoy the East Lake Sammamish trail that winds along parallel to the lake. On the north side of the lake is Marymoor Park, home to an off-leash area for dogs and expansive walking trails. Twenty minutes away to the east is Snoqualmie Falls, offering another beautiful hike ending in a spectacular view of the 270 ft waterfall.

Average Rent: $$

Primary Housing:

Medium Apartment Buildings

Single-Family Homes

Condominiums

Commute Times:

Bellevue 20 minutes

Downtown Seattle 30-35 minutes

Incorporated as an independent city in 1999, Sammamish is situated high on the plateau to the east of Lake Sammamish. Like its neighbors on the Plateau, Issaquah to the south and Redmond to the north, this area has experienced explosive residential development.

This suburban neighborhood consists of homes developed in the 1970s and 1980s as well as a large number of newer residential homes and planned communities. As you would expect based on when this area was developed there are no vintage homes or classic apartment properties to speak of. There are a few newer, low- or mid-rise apartment and condominium properties that offer apartment living in this area. These buildings are generally located in the pocket commercial cores that exist in Sammamish on the Plateau.

The majority of the rental opportunities exist with the large number of private homes in this area. Many choose this area for its family-friendly environment, quality schools and the ability to get more home for your money. If you are willing to trade off more difficult access to Bellevue and Downtown Seattle, Sammamish can be a great place to call home.