Good morning! I hope you had a nice weekend!
Where the heck is Ravensdale, Washington? That's where I live! My wife and I have lived in Ravensdale since 1993 now. Needless to say, we've seen some changes. First of all, Ravensdale is located in Southeast King County and backs up to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Ravensdale is 38 miles from Seattle, 30 miles from Bellevue, and 7 miles from Four Corners, the retail shopping area in Maple Valley.
I remember when we first went looking for houses 17 years ago. We wanted to live in the greater Maple Valley area as our kids were in the Tahoma School District. We interviewed three realtors and ultimately chose the one we felt would work with us the closest. I remember a friend of mine who is a realtor saying we would need to look at 25 homes or so before we found the one we wanted. Believe me when I tell you we looked at all kinds. We were first-time homebuyers and had been told what we could afford with a 5% down payment. At the time, interest rates were in the low 7's for a 30 year fixed mortgage.
After narrowing our search to three homes, we chose the newly built rambler on acreage in Ravensdale. The clincher was when our daughter said this was the home for us! The one comment I remember both my wife and I made was how far out it was. We've always had to drive to get to where we need to go.
From the country to civilization, Ravensdale has changed. The post office was rebuilt, luxury homes have been constructed near us, and most of the vacant land has been sold. Our modest home has doubled in value, mainly due to the land it's on. I suppose it was inevitable to see growth as it's still affordable to live out here. Most homes are selling for between $250,000-$500,000 in Ravensdale. By living further out, we are saving on the costs of housing.
I expect the trend to continue here in Ravensdale. Infrastructure has improved (we can get to the improved Highway 18-the north south connector between I-90 and I-5 in under 15 minutes) and shopping is within 10 minutes.
For anyone desiring acreage that is still affordable, I suggest you visit. And if you're close to the McFadden residence, stop in and say hello! Have a great day!
