Second phase of townhomes nearly sold out

By Teresa Kenney
Special to New Homes

ISSAQUAH -- The opportunity to purchase a home in the second phase of construction is coming to a close at Centerra at Talus, where six homes remain for sale.

The neighborhood of two- and three-bedroom townhomes is located above Issaquah's Gilman Village in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and is surrounded by 20,000 acres of wooded natural beauty.

"These homes are a terrific value and they're selling fast. We celebrated the grand opening of our second phase in January and have sold 40 of the 46 homes," says Jeff Smallwood, vice president of marketing and sales for Intracorp, the community's developer.

"We have some amazing financing offers available for qualified buyers, which include 5 percent down and rates as low as 1.25 percent with no mortgage insurance. We compared the monthly payments offered by our financing programs to area rents and found that buyers can save up to $500 a month by buying a home at Centerra instead of renting," he says.

Centerra is located in the master-planned community of Talus. One-fourth of Talus' 630 acres is open to development; the remaining land features 200 miles of trails and more than 400 acres of open space and neighborhood parks.

"All homes at Centerra feature the privacy offered only by backing up to protected open space," Smallwood says. "Instead of staring at your neighbors, you get a natural forested landscape to enjoy. You really get the feeling that you are living in your own mountaintop retreat, and hiking opportunities are literally right outside your front door."

Centerra at Talus' townhomes feature several floor-plan options, all with two-car attached garages. Reflecting the neighborhood's balance of a mountain backdrop and urban dynamics, the interiors feature natural hardwood floors, high-end fixtures and gas fireplaces. Nine-foot ceilings amplify spaces, and kitchens feature porcelain tile countertops; full-height backsplashes; Shaker cabinetry; and stainless steel appliance packages with gas ranges, dishwashers and microwaves.

"These are homes you're going to want to show off to your friends and family," Smallwood says. "And the best part is [that] with our prices and our low interest-rate program, you'll actually have the money in your pocket to entertain in style."

Centerra at Talus borders the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, one of the largest urban wildlands in the country. Down the hill from the community is Gilman Village, a collection of specialty boutiques, restaurants and services. A transit center is also located nearby for commuters.

As part of the development of Centerra at Talus, Intracorp added five acres of open space to the wetlands adjacent to the neighborhood. It also clustered roads, homes and parking to preserve additional land.

Smallwood says that during construction, the builder took extra precautions to protect trees and critical areas and maximized "reduce, reuse and recycle" practices on the jobsite. In addition, the homes were designed to conserve energy through increased daylighting and insulated pipes.

As sales at Centerra at Talus' second phase conclude, a third phase of homes is scheduled to begin selling this summer.

"If you want to take advantage of today's prices and rates in [the second] phase, you really should stop by this weekend," Smallwood says.