Homes fit community's natural surroundings

By Teresa Kenney
Special to New Homes

ISSAQUAH -- Set in the foothills of the Issaquah Alps and bordering the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, The Bridges at Talus features alpine-style home designs inspired by the community's natural surroundings.

The collection of three- and four-bedroom homes is 50 percent sold. Both presale and move-in-ready opportunities are available.

"[This] has been a great year for us," says Zack Hill, community sales manager for The Bridges at Talus. "In August, which is traditionally a slow month for home sales, we sold five. Buyers are now realizing that there is little to no finished-home inventory out there. We have one home completed now and will have five more finished by the end of the year."

Hill says buyers who choose a presale home can move in as soon as December, depending on the current stage of construction. Presale personalization opportunities are also available through the homebuilder's design center.

"One of the things that attracts buyers to our homes is that we have the highest level of standard finishes of any other new-home community in the area," he says. "There are not a lot of builders who are putting in gourmet stainless steel appliances with brand names like Viking and Bosch. For those buyers looking for a high-end home, there isn't a lot out there besides us."

The community is built by The Bridges at Talus, LLC, an affiliate of Steve Burnstead Construction LLC. The homes' interiors feature 10-foot ceilings on the main floor; five-piece master baths with large soaking tubs and ceramic tile floors and vanities; gas fireplaces with slate hearths and custom mantels; and extensive millwork throughout, including around windows and mirrors.

"The attention to detail is a signature of the homebuilder. It's the little things that count -- like the placement of windows that captures the best views and light but provides privacy," Hill says.

The Bridges at Talus' homeowners' association maintains all front yards, and the neighborhood includes two parks and a trail that links to the 200 miles of trails within the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.

"This is a very active outdoor community," Hill says. "There are a lot of dog walkers, runners and hikers. And everyone knows each other and hangs out together -- it's the most close-knit neighborhood I've represented.

"We are five minutes from Interstate 90 and five to seven minutes from everything you need, including a couple of grocery stores, Target, Walgreens and Starbucks."

The Burnsteads is a local homebuilder that spans two generations. Founder Fred Burnstead began building homes east of Lake Washington more than 50 years ago, and today three companies are united under the Burnstead name.

The company is committed to building sustainable communities through its Living Wise program. Extensive use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials helps to create a healthier indoor-air environment, and 2-by-6-inch exterior walls provide added strength in the homes' framing. Recycled construction material is used throughout the homes.