CROSSROADS ; Bellevue Neighborhood Tour

Welcome to Crossroads! This diverse community in central Bellevue offers so much for those who want to live in this desirable upscale city for less than the average home price of the area. Plus, it's within easy distance of some great green spaces and water access.Crossroads is an aptly-named neighborhood because it sits in that perfect intersection between city and suburban living. Let's take a look at some of the highlights of this neighborhood and discuss what it might take for you to find your next home here.

Crossroads Neighborhood

Crossroads lies in the heart of the city of Bellevue, WA - sitting centrally between downtown Bellevue and Lake Sammamish. Downtown Bellevue is less than three miles away, and the closest access point to the lake, Idylwood Park, is less than four miles away. There's so many green spaces and conveniences right on your doorstep. You may be tempted to ditch the car and enjoy the best of what Bellevue has to offer, all within an easy cycling distance.Crossroads is the second most densely populated area in the city of Bellevue, topped only by downtown. It's hard to imagine, but this was mostly farmland in the years prior to World War II. Suburban development didn't begin until the post-war years, and in 1964, Crossroads was officially incorporated into the city of Bellevue. Today, its population sits at just over 15,000 residents, more than 60% of which are people of color. Crossroads prides itself as being a place of welcome for all, and this is reflected in the many events and shops that are throughout this neighborhood that celebrate the multicultural aspects of this community

Crossroads Shopping Mall

One of the biggest attractions of the neighborhood is the Crossroads Shopping Mall. This sprawling mall houses a wide variety of stores from the high street favorites to the independent shops. The mall also features a market stage, which welcomes talented bands of musicians from across the spectrum of genres on every Friday and Saturday nights. But the star of the show of the mall without a doubt is the food court, which offers cuisines from around the world for most of the sweet and the savory options. If you do end up living locally, you'll love trying something unique but delicious on every visit.

Crossroads Park

Bellevue is a city full of excellent green spaces and the Crossroads is no exception, with Crossroads Park the standout location of this neighborhood. This is a massive park with many amenities. Bring the whole family and enjoy a summer barbecue under one of the picnic shelters while the kids cool off at the epic spray playground. The park also has a skate bowl, multiple playgrounds, basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts, as well as many paved paths for you to enjoy a relaxing stroll. The park can get busy, especially during summer months, and shade is limited so arrive early on hot days to grab your own piece of shade or bring of some kind a portable shelter.Crossroads Park is also home to the city's Par 3 Golf Course. And if you like idea of golf, but prefer sports that utilize your feet over your hands, then why don't you try a round of Footgolf, which is a newer sport that is a combination between golf and soccer? This is one of three Seattle area courses that have started to offer this as an option, and it makes for a great day full of laughs and good times. Other points of interest at the park include the Bellevue Youth Theater, which offers theater arts performance for young people, regardless of their ability or income levels. And the Crossroads Community Center, where you can choose from a vast array of programs and classes that are designed to build relationships and to bridge the gaps between cultures and generations.

Crossroads Real Estate

Now let's take a moment to look at the housing market, both in Bellevue at large and in the Crossroads, because those are two very different propositions when it comes to buyers interested in moving to the area. One of the major pulls of purchasing a home in the Crossroads is that the average sales price of homes here is about 20% less than it is across Bellevue as an average, with a median sales price here currently sitting just over $1 million. But even with this less than city average price, that still means most home buyers are going to have to get a jumbo mortgage loan to buy a home, but don't let that scare you off. At SMB, we are mortgage brokers, which means we have access to a range of lenders, all who have their own jumbo mortgage programs - versus if you were to get financing through traditional big bank, typically, they'll only have one jumbo loan program that they push every candidate through.What that means is we can chat with you a little bit more, get a better understanding about your financial situation, and then make a recommendation that is best suited for your needs. We work with lenders who offer programs with as little as 10% down on jumbo loans and others who offer rate incentives for those with credit scores or 700 or more. So gone are the days when getting a jumbo mortgage loan means you're going to get a bad rate on your mortgage, especially with today's lower interest rates. Get in touch with someone at Seattle's Mortgage Broker if you're interested in purchasing a home in the Crossroads, Bellevue, or the greater Seattle area.

Bellevue Aquatic Center

Another community-centered offering by the city is the Bellevue Aquatic Center. This center has two indoor pools as well as a 13-foot dive tank, so you can try a deep water exercise. As with many spaces in the Crossroads, the Aquatic Center is all about inclusivity. One of the pools is a therapy pool and kept at 92 degrees with ramp and hoist accessibility. It's also a great pool to teach young kids how to swim during the open swim times.

Timeless Tea

We're almost at the end of our tour of Crossroads, but there was somewhere I just have to mention to you. Timeless Tea offer artistic sweet treat and a wide-ranging drinks menu. Far from being simply a novelty treat, there's something charmingly irresistible about the fun nature of this eatery, from their decor down to their food design, and it's well worth you trying out for yourself next time you're in the area.Well, that about wraps up our tour of Crossroads. We've toured many other neighborhoods around Bellevue and Seattle - you can watch the tour of any neighborhood that might interest you here. If you could see yourself living in Crossroads, Bellevue, or anywhere else around the greater Seattle area for that matter, please reach out to us - we'd love to connect with you!