Yelm is our little known secret, don't tell anyone
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4/4/2009
I've lived in Yelm 2 years now and LOVE IT! We moved here to get away of the crazyness and extreamly crampedness of the "suburbia"of Puyallup which is just outside of Tacoma, Wa. area. We wanted houses with REAL yards and where you didn't just have to lean out the window to talk to the neighbor or share a cup of sugar! Houses are much more affordable and you get LOTS of home for your dollar! We bought our 1700 sqft. home with 1/4 acrea yard for $249,000 2 yrs ago and for the same price, we would be hard up to FIND anything in puyallup at all worthy of living in (aka slum dog housing/decrepited living conditions with NO yard!). To get the same home still without any yard (and i do mean ANY if you call a drain ditch between you and the neighbor a yard) we would have to pay $500,000 and up! We live in the "Clearwood" housing development where everyone gets 1/4 acrea lots, live on 3 lakes, two of which are privately ours, gatted community of 4,000 people or so, swimming pool/whirl pool, parks, basketball, tennis, fishing and boating, miles and miles of hiking trails around the lakes and through the neighborhood and even our own "convience store" right outside the entrance! Our community lives out in the country about 8 miles down a dead end road so its very safe as you would be only going out here if you live here or are visiting someone out here so no drive through traffic at all, lots of fields and cows and beutiful scenic views of Mt. Ranieer, it dosn't get any better then this! When you drive "into town" down the 8 miles of Bald Hill Rd., you have everything you would readily need! Super center walmart, safeway, Market Place, 10 plex movie theater, library, restraunts both fast food and some sit down establishments, and some specialty shops and video store! Basically what you would need on a daily basis! If you want to go to the mall, you can go to Lacey/Olympia which is about 45minites away or to Puyallup which is 45 min. away as well. I work out of Tacoma which is an hour away, but believe me, you get used to the commute! Some even commute as far away as seattle, most take the "rail" and commuter park and rides to go that way. I only work 3 days a week so it isn't so bad and when your off, you basically feel like your "camping" all the time as our community was at one time a camping park that was sold off into lots so is trees trees and more trees! Lots of the original homes are "A" frame houses built into the forests to keep the "campling" like feel, alot more of the homes are the modern style houses with lots of trees for shade. We have the best water as all our water is from community wells that is virtualy free for use, just have the community yearly fees for upkeep of the wells/parks/lakes/pool/grounds/ect. There are lots of events that go on in the community of Clearwood. Easter egg hunts, Santa visits, Halloween parties, New Homeowners Parties/get togethers, ect. Its wonderful!! The schools are good in the area and our neighboorhood basically fill one and half of another elementary school so lots of kids if you want your child to have lots of friends, there are plenty here! Come check us out but don't tell toooo many people of our secret hideaway!!
jennifer | Yelm, WA