Parkland

As you leave the loud and bustling life of Tacoma and head south on Route 7 into the countryside, you’ll come across the quiet and peaceful Clover Creek neighborhood. With Clover Creek itself winding its way through the area, it’s the perfect combination of cozy suburban living with natural amenities. “It used to be a more rural area, but now, as people move in and build homes, it’s become a good residential area,” says Aaron Hunter, a retired managing broker at Keller Williams Realty and longtime resident of Clover Creek. On the outskirts of downtown Parkland, Clover Creek leaves the close quarters of city life behind for more spacious streets and properties with rolling hills and farmland. While there’s not a lot of commerce in the neighborhood, you’re super close to major highways and freeways to get you where you need to go. Clover Creek may seem old, but new construction and housing developments are bringing life to the area. Homes in Clover Creek come in a range of styles and property sizes. “The home lots are much bigger than typical city properties. You can get more land for your bucks, at a much better price,” Hunter says. Closer to downtown Parkland and Route 7, you can find contemporary town houses within their own subdivision for around $350,000 to $400,000. Older ranch-style homes and modern-looking Craftsmen line the streets and have a price range of $500,000 to $800,000. As you move out toward the countryside, closer to Allison and Brookdale, large farm properties with barn-like outdoor structures and acres of farmland are available for over a million. There are also vacant lots in heavily wooded areas for those who are interested in clearing the plot of land and building their own home. Families living in Clover Creek can send their little ones to Collins Elementary School, which has a B-minus Niche grade and is part of the Franklin Pierce School District. Morris Ford Middle School was built in the 1950s as the district’s first junior high school. It has a C-plus Niche grade and a dual language program for its multilingual students. From there, your child can attend Franklin Pierce High School. With its B Niche grade and Multi-Tiered System of Supports program that helps students with their academics, it’s no wonder why the school is rated No. 3 for Standout High Schools in Washington. When you need some fresh air after a long day, the Clover Creek neighborhood may not have a distinct park, but there is plenty of outdoor recreation nearby. Naches Trail Preserve is right along Clover Creek itself, about three miles out on Military Road East. The 50-acre preserve lets visitors explore the Garry Oak Prairie along a gravel pathway for walking. North Fork Clover Creek travels all throughout the neighborhood, giving residents the ability to go kayaking or floating along the water when the weather is nice. Closer to home, Camp Curran is a dedicated Boy Scouts community center with five acres of open fields, picnic tables and a pond for troops to learn about camping and survival. While Clover Creek is a mostly rural and residential area, you’re still near everything you need. “There’s not a lot of shops or malls, but it’s close to major freeways,” Hunter says. The Summit Country Center is a shopping area located at the intersection of 112th Street East and Canyon Road East that has everything from hardware stores to banks and nail salons. Get your groceries at Albertsons and take care of your other errands at its pharmacy and in-store Starbucks. Fast food chains dot the shopping center, but you can still find local restaurants within the mix. The Summit Pub is a bar and grill that serves you pizza and burgers while you watch sporting events. Shari’s Café and Pies is a local chain that’s family-friendly and offers classic American comfort food in addition to their mouth-watering pies. For more retail options, travel four miles to get to the commercial area along Pacific Avenue South across from the Lake Spanaway Golf Course. When you want to get away from city life, settle down in Clover Creek, where the properties are spacious and surrounded by countryside.