Tam o’Shanter, a Neighborhood Community with Abundant Amenities

“Inside Bellevue”, the Bellevue neighborhood spotlight series, is a unique collaboration between The Brazen’s at Windermere Real Estate/Bellevue Commons and Downtown Bellevue Network. Drawing upon their over 30 years of experience living, working and selling in Bellevue, the esteemed Brazen family provides an exclusive insider’s perspective on living in Bellevue and the real estate market.

We are delving into the Bellevue neighborhood of Tam o’ Shanter, unveiling its hidden gems and unique community atmosphere. Often regarded as one of the city’s best-kept secrets, the neighborhood offers a captivating blend of local charm and enriching experiences.

Tam o’Shanter Real estate by the numbers

Average Price of Home Sold*	Average Price Per Sq Ft*	Average Days on the Market*	Number of Homes Sold in the Last 12 Months	Highest Priced Home Sold in the Last 12 Months	Lowest Priced Home Sold in the Last 12 Months
$1,903,912	$729	18	23	$3,499,000	$1,160,000

*Data from June 1, 2022 – May 31, 2023 

Tam o’Shanter Neighborhood and Amenities 

The neighborhood of Tam o’Shanter is home to roughly 500 families. As a homeowner in Tam o’Shanter, you are deeded membership to the Golf & Country Club with a monthly HOA fee of $402 as of June 2023. This exclusive perk allows you to enjoy the luxurious amenities and privileges of the club, enhancing your residential experience.

The private residential community is located between Bellevue and Redmond, with views of the Cascade Mountains and Lake Sammamish, which is less than a mile away. Amenities include a golf course, swimming pool, four tennis courts, recreational park, and clubhouse. Most days you’ll see neighbors zipping around in their own golf carts.

The neighborhood park, which is private to the HOA, offers a myriad of outdoor delights. This park includes four tennis courts, a playground, picnic shelter, and volleyball and basketball courts. There is also a public park just outside the neighborhood, which features a zip line, exercise equipment, and trails.

The par-71 golf course is maintained and staffed by two PGA golf professionals. When played from the back tees, Tam o’Shanter Golf and Country Club is 6,076 yards. The majority of the membership generally plays from the middle tees at 5,842 yards. The golf course is open to homeowners and their guests.

Members have access to a four-lane 25-yard pool that is located adjacent to the clubhouse. In addition to the full-size pool, a baby pool is available for toddlers. 

The clubhouse includes a restaurant for casual dining, including separate adult and family areas, and banquet facilities for special occasions. There are also many community events and activities like Family Bingo Night, Santa Brunch, Easter Brunch, Easter Egg Hunt at the Park, Kids Halloween Party and Adult Halloween Party, Poker, Bridge, Mah Jongg, Father-Daughter Dance, Camp o’Shanter (camping on the golf course), and a Fourth of July community celebration with a firework show where the fireworks are launched directly from the golf course. 

The neighborhood is roughly 5 miles from Downtown Bellevue’s shopping district and restaurants, with convenient access to SR-520, I-90, and the Microsoft Campus. The award-winning schools include Bennett Elementary, which was completed in November 2017, and Interlake High School.

Development History and Transformation of Tam o’Shanter Community

Developer, Sherwood Development Company, planned the community as Tam-O-Shanter in 1964, and changed the name to Tam o’Shanter in 1965. The community was developed in nine phases. 

A majority of the homes were originally built in the 1970s and 1980s when the “Leave it to Beaver” type neighborhood was first established. Now, 50 years later, millennial buyers are attracted to the community because of all of the amenities listed above, along with the extra wide streets and sidewalks on both sides. As this new wave of younger buyers moves into the neighborhood, the homes are undergoing major renovations for the next generation of families.

In the last five years especially, many homes are beginning to be purchased as “lots” and then torn down. In place of that, brand-new homes are being built. The style of the new homes are more traditional with two-stories, four to five bedrooms, and 4,000+ square feet.

Out of the 23 homes sold within the past 12 months, 7 of them were discreetly transacted off-market. This prevalence of off-market sales is a distinctive characteristic of Tam o’Shanter, where a significant number of residents have deep roots in the neighborhood, having grown up there and now raising their own families. This unique dynamic fosters a strong sense of community and an opportunity for exclusive, off-market transactions that further contribute to the neighborhood’s distinct charm.

The neighborhood has experienced major growth and appreciation in recent years. In June 2017, a home in the neighborhood was purchased for $795,000 by a first-time homebuyer and client of The Brazens at Windermere Real Estate/Bellevue Commons. 

Four years later, in August 2021, the Brazens helped sell this same home on behalf of their clients for $1,550,000. With no major remodel to the home, the property nearly doubled in value.