What are you looking for in a house, and what would you like to pay?
If you like quiet, you might want to check out North Bend. It would help if you’d tell us your interests - water sports? skiing/snowboarding? hiking? couch potato? 
North Bend is a quirky little place, but has outstanding hiking and is very close to the Snoqualmie ski area. The drive in from Seattle, approaching Mount Si, is gorgeous.
Something like Versailles, and I’d like to pay ten bucks.
Seriously, I don’t really care much about the floor plan and stuff. The last few houses I’ve bought have all been completely different plans, and I was happy with all of them. I just know it when I see it.
My main consideration (apart from location) is low maintenance and high energy efficiency, which means fairly new construction. From looking around Zillow, most of the houses in the Puget Sound area are older than I like, so I might end up buying either an empty lot, or a lot with a crappy house on it, and tear it down. Then put up either a new house or a new manufactured home. Port Orchard seems to allow MHs in most areas, another plus for them. I’d like to keep the total cost as low as possible, but I don’t have a figure in mind, so I’ll just do the best I can once I decide on a location.
I saw one lot for sale in what seemed to be the middle of Port Orchard, but it had septic rather than sewer, which I don’t want. And then when I googled for more info, I found some articles about a problem with some development’s septic system that was literally causing a stink. Do you know if it’s all fixed now?
I prefer sofa spud, but yeah, I’m pretty much done with recreational sports. I jog and lift weights, but at home (treadmill for jogging), so I can watch TV or listed to music while I work out. Oh, so that is one requirement I have for a house, it has to have at least one big room with a ten foot ceiling, for my home gym.
North Bend would have too much snow for me in the winter.
At the Kitsap Sun website, there’s a story, “Man claims chafing kept him from wearing pants while driving.” So it looks like I’ll fit right in.
Then you’ll appreciate the street names in Port Orchard - Disney, Baby Doll, Parakeet, Stewburner, Christmas Tree, Troon, Par Fore, Bachelor Flat, Safe Haven…and that’s just a sampling. It’s a lot of fun driving around here. I’ve lived in many cities and towns, but none with such a high concentration of oddball street names.
Hmm, Troon and Par Fore. I said I didn’t recreate, but I used to play golf before I got too busy, and I may take it up again with this new no-commute job.
Gotta head out for a while. Thanks very much to everyone who responded, and keep it coming.
If you decide to try golfing again, look up Chambers Bay. It’s a new course that was built in an old gravel pit and it’s been getting rave reviews. If you’ve found the Narrows Bridge, it’s a little south of that. It’s hosting the U.S. Open in a couple years.
I never have. Those and the Perseid meteor showers seem always to be obscured by clouds.
Most of the houses in the rural parts of Port Orchard will be on Septic systems. Only the older homes and/or any new construction near downtown will be on the sewer system. I am on a septic system and there is zero issue.
I do have 5 acres for sale above Long Lake and even have a home designed for it…or can custom design a home for you (I am an Architect). Just throwing it out there or consideration! I will even give you the special Dope discount on fees!
btw–the only issue I have seen with septic systems is if they are older and/or when they are near the water. I honestly have had zero issues with our septic but it is a gravity fed system and we have great soil. Makes a world of difference.
PM me a link to the listing and I’ll be glad to take a look at it.
Tried to PM it to you but it says you aren’t accepting PM messages. Let me know if you change that and I will send the link then
Sorry, please try it now. I’ll be in and out today.
I just wanted to let you guys know that I drove up to Port Orchard last week, and I really, really liked the area. I found a nice half-acre lot and made an offer on it, and we’ve just come to terms. It will close in a month.
Thanks to everybody who responded, and especially** Czarcasm** for pointing me towards Port Orchard.
Now I need to somehow get a house built before the rainy season. I don’t think I want a manufactured home, although I’m not ruling it out, but I’m thinking more in terms of either modular, or one of the mass builders like HiLine, Adair, Reality, or True-Built.
Any comments about your experience with outfits like these in the Puget Sound area gratefully accepted.
I’ve started a more specific thread on the topic. Thanks for any feedback.