Neighborhood Review: Harbour Pointe Village

Another new feature I'm bringing to the blog is "reviews" of different neighborhoods/subdivisions in the areas I serve, i.e., Mukilteo and Everett. I think this is interesting information for anyone considering buying a home in the area, and it helps with the "I don't know what to write!" problem that I have been having. Structure is good, at least it is for me.

The first neighborhood I'm reviewing is called Harbour Pointe Village--it happens to be the neighborhood where I live.

Harbour Pointe Village is a newer subdivision of about 250 homes in the planned community of Harbour Pointe in South Mukilteo. It's rather unique in Mukilteo in that it is the only community of moderately priced homes (under $650,000) that is situated on the Harbour Pointe Golf Course, and it is the only neighborhood in Mukilteo that has adopted some of the principles of New Urbanism, such as Walkability, Connectivity and Increased Density, into its design.

Homes in Harbour Pointe Village range from about 1,800 square feet up to 2,400 square feet, with lot sizes ranging from 3,000 square feet up to about 5,000 square feet. About 25% of the homes face directly onto Harbour Pointe Golf Course, and as you would expect, these homes tend to come in on the upper end of the price range for the neighborhood.

The homes were built between 2000 and 2003, by well-known local builders John F. Buchan Homes and Lozier. Both builders typically build more high-end homes, and therefore the finishes in the subdivision are of a quality you would typically expect to find in a more expensive neighborhood, such as 10 foot ceilings, extensive millwork, high-quality hardwood flooring, etc. The homes built by Lozier tend to be more "modern" on the inside with more flexible floorplans and clean lines throughout, where the Buchan floorplans and finishes tend to be a little more traditional with formal spaces.

One of the most interesting things (at least to me) about the neighborhood is that it is styled in the manner of some of the older Seattle neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill or Queen Anne, with alley access in the rear and home facades facing directly onto the street. This gives the homes a friendlier street feel and encourages more neighborly interaction than the typical suburban home that has a garage in front taking up 2/3 of home's street "face."

Another unique feature of Harbour Pointe Village is the use of public green spaces. Certain of the homes in the neighborhood face onto a "village green" that increases privacy between the homes and counteracts the effects of the smaller lot sizes typical in the neighborhood. If you live on one of the greens, you get the advantages of a large yard, without the responsibility of caring for it, since these spaces are maintained by the Homeowners Association.

I really enjoy living in the neighborhood for several reasons. The design of the homes in the neighborhood is really great, and reminds me of the neighborhoods where I used to live in Seattle. Tudor-, Dutch Colonial-, Federalist- and Craftsman-inspired homes are intermingled with more modern ones, which prevents the neighborhood from having an appearance of "sameness" while still retaining an overall sense of unity.

The neighbors are friendly, which is important, and there is quite a bit of diversity in terms of life-stages and ethnicity. There's a nice mix here of families, dual-income-no-kids couples, and retirees so no matter where you are in life there are other people in the neighborhood who are similar to you. Yet, there is enough diversity to keep things interesting.

Another nice feature is that The Village is walking distance from elementary, middle and high schools, as well as Village Center, a small area with restaurants and shops. This gives residents the ability to get out of their cars and enjoy some of the benefits of a more urban-feeling setting.