Where to live near seattle if you don't care about commute or schools? (Bellevue: countertops, appliances)

[Marcymox]

We are considering a move to Seattle, but I'm having a hard time narrowing down the desirable areas to live in.. Most of the posts here have to do with commute times and School districts. Neither of which apply to us. We have grown children, and the jobs that we have require Telecommuting, so we can live pretty much anywhere in the US.
We aren't worried about what side of a certain freeway to live on, or about commuting in traffic or any of that. But I do like good frewway access for traveling to go on daytrips or whatever.
BUT, I'm not young and hip, so I'm not interested in the urban, loft, downtown scene either. I'm not old, I don't need a retirement community, and I don't want to live " in the sticks" meaning I don't want a lot of land or acreage to maintain.
What are some examples of cities with good suburban neighborhoods, you know, block after block of newer or newish houses, smaller yards, does Washington even have "cookie cutter" style subdivisions? if so, that's for me. I don't want land, huge yards, ect. Also, with some shopping, malls or restaurants not too far away , just regular shopping like grocery stores, mall, chain restaurants, ect.

So anyone that can give me examples, that would be great!

[Ira500]

yes, WA does have many, many cookie cutter subdivisions. In fact, they're all over the Seattle, just not so much in the City of Seattle.
If you want to be fairly close to Seattle, but are looking for lower housing costs, think Renton, Kent, Auburn...They all have lots of shopping and newer cookie cutter subdivisions with small lots.
If you want a little more prestige, think eastside, like Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond...They'll have higher house prices.

[seattlenextyear]

I was counting on this post to tell me areas to avoid. Now Ira tells me I'm not safe anywhere in King County? Mamma mia.

[Ira500]

Nope, you're not safe anywhere in King County. In the suburbs of Seattle, you'll encounter the cookie cutter large suburban homes with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances on small lots, and within Seattle neighborhoods you'll encounter some neighborhoods overrun with townhomes, with the requisite granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

[seattlenextyear]

I just figured you'd go with a safe answer like "Issaquah"

[Count David]

Where would one go if they want to avoid all of the below?

cookie cutter
townhomes
granite countertops
stainless steel appliances
small lots
prestige
long commute
high price tag
urban loft
downtown scene
retirement communities
the sticks

Just curious.

[Ira500]

Montana?

[eponabri]

Okay, I'm trying to wrap my mind around these... you want an older unique house, with a good size lot, not downtown, but not in the sticks... right?

I would check out the Bryant-Ravenna, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill neighborhoods. That's where I would go.

[obsidian97]

Lynnwood?

[jenlion]

I think the OP WANTS a cookie-cutter suburban house with a small yard. Maple Valley again? Or maybe Duval? Newish subdivisions, horrible commutes, a signature Kroger down the road.