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Whiskey Ridge: Million Dollar New Homes... Selling Above Ask… in a Matter of Hours
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Whiskey Ridge: Million Dollar New Homes... Selling Above Ask… in a Matter of Hours

This J425 Development Update focuses on the flurry of residential development adjacent to large commercial and retail projects at the nexus of Marysville and Lake Stevens.

Kevin Thomas Hulten's avatar
Kevin Thomas Hulten
Jul 31, 2023
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The Journal 425
The Journal 425
Whiskey Ridge: Million Dollar New Homes... Selling Above Ask… in a Matter of Hours
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WHISKEY RIDGE - MARYSVILLE, WA

Before we show you how many new homes realized themselves into existence since our last report 6 months ago…before we demonstrate a housing-mad populace frothing at the mouth for the chance to drop a hundred K in earnest money on million dollar matchbox homes….before all that?

Hop in. Drive with me for a second.

We’re headed north on 87th at Sunnyside, an arterial running parallel to SR-9 North —maybe a football field or so inset to the west of the highway.

As we cross over Sunnyside, look to your right: 300 homes going in along a two-block long swath of new sidewalk and flat dirt lots, on the east side of 87th. Blink and we’re past it.

Pictured above, looking west from 87th we see model home construction and the sun setting off frame to the right (north).

But quick — look left too, because there’s a hundred new homes going in across the street over there as well.

In other words you’re looking at 400+ new single family homes going up in just the first 1000 feet of 87th north of Sunnyside.

This is where we find the bulk of new residential development in greater Lake Stevens — and it’s just one segment of three parallel growth initiatives on the ridge top.

Development is occurring in three general phases along the SR-9 ridgetop between Marysville and Lake Stevens.

On the Lake Stevens side of the Soper Hill Road and SR-9 intersection is the Lake Stevens Landing commercial park - home to AM/PM, Chipotle, Starbucks and eventually to anchor tenant Gencare, who is building a massive residential retirement home on the east side of the north/south highway, in Lake Stevens territory. 

Across SR-9 on the Marysville side lies the Everett Clinic-anchored Soper Hill Center. And to the north?

The largest active residential development in the state, according to one area investor.


Whiskey Ridge Residential: Near-Million Dollar Homes, Selling Above-Asking in a Matter of Hours

Streetscape
As if self-populating from an AI lab,near million-dollar homes complete with sparkling white quartz counters, nine foot ceilings, gas fireplaces…and lot sizes that appear to be in a tight contest with the residential square footage requirements of the home they host. Photo art courtesy of KB Homes.

By local standards, the 20 or so new commercial and retail businesses popping up in the Soper Hill area a big deal.

And yet the combined effort of both Lake Stevens Landing and Soper Hill Center pales in comparison to the work occurring along 87th Avenue Northeast north of Sunnyside. Development at this scale is impressive.

High-end new homes are popping up at the center of large swaths of unimproved lots - with developers obviously adopting the Arrested Development strategy of completing a bespoke model home they can sell from before embarking on the foundational work for the rest of the community.

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