When you hear about Seattle's quality of life, this is what most people are talking about. It is a big island, however, with enough room for a Navy base, a few towns and rural residential areas. The island comprises most of Kitsap County, which has a population of about 240,000. About 1,000 homes a year are built in the county, Art Castle tells me in a telephone interview. He is executive director of the Kitsap County Home Builders Association, an affiliate of the national group of the same name.
Buyers can easily spend two or three times that in some neighborhoods.
Remodeling existing homes is an increasingly popular option, Castle says. The state Growth Management Act is having an impact on the development industry in Kitsap County. For one thing, Every year since 1993, we have consumed more lots than we've created. That is positive, according to the conventional wisdom among people who favor managed growth. They think it makes more sense to let growth consume land already approved for development rather than open up more.