The Lake Hills Traditional: A Buyer’s Guide

The Lake Hills Traditional: A Buyer’s Guide

The traditional is a favorite in Lake Hills, and buyers who have lived in one tend to stay loyal to the style. Two full floors stacked cleanly on top of one another, formal spaces that feel considered, and a floor plan that rewards daily life in ways that aren’t always obvious until you’re in one.

What makes them distinctive

In Lake Hills, traditional means colonial. Two stories, symmetrical, with shared spaces on the main floor and bedrooms above. Newer neighborhoods built in the 1990s took the traditional form in a more expressive direction, with angled rooms, dramatic bump-outs, and architectural flourishes that reflect the design sensibility of that era. The Lake Hills colonial is a different animal: more classical in its proportions, more predictable in the best sense, and built for the long haul.

The staircase is a defining feature. Often positioned as a focal point of the entry, it’s typically marked by hardwood treads and finials that give the home a sense of arrival you don’t find in the other styles.

The main floor is organized around formal spaces: a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen that connects to both. Traditionals tend to have generous window counts on all sides of the home, which means natural light moves through the house as the day progresses. What Lake Hills traditional buyers often discover is the circular floor plan, the way the main floor loops from one room to the next without dead ends. On a rainy Pacific Northwest afternoon, you can take your laps inside.

Upstairs you’ll typically find four to five bedrooms and at least two, often three, bathrooms. Nearly all traditionals in this neighborhood include a primary en suite, even if that means a modest 32-inch shower pan. The space is there, and for buyers with imagination about how walls can move, the upside is real.

Why buyers choose them

Square footage above grade is the financial argument. Traditionals tend to appraise higher than split-levels or tri-levels of comparable size because all the living space sits above ground. Lenders and appraisers treat above-grade square footage more favorably, which matters both when you buy and when you eventually sell.

The formal rooms are another draw. A dedicated living room and dining room give a household options that open-plan homes don’t offer. Space for a real dinner party. A room that isn’t the kitchen for guests to gather in. Buyers who grew up in homes with distinct rooms often find that returning to that layout feels right in a way they didn’t expect.

The bedroom count is also a practical advantage. Four or five bedrooms covers a lot of life stages: kids, guests, a home office, a dedicated hobby room. The primary en suite, however modest in some homes, means the couple at the top of the household isn’t sharing a bathroom with everyone else.

What buyers should know

Traditionals are generally well-built homes, but age matters here too. Sewer scope, electrical panel, and plumbing checks apply. One practical advantage worth noting: because the two floors mirror each other in footprint, heating and cooling systems are more straightforward to design and upgrade than in split-levels or tri-levels. The math is simpler, the ductwork is more logical, and contractors appreciate the predictability.

The staircase, while a feature, should be inspected for structural integrity, especially in homes where the finials and railings haven’t been updated. Roof condition is worth close attention on a two-story home. More square footage of roof means more potential surface area for deferred maintenance. A thorough house inspection and honest conversation about roof age and condition is essential.

The primary en suite in some of these homes is compact by current standards. Buyers who want a spa-caliber primary bathroom should go in with realistic expectations about what the existing footprint allows, and have an architect or contractor conversation about what’s possible.

Who they’re right for

Traditionals suit buyers who want formal spaces, strong resale fundamentals, and a floor plan that organizes the household clearly between shared and private zones. They’re a strong fit for families, buyers who entertain, and anyone who places value on bedroom count and bathroom separation. The colonial character of the Lake Hills traditional also gives these homes a curb appeal that holds up across decades.

If you’re considering a traditional in Lake Hills and want to talk through what a specific home is worth or what updates make the most sense, I’m glad to walk through it with you.

Maggie Wong | Coldwell Banker Bain | 425-765-8042 | Maggie.Wong@cbrealty.com
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