Neighborhood of the week | Lakewood

A city slicker might quickly murmur that he's not in Seattle anymore when pulling off Interstate 5 at exit 206.

With views of the Cascade Mountains and evergreen trees instead of urban high-rises, it's easy to agree with some locals that this North Snohomish County area is indeed "the boonies."

But don't let the tractor vendors, old farmhouses and occasional cows mislead you. There's more to this place than meets the eye, and that is serious growth.

Directly off the freeway and to the east is Arlington's Smokey Point — named after an old BBQ joint.

To the west is a Marysville neighborhood called Lakewood, home to a new Costco and a road that eventually leads to some beautiful waterfront property on Lake Ki.

The boundaries of these two communities are fuzzy; in fact, most locals don't know where Smokey Point starts or Lakewood ends (it extends beyond the Marysville city limits).

What is not fuzzy, however, is why this area is developing.

Lakewood's convenient location off the freeway makes it a 41-mile straight shot to downtown Seattle.

The neighborhood is five minutes' drive from the Tulalip Casino and 15 minutes from Everett.

A developing shopping village called Lakewood Crossing soon will include a Best Buy, Linens 'n Things, Petco, Office Depot and more.

Then there's the housing. There's a little something for all budgets. If it's a duplex in a new tract development, it's here. If it's a scenic view, it's here. If it's an affordable first home, yes, it's here, too.

Getting more bang for the buck is what makes this neck of the woods attractive. On average, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is around $300,000 to $350,000, said Gloria Myers, a real-estate agent who works in the area.

"There are still homes that normal people can afford here," she said.

Myers finds many of the latest homebuyers are those stationed at Naval Station Everett or work at Boeing and are willing to commute.

While $300,000 and above might not sound like enough of a cost incentive to pack up and move out here, it does mean getting a larger lot and more square footage than a same-priced home closer to Seattle.

The average residence value in Marysville went up about 9 percent in one year, according to the Snohomish County assessor's 2006 report.

Lakewood runs mostly along Highway 531 (also called 172nd Avenue Northeast); its soft borders run south to about 140th Street and north to 184th Street Northeast.

The population of Lakewood inside the Marysville city limits is about 1,300. But including unincorporated land, that figure jumps to about 8,700, according to Lakewood School District figures.

The area's population will more than triple by 2025, and housing units will increase almost fourfold, according to the city of Marysville's estimates.

But Dennis Bray, a resident of the area since 1978 who lives on 5 acres, says development is clogging roads and driving out people who came to this region to escape the bustle.

"The sad thing is the next generation won't get to see what it's like to live in the country," said Bray, owner of Lakewood Grocery and Video.