Puyallup Neighborhoods With Larger Yards and More Privacy

Lot size is one of the few things you cannot change about a house after you buy it. You can redo a kitchen. You cannot add a quarter acre.

In the Puyallup area, yard size follows a clear pattern. It depends mostly on when the neighborhood was built and whether it was laid out by a developer or grew up one house at a time. Once you know the pattern, finding space gets much easier.

Why newer usually means smaller

Over the last few decades, land costs rose and Washington's growth rules pushed new housing into more compact layouts inside designated urban areas. Builders responded by putting larger houses on smaller lots.

The result, in general terms:

These are tendencies with plenty of exceptions. The point is that if a large yard is your priority, the newest subdivisions are the hardest place to find one.

Where the larger lots are

Here are the areas I would search first. Lot sizes vary street by street, so treat these as starting points.

Older South Hill, inside and near the city

Neighborhoods from the 1960s through the 1980s on the lower and middle parts of the plateau were built when land was cheaper. Ramblers and split-levels sit on lots that feel generous by today's standards. Decades of growth have given them tall trees and thick hedges.

These homes may need updating. In exchange you get room for a garden, a play area, a shop, or simply distance from the neighbors.

Fruitland and the west side

West of Meridian, along and beyond Fruitland Avenue, the pattern is less uniform. Older homes on large parcels sit next to small subdivisions. You can find half-acre and one-acre lots here that are still close to shopping and to State Route 512.

Summit and Summit-Waller

West and southwest of Puyallup, toward Tacoma, is a semi-rural area with a long history of small farms and large residential lots. Many homes sit on an acre or more. Mailing addresses here can be Puyallup or Tacoma. It is unincorporated, so services are county.

The valley edges: Alderton, McMillin, and Riverside

East and southeast of downtown, the valley opens into farmland along the river and along the road to Orting. Parcels are large and houses are far apart. Much of this ground is in the floodplain or lahar zone, and some of it is zoned for agriculture, which limits how it can be divided.

Edgewood and North Hill

Across the river to the north, Edgewood is a separate city on its own plateau. For many years its zoning kept lots large, and it still has a lower-density feel than South Hill. It has its own city government, and school district assignment varies by location. If the city name on your mail is flexible, it belongs on your list.

South of the plateau: Frederickson and Graham

Past the built-up part of South Hill, the land opens up again. Frederickson mixes newer subdivisions with industrial land. Farther south toward Graham you find acreage, manufactured homes on land, and custom homes on large wooded lots. The trade is distance.

The east side above Shaw Road

Hillside neighborhoods vary. Some lots are large because the slope makes part of them unbuildable. That can mean a wooded back yard that nobody will ever build on, which is excellent for privacy and limited for play space.

Privacy without a big lot

A quarter-acre lot with the right setting can feel more private than an acre in an open field. Look for these features, which exist in every part of the area including the newer subdivisions.

Greenbelt lots. Many developments were required to set aside wetlands, stream buffers, or steep slopes as permanent open space. A home that backs to one has no rear neighbor. These lots sell at a premium and are worth it for many buyers.

End of the cul-de-sac. Pie-shaped lots at the end of a cul-de-sac are narrow at the street and wide at the back. They often have the largest back yards in the subdivision.

Corner lots. More yard, but more of it faces the street. Good for space, mixed for privacy.

Backing to a park, school field, or utility corridor. No houses behind you. Activity varies by what it is.

Single-story neighbors. A rambler next door does not look down into your yard. A two-story does.

Flag lots. A home set back from the street behind another home, reached by a long driveway. Very private. Check the shared driveway agreement.

Grade changes. A lot that sits above its neighbors sees over them. A lot below a neighbor's deck is on display.

How to search for it

Listing sites are not good at this, so you have to work around them.

1. Filter by lot size, not just price and bedrooms. Start at 10,000 square feet for a comfortable suburban yard, a quarter acre is about 10,900 square feet, and go up from there.
2. Use the aerial view. Look at what is behind and beside each home. Trees, a greenbelt, a pond, or six back yards.
3. Check the parcel. Pierce County's parcel search shows the lot's recorded size. The county's About My Property tool shows zoning and mapped critical areas.
4. Read lot size with care. A half-acre lot that is half wetland buffer has a quarter acre of usable yard.
5. Search by year built. Setting a maximum year built in the 1980s surfaces the older neighborhoods with bigger lots.
6. Ask a broker to search by lot features. Agents can search fields the public sites do not show well, such as greenbelt, cul-de-sac, and territorial view.

Usable yard versus total lot

This is the most common misunderstanding I see. The number on the listing is the whole parcel. What you can use may be less.

Things that reduce usable space:

• Slopes. Common on the hillsides. Beautiful, hard to mow, and sometimes restricted.
• Wetlands and stream buffers. Protected. You generally cannot clear, fill, or build in them.
• Septic drainfield and reserve area. You can have lawn over it. You cannot build, pave, or park on it.
• Easements. For utilities, drainage, or a neighbor's access.
• Setbacks. The required distance between structures and property lines.

Walk the lot. Ask where the property corners are. If you plan to add a shop, a pool, or an accessory dwelling, find out where the septic system and any critical areas are before you make an offer.

What you can do with the space

Rules depend on whether the home is in the city or the county, and on any homeowner association.

A large lot in an association with strict rules can be less useful than a medium lot with none. Read the covenants.

The costs of a bigger yard

More land brings more of a few things.

• Maintenance. Mowing, pruning, leaves, and blackberries. In this climate, things grow fast.
• Trees. Tall firs are beautiful and need occasional professional attention.
• Water. Summer irrigation, if you want a green lawn in August.
• Fencing. Priced by the foot.
• Often, septic and a well or water company. Larger lots are more often outside sewer service.
• Sometimes, a private road. With a shared maintenance agreement, or without one.
• Distance. The biggest lots are usually farther from freeways and stores.

Property taxes follow assessed value, and land is part of that value. A bigger lot does not automatically mean a much higher bill, but it contributes.

Privacy and the future

A wooded lot next door is private until someone builds on it. Before you pay for seclusion, find out whether it will last.

• Look up the zoning on adjacent vacant parcels. If it allows several homes per acre, expect them eventually.
• Check for critical areas. Mapped wetlands and steep slopes are much less likely to be developed.
• Ask about pending applications. The city and the county both make land use applications public.
• Remember the state's direction. Washington has been loosening rules to allow more homes on existing lots, including accessory units and lot splits. Your neighbor's large back yard may not stay empty.

Protected open space is durable. Someone else's undeveloped land is not.

Trees on a large lot

Mature firs and cedars are a big part of what makes a large lot feel private. They also come with responsibilities.

• Have an arborist look at any large tree within falling distance of the house before you buy.
• Budget for periodic pruning and for removal if a tree is declining.
• Check the rules. The city and the county both regulate tree removal in some situations, especially near slopes, streams, and wetlands.
• Expect needles on the roof and in the gutters every fall.

Inside city limits or out

Larger lots lean toward the unincorporated areas, so this question comes up.

Inside the city: city police, usually city water and sewer, city permits. Fewer large lots, mostly in older neighborhoods.

Outside the city: county sheriff, a water company or well, often septic, county permits. More large lots and generally more flexibility for animals and outbuildings, depending on zoning.

Neither is better. Just verify which one a home is in.

A realistic way to decide how much yard you need

People often ask for an acre and are happier with a third of one. Think about use.

• A dog and a patio: a fenced yard of any reasonable size.
• A garden and a play set: 8,000 to 12,000 square feet works well.
• A shop, RV parking, and a garden: a third to a half acre, with good access to the back.
• Animals, an orchard, real separation: an acre or more.

Then ask how many weekend hours you want to spend maintaining it. That answer trims a lot of wish lists.

My short list of questions for any large lot

1. How much of this lot is usable?
2. Where are the property corners?
3. Sewer or septic, and where is the drainfield?
4. Any wetlands, streams, slopes, or easements?
5. What is the zoning here and next door?
6. Is there an association, and what does it allow?
7. Who maintains the road?
8. What does the yard look like in February?

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find homes with big yards in Puyallup?

Look at neighborhoods built before the 1990s, the Fruitland and Summit areas, the valley edges toward Alderton, Edgewood on North Hill, and greenbelt or cul-de-sac lots within newer subdivisions.

Do new homes in Puyallup have large yards?

Usually not. Newer subdivisions tend to put larger homes on smaller lots. Larger yards are more common in older neighborhoods and rural areas.

What is a greenbelt lot?

It is a lot that backs to permanently protected open space, such as a wetland buffer or steep slope set aside when the subdivision was built. It provides privacy because nothing can be built behind it.

Can I build a shop on a large lot in Puyallup?

Often yes, subject to zoning setbacks, lot coverage limits, permits, septic location, and any homeowner association rules. Check with the city or county for the specific parcel.

Are large lots in Puyallup usually on septic?

Many are, especially outside the city limits. Confirm for each property, because the drainfield and reserve area limit where you can build.

Related reading

• Homes on Acreage in Puyallup: Where to Look
• Quiet Neighborhoods in Puyallup: Where to Look
• Where to Find Newer Homes in Puyallup
• Puyallup Mailing Address vs. City Limits: Why It Matters

Equal Housing Opportunity. Austin Robertson, License # 21036843, Austin Robertson and Allena Robertson Real Estate Brokers, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, insurance, lending, or construction advice, and it is not an appraisal of any property. Robertson & Co. supports fair housing and does not describe or recommend neighborhoods based on who lives there. Costs, rates, and rules change. Confirm the details with the sources linked above before you act.