Custom Homes in Three Lakes & Machias

Cost-plus custom home building for the Three Lakes, Machias, and greater Snohomish County area.

Tucked between Snohomish and Monroe, the Three Lakes and Machias area takes its name from Panther, Flowing, and Storm Lakes — a rural, heavily forested stretch of Snohomish County where lots run large and homes sit spaced well apart from their neighbors. The area’s housing reflects decades of building: early bungalows and farmhouses alongside newer custom construction on multi-acre lots, with waterfront and equestrian properties at the high end.

Real demand, real numbers

Recent sales in the area tell the real story better than averages do. One custom home on nearly 5 acres — built in 2022 — sold in May 2026, going from listing at $2.15 million to a closed sale of $2.05 million within a week. Another, on over 6 acres, sold above $2 million as well. This is an area where serious buyers are actively competing for well-built homes on real land, and where custom valuations often run higher than public housing data alone would suggest.

Building in Three Lakes & Machias

Most of this area sits in unincorporated Snohomish County, permitted through the County’s Planning and Development Services rather than a city building department. Larger acreage lots here often rely on private wells and septic systems rather than municipal utilities — one of many site-specific factors that shape a project’s design and budget from day one.

How we build

Every Lockie Homes project runs on the same Feasibility and Construction Agreement (FCA) process, regardless of where it’s built: open-book cost-plus pricing, a Bid-Backed Budget built from real subcontractor bids, and a dedicated project manager keeping you informed at every stage. Learn more about our process →

Thinking about building on your own site in Three Lakes, Machias, or nearby? Get in touch or start with our Project Scope Explorer for a preliminary budget range.