Driving through one of Pierce or Thurston counties’ roads, one might think the area is somewhat rustic, what with all the creeks, lakes, and wide expanses of saltwater, not to mention prairies and towering forests. But amid this natural beauty are dozens of communities — housing developments just ripe for the picking, especially in this rebounding economy.

Olympia-based real estate expert, Rob Rice, co-owner of Epic Realty, Inc., says he’s never, in his 20 years of doing business, seen such an opportune time for home ownership.

“This is a time where buyers have the best opportunity with prices, incentives and interest rates. Couple that with the first-time buyer $8,000 credit and interest rates at a level I’ve never seen, and it’s the best possible scenario for buying a new home,” said Rice.

Depending on the size of the home, proximity to work and schools, and a person’s budget, there are countless sparkling new homes to tempt buyers. A terrific community, Northwest Landing, has gently grown and spread its roots, adjacent to the charming village of DuPont. This historic berg boasts roots dating back to 1792, when Captain George Vancouver cruised down the saltwater channel he named Puget Sound.

An award winning 3,000-acre, mixed-use planned community, Northwest Landing includes both residential and business areas. Once complete, it will have 12,100 homes and jobs for more than 20,000 individuals. Located close to military bases, the community is halfway between Olympia and Tacoma, off Interstate 5. From condominiums to multi-level homes, this is a model of Craftsman-style development in a beautiful park-like setting.

Puyallup continues to grow, sending its tendrils of planned communities ever closer to the Cascade Mountains. A farming community that still has acres of golden daffodils and fresh produce, Puyallup offers residents a stellar school system and close proximity to jobs located in the Seattle or Tacoma area. Prices tend to range from the low $100,000’s for condominiums to $300,000 to $600,000 for larger dwellings. The town has a hospital, the famous Western Washington Fairgrounds, and miles of trails for those who want to ride their bike or take their dog for a walk.

Areas like Bonney Lake offer a family-friendly feel, with mixtures of established neighborhoods and contemporary homes blended into a pleasing community.

In Thurston County, the biggest surge of growth in new home development is close to Lacey. Once considered a suburb of Olympia, Lacey has developed its own identity, with a population of nearly 40,000. Hawks Prairie, a Lacey community located at its northern border, is currently the site of amazing construction. With many new-home communities, the area will eventually boast a library, several residential towers, a fire station and performing arts center and several fitness plazas.

Lacey was the twelfth city to be designated an official Green Power Community by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Because the average sales price of new homes has dropped, it’s a prime opportunity to invest in one of the area neighborhoods, taking advantage of builder incentives and still-low interest rates. The average sales price of a single-family home in Thurston County was slightly over $260,000 as of March 2009, compared with approximately $306,000 in Pierce County, according to several real estate Web sites.