On 5th July 2026 simsample uploaded this absolute cracker of a neighbourhood called Blue Haven, you can have a look for yourself in the link
https://modthesims.info/d/697133/bl...ty-subhood.html
It also comes with a University Subhood called Starrybeach University

It appears that as far as today's date 20th Oct 2026 the neighbourhood has been downloaded 1,085 times. I only downloaded it about a week ago and im only just scratching the surface of what is actually in it and looking at the different businesses and houses.

I am rubbish at building houses, decorating houses and decorating neighbourhoods. If I build it my sims usually end up in square or rectangular houses so it is great to have such a variety of different homes. Simsample said the other day "I love to be able to see what all sims are doing at once, hence the bungalows" and I think this is why I am drawn to this neighbourhood over the Maxis created hoods, also I find staircases tend to hide the things behind so you can't easily click on it.

You can see from the picture I only have a few houses occupied so far and a two sims in apartments. I have been mainly creating new NPCs, Townies and playable Sims. Its comes with Townies and NPCs but I like to change them. I really want to create a decent population before I start playing proper.

If you have downloaded the neighbourhood how are you finding it? Anyone have a favorite house or business or location to visit. Have you change much or anything, I changed two shops, the first to sell Snapdragons and the second to sell ready made soups (including Grandmas soup), I might move this into larger premises to sell more home made food. Theoretically you can eliminate the kitchen in th ehome and just buy ready made food.

Thank you Legate, I'm really glad you like it! I made it many years ago, I uploaded it to share in my MTS Journal back in 2016 and I know I'd been playing it for some time before that. Oldest files I have on it are 2009 so I'm guessing I was building it then, before Sims 3 grabbed me away for a few years! Anyway, it's ancient and about time someone is playing it! Some of the lots are layouts or styles copied from Maxis lots, but most are right out of my head and very simple (as most of my stuff is). It's really big so it will be interesting to see if people like it!

I might have cut the first floor off these apartment turning them into bungalows

Ooh interesting, but where are the bathrooms?

Ah well this just highlights how little I usually play apartments. I forgot about them

It wasn't really an issue for my first sim Robin Lynn (like Flynn from TRON) as she is an android so I figured she doesn't need a toilet or shower. So didn't need to see or build a bathroom in the property (I actually snuck it in the garden)



I saw your comment after I had moved a new sim Rosalina Cordova into one of the other apartments. I figured I would have to evict both renters, rezone the lot build the bathroom walls, doors etc etc then rezone . I figured she will be living alone and lots of hotels have bathrooms in the bedroom, ill just add the toilet in the bedroom as well, as long as its clean it should be fine.



Now you are going to ask where the kitchens are. Robin doesn't need one as she's an android and as my sims can purchase Snapdragons at a store they rarely need to eat so no need for Rosalina to have a full blown kitchen in the property. However what I did do is expand my soup kitchen from a previous hood. This is still an experiment/work in progress. Clara is making group meals of the various soups in the game but may expand into other foods. I may have another sim create a shop selling individual plates and maybe another selling deserts.
Clara Bamberger says welcome to the "German Soup Kitchen"



Would really love a shop selling currys like Jalfrezi, Madrass, Chicken Tikka, with Naan, Onion and Mushroom bhaji, rice dishes etc. maybe a few bottles of Cobra but I only have Corona and Heineken in my game and not worked out how or if I can sell individual bottles or crates of beer. My sims like me like a beer



Also this is days in real time I have moved them in so like I say its an experiment/work in progress to see what works and what need tweeking or getting rid of.
Sorry for rambling

I love the soup kitchen idea! I have another hood in progress which is an isolated village, where most buildings don't have electricity. Therefore the community cafeteria is one of the most popular community lots. You could put a mini fridge and microwave in the apartment rooms so sims could make ramen if they can't get to a comm lot.

I have two of your hoods, this and Red Dunes, I think that's good for me. If you make any more of those container lots ill be interested to add them to Red Dunes.
Do you know why it is so difficult to hire a crane in Red Dunes, it took ages to find someone who would pick up a fully furnished container transport it to a new lot. This is also a work in progress, the solar means she never needs to work, just need to build a greenhouse so she can be self sufficient, kind of like an Earthship idea. Maybe add an indoor pond for fishing.


If they have a group meal in their inventory they don't need a fridge however if you don't buy a fridge you constantly get the want to buy a fridge. I tried the mini fridge and the modified version and neither will accept leftovers. I just bit the bullet and purchased a full sized fridge and put in in the garden. Added a dishwasher both in green to blend in a bit. You could add a green microwave above the dishwasher for the ramen.

There might be a couple in this hood I shared for Secret Santa:
https://modthesims.info/showthread....247#post5491247

I kind of don't get why you removed the first floor. If you'd kept it you'd actually have room for everything lol.

Can you even make a pond inside?

It was probably crappy, I'm not very inventive at building design!

I like to be able to see my sims and the whole house at the same time. If I need to select something like a bathtub I don't have to change floors to look for it, I can see where the sim is and don't have to hunt them on one or multiple floors. I also hate things that block and hide something behind it like stairs and built in wardrobes do.

I also find the camera a bit jumpy and jerky once you go up a floor or two. That's not to say I don't play two or three story houses I just prefer bungalows.

That's not the reason It looks good. I saved the original building as I may still play it. But I will definitely be taking a sledgehammer to those built in wardrobes as they block the room behind.

I prefer bungalows too! I like to be able to see all sims on the lot at all times. Hence most of my hoods have many single story lots. I try to make a variety of buildings in stuff I share, though! I'm pleased to see you changing the lots to your own tastes, that's the fun bit for me as a creator!

But then you don't get the small window pop up and think. Oh god, what did they do now? XD

This looks absolutely stunning! I really like the green hood in particular!

I suppose we have the same hobby, since I also like to build hoods and lots. Maxis has created interesting lore for TS2, but their hoods never really interested me enough to play them.