Is there a year built 'sweet spot'?

[Samira Hirji]

It's obvious that a home built in recent years is a good thing because it was built according to updated codes - but I've learnt that because labor costs have been so high developers have skimped on using quality materials (I'm in WA state).

Is there a year in which homes were built that you might consider a 'sweet spot' year or is latest always the greatest?

Thanks!