Is there a way to start a new game without creating a sim?

No, but just give a name and some traits to the default sim the game loads, plop them in a house, go to Manage Worlds to pick a pre-made household, and if you don't want them to stay there while you play the pre-mades you can evict them.

Or you could save your pre-existing family to your library. Then when you start a new game, you can start with them.

Yep its tricky but doable.
make a random throw away sim

Go ahead and put them on an empty lot
Go to Options Menu, manage world. Merge your new sim with the premade house you want to play
Go to that house, then do manage world again then click on the lot select More then manage household.
Click on the household picture, the the edit icon. This takes you into cas
Click on the throw away sim, hover over the thumbnail pic and you get the option to delete the sim.
Click the play button and close the manage world windows, then play your family

There has to be an easier way, but if there is I havnt come across it yet

In your Main Menu select 'Create New Household' then if you already have a family created, just go to 'Open Gallery' > 'My Library' and select the family you want to play. In the new window, click in the 'Place Household' button (right inferior corner) and select 'Replace' to use that family OR Merge, if you want it added to the family/sim being made.
Hope it helps ;)

I started a new game and in CAS I imported maxis made Sims from the gallery. I used Ollie and his sister and put them into one of the 2 bedroom starter homes. I think I had to used freerealestate cheat.

Then I fixed everything in the hoods to my liking and added some houses I built and got the hoods the way I like them. I built a pool at one of the parks and added a telescope etc.

Then I saved the game as "game one" then again as "game two" and so one. I never played the saved "game one". It is my model.

Now every time I want to start a new game I already have the town the way I want it and just load a save. Or I load saved "game one" and save as "My Legacy One" or whatever I want to name it. Then exit back to the main menu and choose load game and it's a fresh copy ready to play without going to CAS first.

Don't have to edit the town. It's always ready!

"ChrSm203;783469" wrote:
I've tried and searched but can't figure out how to start a new game without creating a new sim first. I want to start a new game and play with one of the pre-existing households.

To actually answer your question simply - NO

They should add this feature in via a patch because I don't like to create a sim everytime I start a new game. Sometimes I just want to play with the townie households.

There needs to be!

"catloverplayer;13280073" wrote:
They should add this feature in via a patch because I don't like to create a sim everytime I start a new game. Sometimes I just want to play with the townie households.

^yes please^

I really wish there was! I like to play with pre-mades especially when I get something new into the game. Someone who's on the forums should bring that up in the next SimGuru chat.