$983,000
King Co. Median
By the numbers
Your neighborhood market
Seattle
King County
Tier 2 (75k+)
$879K
Median
-2.3%
Price YoY
4.8
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-2.3%
Demand · MoM
+7.1%
Demand · YoY
-0.7%
So what?
Demand is climbing (+7% MoM) while prices hold — the rebalanced market favors prepared buyers, yet well-priced homes still draw offers.
Buyers
More choice and less competition than the 2021–22 peak. With rates in the mid-6s, focus on monthly payment, not just price. Condos and townhomes below $600K offer the cleanest entry point, and HB 1110 / 'One Seattle' upzoning is creating new townhome and multiplex inventory in former single-family areas.Sellers
Price to the comps, not to 2022 memory. Median is off ~2% YoY, so staging, pre-inspection, and accurate pricing decide whether you sell in two weeks or two months. Homes near light rail and in walkable neighborhoods command the strongest premiums.Local & zoning. Seattle's 'One Seattle' Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2025) and HB 1110 compliance now allow more middle housing — up to 4 units on most residential lots, and up to 6 near major transit stops or with affordable units. Light rail continues to expand demand along the 1 Line and the new 2 Line crossing to the Eastside. Expect steady townhome/multiplex conversion in formerly single-family neighborhoods.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$879K: budget about $10K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$4K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Bellevue
King County
Tier 2 (75k+)
$1.5M
Median
-11.3%
Price YoY
5.2
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-11.3%
Demand · MoM
+14.0%
Demand · YoY
-4.4%
So what?
The headline -11% YoY is mostly mix and rate-sensitivity at the top; demand jumped +14% MoM — real negotiating room on luxury now.
Buyers
The double-digit YoY dip largely reflects a shift toward more mid-priced sales plus rate sensitivity at the top end, not a collapse in value. That spells opportunity: more negotiating room on luxury and near-luxury homes than in years. Target BelRed and Spring District for newer transit-oriented product.Sellers
The ultra-prime tier is rate-sensitive and slower. Realistic pricing and concessions (rate buydowns) matter. Proximity to the 2 Line and downtown Bellevue's job core remains your biggest value driver — lean into it.Local & zoning. Bellevue's 2 Line (East Link) light rail — downtown, Wilburton, Spring District/120th, BelRed/130th, and Overlake — is reshaping the city around transit. The BelRed and Wilburton station-area plans add significant mixed-use and residential height, and HB 1110 adds middle housing (up to 4–6 units/lot) in residential zones. This is the region's most active transit-oriented upzone.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$1.5M: budget about $18K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$8K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Kirkland
King County
Tier 2 (75k+)
$1.3M
Median
-8.6%
Price YoY
4.1
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-8.6%
Demand · MoM
+7.3%
Demand · YoY
-11.2%
So what?
Prices off ~9% YoY, demand ticking up +7% MoM — a buyer window before the NE 85th station-area upzone reprices the area.
Buyers
Waterfront-adjacent demand keeps Kirkland pricey, but the YoY pullback gives buyers a window. Watch the NE 85th Street station area, where I-405 Stride BRT and upzoning will add density and long-run value. Townhomes are the value play.Sellers
Inventory is still limited in the core neighborhoods (Moss Bay, Houghton), so well-presented homes sell. Price carefully — the 8.6% YoY move means buyers are disciplined. Highlight walkability to downtown Kirkland and the lake.Local & zoning. Kirkland adopted middle-housing code updates for HB 1110, allowing more duplex/triplex/townhome development across residential zones. The NE 85th Street Station Area Plan — anchored by I-405 Stride bus rapid transit — concentrates new height and density near the freeway, a multi-year growth corridor to watch.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$1.3M: budget about $16K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$6K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Redmond
King County
Tier 2 (75k+)
$1.3M
Median
-0.06%
Price YoY
4.7
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-0.06%
Demand · MoM
+7.2%
Demand · YoY
-14.4%
So what?
Flattest prices on the list and demand up +7% MoM — Redmond is where stability meets new light-rail upside.
Buyers
Redmond is the steadiest market on this list — basically flat year over year — thanks to Microsoft, the AI build-out, and the new Downtown Redmond light rail. Downtown condos near the station start in the $600Ks and offer a car-light lifestyle with strong rental demand.Sellers
Stable demand means well-priced homes still see strong interest, especially near the 2 Line. Emphasize commute access to Microsoft/Overlake and the downtown station. Newer townhomes and condos are moving.Local & zoning. The 2 Line extension to Downtown Redmond opened in 2025, connecting Marymoor Village and downtown to the regional network. Redmond's downtown and Overlake have long allowed dense, mixed-use transit-oriented development, and HB 1110 adds middle housing in remaining single-family zones. Among the strongest long-run TOD stories in the region.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$1.3M: budget about $16K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$6K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Bothell
King / Snohomish
Tier 1 (25k–75k)
$999K
Median
-13.1%
Price YoY
4.3
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-13.1%
Demand · MoM
+6.9%
Demand · YoY
+8.9%
So what?
The only area with demand up both MoM and YoY, median back under $1M — the best value-plus-momentum mix here.
Buyers
The sharp YoY drop (partly a mix shift toward smaller/condo sales) makes Bothell one of the better-value Eastside-adjacent markets, with the median back under $1M. Revitalized downtown Bothell, UW Bothell, and SR 522 Stride BRT support long-term demand. Strong pick for first move-up buyers.Sellers
This is the most price-sensitive market here, so lead with sharp pricing and condition. Buyers have leverage. Proximity to downtown Bothell, the trail network, and the coming SR 522 Stride line are your selling points.Local & zoning. As a Tier 1 city, Bothell must allow at least 2 units per lot (4 near major transit or with affordable units) under HB 1110. Downtown Bothell's continued revitalization and the planned SR 522 / NE 145th Stride bus rapid transit line are the key catalysts for density and value over the next few years.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$999K: budget about $12K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$5K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Shoreline
King County
Tier 1 (25k–75k)
$770K
Median
-3.0%
Price YoY
6.8
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-3.0%
Demand · MoM
+8.5%
Demand · YoY
+5.8%
So what?
Demand rose both MoM (+8.5%) and YoY (+5.8%), bucking the region — light rail is repricing Shoreline. Buy near the stations.
Buyers
Shoreline is the region's biggest transit story and still the most affordable on this list. Two Lynnwood Link light rail stations (Shoreline South/148th and North/185th) opened in 2024, and station-area MUR upzones allow mid-rise housing. Buy near the stations for outsized long-run appreciation potential.Sellers
Location relative to the two light rail stations is now the single biggest value lever. Homes inside the upzoned MUR areas carry redevelopment value — market that explicitly. Notably, Shoreline's buyer interest rose ~10% YoY, bucking the regional cool-down.Local & zoning. Shoreline opened two Lynnwood Link light rail stations in 2024 and adopted aggressive station-area 'MUR' (Mixed-Use Residential) zoning allowing buildings up to ~70 feet near the stations — among the county's most pro-density plans. With HB 1110 middle housing citywide, Shoreline is actively redeveloping from single-family toward transit density.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$770K: budget about $9K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$4K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Sammamish
King County
Tier 1 (25k–75k)
$1.6M
Median
-4.9%
Price YoY
4.5
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-4.9%
Demand · MoM
+21.0%
Demand · YoY
-10.4%
So what?
Demand surged +21% MoM as spring buyers returned even with YoY cooler — scarcity rebuilds competition fast on the best homes.
Buyers
Top-rated schools and large newer homes keep Sammamish at a premium. The ~5% YoY dip offers a modest entry discount. Inventory is thin and infrastructure (traffic, road capacity) limits new density, so values tend to hold. Plan for competition on the best-located homes.Sellers
Family buyers chasing the Lake Washington / Issaquah school reputation remain your core market. Limited new supply supports pricing, but the high price band is rate-sensitive — stage well and price to the recent comps.Local & zoning. Sammamish is largely built-out, low-density, and infrastructure-constrained, so middle-housing change under HB 1110 (Tier 1: 2 units/lot, 4 near transit or with affordable units) will be gradual and concentrated near the Town Center. Traffic and road-capacity concerns continue to shape the pace of growth — expect scarcity to keep supporting values.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$1.6M: budget about $21K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$8K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
Mercer Island
King County
Tier 1 (25k–75k)
$2.5M
Median
-1.4%
Price YoY
6.0
Buyer Interest
Price · YoY
-1.4%
Demand · MoM
+5.2%
Demand · YoY
-27.8%
So what?
Demand thin (-28% YoY) but prices barely moved — scarcity protects value. Decisive buyers can negotiate; sellers should lead with condition.
Buyers
The region's premier address: a small island between Seattle and Bellevue with its own 2 Line light rail station. Prices are nearly flat YoY — scarcity and location insulate values. Expect very limited inventory and strong competition for renovated and waterfront homes; come pre-approved and decisive.Sellers
Buyers here are affluent and selective. Condition, design, and view command real premiums; dated homes still trade but at land-plus value. The light rail station and Town Center walkability are genuine differentiators — feature them.Local & zoning. Mercer Island has a 2 Line (East Link) light rail station connecting it directly to Seattle and Bellevue. As a Tier 1 city the HB 1110 baseline is modest (2 units/lot, more near the station), and the community has historically resisted density — so change concentrates around the Town Center and station rather than spreading island-wide. Scarcity remains the defining feature.
WA pro tip. Sellers at ~$2.5M: budget about $45K state REET (RCW 82.45) plus ~$12K local. Buyers: 3-day rescission after the Form 17 disclosure.
The bigger picture
Macro, rates & the world
Rates & the Fed
Mortgage rates have hovered in the mid-6s through spring 2026. The 30-year fixed sits near 6.5% and the 15-year near 5.8%. With CPI still running ~4% year over year, the Fed has held its policy rate at 3.50–3.75% rather than cutting aggressively — so buyers should plan around 'higher-for-longer' financing rather than betting on a sharp drop.
National & state market
The market is rebalancing. In King County, active inventory is up 22% year over year while the median price is off just 1.4% — so buyers finally have choice without a price crash. Pending sales are up 8.5%, and homes take a median 22 days to sell (vs. 17 a year ago). Well-priced, move-in-ready homes still move fast; overpriced or dated listings now sit and cut.
Geopolitical & supply
Global cross-currents matter locally: tariff and trade tension has kept construction-material costs elevated, slowing new supply; tech-sector hiring (Amazon, Microsoft, and the AI build-out) drives Eastside demand; and global capital still treats Seattle-area real estate as a relative safe haven. Watch for foreign-buyer and immigration-policy shifts that move the high end.