Real Estate January 14, 2020

Annual Seattle-Eastside Real Estate Report: A Look Back at 2019

Annual Market Review: Seattle & The Eastside

 

A strong local employment sector, very low mortgage interest rates, and the most balanced market we’ve seen in two decades each contributed to increased sales velocity in 2019.

 

While the number of homes for sale increased overall in 2019 as compared to 2018, the higher rate of sales throughout the year resulted in nearly a third fewer homes on the market at year-end in 2019 than at the end of 2018. The inventory of homes available to purchase in 2020 will be a dominating factor in the local real estate market in the coming year.

 

Click or scroll down to find your area report:

Seattle | Eastside | Mercer Island | Condos | Waterfront

 


SEATTLE

There were 9.6% more Seattle home sales in 2019 (a total of 8,362), bringing Seattle back to its typical annual sales velocity following an off year in 2018. Seattle’s median sale price softened by 3.9% in 2019, with the Central Seattle region performing best (-1.6%) and the Ballard-Green Lake region down the most (-4.6%). In the north end of Seattle, Lake Forest Park-Kenmore and Richmond Beach-Shoreline showed the strongest five-year growth trend at 47.1% and 45.5% respectively.

 

In 2019, 53.9% of all Seattle homes sold at or above their listed price. The average number of days to sell jumped notably to 36 from 22 the year prior, indicating movement towards a more balanced market. The upper price segments of the market were far less competitive with just 10.4% of homes sold above one million dollars transacting at or above their list price.

 

The highest Seattle home sale was in Washington Park (Central Seattle) for $13,750,000 and the lowest was a Lake Union houseboat for $80,000.

Seattle Market Recap

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Seattle Report

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EASTSIDE

On the Eastside, neighborhoods central to core employment hubs continue to see older, more affordable housing stock replaced with new and more expensive development. On the periphery, reasonably priced homes are highly competitive as homebuyers and investors alike scramble for homes that offer greater appreciation potential.

 

Development in East Bellevue, particularly surrounding the Spring District, is predicted to significantly drive prices upward in the coming years as employment centers expand and light rail service to Seattle begins.

 

In 2019, 49.7% of all homes, and 18.8% of homes priced above one million dollars, sold for at or above their listed price.

 

Median sale prices in Eastside cities fared better than those in Seattle, with the overall Eastside median sale price down 1.0% from 2018. Kirkland performed best on the Eastside with a median sale price gain of 3.8% to $1,350,000. Looking at the five-year trend, Kirkland came in on top with a 67.1% increase in its median sale price over the past five years, followed by Juanita-Woodinville-Duvall at 48.0%, and East Bellevue at 44.5%.

Eastside Market Recap

Click here for the full report and neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics!

Eastside Review

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MERCER ISLAND

Mercer Island, central to the Seattle-Eastside region, held the middle ground with prices softening slightly—not as much as in Seattle, but more than on the Eastside.

 

A total of 299 homes changed hands in 2019 according to Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The highest Mercer Island sale was a $10,050,000 waterfront home on the North End. The lowest was a $685,000 renovation/rebuild ready rambler on West Mercer Way.

 

In 2019, 39.8% of all homes, and 12.7% of homes priced above two million dollars, sold for at or above their listed price.

 

Well-priced homes in move-in ready condition, with good lighting and access, and with functional floor plans, command the most attention from market-savvy buyers hoping to make a good investment in the place they will call home.

Mercer Island Recap

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Mercer Island Report

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CONDOS – SEATTLE & EASTSIDE

The Seattle and Eastside condo markets could not be more different. Seattle has seen the number of available units increase significantly while the Eastside has suffered from a lack of inventory.

Seattle’s overall condo median sale price declined by 9.3% in 2019 to $458,500. The Ballard-Green Lake market was down the most (-16.4%) while Lake Forest Park-Kenmore was the only market not in the red (up 3.3%). In 2019, 45.9% of all Seattle condos, and 2.9% of condos priced above one million dollars, sold for at or above their listed price.

On the Eastside, the median sale price was down 2.4% overall to $469,000. The communities south of I-90 did quite well with a 9.0% increase over 2018. Redmond fared worst with a 15.3% decline in its median sale price. In 2019, 49.3% of all Eastside condos, and 2.7% of condos priced above one million dollars, sold for at or above their listed price.

Check out all of these factoids and more in the full condo report.

Condo Report

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WATERFRONT

The Eastside had 42 private waterfront home sales in 2019. Seattle had 41, Mercer Island had 20, and Lake Sammamish had 31 sales during the same period.

The highest Eastside—and regional—private waterfront sale of 2019 was on Hunts Point for $37,500,000. The highest 2019 sales in the surrounding areas include a Washington Park (Seattle) home at $13,750.000, a north end Mercer Island property at $10,050,000, and a $5,750,000 home on the west side of Lake Sammamish.

This top-level overview of the entire Seattle-Eastside private waterfront market, including Mercer Island and Lake Sammamish, provides a glance into the trends occurring in our region over time. Interesting, and certainly insightful, it in no way replaces an in-depth analysis on waterfront value provided by a savvy broker with years of local waterfront experience.

Waterfront Report

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ABOUT WINDERMERE MERCER ISLAND

We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.

 

 

© Copyright 2020, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island. Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

Real Estate October 15, 2019

Q3 2019 Reports: Market Update

Q3 Market Snapshot for Seattle and the Eastside

 

Q3 was the most stable and balanced market we have seen in years. With very low mortgage interest rates compelling buyers to act and fewer homes for sale than we saw last fall (when a flood of homes came to market), buyers and sellers are each finding their own place in a more equitable real estate arena.

 

Approximately 41% of homes for sale in Q3 sold at or above their listed price. This segment was on the market for an average of just seven days and included the most highly desired and well-priced properties in mainstream price points. Of the remaining homes for sale, just over one third underwent a price reduction before resulting in a sale. That number increased steadily as we moved deeper into Q3, ending the quarter with an average of 43% of listed homes with sales occurring following a price reduction.

 

From a home buyer’s perspective, the best properties sold quickly and at a premium. Of the homes that remained on the market, there was ample room for negotiation to a fair price. Q3 home sellers were generally more informed and more likely to price realistically from the start and adjust quickly if they were off target.

 

This more balanced market afforded many more consumers the ability to comfortably complete a sell/buy transaction and with enough time and space to thoroughly conduct due diligence on prospective properties.

 

Click or scroll down to find your area report:

Seattle | Eastside | Mercer Island | Condos | Waterfront

 

Is it a Buyer's or Seller's Market?

 


SEATTLE

The Seattle in-city real estate market slowed from a racetrack inferno to cruising speed over the past year and a half. Prices softened an average of 2% in Q3 with the Central Seattle region feeling the biggest impact (down 7.6% from Q3 2018). The Ballard-Green Lake region had the highest number of Q3 sales (582) while the Lake Forest Park-Kenmore area boasted the most affordable cost per home square foot ($340). When it comes to returns, Lake Forest Park-Kenmore, South Seattle, and Richmond Beach-Shoreline were nearly tied for the strongest five-year growth trend at 73.9%, 73.3% and 73.2% respectively.

Seattle Q3 2019 Recap

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Seattle Report

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EASTSIDE

Stimulated by announced expansion from the top names in tech, the Eastside is the place to be right now. Buyers found far fewer homes for sale—nearly 25% less—in Q3 than they did just one year ago. Sale prices in Kirkland, bolstered by recent announcements from Google and Tableau, were up an average of 15.4% over Q3 2018. Prices near the Microsoft campus, where the Spring District is coming online, where up 3.2%. The West Bellevue market saw a lower Median Sale Price which was attributable to fewer high-end sales in Q3 this year compared to last year. All in all, the Eastside had a very good quarter. Home sellers should be pleased with their returns and home buyers should feel good about purchasing in a robust market.

Eastside Q3 2019 Recap

Click here for the full report and neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics!

Eastside Review

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MERCER ISLAND

Mercer Island experienced continued slowing in the luxury market with fewer waterfront sales (5) than typical in Q3. Conversely, many moderately-priced renovation-ready homes transacted this quarter bringing the overall Q3 Median Sale Price down 4% to $1,678,000. The Island is finally beginning to see a moderate number of building and remodel applications submitted after a two-year lull sparked by major changes in the city’s residential building code. The North End had the highest average cost per square foot ($620) while Mercerdale ($435) was most affordable. First Hill had the shortest average market time with just 5 days and East Mercer had the longest (117 days). Demand remains steady and we expect well-priced, turnkey condition homes to continue to do quite well as we move further into the fall market.

Mercer Island Q3 2019 Recap

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Mercer Island Report

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CONDOS – SEATTLE & EASTSIDE

Competition from new and pre-sale buildings, aging structures, a larger percentage of affordable units transacting, and urban flight have contributed to the 12.3% Median Sale Price decline in Seattle to $438,500 (from $500,000 in Q3 2018). To be fair, the Five-Year Median Price Trend shows prices up 71.9% since Q3 2014, giving most condo owners a nice cushion to fall back on.

The Median Sale Price was down 1.9% on the Eastside to $471,000 from $480,000. An extremely low number of resale units for sale, coupled with many of the same attributes impacting the Seattle condo market, contributed to the slight softening seen in the Eastside condo market.

Recent changes in Washington condo laws will eventually bring more condos and townhomes online in the next economic cycle, but potential buyers may have to wait 5-7 years to see that morph from concept to reality.

Check out all of these factoids and more in the full condo report.

Condo Report

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WATERFRONT

Seattle had 13 private waterfront home sales in Q3, the highest of which was a $10.6 million Laurelhurst estate on a shy acre with 150 feet on the water. The Eastside (Bellevue-Kirkland) had nine sales in Q3, including a $15.4 million 1925-built Yarrow Point home on 1.15 acres with 100 feet along the water’s edge. Further east, Lake Sammamish had eleven waterfront sales in Q3 ranging from $2.0-4.5 million.

Centrally located to the Seattle-Bellevue metro areas, Mercer Island had five private waterfront sales ranging from a $10.1 million, 2002-built North End home with 124 feet of waterfront on one and a half acres to a $3.6 million, mid-century Eastside home with 85 feet on the water and just over half an acre.

This top-level overview of the entire Seattle-Eastside private waterfront market, including Mercer Island and Lake Sammamish, provides a glance into the trends occurring in our region over time. Interesting, and certainly insightful, it in no way replaces an in-depth analysis on waterfront value provided by a savvy broker with years of local waterfront experience.

Waterfront Report

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ABOUT WINDERMERE MERCER ISLAND

We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.

 

 

© Copyright 2019, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island. Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

Real Estate July 15, 2019

Q2 2019 Reports: Market Update

Q2 Market Snapshot for Seattle and the Eastside

 

Changes in the home lending environment drove down mortgage interest rates in Q2 to their lowest levels in years, giving buyers more buying power for their money and stimulating demand for available homes on the market.

 

The number of homes for sale is up markedly, especially in Seattle, as is the number of closed sales, with low interest rates and high local incomes taking much of the credit for the market activity. Sale prices have remained modest as buyers feel more cautious about overpaying for a home at or near the cyclical market peak.

 

As stated in earlier reports, the market has much to offer buyers and sellers this year. We believe those looking to make a move in the next few years should do so this year when they can still secure incredibly affordable mortgage financing. Today’s buyers should be prepared to stay in their home at least five years. Home sellers moving to lower cost regions may also benefit from selling now. We know that every situation is unique, and we are here to help you evaluate your personal real estate holdings and purchase strategy.

 

Click or scroll down to find your area report:

Seattle | Eastside | Mercer Island | Condos | Waterfront

 


SEATTLE

The number of homes for sale continued to rise across Seattle. West Seattle and Richmond Beach/Shoreline experienced the greatest velocity in number of sales. Seattle’s overall Median Sale Price was up 4.8% from Q1 to $760,000, but down 5.2% from Q2 2018. The Average $ Per Square Foot was down 5.1% from Q2 last year to $436. North Seattle, Queen Anne/Magnolia and West Seattle all performed better than the average in Q2. Seattle homeowners have seen a 61% increase in the Median Sale Price over the past five years.

Seattle Chart

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Seattle Report

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EASTSIDE

The Eastside cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond have become the epicenter of tech growth planned over the next few years. Recent announcements from Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, coupled with light rail coming in 2023, have made the Eastside the place to be. The Eastside’s Median Sale Price was up 1.9% from Q1 to $945,000, but down 1.6% from Q2 2018’s peak of $960,305. The five-year Eastside median price trend is up 53% since 2014.

Mercer Island rebounded in Q2 from a poorly performing Q1 while Kirkland and South Eastside fared better than average. A total of 2,334 Eastside home sales closed in Q2, up 1.2% from Q2 2018.

Eastside Chart

Click here for the full report and neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics!

Eastside Review

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MERCER ISLAND

Mercer Island’s Median Sale Price rallied back up in Q2 to $1.8 million after lower than typical sales drove it down to $1.53 in Q1. Eight waterfront sales contributed to the overall increase, as did the total sales velocity of 101 homes sold in Q2—the highest number of sales than in any of the preceding eight quarters.

Mercer Island Chart

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Mercer Island Report

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CONDOS – SEATTLE & EASTSIDE

Seattle’s condo Median Sale Price was up 5.1% from Q1 to $483,500, but down 7.9% from a peak of $525,000 in Q2 of 2018. The Average $ Per Square Foot was $580. Condos in West Seattle and Lake Forest Park/Kenmore performed best in Q2.

The Eastside’s condo Median Sale Price was up 4.3% from Q1 to $480,000, but down 2.1% from the $490,500 median of Q2 2018. The Average $ Per Square Foot was $453. West Bellevue and Kirkland Condos performed well above condos in other Eastside markets.

Check out all of these factoids and more in the full condo report.

Condo Report

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WATERFRONT

A significant number of private waterfront homes transacted in Q2 2019—fourteen on the Eastside, eight on Mercer Island, and eleven each in Seattle and Lake Sammamish. The highest Q2 sale was a 1998 Yarrow Point home on 115 feet of waterfront sold at $14,250,000 after 22 days on the market. The lowest sale was a 1945 Kennydale area home on 53 feet of Lake Washington waterfront for $1,075,000 on the market for 64 days.

The Eastside and Lake Sammamish both had a very moderate supply of inventory in relation to the number of sales that occurred. Seattle and Mercer Island still had more homes on the market than recent demand has dictated, although the volume of sales in Q2 improved the oversupply of inventory, heating up these markets to their highest levels in some time.

This top-level overview of the entire Seattle-Eastside private waterfront market, including Mercer Island and Lake Sammamish, provides a glance into the trends occurring in our region over time. Interesting, and certainly insightful, it in no way replaces an in-depth analysis on waterfront value provided by a savvy broker with years of local waterfront experience.

Waterfront Report

↑ Back to top


ABOUT WINDERMERE MERCER ISLAND

We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.

 

 

© Copyright 2019, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island. Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

Real Estate April 17, 2019

Q1 2019 Reports: How’s the Market?

Q1 Market Snapshot for Seattle and the Eastside

 

Be forewarned, this quarter’s report looks somewhat dismal. There are two very relevant facts that should be taken into consideration when reviewing it. The first is that Q1 is nearly always the worst performing quarter of any year because the sales completed in Q1 typically went under contract between late November and the end of February—a notably quieter time of year in our seasonal Seattle market.

 

The second aspect to consider is that Q1 of 2018 was an atypically strong quarter and likely marked the peak of the current real estate cycle as buyers approach this year’s spring market with cautious optimism rather than the reckless abandon that we witnessed in the first four months of last year.

 

Since then, mortgage interest rates rose in November to a seven-year high of 4.87% and then subsequently came down to 4.27% in March—creating enough of a stir to get buyers attention. Each 1% increase in mortgage interest rate is equivalent to a 10% increase in home price. Conversely, a half point drop in the rate is comparable to a 5% price reduction.

 

Sellers and buyers are beginning the second quarter on more equal footing than they’ve had since the late 1990’s as we’ve rapidly oscillated between a seller’s market, a buyer’s market, and then a seller’s market again with little breathing room in between. Sellers have enjoyed a seven-year run with double digit annual appreciation most of those years. Buyers have enjoyed record setting low interest rates and can purchase today at what amounts to roughly 60% of the monthly expense of the forty-seven-year average 8.09% mortgage interest rate.

 

The market has much to offer buyers and sellers this year. We believe those looking to make a move in the next few years should do so this year when they can still secure incredibly affordable mortgage financing. Today’s buyers should be prepared to stay in their home at least five years. Home sellers moving to lower cost regions may also benefit from selling now. We know that every situation is unique, and we are here to help you evaluate your personal real estate holdings and purchase strategy.

 

Click or scroll down to find your area report:

Seattle | Eastside | Mercer Island | Condos | Waterfront

 


SEATTLE

The number of homes for sale more than doubled in Q1 compared to one year ago giving buyers options and compelling sellers to put their best foot forward. Seattle’s overall Median Sale Price was down 5.8% from Q1 2018 to $725,000 and down 1.4% from Q4. The Average $ Per Square Foot was down 1.6% from Q1 last year to $422. Queen Anne-Magnolia and North Seattle were the most impacted markets with the largest decrease in median price. As disappointing as the numbers are, Seattle homeowners have seen a 60% increase in the Median Sale Price over the past five years.

Seattle Chart

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Seattle Report

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EASTSIDE

Continued employment growth and planned expansion on the Eastside have benefitted homeowners as compared to Seattle as Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland prepare for unprecedented development in the next decade. The Eastside’s Median Sale Price was down 1.8% from Q1 2018 to $927,000, but up 3.9% from Q4. The five-year Eastside median price trend is up 53% over 2014.

East Bellevue, East of Lake Sammamish, and Woodinville performed best in Q1—all with median price increases rather than reductions. A total of 1,209 home sales closed in Q1, which was down significantly from Q4, but down only slightly from the robust Q1 2018.

Eastside Chart

Click here for the full report and neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics!

Eastside Review

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MERCER ISLAND

Following a 10% Median Sale Price increase in 2018, the Mercer Island median fell 1.9% in Q1 2019 from Q1 2018 and 10.9% from Q4. Fewer luxury sales—only one waterfront sold in Q1—and lower demand contributed to the off quarter. The lower velocity of luxury sales impacted the Average Sale Price even more so than Realistically priced homes in solid condition and with desirable lot amenities and settings will do well in Q2 as they are met with demand from the greatest segment of buyers.

Mercer Island Chart

Click here to view the complete report for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Average Sale Price, size, and number of homes sold.

Mercer Island Report

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CONDOS – SEATTLE & EASTSIDE

Affordability and access to transportation and amenities continues to drive condo desirability, but a nearly three-fold increase in the number of units for sale and softening apartment rents have tempered demand in some areas.

Seattle’s Condo Median Sale Price was down 4% from Q4 and 10.7% from Q1 2018 to $460,000 following a 12.8% median price increase in 2018. The Average $ Per Square Foot was $577. West Seattle and Queen Anne condos fared better than average while condos prices to the north softened a bit more.

The Eastside’s Condo Median Sale Price was down 5.5% from Q4 and 4.2% from Q1 2018 to $460,000—the same as Seattle—following a 17.2% median price increase in 2018 and a 20.6% increase in 2017. The Average $ Per Square Foot was $431. South Eastside and Mercer Island condos performed better than average while Kirkland condos struggled in Q1.

Check out all of these factoids and more in the full condo report.

Condo Report

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WATERFRONT

The Eastside had more private waterfront activity than Seattle, Mercer Island & Lake Sammamish combined. Seattle and Mercer Island sales were far slower than typical in Q1 with only two sales in Seattle and one sale on Mercer Island reported to NWMLS. Mercer Island had eight Q1 sales in 2017 and five in 2018. Seattle had six Q1 sales in 2017 and 3 in 2018.

The highest Q1 sale was a 1963 Yarrow Point home on 80 feet of waterfront sold at $8,650,000 after only 5 days on the market. The lowest sale was a 1940 Pleasure Point bungalow in South Bellevue with 45 feet of waterfront for $1,560,000 on the market for 7 days. Waterfront homes sold in Q1 tended to either sell immediately or languish on the market for months with very few finding middle ground.

This top-level overview of the entire Seattle-Eastside private waterfront market, including Mercer Island and Lake Sammamish, provides a glance into the trends occurring in our region over time. Interesting, and certainly insightful, it in no way replaces an in-depth analysis on waterfront value provided by a savvy broker with years of local waterfront experience.

Check out the full Waterfront Report for a complete list of waterfront home sales by address and community.

Waterfront Report

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ABOUT WINDERMERE MERCER ISLAND

We earn the trust and loyalty of our brokers and clients by doing real estate exceptionally well. The leader in our market, we deliver client-focused service in an authentic, collaborative and transparent manner and with the unmatched knowledge and expertise that comes from decades of experience.

 

© Copyright 2019, Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island. Information and statistics derived from Northwest Multiple Listing Service and deemed accurate but not guaranteed.