Seattle market pulse
Real public data for Seattle's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
-2.5%
in 1 year · Seattle metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 655.0 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 637.1 | -2.7% |
| 2025 Q4 | 619.6 | -5.4% |
| 2026 Q1 | 640.1 | -2.3% |
| 2026 Q2 | 638.5 | -2.5% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+13%
in 5 years · Seattle metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 563.3 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 565.4 | +0.4% |
| 2021 Q4 | 577.2 | +2.5% |
| 2022 Q1 | 630.9 | +12% |
| 2022 Q2 | 648.9 | +15% |
| 2022 Q3 | 596.0 | +5.8% |
| 2022 Q4 | 581.8 | +3.3% |
| 2023 Q1 | 584.0 | +3.7% |
| 2023 Q2 | 605.6 | +7.5% |
| 2023 Q3 | 610.6 | +8.4% |
| 2023 Q4 | 593.6 | +5.4% |
| 2024 Q1 | 629.9 | +12% |
| 2024 Q2 | 639.7 | +14% |
| 2024 Q3 | 637.5 | +13% |
| 2024 Q4 | 623.2 | +11% |
| 2025 Q1 | 647.8 | +15% |
| 2025 Q2 | 655.0 | +16% |
| 2025 Q3 | 637.1 | +13% |
| 2025 Q4 | 619.6 | +10% |
| 2026 Q1 | 640.1 | +14% |
| 2026 Q2 | 638.5 | +13% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+81%
in 10 years · Seattle metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 352.5 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 357.3 | +1.4% |
| 2016 Q4 | 358.2 | +1.6% |
| 2017 Q1 | 378.5 | +7.4% |
| 2017 Q2 | 405.3 | +15% |
| 2017 Q3 | 406.6 | +15% |
| 2017 Q4 | 411.8 | +17% |
| 2018 Q1 | 433.3 | +23% |
| 2018 Q2 | 443.1 | +26% |
| 2018 Q3 | 437.7 | +24% |
| 2018 Q4 | 421.6 | +20% |
| 2019 Q1 | 435.4 | +24% |
| 2019 Q2 | 443.6 | +26% |
| 2019 Q3 | 444.7 | +26% |
| 2019 Q4 | 439.7 | +25% |
| 2020 Q1 | 466.8 | +32% |
| 2020 Q2 | 478.5 | +36% |
| 2020 Q3 | 487.6 | +38% |
| 2020 Q4 | 497.5 | +41% |
| 2021 Q1 | 529.7 | +50% |
| 2021 Q2 | 563.3 | +60% |
| 2021 Q3 | 565.4 | +60% |
| 2021 Q4 | 577.2 | +64% |
| 2022 Q1 | 630.9 | +79% |
| 2022 Q2 | 648.9 | +84% |
| 2022 Q3 | 596.0 | +69% |
| 2022 Q4 | 581.8 | +65% |
| 2023 Q1 | 584.0 | +66% |
| 2023 Q2 | 605.6 | +72% |
| 2023 Q3 | 610.6 | +73% |
| 2023 Q4 | 593.6 | +68% |
| 2024 Q1 | 629.9 | +79% |
| 2024 Q2 | 639.7 | +81% |
| 2024 Q3 | 637.5 | +81% |
| 2024 Q4 | 623.2 | +77% |
| 2025 Q1 | 647.8 | +84% |
| 2025 Q2 | 655.0 | +86% |
| 2025 Q3 | 637.1 | +81% |
| 2025 Q4 | 619.6 | +76% |
| 2026 Q1 | 640.1 | +82% |
| 2026 Q2 | 638.5 | +81% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+80%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 22 ZIPs, from +47% to +115%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 22 of Seattle's 28 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,547 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$2,400
a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 98125
- Own: 4-bedroom sample house, $1,039,000Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,547 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$6,500 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 4 bedrooms
- $4,100 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.625%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 4,382 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Seattle's census tracts: 5,986 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.25% to 6.875%
- Loan costs at closing
- $6,466 medianMiddle half $5,173 to $10,427: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 5,605 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $1,063,750 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $1,063,750 (one-unit home, King County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 80% of the value (median)Middle half 69.5% to 85%. 26.7% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 13.7% more than 90%, 5.5% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 5,919 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 94.4% · FHA 2.4%VA 3.2% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 52.4% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $4,200. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,535 a year
Median of 22 Seattle ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 814 policies in force · 191 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 28 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 0.5% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- King County, WA: expected yearly losses rated very high for earthquake, inland flooding; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for heat wave, winter weather.
Other ratings for King County, WA
- WildfireRelatively Low
- Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate
- TornadoRelatively Moderate
- HailVery Low
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Seattle
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Rail opened
2 Line Crosslake Connection opens
Link service crosses Lake Washington, connecting Seattle with the Eastside. Pin marks the new Judkins Park station; Mercer Island also opened with this segment.
Sound Transit, Crosslake Connection opening (opens in a new tab) - Zoning change
Permanent Neighborhood Residential rules take effect
Council Bill 120993 puts Seattle’s updated Neighborhood Residential rules in force. How many homes a lot allows depends on its size, how close it is to a major transit stop and site conditions; ADUs count toward the total.
Seattle Council Bill 120993, permanent NR rules (opens in a new tab) - Rail opened
Lynnwood Link extension opens
The regional extension adds Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood stations. Pin marks Shoreline South/148th outside Seattle city limits, a regional access point.
Sound Transit, Lynnwood extension opening announcement (opens in a new tab)
Rules in Washington
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- Seller disclosure statement (NWMLS Form 17) You may cancel within 3 business days in some cases: after the buyer receives the Form 17 disclosure.
- Closing taxesRule
- Washington real estate excise tax (state): $5 + 1.1–3% of the price, by slice · seller paysSeattle local real estate excise tax: 0.5% of the price · seller pays
How buying works in Washington
- Who runs the closing
- An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 30 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
NWMLS Form 21 Residential Purchase and Sale Agreement
- Buyer agreement
- Buyer services agreement (RCW 18.86.020), signed before touring.
Details
Washington requires a written services agreement before, or as soon as reasonably practical after, a broker starts working for a buyer; MLS rules since the August 2024 NAR settlement require one before touring. It names the appointed broker, defaults to a 60-day term and offers an exclusive or non-exclusive choice.
Source: RCW 18.86.020, buyer services agreements (retrieved 2026-09-26)
- Inspection
- About 10 days for inspections.
Details
NWMLS Form 35 inspection contingency: 10 days after mutual acceptance unless the parties write in another period.
- Earnest money
- 2% of the price, due within 2 business days, held by: The escrow company (closing agent).
Details
Form 21 sets the amount the parties agree on and delivery within 2 days of mutual acceptance; the prototype defaults to 2% of the price.
- Seller's disclosure
- Seller disclosure statement (NWMLS Form 17) You may cancel within 3 business days in some cases: after the buyer receives the Form 17 disclosure.
Details
The seller delivers Form 17 within 5 business days of mutual acceptance unless the contract says otherwise; the buyer may then approve it or rescind within 3 business days, and doing nothing counts as approval.
Source: RCW 64.06, seller disclosure (Form 17) and the buyer's rescission right (retrieved 2026-09-26)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: 21 days (set in the contract).
Details
The lender lends on the lower of price and appraisal. Form 22A's default (¶2(a), Seller's Notice to Perform) keeps the financing contingency in place until the buyer waives it: from 21 days after mutual acceptance (unless another period is written in) the seller may ask the buyer to waive it, and may terminate 3 days later if the buyer hasn't, with the earnest money refunded. Automatic waiver after 21 days (¶2(b)) applies only if that box is checked. A low appraisal has its own notices (¶5): the buyer within 3 days of the appraisal, the seller up to 10 days, then the buyer's reply, normally within 3 days.
- Title insurance
- The seller customarily pays for the owner's policy.
Details
Washington sellers pay the excise tax and the owner's title policy.
- Property tax for a new owner
- Your property tax follows the county's assessed market value. About 0.99% of the price a year is our planning figure for Seattle; your bill can differ.
Details
Washington assesses property at market value every year, so a sale doesn't reset the tax: the seller's current bill is a fair guide.
Used only when a listing has no tax bill: King County's 2026 levy rate for Seattle (levy code 0010, $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value), applied to the price because Washington assesses at market value every year, so a purchase doesn't reset the tax.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- Washington allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
Washington is not on published lists of states that ban buyer rebates; any credit must be disclosed to the lender and fit its limits. Not yet confirmed against a primary source.
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Washington real estate excise tax (state) | Seller | $5 + 1.1–3% of the price, by sliceWashington Department of Revenue, real estate excise tax |
| Seattle local real estate excise tax | Seller | 0.5% of the priceWashington Department of Revenue, local REET rates (Seattle, code 1726) |
Sources (10)
- RCW 18.86.020, buyer services agreements · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 18.86.120, the agency pamphlet's text · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 64.06, seller disclosure (Form 17) and the buyer's rescission right · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 64.90.640, condo resale certificate · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 1.16.050, Washington legal holidays · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- Washington Department of Revenue, real estate excise tax · graduated rates for 2023–2026, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NWMLS Form 22A Financing Addendum (2026 revision, sample copy) · 2026 revision (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits by county (King County, WA) · 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Washington Department of Revenue, local REET rates (Seattle, code 1726) · rates effective May 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- King County Assessor, 2026 codes and levies (cities): Seattle levy code 0010, $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value · 2026 levy rates, revised Feb 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Seattle, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- Home Advantage DPA (opens in a new tab) (Washington State Housing Finance Commission)3%, 4% or 5% of the first-mortgage amount at 0% interest, with payments deferred, paired with the Commission's Home Advantage first mortgage.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.Washington's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Seattle
- Buy A Home (opens in a new tab) (Seattle Office of Housing)Downpayment assistance for homebuyers at or below 80% of area median income, through partner nonprofits and lenders.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Property tax exemptions and deferrals (opens in a new tab) (Washington State Department of Revenue)Every program on this page is for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans' surviving spouses or homeowners with limited incomes; none is for every owner-occupant.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- How to appeal a property tax assessment (opens in a new tab) (King County Board of Appeals and Equalization)You can appeal your assessment within 60 days of receiving your valuation notice; the due date for your parcel can be looked up.When: postmarked by July 1 of the assessment year or within 60 days after the value noticeOfficial page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- Recording Activity Notification System (RANS) (opens in a new tab) (King County Recorder's Office)Register a name or tax parcel number and get an email when a matching document is recorded.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Seattle, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (30)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA (MSAD) (metropolitan division 42644) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA (MSAD) (metropolitan division 42644) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA (MSAD) (metropolitan division 42644), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU53426600000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Seattle, WA (Census place 5363000): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for King County, WA · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 18.86.020, buyer services agreements · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 18.86.120, the agency pamphlet's text · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 64.06, seller disclosure (Form 17) and the buyer's rescission right · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 64.90.640, condo resale certificate · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 1.16.050, Washington legal holidays · retrieved 2026-09-26 (opens in a new tab)
- Washington Department of Revenue, real estate excise tax · graduated rates for 2023–2026, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- NWMLS Form 22A Financing Addendum (2026 revision, sample copy) · 2026 revision (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits by county (King County, WA) · 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Washington Department of Revenue, local REET rates (Seattle, code 1726) · rates effective May 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- King County Assessor, 2026 codes and levies (cities): Seattle levy code 0010, $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value · 2026 levy rates, revised Feb 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)