Market report · WA

Seattle, WA

Balanced's market

Seattle's market is in transition: -2.5% YoY, median DOM 8 days. Selective deals only.

DATA · Zillow Research (via scrape.do) · AS OF APRIL 2026

$872k
Typical home value
↑2.7%
-2.5%
YoY change
$2,202
Median rent
↑5.4%
3.03%
Gross yield
8
Median DOM
34/100
MDR score
Detail Value Detail Value
Median list price $744,333 Median sale price $804,967
Sale-to-list ratio 0.996 % sold below list +46.8%
Active inventory 2,177 New listings 930
Trends · 36-month series

How Seattle has moved.

Typical home value $848k → $872k · ↑2.7% (36mo)
$848k $866k $884k $902k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median rent (ZORI) $2k → $2k · ↑5.4% (36mo)
$2k $2k $2k $2k May 23Nov 24Apr 26
Median days on market 31d → 8d · ↓74.3% (36mo)
8d 16d 23d 31d Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26
Sale-to-list ratio 0.992 → 0.996 · ↑0.4% (36mo)
0.992 0.993 0.995 0.996 Jan 26Feb 26Mar 26

Seattle sits at a median home value of $871,599 as of the latest Zillow read, down 2.5% year-over-year — a meaningful softening that’s putting deal flow back on the table for cash buyers.

The sale-to-list ratio of 0.996 signals a balanced market — neither bid wars nor fire sales dominate. 46.8% of closings land below list, leaving room to negotiate on the right deal but no broad discount across the board.

Rents are the weak side of this market. ZORI is $2,202/mo against a $872k median — a 3.03% gross yield isn’t enough to make most BRRRRs cash-flow at today’s debt costs. Plan to exit, not hold.

Median days-on-market is running around 8 days against 2,177 active listings — that’s a fast-moving market. Speed is the moat; pre-arranged proof of funds and a tight buyers list are the difference between getting under contract and getting outbid.

MDR’s composite investor score for Seattle is 34/100 based on rent yield, sale-to-list discount, motivated-seller proxies, and DOM. Lower tier this quarter. Watch list, not deploy list — re-evaluate next read.

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FAQ

Seattle for investors.

Is Seattle a good market for real estate investors in 2026?

Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for Seattle is 34/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. Seattle is a lower-tier market right now. Watch list, not deploy list, until the numbers shift.

What is the median home price in Seattle?

The typical home value in Seattle as of the most recent Zillow read is $871,599. Median list price is $744,333 and median sale price is $804,967. Year-over-year change: -2.5%.

What can a landlord expect to rent a property for in Seattle?

Zillow's Observed Rent Index for Seattle is $2,202/mo. Against the typical home value of $872k, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 3.03% — below the national 4-5% baseline, which makes BRRRR difficult at today's debt costs.

Is Seattle a buyer's or seller's market?

Seattle's current sale-to-list ratio is 0.996 with 46.8% of homes closing below list. That's a balanced market — neither side dominates. Median days on market: 8 days. Active inventory: 2,177 listings.

Which investment strategy works best in Seattle?

Seattle's data favors a mixed approach — no single strategy dominates, so selective deal sourcing wins. See the per-strategy breakdowns at /wholesaling/seattle, /brrrr/seattle, and /flipping/seattle.

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