Seattle Housing Market Update — April 2026
Monthly pulse check on King County real estate: median prices, supply, days on market, and what the numbers mean for buyers and sellers right now.
King County’s housing market in April 2026 continues to favor sellers, with low inventory and steady demand keeping prices firm. This is the first post in a monthly series that tracks the metrics that actually matter — no hype, no hedging.
April 2026 key metrics — King County
| Metric | April 2026 | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, SFH | ~$875,000 [VERIFY NWMLS] | Roughly flat YoY [VERIFY] |
| Months of supply | ~1.5 months [VERIFY] | Under 3.0 = seller’s market |
| List-to-sale price ratio | ~102% [VERIFY] | Above 100% = homes selling over asking |
| Median days on market | ~14 days [VERIFY] | Competitive; well-priced homes move fast |
| YoY price change | [VERIFY — est. +2% to +4%] | Modest appreciation, not a spike |
| Active listings, King Co. | [VERIFY NWMLS current count] | Low by historical standards |
Data sourced from NWMLS and King County public records. See methodology note at bottom.
What the numbers mean right now
It’s a seller’s market — but not a frenzy.
1.5 months of supply means that if no new homes came to market, current inventory would be absorbed in about six weeks. Anything below 3 months favors sellers. Anything below 2 months typically produces multiple-offer situations on well-priced homes in desirable areas.
The 102% list-to-sale ratio tells you that on average, homes are selling slightly above asking price. This doesn’t mean every home goes to a bidding war — it means that competitive, well-presented homes in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and inner Seattle neighborhoods are driving the average up. Homes in less-competitive submarkets or with condition issues may still price at or below list.
At 14 median days on market, you have a narrow window to decide if you’re a buyer. Going in unrepared — without a pre-approval letter, without clear purchase criteria, without an agent whose compensation terms you’ve agreed to in writing (required since August 2024) — is a real disadvantage.
Mortgage rate context
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate as of late April 2026 sits at approximately [VERIFY current Freddie Mac PMMS rate]. Rates have been [directionally: higher/lower] compared to the same period last year [VERIFY], which has [expanded/constrained] the buyer pool.
The rate math on a median King County home:
| Down payment | Loan amount | Rate | Est. monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% ($87,500) | $787,500 | [VERIFY]% | [VERIFY] |
| 20% ($175,000) | $700,000 | [VERIFY]% | [VERIFY] |
At current rates, the monthly carrying cost for a median-priced King County home is [VERIFY — est. $4,500–$5,500/month for P&I at 20% down]. Add property tax (~$7,300/year [VERIFY], or ~$610/month) and homeowner’s insurance, and the all-in monthly cost is meaningful. This is the primary demand constraint in the current market — not price resistance per se, but affordability at higher rate levels.
Narrative: what’s different about April 2026 vs. April 2025
[VERIFY and update with actual market narrative each month — the following is a placeholder template:]
Spring 2026 has brought the typical seasonal inventory bump — more homes come to market March through June as sellers time their listings to peak demand. But inventory remains well below pre-2020 norms [VERIFY], which means the seasonal increase hasn’t shifted the market toward buyers.
One notable dynamic this spring: [VERIFY specific April 2026 market condition — e.g., rate movement, employer news, regional economic development, new construction supply, etc.].
The Eastside (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond) continues to hold a premium over Seattle proper in median price per square foot [VERIFY], driven by proximity to Microsoft and Amazon’s Bellevue presence. The premium has [widened/narrowed] compared to last year [VERIFY].
Submarket snapshot
Not all of King County moves the same way. Here’s a rough directional breakdown for April 2026 [VERIFY all submarket figures against NWMLS data]:
| Submarket | Relative demand | Median range |
|---|---|---|
| Bellevue / Kirkland / Redmond | Very high | $1.2M–$1.8M+ |
| Seattle proper (inner neighborhoods) | High | $800k–$1.1M |
| Renton / Kent / Auburn | Moderate-high | $550k–$750k |
| Federal Way / Burien | Moderate | $450k–$600k |
| Snohomish County | Moderate-high | $600k–$800k |
Snohomish County (Everett, Lynnwood, Bothell, Edmonds) is worth watching. Buyers priced out of King County have driven Snohomish prices up significantly over the past five years, and the Link Light Rail extension to Lynnwood (opened 2024 [VERIFY]) has added commute flexibility that wasn’t there before.
For sellers: what April means for your listing
If you’ve been thinking about listing, spring is historically the strongest season for both buyer activity and sale prices. The combination of low inventory and seasonal demand means well-prepared homes in this market have favorable conditions.
“Well-prepared” means:
- Professional photography (non-negotiable in a market where buyers filter online before touring)
- Accurate pricing (overpricing in a 14-day DOM market is immediately visible and stigmatizing)
- Clean disclosure package ready at listing, not during mutual acceptance
WA Homes’s listing packages start at $1,995 for WA Homes Essentials. On an $875k home, a traditional 3% listing fee is $26,250. Our full-service WA Homes Full package is $4,495 — saving you over $21,000 without reducing the quality of service that moves homes in a competitive market.
For buyers: what April means for your search
Low inventory + strong demand + sub-20-day median DOM means you need to be prepared before you find the right home, not after.
Preparation checklist:
- Pre-approval letter from lender (not just pre-qualification)
- Signed buyer-broker agreement with your agent (now required before touring)
- Clear budget ceiling including taxes, insurance, and HOA if applicable
- Clarity on must-haves vs. nice-to-haves — you will likely have limited time to decide
Our buyer fee is a capped flat fee based on your purchase price band. Any buyer-agent commission above our fee is rebated to you at closing. In the current market, that rebate on a median-priced home can be $10,000–$15,000 [VERIFY based on typical seller-offered BAC levels].
Reach out
If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Greater Seattle and want to talk through how this month’s data applies to your specific situation — neighborhood, price point, timeline — reach out. The market moves fast; the conversation costs nothing.
Data sourced from NWMLS and King County Assessor public records. Updated monthly. All [VERIFY] markers indicate figures that should be confirmed against the most current NWMLS statistical report before publication. Future monthly updates follow the slug pattern: seattle-housing-market-update-[month]-[year].mdx. See our methodology page for how we source and verify data.