If you’ve ever flown home to Seattle—and you’re blessed with a clear day—you’re familiar with the enchanting view as you approach the airport. A mosaic of waterways spreads out below you, from the sparkling vastness of Puget Sound to the shores of Lake Washington, dotted with docks. Water defines our Pacific Northwest life, whether we’re swimming, boating, fishing, or paddling, or simply taking in the view. Those fortunate enough to own a home along one of our region’s coveted shorelines recognize the sublime pleasures of such a rare opportunity.
Whether you expect to sell a waterfront home or are looking to buy one, our 2024 Waterfront Report offers a breakdown of total sales and new listings month by month to inform the trajectory of your real estate journey. You’ll find a five-year seasonal view of the home listing and selling trends across Washington’s most coveted waterfront counties, from Kitsap to King, Skagit to San Juan. Dive in.
King County
Charting new listing waterfront data in King County for the past five years reveals a decrease from a peak in 2019 but then consistent numbers from year to year. There is an annual dip during colder months, from the fall through the winter, indicating that this county’s waterfront season truly picks up during spring and summer.
352: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT HOMES
SALES
$1.662M: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE
2%: % OF COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL SALES ON
WATERFRONT
Pierce County
Pierce County’s waterfront market saw fewer new listings in 2023 than in previous years, mirroring the low inventory obstacles that the region’s real estate market—both waterfront and non-waterfront—faced last year. Closed sales also trended lower, despite a surprising spike in October 2023.
241: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT HOMES
SALES
$1.1M: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE
3%: % OF COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL SALES ON
WATERFRONT
Snohomish County
The ebb and flow of closed sales and new listings we witnessed in other counties analyzed in our reporting continued in Snohomish County. New listings peaked in June/July and closed sales peaked in August, with buyers closing out their searches as the summer similarly came to an end.
175: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT HOMES
SALES
$727K: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE
2%: % OF COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL SALES ON
WATERFRONT
Kitsap County
Kitsap County, with its major waterfront havens like Bainbridge Island and Bremerton, typically spikes in closed sales during the later summer months and early fall. In 2023, data indicates a steadier trend of closings, with fewer peaks and valleys from July through October, than seen in past years.
188: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT HOMES
SALES
$1.117M: 2023 RESIDENTIAL
WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE
5%: % OF COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL SALES ON
WATERFRONT
Clallam County
Clallam County’s market activity took a hit at the end of 2022 with zero closed sales and very few new listings. Inventory levels rebounded during the spring of 2023, but sales did not reach the levels seen in past years. New listings and sales both hit their 2023 peak in May, earlier than is typical with other waterfront counties in the area.
28: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$693K: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
3%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor data illustrates that sellers in this area waited for the warmer months to list their waterfront homes, with new listings reaching their highest level in June last year. Buyers took advantage of more inventory and closed sales gradually increased from June through September.
98: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$517K: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
8%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Jefferson County
The waterfront market in Jefferson County proves to be harder to predict than other counties that follow clear seasonal trends. New listings peaked in spring in 2023, whereas there were multiple spikes in 2022 (once in spring and again in late summer) and several spikes in 2021. Closed sales also defy trendlines in this county.
51: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES IN
WASHINGTON
$895K: WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE IN
WASHINGTON
11%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Pacific County
In past years, Pacific County has not followed the same seasonal trends as other waterfront markets analyzed in our reporting. In 2023, we saw closings pick up in spring and peak in May and June. As the unexpected can be expected in this market, July had the lowest number of closings. New listings were similarly sporadic on the graph.
48: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$560K: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
11%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Island County
Island County’s waterfront data presents more predictably than other counties analyzed when it comes to new listings—for the past four years, new listings have hit their lowest point in December, and for the past three years, they have peaked in spring. In 2023, closed sales were consistent through summer and into early autumn.
134: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$1.087M: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
11%
% OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
San Juan County
The San Juan Island County waterfront market’s inventory levels rebounded in 2023. However, the variance between months with low sales activity (winter 2023) and months with higher sales activity (late spring and early summer 2023) was not as sizable as it has been in previous years given fewer sales overall throughout the year.
48: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$2.22M: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
21%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Whatcom County
The Whatcom waterfront market held consistent levels when it came to closed sales, starting from the spring and lasting until the end of 2023. Buyers who began their search during spring were able to shop with more choice as inventory levels outpaced demand. However, supply dwindled as the year progressed.
93: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES IN
WASHINGTON
$945K: WATERFRONT MEDIAN
SALES PRICE IN
WASHINGTON
4%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA
Skagit County
Closed waterfront sales picked up in spring and throughout the summer in Skagit County. New listings peaked in summer, as is typical in this market, indicating sellers often list their waterfront homes later than the spring influx seen in other counties. New listings hit a major low in December when many people decided to pause their real estate plans.
68: NUMBER OF
WATERFRONT SALES
$814K: MEDIAN WATERFRONT
SALES PRICE
5%: % OF WATERFRONT
SALES IN THIS AREA