Executives at Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR) and the top producer duo of Tom Skepetaris and Rebecca Mitsui, representing RSIR’s Builder Services Division, jointly announced the exclusive co-listing of the SolSix cottages located at 4823 42nd Avenue SW in West Seattle in the popular Junction neighborhood. Developed by Range Properties and leveraging progressive zoning, the six-unit micro-housing development offers brand new, approximately 800-square-foot homes comprising two bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms on two levels, and with up to 800 square feet of additional exterior living spaces, including a courtyard and rooftop terrace. Priced from the $600,000s, the new community is heralded as an answer to the affordable housing crisis in Washington State. The innovative designs will likely inspire developers throughout many municipalities once city leaders upzone their single-family lots as part of the House Bill 1110 (“HB1110”) legislated mandate by July 1, 2025.
Watch Rebecca and Tom dive into the perks of a SolSix address below ↓
“We may have found the answer to the missing middle housing crisis in Washington State with the SolSix cottages in West Seattle,” said Dean Jones, President and CEO of RSIR. “This transformative development may well become the archetype of what’s to come to many municipalities as zoning guidelines finally catch up to the market demands and single-family land is redeveloped into a collection of higher density communities.”
Jones said SolSix represents the goldilocks moment for Puget Sound housing as it balances the right size, attainable price point, and walkability to urban amenities and rapid transit options at The Junction (soon to be a new terminus for the Sound Transit 3 expansion of the light rail system). He referred to the overall land use and design principles as being the intended outcome of HB1110.
“We were willing to challenge the status quo in typical townhome design to increase density and functionality while also delivering on attractive price points that have proved to be elusive for homebuyers until now,” said Todd Karam, Principal of Range Properties. “I believe this will be the harbinger for housing for our region.”
The exclusive listing team agrees that homeowners can afford to live in less space, but they simply can’t afford to pay more than their budget will allow. They note that the combination of inflation in housing costs, coupled with higher mortgage interest rates, has made the prospect of acquiring a new home in a preferred in-city community an American Dream unrealized, until now.
“Historically, hitting a price point in the $600,000s for a new development has required homebuyers to look at either a high-rise condominium or
live within a DADU (Detached Auxiliary Dwelling Unit) in someone’s backyard,” said Mitsui. “SolSix is a gamechanger because our developer has reverse-engineered all the components of a much larger, more costly single-family home but reprogrammed efficiencies in floor planning and compelling designs to make 800 square feet live much larger, especially when enjoying access to exterior living spaces. It’s like a yacht—every space has optimized function and utility, and finishing touches are beautifully appointed.”
Changes in zoning have been a major catalyst for developers to deliver thousands of new homes in the City of Seattle. The Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program was officially approved by the Seattle City Council on March 18, 2019. The MHA program was a key component of Seattle’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA). It required developers to either include affordable housing in their projects or contribute to a city fund for affordable housing, in exchange for additional development capacity provided through zoning changes (commonly referred to as “upzoning”). The program applied to all urban villages and commercial zones, with the goal of addressing the city’s growing housing affordability crisis by creating more affordable housing units and increasing density in key areas. However, the rising cost of land, construction, and financing on top of the MHA requirements has made the delivery of sufficient supply less sustainable, with many builders tapping out. The most commonplace product type has been townhomes, which are difficult to pencil and even with minimizing their size across three levels, their price points are approaching $1 million on average.
“The market is demanding new product lines and fortunately, the combined legislation of HB1110 and reform with The Washington State Condominium Act will make it possible for our developers to perform their public service in delivering much-needed supply of attainable homes,” said Skepetaris, who has been nicknamed “Tommy Townhome” for his many years of selling thousands of such properties. “I agree that SolSix is the future of housing. I have never witnessed a developer investing this much thought per square foot in a community. I am truly impressed with Range Properties, and we are elated to represent this offering to the market this weekend.”
RSIR’s Executive Director of Land Division Tadashi Shiga and Dean Jones break down House Bill 1110 and the SolSix opportunity below ↓
In addition to maximizing floor plan efficiencies and functionality, SolSix residences boast ten-foot ceilings, transom glass, and creative use of mirrors to reflect the outdoors in and blur the line between interior and exterior living spaces. The homes feature hardwood flooring on all levels, integrated cabinets, and high-end appliances, including a stackable washer and dryer. The handsome architecture is all black and modern, while the interiors are light and bright to curate a “tuxedo effect,” according to Karam. Even plumbing fixtures, door hardware, lighting, and metal railings carry the black and white theme throughout. The six residential units are a cluster of three buildings, with each duplex sharing only one wall, permitting oversized windows on three elevations and bathing the home in natural light. The brand of SolSix refers to its elevated perch at 300 feet above sea level and enviable solar exposure with integration of outdoor living. At this location on summer solstice, the community enjoys sixteen hours of sunshine from first light over the Cascades to sunset over the Olympics.
Dean Jones and Todd Karam tour SolSix below ↓
Making its formal market debut, the RSIR listing team is hosting a broker’s preview open house for SolSix on Friday, May 16th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and a public open house on Saturday, May 17th from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 18th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The event is perfectly timed with Sotheby’s International Realty’s Global Open House Showcase, a worldwide “Paint it Blue” open house weekend throughout the region and beyond. For its part, RSIR is slated to host more than 115 open houses ranging from $350,000 for a 409-square-foot condominium studio at Graystone in downtown Seattle to a $9,875,000 view estate comprising 7 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, and 7,202 square feet overlooking Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue.
“Amongst this impressive backdrop of new and resale properties at the height of the spring sales season, we are reminded that ‘new’ construction should offer something novel in terms of design and value proposition,” added Jones. “SolSix provides exactly that—attainable homeownership that’s not just a new place to live, but a new way to live.”
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Range Properties is a builder of partnerships and homes. They create excellent and lasting opportunities for those around them, and on a bigger scale, the community. Each of their projects is guided by a mission of integrity, honesty, and admirable workmanship. They treat each home as if it were their own—because it is. Visit www.RangeSeattle.com