Seattle's Least Expensive Waterfront Homes

Living on the waterfront in Seattle is usually a pricey proposition. Homes on Lake Washington and the Puget Sound are normally priced well above the reach of a middle-class homeowner. These Seattle homes, however, provide waterfront at a bargain price, albeit with some tradeoffs.

Seattle Waterfront Homes

There are currently 10 "waterfront" houses in Seattle under $350,000. Waterfront could be a creek or canal, or a houseboat on Lake Union or Portage Bay. You weren't expecting Laurelhurst at these prices, were you? The majority of these homes are located on the North end of Lake Union, just off N Northlake Way in Wallingford. Seattle Marina and Gas Works Marina house a handful of house "barges" and liveaboard vessels that start at around $160,000.

There are also a few of these houseboats on the Westlake side, near the North end and up into the canal. You can drop in your runabout, enjoy the lake from your deck, or take a swim if you're brave. You used to be able to watch the 4th of July fireworks on Lake Union from your bedroom window, before a NY bank swallowed up our friends at WAMU.

Lake Union Houseboat

There is one creekside single family home in South Seattle, in the Earlington neighborhood on the market. A 4 bedroom home with a big lot and some trickling waterfront footage? Not bad for around $300,000.

On the condo side, there are about 20 condos under $350,000 with waterfront grounds. Some of these are on Lake Washington waterfront, and provide the ability to walk out of your home to the lake without having to buy the dirt. There are a handful of condos in Madison Park, Rainier Beach, Leschi, and Seward Park available in this price range.

One condo on Bitter Lake is on the market, while a few creekside condos are available in Northgate and Ravenna. While a condo on a lot with a creek is about as far as the term "waterfront" can be stretched, it's still a nice amenity to have for your condo. Drop your kayak in the creek and see where it leads.

Sam DeBord is a licensed real estate broker with SeattleHome.com, a division of Washington State Realty, LLC. He is a member of the Seattle-King County Association of Realtors and a Green-Certified Pro.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand
SeattleHome.com - Washington State Realty - (206) 552-8820
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