Bellevue
Six markets, one city
"Bellevue real estate" is really six distinct micro-markets with different buyers, schools, and price ceilings. A buyer who wants Old Bellevue waterfront has nothing in common with a buyer who wants a Somerset hillside view home. This page breaks Bellevue's luxury inventory down into the six sub-markets that matter: West Bellevue, Bellevue waterfront, Downtown Bellevue luxury condos, Bridle Trails, Somerset, and Newport Shores.
Citywide picture: Bellevue's median sale price in March 2026 was $1.5M (down 6.7% YoY per Redfin); April 2026 NWMLS data puts it at $1.65M, down 3.2% YoY. The 2026 total levy in BSD code areas is approximately $7.43/$1,000. On a $5M home, that's about $37,150/year in property tax.
1. West Bellevue (incl. Vuecrest, Enatai, Beaux Arts Village)
Character
West Bellevue is the historic "old money" core of the Eastside: leafy estate streets sandwiched between Lake Washington and downtown, immediately south and east of Medina, Hunts Point, and Clyde Hill. The 98004 ZIP is consistently among Washington's most expensive.
The sub-pockets:
- Vuecrest: hillside enclave with sweeping skyline views
- Enatai: lakefront and lake-adjacent on the south end, anchored by Enatai Elementary and Mercer Slough
- Beaux Arts Village: a tiny 95-acre incorporated village (~300 residents) with a private beach, tennis courts, and boat launch reserved for residents
Architecture
A mix of 1940s–1960s mid-century ramblers (often torn down), 1990s–2000s traditionals, and a heavy concentration of new-construction Northwest contemporaries by JayMarc, MN Custom Homes, and others, typically 5,000–9,000 sf on 8,000–28,000 sf lots.
Schools
Most addresses feed Enatai Elementary (10/10) or Medina Elementary (10/10), then Chinook Middle (10/10), then Bellevue High (10/10, A+ Niche, US News #10 in WA). Some Vuecrest addresses zone to Clyde Hill Elementary.
Market
| Metric | Latest |
|---|---|
| West Bellevue median (Sep 2025) | $2.7M, +28.6% YoY |
| Vuecrest median (Oct 2024) | $4.2M, +43.5% YoY |
| Enatai/Beaux Arts area (12-mo) | $3.41M, +3% YoY |
| Beaux Arts Village 2025 avg | $3.4M, +42% YoY (10 sales 2024+25) |
| Days to pending | ~16 days |
Notable activity: 905 Shoreland Drive SE sold May 2024 for $21.25M. The adjacent vacant lot at 903 Shoreland Drive SE listed April 2026 as a $28M pre-sale luxury build (8,218 sf, 110 ft west-facing waterfront). A $79M West Bellevue waterfront listing (Olson Kundig, 300 ft of Lake Washington frontage) is the most expensive active Bellevue listing.
Tier breakdown
| Tier | Range |
|---|---|
| Entry (smaller mid-century, 8,000 sf lot) | $2M |
| Typical new build | $4M – $7M |
| Lake-view tier | $6M – $12M |
| Low-bank waterfront | $15M – $35M+ |
2. Bellevue Waterfront: Meydenbauer Bay & West Lake Sammamish
These are two distinct submarkets that share the "Bellevue waterfront" label but feel very different.
Meydenbauer Bay is a crescent-shaped Lake Washington inlet immediately west of downtown: quiet, in-city luxury on Shoreland Drive SE and 100th Ave SE, walkable to Old Bellevue's Main Street. The Meydenbauer Yacht Club and Bellevue Marina (covered and uncovered moorage) anchor the lifestyle.
West Lake Sammamish is the eastern side of Bellevue along Lake Sammamish's west shore: more wooded, less built-up, with larger lots and dock-equipped homes. A quieter alternative with east-facing Cascade views.
Schools
Meydenbauer side: Enatai / Medina / Clyde Hill, then Chinook, then Bellevue High (all 10/10). West Lake Sammamish side: Phantom Lake or Spiritridge Elementary, then Tillicum Middle, then Sammamish HS or Interlake HS (some addresses fall under Issaquah SD; verify per parcel).
Market
West Lake Sammamish median (Feb 2026): $1.5M, –22.6% YoY, 48 days on market, a clear cooling at the entry tier. Meydenbauer's true waterfront tier sees fewer than 12 transactions a year, with active inventory routinely $7M–$25M+.
Local context
Both Newport Yacht Club and Meydenbauer Yacht Club have multi-year moorage waitlists; covered slips themselves trade as separate real estate ($80K–$300K).
3. Downtown Bellevue Luxury Condos
Character
Glass-and-steel skyline core sandwiched between Lake Washington, I-405, Main Street, and NE 12th. The most genuinely urban submarket on the Eastside, with Walk Score in the 90s for most buildings. Light rail (Bellevue Downtown Station, opened April 2024), the Bellevue Collection, the Bravern's luxury retail, and dozens of restaurants are all within a few blocks.
Top luxury buildings
| Building | Year | Stories | Units | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenue Bellevue Estates | 2024 | 26 | 141 | $1.5M up to $14.35M (PH state record) |
| Avenue Bellevue Residences | 2024 | 25 | 224 | $795K – $1.5M+ |
| One88 | 2020 | 21 | 143 (Bosa) | $1.2M – $8M |
| Bellevue Towers | 2009 | 43 (twin) | ~539 | $700K – $3M+ |
| Two Lincoln Tower | 2008 | 41 | ~148 | $850K – $5M |
| One Lincoln Tower | 2005 | 31 | ~148 | $900K – $3M+ |
| Bellevue Club Residences | proposed | 16 (twin) | 262 | TBD (under design review) |
| Park Row | launching 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
The Avenue Bellevue penthouse PH26 closed at $14.35M / over $3,000/sf, the highest condo sale ever recorded in Washington per NWMLS (Downtown Bellevue Network, July 2023; Business Wire). Penthouses sold out by mid-2024 (Downtown Bellevue Network, August 2024).
Schools
Most downtown addresses feed Clyde Hill or Enatai Elementary, then Chinook, then Bellevue HS.
Commutes (transit-first)
Microsoft Redmond: 10 minutes on the 2 Line. Amazon HQ Seattle: 22 minutes on the 2 Line (a one-seat ride post-March 2026). Meta downtown: 1–8 minute walk; Spring District: one stop / ~5 minutes.
Caveat for sellers
Microsoft vacated Bravern Towers I/II (lease expired 2025), creating office churn, but residential demand hasn't materially weakened. Park Row's 2026 launch is the first major new condo since Avenue Bellevue, and developers are watching absorption closely.
4. Bridle Trails (Bellevue side)
Character
Equestrian wooded enclave straddling the Bellevue/Kirkland line in NE Bellevue. Centerpiece is Bridle Trails State Park (482 acres, 28+ miles of trails). Preserved low-density character with active stables, lots zoned for horses, and Douglas-fir canopy.
Architecture
Custom estates, mid-1970s split-level ramblers, 1980s–1990s 2-stories, plus new construction by Buchan, Terrene, Merit, and BriKat, typically 4,000–8,000 sf on 0.5 to 2 acres.
Schools: boundary matters
Bellevue side primarily feeds Cherry Crest Elementary (10/10), then Odle Middle (10/10), then Sammamish High (lower-rated than peer BSD high schools, but rising).
Some northern parcels fall into Lake Washington SD (Ben Franklin, then Rose Hill, then Lake Washington HS). A 10–20% home-value premium has historically attached to the Bellevue SD side for school-driven buyers; this is a critical thing to verify per parcel before making an offer.
Commutes
Microsoft Redmond is 5–10 minutes, the closest Bellevue luxury submarket to main campus. Google Kirkland 10–15 min. Bellevue Downtown 8–15 min.
Market
Recent month median: $1.9M; average $1.4M; +5.6% YoY median; $635/sf (+3.3%); 7.5 days median time to pending. Listings range $1.5M to $11.5M. New construction (Terrene, Merit) trades $2.8M to $4.5M; estate-tier $5M to $11M.
5. Somerset
Character
Hillside view neighborhood in South Bellevue rising to ~1,000+ feet on the slopes south of I-90, just east of Factoria. The orientation is the story: panoramic Mt. Rainier, Lake Washington, Olympic Mountain, and Seattle skyline views. Coal Creek Natural Area and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildlife Park sit immediately south.
Architecture
Predominantly mid-1970s split-level ramblers oriented for view; many midcentury moderns; significant remodel and new-construction activity (Westwood Home, Alem Homes) producing 3,500 to 5,000 sf contemporaries on 8,000 to 14,000 sf lots. The view premium runs 30 to 60% over interior Somerset homes.
Schools: the Newport HS feeder
Somerset Elementary (10/10), then Tyee Middle (10/10), then Newport High. Newport carries a 10/10 GreatSchools rating, A+ on Niche, and is ranked among the top public high schools in Washington by Niche (Niche Newport High School). 1,844 students; average SAT 1390, ACT 32; 96% graduation; 90% reading proficiency.
Commutes
Amazon HQ Seattle: 15–22 minutes via I-90. South Bellevue 2 Line station: 22 minutes to downtown Seattle. Bellevue Downtown / Meta: 8–12 min. The South Bellevue station and 1,500-stall garage are a top park-and-ride for Somerset commuters.
Market
| Metric | Latest |
|---|---|
| Median sale (Mar 2026) | $1,912,500; avg $2,006,255 |
| 12-month median | $1,970,000, –3% YoY |
| Days on market | 5–14 days |
| Sale-to-list | ~+2% above list (hot homes ~+9%) |
| Redfin Compete Score | 91/100, most competitive Bellevue luxury submarket |
Tier breakdown
| Tier | Range |
|---|---|
| Non-view interior | $1.3M – $1.7M |
| Remodeled mid-century with view | $1.8M – $2.6M |
| Top-of-ridge new construction | $2.8M – $4.3M |
6. Newport Shores
Character
The only canal-and-lake yacht community on the Bellevue side of Lake Washington. 170+ acres, 340–350 homes, with roughly 100 directly on canal or Lake Washington frontage. The configuration could never be permitted today under modern environmental regulation, creating a structural supply constraint. The Newport Yacht Club (mandatory membership for all homeowners) anchors the resort-like atmosphere.
Architecture
Original 1960s ramblers (often updated), 1990s–2000s remodels, and a new-construction "San Anita" tier of 8,000+ sf estates on half-acre to 1.27-acre lots. Canal homes have backyards opening directly onto protected moorage.
Schools
Newport Heights Elementary (10/10), then Tyee Middle (10/10), then Newport HS (10/10, A+ Niche, #2 in WA).
Tier breakdown
| Tier | Range |
|---|---|
| Lake Washington direct frontage (~40 homes) | $7M – $15M+ |
| Canal frontage with private dock (~100 homes) | $3.5M – $8M+ |
| Interior / no water (~200 homes) | $1.5M – $3M |
Recent medians swing widely on small samples. Redfin reported $6.3M (October 2025, +82.3% YoY) driven by a single mega-sale; Rocket and MLS data peg the broader sample at $2.4M in April 2025 with $944/sf.
A practical disclosure note: Redfin reports 61% of Newport Shores properties at major flood risk over 30 years. Sellers should be prepared to disclose this; buyers should price flood insurance and any mitigation work into their offers.
Thinking of buying or selling in Bellevue?
Bellevue has more sub-markets than any other Eastside city, and choosing the right one is the most important decision for both buyers and sellers. If you'd like to talk through which sub-market fits your situation, reach out anytime.
Wendy Klinker | Windermere Real Estate Get in touch to talk specifics.
Sources
Market data
- Redfin Bellevue housing market: citywide median, YoY trends
- Redfin Somerset, Bellevue: Compete Score, sale-to-list
Avenue Bellevue & condos
- Downtown Bellevue Network, Avenue Bellevue $14.35M record (July 2023): state record condo sale
- Business Wire, Avenue Bellevue Sets Record (July 2023): corroborating PR record
- Downtown Bellevue Network, Avenue Bellevue penthouses sold out (August 2024)
Schools
- Niche, Bellevue School District: #1 in WA, 2026
- Niche, Newport Senior High School: top-tier public high school
Light rail
- Sound Transit, Crosslake Connection: full 2 Line opening March 28, 2026
Market data refreshed quarterly. Last updated: May 2026