Kirkland
Five sub-markets, one waterfront city
Kirkland is the most lifestyle-driven of the Eastside's luxury cities. It's the only one with a truly walkable urban waterfront, a downtown small enough to feel like a town and big enough to have great restaurants, and a tech employer footprint (Google) that reshaped the city in the 2020s. This page breaks down the five sub-markets that matter most for luxury buyers and sellers.
Citywide context: median sale price was approximately $1.4M, +2.6% YoY in March 2026 (Redfin). Six-month NWMLS median is $1.55M at $668/sf. Months supply is 4.59, moving toward a balanced market. The 2026 levy rate is approximately $7.94/$1,000; Kirkland posted the largest dollar tax increase in King County for 2026.
Transit note: East Link does not serve Kirkland directly. Sound Transit's Stride S2 BRT along I-405 (NE 85th inline freeway station) opens 2026, with full S2 BRT not until 2029.
Citywide drivers worth knowing:
- Google Kirkland Urban: 760,000 sf across four 8-story buildings at 6th St S / Central Way; North and Central opened 2022, South completed 2023, East tower paused
- The Lodge at Saint Edward: 1931 seminary restoration with Michelin Key 2024 and 2025; Cedar + Elm restaurant on-site
- Village at Totem Lake: 855 residential units, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's
1. Houghton
Character
South Kirkland's "old Kirkland" enclave: established luxury with a small-town village feel. Split into Central Houghton (east of Lake Washington Blvd) and Lakeview (the western waterfront slope).
Schools
Lake Washington School District: Lakeview Elementary (A), then Kirkland Middle (A), then Lake Washington High (A). Some southern and eastern Houghton addresses feed International Community School (LWSD Choice). Strong private schools nearby include Eastside Preparatory School (A+), The Overlake School, and Bellevue Christian.
Commutes
Houghton's location off the 520/I-405 interchange is one of the Eastside's strongest:
| Destination | Drive time |
|---|---|
| Google Kirkland Urban | 5–10 min |
| Microsoft Redmond | 10–15 min |
| Meta Spring District / Block 6 | 10–15 min |
| Downtown Bellevue | 8–12 min |
| Amazon SLU (Seattle) | 20–25 min |
Amenities
Doris Cooper Houghton Beach Park (swimming beach, dock). Carillon Point hosts the Woodmark Hotel, Still Spa, COMO, Le Grand Bistro Américain, El Encanto, and a 24-slip marina.
Market
| Metric | Latest |
|---|---|
| Median sale (12-mo) | $2,100,000–$2,250,000 |
| 6-month median price/sf | $865 |
| Days on market | 19–33 days |
| Months of supply | 1.44 (still seller-tilted at luxury end) |
Tier breakdown
| Tier | Range |
|---|---|
| Entry (older 3-bed needing updating) | $1.5M |
| Premium new construction with view | $2.7M – $5M |
| Sandhurst / Sutton condos | $700K – $1.4M |
2. Yarrow Bay
Character
The most concierge-style, ultra-luxury micro-area inside Kirkland city limits: a small but elite waterfront strip immediately south of Carillon Point along Lake Washington Boulevard NE. Bordered to the west by Yarrow Bay (the cove) and looking across to Yarrow Point on the Bellevue side. Blends grand-statement waterfront estates with high-end attached product.
Defining buildings
- Yarrow Shores: boutique 6-unit waterfront, 50' boat slips, outdoor pool (units listed ~$2.6M in 2025–26)
- The Point on Yarrow Bay: 52-unit, 9-building complex built 1994
- Villaggio on Yarrow Bay: luxury rental community with private beach and marina
Schools
Same LWSD assignments as Houghton: Lakeview Elementary, then Kirkland Middle, then Lake Washington High.
Commutes: best in class
SR 520 on-ramp 1–2 minutes; Microsoft 8–12 min; Meta Bellevue 8–10 min; Google Kirkland Urban 5 min; Downtown Bellevue 6 min; Amazon SLU 20 min.
Market
Yarrow Bay sits within Kirkland's "true waterfront" niche: 23 closed waterfront sales citywide in 2024 with a $6.3M median and 63 days on market (per the Realogics SIR 2025 Waterfront Report). Detached waterfront generally lists $5M–$15M+; 2026 active listings include 5535 Lake Washington Blvd NE #309 at $2.895M.
The April 2025 $63M Hunts Point sale across the lake reset the regional ceiling and pulls Yarrow Bay comps upward.
3. Holmes Point
Character
The wooded, secluded waterfront enclave on northwestern Kirkland, at the base of Finn Hill, abutting Saint Edward State Park. Where Yarrow Bay is polished and downtown-adjacent, Holmes Point is a forested Pacific Northwest retreat: bald eagles, floatplanes overhead, deer, second-growth Douglas-fir, and narrow winding waterfront roads (Holmes Point Drive NE).
Architecture and lots
Eclectic: 1970s–80s daylight-basement contemporaries on hillside lots, custom NW lodges, craftsman estates, and newer modern builds. Lots typically 0.25–1+ acre, heavily treed; some include detached ADUs. Build sites are constrained by slope, trees, and utilities; a 1.24-acre lot at 13720 Holmes Point Dr NE listed for just $290K in 2025 because of those complexities.
The Saint Edward halo
This is what's reshaped the Holmes Point luxury story over the last few years. Saint Edward State Park is 326 acres with Lake Washington shoreline, the largest children's playground in Washington, and miles of forest and mountain bike trails. The Lodge at Saint Edward is an 84-room luxury hotel with Michelin Key status in both 2024 and 2025. O.O. Denny Park (46 lakefront acres, sandy beach, boat launch) and Big Finn Hill Park (extensive MTB trails) round it out.
Schools
Carl Sandburg Elementary, then Finn Hill Middle, then Juanita High School. Note: this is not Lake Washington High like Houghton and Yarrow Bay; it's a different feeder pattern, and worth knowing for school-driven buyers.
Commutes
Slightly longer than Houghton or Yarrow Bay because Juanita Drive is winding two-lane:
| Destination | Drive time |
|---|---|
| Downtown Kirkland | 10 min |
| Google Kirkland | 12 min |
| Microsoft Redmond | 18–25 min |
| Meta Bellevue | 20 min via I-405 |
| Amazon Seattle | 25–35 min |
Market
| Metric | Latest |
|---|---|
| 6-month median (Sept 2025) | $2,141,500 |
| Median price/sf | $661; median size 3,238 sf |
| Active SFR inventory | ~10 (no condo product) |
| Days on market | 30–60 days |
Anchor 2025 sale: 11807 Holmes Point Dr NE at $5,455,000 (June 26, 2025; 4-bed/3.5-bath/3,267 sf west-facing waterfront contemporary). Mid-tier comp: 13808 Holmes Point Dr NE at $1,122,000 (February 2025; 0.48 acre with ADU).
4. Kirkland Waterfront: Moss Bay & Downtown
Character
Moss Bay is the heart of Kirkland: the downtown waterfront where Lake Washington, Lake Street, Marina Park, and Kirkland Urban converge. The only truly walkable urban waterfront on the Eastside, and the engine of Kirkland's lifestyle brand.
Inventory
- Lake Street S waterfront estates: $3M–$12M+, often with private docks
- Lake Avenue West townhomes: $3M–$6M
- Modern 3-story detached "urban" homes with rooftop decks: $2.5M–$4M
- Luxury condos at Marina Heights, Portsmith, Waterscape, Sunset Condominiums, 733 Lakeside, Kirkland Park Place
Schools
Peter Kirk Elementary (downtown Kirkland) or Lakeview Elementary (south Moss Bay/Houghton border), then Kirkland Middle, then Lake Washington High.
Commutes
Google Kirkland Urban: walking distance, since Moss Bay sits directly atop the campus. Microsoft Redmond 12–18 min; Meta Spring District 12 min; Amazon SLU 20–25 min.
Walkability: best in Kirkland
Walk Score in the high 80s/90s along Lake Street. Marina Park has a public boat launch and 82 transient moorage slips. Café Juanita (James Beard Best Chef Northwest) anchors the dining scene, with The Slip, Bin Vivant, COMO, and El Encanto rounding it out. The Heathman Hotel and Kirkland Performance Center complete the cultural fabric.
Market
| Metric | Latest |
|---|---|
| Avg home price (last month) | $2,906,923 |
| 12-month median | $2,395,000 |
| 12-month avg | $2,885,203, +29% YoY |
| Days on market | 27 days |
Detached waterfront trades at $1,000–$1,500/sf; condos $700–$1,200/sf. Limited new supply because of strict Kirkland Shoreline Master Program (200-foot buffer) and parcel-by-parcel dock rights.
5. Bridle Trails (Kirkland side)
Character
A semi-rural equestrian neighborhood straddling three jurisdictions: most of it lies in unincorporated King County and Bellevue, but a Kirkland-side portion (north of NE 60th, south of NE 70th, east of I-405) carries Kirkland addresses (98033). Defined by the 489-acre State Park (28 miles of equestrian and pedestrian trails) and second-growth Douglas-fir canopy.
Schools: the most variable in Kirkland
This one requires careful per-parcel verification.
- Northern Bridle Trails (Kirkland 98033): LWSD, typically Benjamin Franklin Elementary, then Rose Hill or Stella Schola Middle, then Lake Washington High
- Southern Bridle Trails (closer to Bellevue): BSD, Cherry Crest Elementary (A), then Odle Middle (A), then Sammamish High (or Interlake for a small SE area)
The boundary distinction can mean a 10–20% home-value premium on the Bellevue SD side.
Commutes
Microsoft Redmond main campus: 5–10 minutes (directly adjacent across 148th Ave NE). Google Kirkland: 8–10 min. Bellevue Downtown: 8 min. South Kirkland Park & Ride (780+ spaces) gets Stride S2 BRT post-2029.
Market
Median range $1.8M–$4M+ depending on lot size, equestrian amenities, and condition. Bellevue-side Bridle Trails 12-month median: $1.45M, +48% YoY (small sample, lot-driven scarcity premium). Luxury custom: $1.2M–$7.3M. Inventory is persistently constrained: zoning supports only low-density rural-residential, and equestrian properties trade at a scarcity premium because new barns and arenas cannot be permitted in most King County zones today.
Thinking of buying or selling in Kirkland?
Kirkland's sub-markets vary as much as Bellevue's, and the right one depends on what you're optimizing for: walkability, schools, commute, privacy, or value. If you'd like to talk through which sub-market fits, reach out anytime.
Wendy Klinker | Windermere Real Estate Get in touch to talk specifics.
Sources
Market data
- Redfin Kirkland housing market: citywide median, YoY trends
- Homes.com Moss Bay, Kirkland: Moss Bay 12-month median
Schools
- Niche, Lake Washington School District: Lakeview, Kirkland Middle, Lake Washington HS
- Niche, Eastside Preparatory School: A+ private option
Saint Edward / hospitality
- The Lodge at Saint Edward: Michelin Key 2024 and 2025
- Michelin Guide, Cedar + Elm: Lodge restaurant
Transit
- Sound Transit, Stride S2 BRT: NE 85th inline freeway station, 2029 timeline
Market data refreshed quarterly. Last updated: May 2026