Realtors who sell homes in North, West and close-in South Seattle say that these areas offer so much that is unique to residents. North Seattle

"It would seem that the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle is the center of the Seattle universe," says Realtor Jim Hunt. "Why? For the same reason that New York's Central Park is so popular. Situated in the heart of north Seattle's residential area, Green Lake is a beautiful body of water surrounded by a park. The park has a jogging / skating / biking trail, a community theater, a crew house for crew rowing, a pool, a basketball complex, a softball complex, a tennis complex, a wading pool, swimming areas, rental water bikes, and is surrounded by the trendiest shops and eateries around. Why wouldn't anyone want to live there!"

However, warns Hunt, "Inflation in the area is in the double digits, and even the condos in the area can top $600,000."

West Seattle

"West Seattle has Sound, mountain and city views," suggests Realtor David T. Hall. "It's very diverse housing from multi-million dollar waterfront homes to affordable condominium living."

Shares Hall, "From the NWMLS listing stats, there are 255 new, Active - 466, closed -225, and the average days on market are 48, with a median price of $309,950. West Seattle is a melting pot of cultures, sights and sounds. There are stunning views of Puget Sound, and the Olympic or Cascade Mountain Ranges can be viewed from almost any neighborhood in West Seattle! Beachfront living along sandy Alki Beach, waterfront homes on Beach Drive, view homes abound and affordable homes are also available in many areas."

South Seattle

"Close-in South Seattle neighborhoods are very popular locations for lots of people because in general they offer a bigger bang for the buck (larger lots for less money) than Seattle proper properties," advise Realtors Denice Rochelle and Bill Aubuchon. "So, whether you're looking for your first home or waterfront living, your dollar will go farther if you're willing to live 15 or 20 minutes south of Downtown Seattle. If this sparks your interest, check out neighborhoods like Skyway, Burien, Tukwila and Sea-Tac. These are great areas offering diversity, established neighborhoods and parks and amenities. Excellent bus service to Downtown Seattle is very attractive. And if you fly a lot, you can be at the airport in like 10 minutes. There are plenty of homes in these areas in the $200,000s and $300,000s and some properties can still be had in the $100,000s. If you're in the high-end water view and waterfront market, there's plenty for you, too."

Click here to view current Market Conditions in your location.

Published: September 27, 2004

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.