How Long Are Seattle Houses on the Market, Anyway?

A factoid hit the news earlier this week that the average time to sell a house in Seattle is only 9 days. That's the average. That means some are being bought up in minutes, but it also means some are taking longer, much longer if you follow The Long Game series. Some of those houses have been waiting years for buyers. So, really how many houses have been on the market for days, weeks, months, and years? And, what do some of them look like? We did a quick check, and had to be fast because the numbers can shift every hour.

Data from Zillow

When we checked, Seattle had just over 1,000 houses, apartments, condos, etc. for sale; and King County had just over 4,600. Seattle has a big clump of about 240 that have had signs up for a week, and then there's a gap until the next clump around 1-3 months. After that, there are only 150 or so that are stretching the patience of the sellers and agents. In all of King County, including Seattle, there's that big crowd hanging out for a few months, and there is a smaller crowd gathering around that one week mark; but the trends are more gradual. Out there, though, there are almost 700 homes gathering spider webs on their For Sale signs. King County's numbers are about four times larger though, but the County covers a lot more ground than the City.

↑ The newest, as fingers hit keyboard, is only $10,000 over Seattle's median price. Welcome a 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1966 mid-entry to the market. It's 3,050 square feet inside on a 5,998 square foot lot for $410,000. Every house is unique, even the ones near the median, and this one includes a fish pond, a fruit tree, and access to the MLK light rail. If you buy it, maybe you can plant a second fruit tree so the first one doesn't feel lonely.

↑ One of, if not THE oldest, is one of the Four Seasons Private Residences, for those who want the level of Four Seasons service every day without having to worry about hiring their own house managers. Live in the city with luxury at hand, or at least available with a quick call. The place is spacious at 3,190 square feet, with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Throw in the view from the Needle to Pier 59 and you might understand why it costs $3,680,000, which may also be why it has been on the market for 1,649 days, just over 4.5 years. Oh yes, and the monthly dues are $4,117, a trivial detail for some.
· 9425 50th Ave S [Zillow]
· 99 Union St #1204 [Redfin]
· Four Seasons Private Residences [FSPR]
· All Long Games coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath