West Seattle
Located just across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle, West Seattle offers its residents tight-knit communities within four main neighborhoods: Admiral, Alki, Fauntleroy and Delridge. The salt-water air and beachy charm of Alki is a favorite, with first-rate views of the city, Puget Sound and the mountains. Fauntleroy offers pretty much the same but with a view of the islands rather than the city.
West Seattle living is a mix of traditional mid-century bungalows, single family homes, large craftsman style homes, and modern, million-dollar condominiums that line up along Alki Beach.
For dining and entertainment, California Avenue is one of the main strips, with a wide assortment of shops and restaurants. If you want to get to Seattle, it’s a quick trip across the West Seattle Bridge. Or, in the spring and summer months, hop on the passenger ferry that transports riders across the bay. Don’t forget to breathe in that fresh salty air!
POPULATION: 2,700
DEMOGRAPHICS: Upper and middle class families with children, couples, singles
TYPES OF HOMES: Mid-century Bungalows, Craftsman, Modern Condos
COMMUNITY BLOG: West Seattle Blog
LIBRARY: Seattle Public Library West Seattle Branch, located at 2306 42nd Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98116, Tel. 206-684-7444
FARMERS MARKET: West Seattle Farmers Market, located in the heart of the “Junction” at 44th Ave SW & SW Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98116. Open every Sunday, 10am to 2pm, year-round, except Dec 25 and Jan 1.
FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Buddha Ruksa, La Rustica, Kokoras Greek Grill, Jak’s Grill
FAVORITE COFFEE SHOPS: Bakery Nouveau, Original Bakery, Uptown Espresso
Recent posts about West Seattle
Market Report – July 2020
To show you some specifics of what the real estate market is like these days, here’s a close analysis of one West Seattle neighborhood. We looked at single-family home sales in early July. Click to enlarge In terms of real estate, the pandemic hasn’t slowed anything down. Homes still fly “off the shelf”—often in less…
Market Report – May 2020
To show you some specifics of what the real estate market is like these days, here’s a close analysis of one West Seattle neighborhood.
Battle of the Bonfires 2019: Alki Beach v. Golden Gardens
Summer showed up early this year, and it’s time for the perfect beach bonfire. But where to do it? In Seattle, you’ve got two choices: Alki Beach in West Seattle, or Golden Gardens west of Ballard. Both make sublime nights, with crackling wood and the smell of sea and smoke—but when a free evening rolls around,…
May 11: 300 Garage Sales Take Over West Seattle
West Seattle will hold garage sales this Saturday (May 11) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—ALL of West Seattle. 300 garage sales will take over the neighborhood from Alki to Fauntleroy, and with sun in the forecast, it looks like the perfect way to deck out your home and wardrobe for cheap. Desktop-friendly map Mobile-friendly map …
Real Estate Investment Across the Puget Sound
Ridership on Washington State Ferries will grow more than 30 percent in the next 20 years. This has big implications for real estate. We’re seeing the first impacts already.
West Seattle’s Flower Houses
Talk about unique curb appeal. The Flower Houses are local gems here in West Seattle, where they bring life and character to their stretch of Alki Avenue. This part of Alki once consisted of small family cottages heavy on beachcomber charm (think floats, starfish, and vacation-home décor). In the past few decades, though, emotionless multistory…
$2,000,000 for Our Neighborhoods
The City of Seattle wants us—you, me, and our neighbors—to decide how to spend $2,000,000 on small-scale neighborhood improvements. Does your community need a new crosswalk? How about a median? Or a flashing beacon, repaired sidewalk, curb ramps, park benches, or trail improvements? That’s what this project, “Your Voice, Your Choice,” aims to accomplish. As real estate…
How Racist Real Estate Shaped Seattle
We all know the “bad” neighborhoods. We all know the “rich” neighborhoods. So, too, did 1936 Seattle. Much of the city we live in today was shaped by early 20th-century home loans, as you can see in this Great Depression map from the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC). HOLC took all sorts of data from mortgage…
West Seattle’s FREE Outdoor Movies
I love summer. The parks fill up with families, people look for excuses to spend lunchbreaks outside, brave kids swim at the beaches, and we all get enough vitamin D for once. It’s been a good season for real estate for me, too, and already, I’ve had a blast with my clients this summer. Another…
ST3 Light Rail–The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good: Light rail lives! The new Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium stations are operational and successful, and riding on the wake of their popularity, Sound Transit has announced the new ST3 draft plan, which lays out the future of Seattle’s public transportation. This draft plan matters. It’s huge, developmentally speaking. As Seattle keeps growing…
West Seattle Clear Cutting
UPDATE: a $1.6 million lawsuit was filed in response to the illegal West Seattle tree-cutting; criminal prosecution still possible, City Attorney says. UPDATE 2: The city reached a $440,000 settlement with the homeowners responsible for the clear-cutting. About $100,000 of the settlement will help fund a youth summer program and a green jobs program that hires young…
North Seattle Home Prices Rise 42 Percent
Home prices are up. Way up. Central Seattle and Beacon Hill both saw their median home price climb nearly 40 percent last year. In parts of North Seattle, the median home price leapt 42 percent. Forty-two percent. That’s absurd. The Seattle-wide median home price isn’t as bad. That measure only jumped 24 percent last year,…