It is no secret that affording to buy in an area like Seattle ($869,000) or Bellevue ($1,465,000) WA can be tough. Especially if you’re wanting a single family home. Even though interest rates are slowly coming down, buyers are still feeling apprehension to finally make an offer. Would it surprise you if I said there are pockets of neighborhoods that are actually affordable and in some cases below the average asking price.
Bryn-Mawr-Skyway (brin-mar)
An often overlooked area of Seattle is the Southern neighborhood of Bryn-Mawr-Skyway. The name Bryn-Mawr means “Big Hill”, but it is mostly referred to as Skyway or even West Hill.
As of 2020 the population of Skyway was over 17k and growing. The area was developed just after WWII as affordable housing for returning veterans. West Hill is made up of nine neighborhoods extending north into Rainier Beach and South to the City of Renton. With 420 feet of elevation there are views West and towards Seattle and East of the surrounding landscape. On the east side of the hill homes on Rainier Ave S can have access to Lake Washington with their own private access.
A popular spot within the Hill is Lakeridge Park. Originally named Deadhorse Canyon in 1909 by homesteader Chas J. Walker. The park was renamed in 1947. Lakeridge sits on the northern end that occupies 35 acres of roaming hiking trails with the fourth largest creek in Seattle called Taylor Creek. Another nearby park is Cedar River Trail Park. Cedar River sits on the mouth of Lake Washington and flows north into the lake. The park has your usual picnic areas and play equipment plus a boat launch and great walkings trails along the river.
Commuting to and from Skyway can be convenient. Seatac airport is a 15-20 min drive, Westfield Southcenter mall to the south is 14 min away and Boeing field is a 15 min drive. During commuting hours to and from downtown Seattle can take anywhere from 15-40 min and there is plenty of public transit for those who don’t drive. For those who work in Bellevue a typical rush hour commute can be 30 min to a full hour depending on other factors. Also, there is a Light Rail Station located just to the North at Rainier Beach. Skyway is part of the Renton school district. You can find school ratings and other information at GreatSchools, Niche or U.S. News.
As I mentioned, Skyway can be affordable. The current average price of a home is $682,000-$717,000. When compared to the rest of Seattle that’s a difference of almost $170,000. The average square foot for homes in Skyway is just over 2,000. The lowest price homes are starting in the mid $200k and up. Some homes are small. Several will need some work and in some cases be torn down, but when you get closer to the average price the homes become more move-in ready with sizable lots and possibly a view.
Skyway won’t be for everyone. It has retained a bit of that 50 industrial feel and can feel very dated, but for those who are not afraid of taking on a project or those investors looking for a deal with huge upside should have Skyway on their list of potential areas to buy in.
Please reach out to me with any questions on this. I am always up for a discussion.
email: whmcdonald@windermere.com
The Eastsider 