Real Estate Investing in Bellevue, Washington (98005)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

King County • Population: 21,929 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98005 (Bellevue, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (52/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 50.2 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Bellevue, WA (98005)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $1,567,471
Avg Monthly Rent $2,604
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $151,297
% Renters 48.5%

Market Analysis: 98005 Bellevue

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Bellevue's 98005 ZIP registers signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $1.6M pricing implies.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 98005 shows the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

The gap between 98005 and stronger Bellevue ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

A solid renter share of 49% in 98005 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

New investors are better served looking at Bellevue's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 98005. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Bellevue:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 60/100
Affordability
0/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 10.4× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+0.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $2,604/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
45 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.2%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 98005

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
4.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+8.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$286,888/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $397,262 $2,510 4.5% +2.5% $397,262
2BR $573,776 $2,930 3.7% +4.0% $286,888
3BR $1,416,125 $3,830 1.9% +8.3% $472,042
4BR $1,961,655 $4,510 1.7% +8.8% $490,414
5BR $2,331,940 +8.3% $466,388

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.8M$1.5M$1.2M$899K$615K$330KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,665$2,487$2,310$2,132$1,954$1,777Mar 2018May 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98005 Compare?

Metric 98005 Bellevue Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Washington
Home Value $1,567,471 $1,508,137 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 5.0% 4.6% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $2,604 $3,161 N/A -
Cap Rate 1.3% 1.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98005? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 49% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 98005 (Bellevue, WA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 98005 (Bellevue, WA)?

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Property managers serving King County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Alki Property Management LLC specializes in apartment rentals. summary from their website

Small multifamily
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Brink Property Management offers residential property management and vacant home management services in Bellevue, providing marketing, tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Full Service Property Management offers compassionate property management across Metro Seattle, including multi-family management, property marketing, and maintenance services. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
1.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.0%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $1,567,471
Monthly Rent $2,604
Price-to-Rent 50.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 2.0%
Cap Rate 1.3%
5-Year IRR 6.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +0.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +4.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.8% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 1.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (1.3%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
3.7%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.0%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98005

Population: 21,929

💰 Median Household Income
$151,297
This area
$151,297
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
48.5%
This area
48.5%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.9%
This area
2.9%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
70.6%
This area
70.6%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
36.9 years
This area
36.9 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
3.7%
This area
3.7%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Asian 45.8%
White 43.0%
Other/Mixed 10.1%
Hispanic/Latino 6.5%
Black/African American 1.1%
👶 Under 18
22.1%
This area
22.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.2%
This area
13.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.4%
This area
6.4%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 98005

B Avg School Grade
8 Schools
23.9:1 Avg Class Size
$23,753 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Central Educational Services

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12
👥
69 Students
👨‍🏫
9.9:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Woodridge Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
559 Students
👨‍🏫
21.1:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Cherry Crest Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
564 Students
👨‍🏫
22.1:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Jing Mei Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
545 Students
👨‍🏫
25.1:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B+ Above Average

International School

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
597 Students
👨‍🏫
19.7:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B Good

Sammamish Senior High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,332 Students
👨‍🏫
22.1:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
C+ Average

Bellevue Digital Discovery

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
190 Students
👨‍🏫
47.5:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
C+ Average

Bellevue Open Doors Reengagement

📚 10 – 12 High School
👥
27 Students
💰
$23,753 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Lake Hills Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 14310 SE 12th Street, Bellevue
👥
429 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Sherwood Forest Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 16411 NE 24th Street, Bellevue
👥
393 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Sunset Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 4229 W LAKE SAMM PKWY SE, BELLEVUE
👥
523 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$22,423 Per Student
A Very Good

Ardmore Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 16616 NE 32nd Street, Bellevue
👥
373 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Chinook Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 2001 98th Ave NE, Bellevue
👥
735 Students
👨‍🏫
17.7:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 14,764 Off-Campus Students
C+
Bellevue College
11,472 students · 2.3 mi
C
Northwest University
999 students · 3.2 mi
D
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
1,343 students · 3.2 mi
C
DigiPen Institute of Technology
1,100 students · 5.2 mi
C
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
3,357 students · 6.2 mi
B+
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
55,620 students · 7.0 mi
C+
Seattle University
7,182 students · 7.0 mi
D
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle
157 students · 7.0 mi

Investor Insight: With 14,764 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of tenants rent in Bellevue, WA?

Tenant quality in Bellevue, WA ranks as solid. Landlords generally report even-keeled occupancy at market rents of $2,604/mo.

Should investors consider Bellevue, WA?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Bellevue, WA ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $1.6M and rents of $2,604/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Is Bellevue, WA a friendly market for rental owners?

Bellevue, WA falls under WA landlord-tenant law, which is tenant-protective. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

Does house hacking work in Bellevue, WA?

House hacking in Bellevue, WA is reasonable to execute. Prices around $1.6M and rents of $2,604/mo solid owner-occupant economics.

What is the typical home price in Bellevue, WA?

In Bellevue, WA the median home value sits at $1.6M. Against the broader WA market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

You know 98005 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 98005 ranks in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

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