Real Estate Investing in Bellevue, Washington (98006)

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

King County • Population: 40,770 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98006 (Bellevue, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 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 37.0 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Bellevue, WA (98006)?

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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 $1,611,239
Avg Monthly Rent $3,630
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $185,991
% Renters 19.5%

Market Analysis: 98006 Bellevue

From a cash-flow lens, ZIP 98006 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $1.6M median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Rent of $3,630/mo on a $1.6M basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 98006 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

Regionally, 98006 sits on the difficult end of the WA spectrum. The an appealing option for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

The demographic picture in 98006 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Bellevue averages, and tenant stability requires active management.

tilts toward the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

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 8.7× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-1.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $3,630/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 98006

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
6.1% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+9.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$272,257/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $360,016 $3,050 6.1% +3.0% $360,016
2BR $544,513 $3,560 4.7% +3.2% $272,257
3BR $1,338,425 $4,660 2.5% +8.7% $446,142
4BR $1,792,068 $5,480 2.2% +9.4% $448,017
5BR $2,114,084 +9.3% $422,817

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.8M$1.5M$1.2M$952K$659K$367KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$3,743$3,429$3,115$2,801$2,487$2,173Jul 2016Jul 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98006 Compare?

Metric 98006 Bellevue Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Washington
Home Value $1,611,239 $1,508,137 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 5.3% 4.6% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $3,630 $3,161 N/A -
Cap Rate 1.8% 1.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98006? Click to expand

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

📊 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 98006 (Bellevue, WA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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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
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

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
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

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
1.8%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.3%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $1,611,239
Monthly Rent $3,630
Price-to-Rent 37.0:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 2.7%
Cap Rate 1.8%
5-Year IRR 7.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -1.2% ▼
3-Year CAGR +4.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.3% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +0.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.7% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 1.8%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (1.8%). 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
5.0%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.3%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98006

Population: 40,770

💰 Median Household Income
$185,991
This area
$185,991
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
19.5%
This area
19.5%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.1%
This area
2.1%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
72.0%
This area
72.0%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.3 years
This area
43.3 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
5.0%
This area
5.0%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 47.0%
Asian 41.5%
Other/Mixed 9.4%
Hispanic/Latino 5.9%
Black/African American 2.1%
👶 Under 18
23.2%
This area
23.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
15.5%
This area
15.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.1%
This area
4.1%
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 98006

B+ Avg School Grade
5 Schools
19.5:1 Avg Class Size
$23,487 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Cougar Ridge Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
476 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$22,423 Per Student
A Very Good

Newport Heights Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
444 Students
👨‍🏫
20.2:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Somerset Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
714 Students
👨‍🏫
21.4:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Tyee Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
909 Students
👨‍🏫
18.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B Good

Newport Senior High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,844 Students
👨‍🏫
20.8:1 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 6,440 Off-Campus Students
C+
Bellevue College
11,472 students · 1.8 mi
C+
Renton Technical College
3,060 students · 4.9 mi
D
Pima Medical Institute-Renton
400 students · 6.8 mi
C
Northwest University
999 students · 7.2 mi
D
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
1,343 students · 7.2 mi
C
Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine
43 students · 8.2 mi
C+
Seattle University
7,182 students · 8.6 mi
D
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle
157 students · 8.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 6,440 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there empty rentals in Bellevue, WA?

Vacancy in Bellevue, WA is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $3,630/mo.

Are eviction rules reasonable in Bellevue, WA?

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

Is it easy to find good tenants in Bellevue, WA?

Tenant demand in Bellevue, WA is solid. The local workforce $3,630/mo rents across most rental classes.

How viable is house hacking in Bellevue, WA?

House hacking in Bellevue, WA is a tougher. With home values around $1.6M and rents at $3,630/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

Where do home prices stand in Bellevue, WA?

Bellevue, WA home values average about $1.6M. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $3,630/mo in monthly income.

You know 98006 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 98006 ranks in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

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