Real Estate Investing in Bellevue, Washington (98008)

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

King County • Population: 27,138 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98008 (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 27.5 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Bellevue, WA (98008)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $1,352,693
Avg Monthly Rent $4,103
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $164,219
% Renters 28.2%

Market Analysis: 98008 Bellevue

Turning to rents, ZIP 98008 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $1.4M median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Put differently, the numbers look inviting — $1.4M purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 98008 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Nearby ZIPs in Bellevue have seen price recovery that 98008 has not matched. King County data supports the view that the spread is structural rather than temporary.

The demographic picture in 98008 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Bellevue averages, and tenant stability requires active management.

seems to 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 Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 56/100
Affordability
0/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 8.2× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-1.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $4,103/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
❄️
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 98008

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
5.0% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+8.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$316,673/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $386,730 $2,710 5.0% $386,730
2BR $633,345 $3,160 3.6% +5.1% $316,673
3BR $1,214,772 $4,130 2.4% +7.6% $404,924
4BR $1,515,173 $4,860 2.3% +8.5% $378,793
5BR $1,745,782 +8.6% $349,156

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.6M$1.3M$1.1M$805K$556K$307KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$4,223$3,876$3,530$3,183$2,837$2,490Jan 2020May 2023Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98008 Compare?

Metric 98008 Bellevue Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Washington
Home Value $1,352,693 $1,508,137 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 4.1% 4.6% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $4,103 $3,161 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 1.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98008? 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 98008 (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
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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
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.1%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $1,352,693
Monthly Rent $4,103
Price-to-Rent 27.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.6%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 6.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -1.9% ▼
3-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +7.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). 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
5.4%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.1%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98008

Population: 27,138

💰 Median Household Income
$164,219
This area
$164,219
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
28.2%
This area
28.2%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.8%
This area
1.8%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
64.3%
This area
64.3%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.4 years
This area
43.4 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
5.4%
This area
5.4%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 60.1%
Asian 25.5%
Other/Mixed 12.8%
Hispanic/Latino 7.2%
Black/African American 1.7%
👶 Under 18
20.6%
This area
20.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
19.6%
This area
19.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.9%
This area
2.9%
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 98008

A Avg School Grade
8 Schools
17.4:1 Avg Class Size
$23,587 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Sherwood Forest Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
393 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Sunset Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
523 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$22,423 Per Student
A Very Good

Ardmore Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
373 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Spiritridge Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
563 Students
👨‍🏫
16.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Bennett Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
512 Students
👨‍🏫
18.2:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Tillicum Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
700 Students
👨‍🏫
18.5:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Phantom Lake Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
452 Students
👨‍🏫
23.2:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
B Good

Interlake Senior High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,604 Students
👨‍🏫
19.5:1 Class Size
💰
$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 Very Good

Central Educational Services

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12
📍 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue
👥
69 Students
👨‍🏫
9.9:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Highland Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 15027 NE Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue
👥
593 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Stevenson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 14220 NE 8th Street, Bellevue
👥
555 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$23,753 Per Student
A Very Good

Puesta del Sol Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 301 151st Place NE, Bellevue
👥
510 Students
👨‍🏫
20.0:1 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 16,294 Off-Campus Students
C+
Bellevue College
11,472 students · 2.3 mi
C
Northwest University
999 students · 5.2 mi
D
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
1,343 students · 5.3 mi
C
DigiPen Institute of Technology
1,100 students · 6.0 mi
C
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
3,357 students · 7.3 mi
C+
Renton Technical College
3,060 students · 8.6 mi
B+
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
55,620 students · 9.6 mi
C+
Seattle University
7,182 students · 9.6 mi

Investor Insight: With 16,294 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do landlords face vacancy issues in Bellevue, WA?

Rental vacancy in Bellevue, WA is elevated. Investors should budget normal turnover but not chronic empty units.

Is Bellevue, WA suited for a house hack?

The a tougher house-hack environment in Bellevue, WA reflects the rent-to-price spread. Expect meaningful PITI offset at market rents.

How do experienced investors play Bellevue, WA?

The best-fit strategy in Bellevue, WA is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

How expensive is real estate in Bellevue, WA?

Median home price in Bellevue, WA is near $1.4M, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been measured and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

What do rentals go for in Bellevue, WA?

Average rent in Bellevue, WA is approximately $4,103/mo per month. Against $1.4M home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

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How 98008 ranks in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

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