Real Estate Investing in Shoreline, Washington (98177)

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

King County • Population: 20,506 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98177 (Shoreline, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (50/100)

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 25.5 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Shoreline, WA (98177)?

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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 $1,130,530
Avg Monthly Rent $3,688
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $153,542
% Renters 15.3%

Market Analysis: 98177 Shoreline

In practical terms, ZIP 98177 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $1.1M median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $1.1M asset, 98177 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

Statewide comparisons place 98177 among WA's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

The demographic picture in 98177 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Shoreline 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 Shoreline:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 61/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.4× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+2.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $3,688/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 98177

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
2.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+6.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$311,430/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $685,756 $2,270 2.4% +2.6% $685,756
2BR $740,661 $2,650 2.6% +4.1% $370,331
3BR $978,473 $3,470 2.6% +5.0% $326,158
4BR $1,289,203 $4,080 2.3% +6.3% $322,301
5BR $1,557,150 +6.8% $311,430

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.2M$1.1M$878K$701K$524K$347KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$3,765$3,646$3,528$3,409$3,290$3,172Mar 2024May 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98177 Compare?

Metric 98177 Shoreline Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Washington
Home Value $1,130,530 $900,218 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 3.1% 2.5% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $3,688 $2,618 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.5% 2.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98177? 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 98177 (Shoreline, 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
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
2.5%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.1%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $1,130,530
Monthly Rent $3,688
Price-to-Rent 25.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.9%
Cap Rate 2.5%
5-Year IRR 5.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +2.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -2.6% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.5%). 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
1.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.1%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98177

Population: 20,506

💰 Median Household Income
$153,542
This area
$153,542
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
15.3%
This area
15.3%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.3%
This area
2.3%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
67.5%
This area
67.5%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
45.4 years
This area
45.4 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
1.6%
This area
1.6%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 78.3%
Asian 9.8%
Other/Mixed 9.6%
Hispanic/Latino 3.3%
Black/African American 2.3%
👶 Under 18
20.9%
This area
20.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.1%
This area
21.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.6%
This area
7.6%
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 98177

A Avg School Grade
3 Schools
17.9:1 Avg Class Size
$22,055 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Viewlands Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
267 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$25,927 Per Student
A Very Good

Melvin G Syre Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
463 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Albert Einstein Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
994 Students
👨‍🏫
21.9:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Broadview-Thomson K-8 School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
📍 13052 GREENWOOD AV N, SEATTLE
👥
564 Students
👨‍🏫
13.6:1 Class Size
💰
$25,927 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Echo Lake Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 19345 Wallingford Ave. N., Shoreline
👥
399 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Meridian Park Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 17077 Meridian Avenue N., Shoreline
👥
512 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 Per Student
A Very Good

Highland Terrace Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 100 N. 160th Street, Shoreline
👥
330 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 Per Student
A Very Good

Parkwood Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 1815 N. 155th Street, Shoreline
👥
405 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,119 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 7,253 Off-Campus Students
C
Shoreline Community College
4,460 students · 0.7 mi
C
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline
127 students · 1.8 mi
C
North Seattle College
5,017 students · 3.5 mi
D
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle
450 students · 3.6 mi
C+
Edmonds College
6,028 students · 5.5 mi
C
Bastyr University
760 students · 5.6 mi
C+
Seattle Pacific University
2,659 students · 6.4 mi
C+
Seattle Film Institute
81 students · 6.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 7,253 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shoreline in WA worth investing in?

Our data puts Shoreline, WA at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $1.1M and rents around $3,688/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Where do home prices stand in Shoreline, WA?

Shoreline, WA home values average about $1.1M. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $3,688/mo in monthly income.

What monthly rent should investors expect in Shoreline, WA?

Average rent in Shoreline, WA is approximately $3,688/mo per month. Against $1.1M home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

Is Shoreline, WA good for house hacking?

House hacking in Shoreline, WA is a tougher. With home values around $1.1M and rents at $3,688/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

What are vacancy rates like in Shoreline, WA?

Shoreline, WA sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader WA rental market.

You know 98177 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 98177 ranks in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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