Buying a Waterfront House in Seattle

Purchasing a waterfront home in Seattle is a dream for many buyers. 

Houses on the shores of Puget Sound have excellent views of the Olympic Mountains to the west. While homes straddling the deep waters of Lake Washington provide spectacular vistas of the Cascade Mountains rising high in the east. Buyers can even find waterfront homes in the heart of Seattle on the edge of Lake Union. 

But purchasing waterfront real estate in Seattle is no walk along the seashore. These coveted homes require a complex transaction process that can scare off buyers who have not done the proper research. Buyers need a whole new set of skills and expertise to close a deal on a waterfront home. 

To help buyers navigate these waters, the team at Prevu Real Estate devised a guide for buying a waterfront house in Seattle in 2022. 

Research what waterfront suits your needs 

Part of what makes waterfront homes unique is their access to the body of water they sit on. And each homeowner has different wants from their slice of the waterfront. 

Some Bellevue homes sit high on bluffs overlooking Whaler's Bay in Lake Washington. In contrast, waterfront properties in Seaview have a slight slope into Puget Sound. 

Each town and city in Seattle govern waterfront usage through stringent zoning ordinances. These laws dictate property use and access to the coastline, providing a guideline for homeowners to follow. For instance, homeowners in a tidal flood zone have different regulations to follow regarding seawalls, whereas folks with a sandy beach in the yard follow another set of codes. 

Buyers need to run through a checklist before thinking of purchasing a home at the water's edge. Can you expand the shoreline? Do the waterfront structures have permits? 

Educate yourself on water access and rights

You may love a Madrona home with a private dock complimenting the house. But if an appraiser or inspector realizes that the dock is an improperly permitted structure, it can sink the deal. 

Each town and city in the Seattle area has varied zoning and usage laws dictating waterfront rights and allowances. Some places like Magnolia sit on the shallow shores of Puget Sound, restricting the ability to build a dock for a boat. But homes in Laurelhurst, which stride the deep waters of Lake Washington, all come equipped with private ports constructed with ecologically-safe material at a size set by the municipal government. 

Keeping a personal port can come down to a matter of permitting. But even experienced homeowners can find themselves overwhelmed by what is and is not allowed at the water's edge. 

This is why it is vital to partner up with an expert when searching for waterfront homes in Seattle. 

Set yourself up with an experienced agent 

Purchasing a home is a complicated endeavor, and buying a house near the water compounds the transaction. 

Buyers need surveys, inspections, and general knowledge of the littoral rights of the Greater Seattle Area. An experienced agent helps you navigate pricing, but they are not inspection experts. 

Before beginning a search and setting up open house tours, buyers should interview as many agents as possible. Ask them to walk you through their experiences selling and buying waterfront real estate and if they have a Rolodex of aquatic experts on hand. Some inspectors specialize in permitting and zoning for seawalls, docks, boathouses, and bulkheads. 

Having an agent secured ahead of an open house tour is critical. Seattle homes close to the water have to contend with the potential for flood damage, increased wear and tear on the foundation, and aged sewer or septic infrastructure. 

Buyers will feel at ease as they tour homes and consider placing offers with a qualified agent by their side. 

Additionally, an agent in your corner can help narrow your search depending on your waterfront needs. The shallow coastlines adorning Puget Sound differ from the depths of Lake Washington. Agents can steer buyers with large boats towards Hunts Point, Kirkland, or Kenmore. 

Keep within the code 

Not every buyer wants a quaint dock for a canoe. People with large boats wish to keep them close and need a port to fit their yacht.

But before building out an addition, Seattleites with waterfront property should check local building codes. For instance, homeowners require a permit when building any dock longer than 18 inches in Seattle. 

Building, repairing, or replacing any fixture extending into the water requires certification that your project meets local, city, and sometimes even army corps of engineers criteria. 

For homebuyers thinking of purchasing a waterfront home, partnering with an experienced agent is essential. An inspector will tell you if you can build your dream boathouse with the littoral rights afforded to the property. 

And once a permit is secured, buyers have to make sure the materials used comply with ecological laws. 

Beware of old structures and outdated construction material 

When buying a waterfront home, buyers need to pay close attention to waterfront fixtures adorning the property.

Homeowners can sometimes leave structures like seawalls as is when purchasing a new home. But houses with crumbling bulwarks may require an update if the region experiences tidal erosion. 

The Shoreline Master program protects the ecology of Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Voted into Washington State law back in 1972, the law protects natural water sources and beaches, promotes public access, and creates guidelines for pollution prevention. 

Maintaining a waterfront is an endeavor, but it becomes much more of a headache when whole structures need replacing. If a significant repair is required, buyers may have to shell out thousands of dollars to remove the material and build a new wall safely.

The same is true for docks in disrepair. Before selling the property, a seller might need to repair or remove the structure. 

Set up safety features 

While having a backyard oasis with access to the water is a delight, homeowners still need to take every precaution when purchasing houses on the Seattle shoreline. 

Disaster strikes fast in the water, whether it is a deepwater dock or a shallow shoreline beach. But luckily, there are plenty of ways to bolster the safety of your slice of the shore. 

Homes on Lake Washington or Puget Sound waterfront homes need to have safety precautions set up, especially if a buyer has young children or pets. Even house hunters checking out waterfront properties on Mercer Island neighborhoods like West Seattle should look for pre-built safety features, as these can keep neighborhood kids at play out of your yard.

Homes with docks should have a small gate blocking the entrance to the structure, including a self-closing door or an alarmed gate. A perimeter fence can go a long way for homeowners with beachfront properties, as they separate the backyard from the beach, sectioning out the beachfront oasis from the safe yard space. 

If you end up finding a home without these safety features, make sure to budget some money on the side for installation. The last thing any homeowner wants is a potential lawsuit on their hands.