6 Home Features Seattle Homebuyers Want

There are many reasons why Seattle is an ideal place to live. Soaring mountains frame the downtown skyline, and miles of waterfront border the city. 

But depending on a person's lifestyle, they have to consider what home fits their needs. Buyers who love boating will need a house complete with a private dock. In contrast, hikers and campers may need a garage to outfit themselves and their vehicles away from the elements. Some house hunters prioritize space, requiring homes with enough room to host friends or build extra dwelling space.

To help buyers figure out what amenities fit their lifestyle, the team at Prevu Real Estate compiled a guide outlining the top home features buyers ask for in the Seattle area. 

Terraces and balconies 

While some Seattlites like to travel out into the wilderness to the Cascade or Olympic mountains, many folks enjoy the view from home. And one of the best ways to take in the soaring ranges east and west of the city is on a cozy veranda. 

Homebuyers can find a collection of home styles with balconies all over the city. These range from condos with a modest terrace to storied Victorians with enough space to comfortably host friends high above street level. 

Buyers looking for expansive views of the Olympic Range as it rises out of Puget Sound should seek two-story homes in Sunset Hill, Queen Anne, and Alki. Mount Olympus towers over the Sound, providing residents with beautiful vistas to enjoy from the comfort of a cozy outdoor couch while sipping coffee. 

But those seeking the most commanding scenes of the mountains in Seattle should check out the high-rises in Pike's Place Market, as these coveted units offer balconies with some of the best views in Seattle. These lofty condos provide 360-degree panoramas of the snow-capped peaks, including the towering Mount Rainier of the Cascade Range.

If you travel to Kerry Park and lounge out on a balcony, you will be rewarded with one of the most iconic sights of Seattle. The skyline of the city and the Space Needle is perfectly framed by "The Mountain," Seattleites' colloquial name for Mount Rainier.

Waterfront expanses 

The shallow shores of Puget Sound are an attractive feature for some homeowners. 

Thousands of years' worth of ice sheet movement created Puget Sound, with an average depth of over 400 feet. These sandy coasts stretch north and south along the western edge of Seattle, interrupted only by the deepwater ports of Shilshole and Elliott Bay. 

Magnolia is one of the best Seattle neighborhoods featuring beachfront property, where homes lining Perkins Lane sit at the water's edge. Most of the shoreline is gravelly beachfront that starts at a foot to two feet deep, running out to depths of 10 to 15 feet. The shallow provides plenty of opportunities for buyers who love swimming, kayaking, and shorecasting for fish. 

But boating-minded buyers will want to search for homes on the east side of Seattle, on the shores of Lake Washington, as the shallow beaches of Puget Sound do not accommodate large boats or the docks needed for them. 

Docks and boathouses

Like Puget Sound, Lake Washington was formed by entreating and retreating glacial ice sheets thousands of years ago. 

But unlike the Sound, the depths of Lake Washington allow homeowners to have personal docks. These are attractive features in Seattle as fishing is a popular pastime, and having a boat enables anglers to reach the average depths of 160 feet, to fish for Black Crappie, Small and Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, and Rainbow Trout. 

Just about every home up and down the coast of Lake Washington offers a dock. And depending on the home, some docks are simple wooden structures, while some houses come complete with luxury ports with beautiful boathouses to store a small yacht. 

Boathouses are a desired fixture for Seattle homebuyers, as these allow captains to dock their vessel and not have to cover up the upholstery. As homebuyers consider Seattle homes with docks and boathouses, they should keep in mind that any structure extending more than 18 inches into the water requires permitting. 

Plus, many regulations dictate what materials to use and how the dock is built. 

Indoor-outdoor rooms

It is no secret that clouds shroud Seattle most of the year. 

The overcast environment results from the region's unique geography and the influences of the Pacific Ocean on Puget Sound. The confluence of high mountains and cool water from the Sound moderates the weather, keeping Seattle dry and free from hot and cold snaps. 

Considering how much Seattleites love the outdoors, many homebuyers in Seattle seek out dwellings with blended indoor-outdoor rooms to make the most of the temperate weather. 

It is common for homeowners with indoor-outdoor rooms in Seattle to have a roof or canopy set up over the exterior portion of the space to keep homeowners and guests dry amidst a drizzle. These rooms usually feature stacking or bi-folding glass doors that connect a living room or den to a backyard deck or balcony. 

Outdoor sofas and weatherproof TVs complement these blended entertainment areas well, providing cozy seating to take in a peaceful sunset over the Olympic Mountains. 

Best of all, the extended opening door allows a natural flow of fresh air to course through the home, acting as a natural air conditioner on those hotter days. 

Garage

The cornerstone of anyone who loves the outdoors is their HQ for prepping gear. 

While some folks dedicate a spare bedroom as their prep room, the best way to gear up for an adventure is with a garage. Homeowners with garages have a dedicated space designed for storing equipment and cleaning up after trekking through the Pacific Northwest. 

Many homes in Seattle feature garages built directly into the house itself, providing residents with easy access to their cars and gear. Some older homes have a garage on the side of the house, keeping it separate from the main structure of the dwelling. 

But new construction homes in Seattle take a different approach to this storied addition. Many modern homes in West Seattle on Mercer Island are built directly over the garage, with stairs leading up to a second-floor landing. 

The building style makes the garage the initial point of entry into the home, where homeowners can park their vehicles and remove muddy gear before trekking inside. 

Accessory dwelling units 

One of the most popular amenities homebuyers in Seattle want is an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). 

ADUs are smaller, legal residences on the property, perfect for in-laws coming in from out of town. But many homebuyers in Seattle look for homes with ADUs as they are legal apartments, so long as they have a certificate of occupancy. 

There are many benefits to having an ADU, as they provide space between you and your guests, raise the value of your home if you decide to sell, and are fun crafting projects. Handy homeowners with a knowledge of construction and permitting can build their own ADU so long as they have enough space. And once the frame is up and the walls are painted, decorating a small guest room or artist shed is a fun project. 

Of course, owning a home with an ADU means caring for a second structure, and depending on how the living spaces are used, it may mean managing tenants. Owners can also turn the unit into an Airbnb getaway to generate extra income, but you must follow municipal code. 

Seattle requires homeowners to have a short-term rental operator's license, which costs about $75 a year to maintain.

Interested in buying a home in Seattle? Browse listings and see how much you can save with Prevu’s commission rebate.