How important is I-5?

Question

A friend is considering buying a house in West Seattle, on the other side of I-5. With the road work for I-5 potentially taking years, does this affect West Seattle housing prices?

Alex R. Glemzu Jr. · Answer

I live in the Kitsap County and travel to Tukwila/Sea-Tac area on a regular basis so I have quite a bit of experience with I-5 and WA-16. Rush hour, as stated, reduces the corridor to gridlock for quite of time in both the morning and in the evenings. If your friend is an independent contractor that can set their own schedule, they should be off the Highway from 6AM-8AM or from about 3:30PM-6PM, M-F.

You should also have your friend look at the light rail boondoggle that has taken the better part of a decade and runs alongside I-5 and the State Ferry System. Between the hassle of the local unrest, the homelessness, the drug issues, the mentally ill in the streets, the oppressive ordinances, high cost of living, and police protection being called into question, I would advice commuting into Seattle and living in one of the satellite communities. Bellevue is a lot nicer towards the east, Bainbridge (for the higher end) and Bremerton (for the working end) to the West, Tukwila to the South, and Edmonds to the North. It is really what they are looking to get out of the area.

Michael Haas · Answer

Depends on what part of West Seattle- the south side is a little less impacted by the bridge closure than Admiral to the north. The West Seattle Water Taxi is a good alternate commute option as well.

We own two properties in West Seattle and love that neighborhood, but I'm not sure that I'd be buying there again until there's more clear direction on when the bridge will be repaired/replaced. The market is still strong there and in Seattle in general but the bridge does represent a very real downside risk over the next 5 years.

Marc Luzuriaga · Answer

just look up west seattle bridge... commuting will be a pain in the butt for the foreseeable future. thank goodness i don't work down there anymore. Are they working in down town seattle?http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/bridges-stairs-and-other-structures/bridges/west-seattle-high-rise-bridge-safety-project

Peter Brigham · Answer

I completely agree with @Matt Lewis here. I live in West Seattle I have seen a decrease is demand on all types of housing in the area compared to pre-bridge closure. I believe that a West Seattle buy and hold position is still a good one (especially with the new light rail station going in on Delridge) but I personally am more interested in the Snoqualmie Valley where there is a massive rental shortage and increasing demand.

I currently am looking to buy a home in the Snoqualmie Valley and the competition is fierce. High demand and low supply. Makes for tough conditions as a buyer.

Michael Tappert · Answer

I have clients looking to move out of West Seattle, because of the bridge.  However, it seems like for everyone that wants to move out, there are 2 people that want to move in.

A lot of the buyers for West Seattle are working for the Amazons/Googles/Facebooks and will be working from home for at least the next year.  Most aren't worried about future commutes with increased WFH in the future.

Matt Lewis · Answer

@Mindy Jensen - As a resident of West Seattle the bridge closure is concerning and definitely an inconvenience.

As an investor in West Seattle I hope it does correct prices a little bit. I would be careful with big 6 month flips but buy and hold investors have nothing to worry about. Any lost appreciation will level back out after they reopen the bridge.

Brandon Connor · Answer

As others have mentioned the market here in Seattle (and west Seattle) has remain strong due to low supply. The closure of the West Seattle Bridge has definitely created a major inconvenience for those commuting to downtown making it over an hour. That's over an hour with decreased commuter volume with major companies such as Amazon (responable for the population boom) tellacummuting in response to Covid-19. The commute time will only get worse as commuter volume increases over the next 3-5 years. The Seattle area is a strong market which will allow West Seattle to hold its value through the construction, it just may not appreciate as quickly as other areas. Personally I like West Seattle as a long term investment, but would suggest an area just north (such as Ballard) for a safer short term.

Dave Skow · Answer

The  commute to downtown Seattle is  closer to an hour now at  rush hour and will  lengthen when people return to work return ....drove  there ar  rush hour friday and  it was over  an hour  from NE  Seattle .....no time frame on the bridge fix ...likely   2-4 yrs ...this has to affect things  but   there are  so few homes ont eh market now - it seems like there hasnt been much of an effect yet

Beth Traverso · Answer

@Mindy Jensen The majority of West Seattle homes priced under 900k are still selling for at or above list price. Houses under 700 are often selling for 5-10% over list price. There has been no drop off in prices at this point. If they want to purchase with a sale in mind in less than 4 years I would recommend an entry to mid level price point with a good floor plan. I hope that helps!

Account Closed · Answer

@Mindy Jensen I just don’t like the amount of pollution in certain areas of west seattle adjacent to duwamish. I used to work on harbor island and it can be pretty bad on a daily basis. Imho I think those kinds of things are going to have greater impact as pollution, wildfires, and environmental challenges grow.

That might just be my own preference more than market knowledge though. happy to hear other people’s thoughts on that.

How important is I-5?

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