$1,210,684Average Value$639Average Price per Sq Ft30Homes For Sale
West Seattle's oldest neighborhood has amazing views
The North Admiral neighborhood is the area's oldest neighborhood. It's across from Downtown Seattle, over Elliott Bay and the Duwamish Waterway. The out-of-the-way location, separate from the rest of Seattle proper, is a draw for homebuyers who like some distance from the city's busy streets.
"It's a great part of what's called West Seattle, which has incredible views of the port, Downtown Seattle, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains," says Marc Erickson, founder/broker with Allied Property Experts. He's a Seattle-area resident with over 20 years of real estate experience in investing, lending and new construction. The scenic views he mentioned are a perk of many home sites. "Some are on the east side of the hill, so they are looking toward Seattle. Some on the north side are looking at Puget Sound and the port."
This mixed-use neighborhood, with restaurants, boutiques and coffee shops, is known for classic vintage homes, modern townhouses and newer luxury condos. Though Erickson says other neighborhoods also have homes dating to the early 1900s, North Admiral stands out. "There's just a different level of vibrance and activity here," he says.
Vintage homes like Craftsmans, newer condos
If home buyers can beat the intense competition in the Seattle real estate market, they might end up with an example of historical architecture to call home. "It's not necessarily a historic district, but there are homes marked as historical," Erickson says. Styles include Craftsmans, Tudor Revivals and Dutch Colonials. Some cottages under 1,500 square feet are priced at less than $900,000, but most vintage single-family homes are $1.2 to $1.8 million.
Coexisting with 100-year-old homes are newer builds from the 2000s and on. Modern, custom-designed houses of over 4,000 square feet can sell in the multimillions.
Townhouses have lower price points, generally $775,000 to $1 million. Condos can be even more affordable. One-bedrooms under 600 square feet might list at $300,000; a two- or three-bedroom with at least double the space can go for $800,000 and up.
Cross Elliott Bay by water taxi or ferry
The neighborhood is just a short trip from Downtown Seattle via the West Seattle Bridge or the King County Water Taxi, which is for passengers only. The Bainbridge Ferry and Bremerton Ferry can be seen traveling past the tip of North Admiral. Operated by the Washington State Ferries system, these cross Elliott Bay and allow vehicle transport.
Water travel has been a part of the culture here since its beginnings. West Seattle is where the Denny party landed their schooner, Exact, in 1851. Many residents have ties to the original pioneers who created Seattle's first settlements.
Since Seattle is Washington State's most populous city, traffic can be an issue. The West Seattle Bridge crosses from North Admiral to Harbor Island on the way to Interstate 5, the freeway that connects the region. It's about a 12-mile drive south to reach Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. King County Metro buses run on several routes, with some stops on Admiral Way, California Avenue, Stevens Street and Hanford Street.
Alki Beach, Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center
Alki Beach, a miles-long beach that wraps the North Admiral neighborhood, sets the West Seattle Peninsula abuzz in sunny weather, and its boardwalk and pathways are main attractions. "It's super popular," Erickson says. "There are roller bladers, runners, people have bonfires. He says marine life in the area includes octopuses and seals.
Schmitz Preserve Park is over 50 acres, with old-growth forest and nearly 2 miles of hiking trails. The Hiawatha Playfield and Community Center's 10-acre space has an athletic complex it shares with West Seattle High School.
California Avenue businesses and the Admiral Theater
Residents of North Admiral can find retail and entertainment close to home. "There's a great little strip on California Avenue with some really cool restaurants and shops," Erickson says. This thoroughfare is where most of the commercial activity is located, with shops, cafes, casual eateries. Grocers include Metropolitan Market and co-op PCC Community Markets.
Erickson describes major intersections as hot spots. "We call them 'junctions' — Admiral Junction, California and Alaska junctions. You get tons of things to do along with some notable restaurants." The Admiral Pub is a sports bar that offers plenty of events, like Bingo night, drawing regulars who vie for prizes. Salty's on Alki Beach, a waterfront seafood grill, is especially popular for Sunday brunch.
An entertainment highlight is the Admiral Theater. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theater shows first-run movies and streams live performances by groups such as the Metropolitan Opera.
Summer's Seafair, sports stadiums nearby
A widely attended summer festival, Seafair, has hydroplane races, a half marathon, a triathlon, the Torchlight Parade and airshows featuring the Blue Angels.
Seattle games are a big draw for locals, many of whom live close to the stadiums. Lumen Field is home to the professional football team the Seattle Seahawks. Lumen is also used by Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC and National Women's Soccer League's Seattle Reign FC. Concerts bringing crowds have included acts like Metallica, the Rolling Stones and Kenny Chesney. Baseball is on the field at T-Mobile Park, the base for the Seattle Mariners and the location for conventions, galas, graduations and other events. The University of Washington's Husky Stadium is the largest in the Pacific Northwest, with space for 70,000 spectators.
Seattle School District is in the state's top 20
Kids may attend public schools like Lafayette Elementary and Madison Middle School, both graded A-minus by Niche. The schools are pretty good in the Seattle School District," Erickson says. "Parents are very active, so the schools get a lot of support."
West Seattle High, A-minus, is listed by Niche as No. 62 among the state's public high schools. As a Global Navigator School, West Seattle has at least $25,000 in scholarships guaranteed for study abroad programs through CIEE.
GreatSchools:
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I really love West Seattle, particularly the North Admiral neighborhood. It feels homey and small, while still being in the middle of the city. I don't have any issues commuting to my job by car, and my boyfriend has no trouble getting where he needs to go using public transportation. There are a lot of things in walking distance of most of the living areas here, and there are a lot of parks and nice places to visit nearby. It's a great place to live.
4.0Niche User
5/31/2015Niche Review
The sense of safety in this area is fairly good. The prevalence of crimes is not very often and usually it is petty theft. The police are around and are fairly quick to arrive when needed.
3.0Niche User
3/27/2015Niche Review
Lots of great foods and drinks
4.0Niche User
5/31/2015Niche Review
There is a nice mall area in this area and you can get almost everything you need. There are not many large corporations around, but they still have great service. Most of the stores are locally owned and sourced.
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North Admiral Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in North Admiral, Seattle sell after 18 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in North Admiral, Seattle over the last 12 months is $1,050,000, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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