Yeah! The little ones go back to school this week. Maybe the not Bellevue children, but that’s an entirely different story. Seattle PI writer Aubrey Cohen posed his blog readers with this question today: “How much do schools affect the market in Seattle area cities and neighborhoods?”
Fantastic question, and I would answer schools have a HUGE impact on real estate. Then I started to think about our top-notch schools in the area. Bellevue, Sammamish, Bainbridge Island and Ballard jumped to mind. Four Bellevue high schools consistently make Newsweek’s top 100 schools list. According to a Newsweek article, International Community School in Kirkland was too elite to even be considered for the annual top public high school list. Those cities all have boosting real estate economies.
What do you all think? King County school districts aren’t perfect by any means, but do you think the quality of schools have an impact home values? Did any home owner besides me ooze ear to ear smiles when the new—and beautifully constructed—Woodridge Elementary School in Bellevue landed at the top of our hill?
Anticipating your answers, here are a few homes for sale near top-rated Eastside schools.
3034 128th Ave SE #21, Bellevue – $339,950
2bd, 1 ba
Near Woodridge Elementary (so it’s not top rated yet, but give it five years)
10925 NE 66th Pl, Kirkland – $869,950
4 bd, 2.75 ba
Near International Community School
12628 SE 56 St, Bellevue – $548,880
4 bd, 2.5 ba
Near Newport High School
20435 NE 31st St, Sammamish – $1,295,000
4 bd, 5 ba
Near Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary School