King County, Washington
Residential Appraisals in King County
King County covers dense urban neighborhoods, established suburbs and rural-edge acreage, and value conclusions often hinge on precise neighborhood and submarket definition rather than citywide averages.
Local market knowledge
What the analysis turns on in King County
Coverage runs from Seattle and the Eastside through the south-county cities and out to the rural edge along the Cascade foothills. Housing stock ranges from early-1900s Seattle bungalows and mid-century ramblers to recent infill townhomes and Eastside custom homes.
Submarket boundaries are narrow
In much of Seattle and the older Eastside cities, competing neighborhoods change character within a few blocks. A sale a mile away can be a poor indicator while a sale three streets over is directly relevant, so comparable selection is a neighborhood judgment rather than a radius search.
Housing stock spans a century
Early-1900s bungalows, mid-century ramblers, 1990s subdivisions and recent infill townhomes frequently sit within the same few blocks. Age, floor plan and construction quality have to be analyzed rather than assumed from the neighborhood alone.
View and topography influence
Water, mountain and territorial views vary in quality and permanence, and the county's hills mean two similar homes can have very different site utility. Both require support from the market rather than a flat percentage adjustment.
Townhomes and infill density
Attached and small-lot detached infill has expanded substantially. Whether a townhome competes with other townhomes or with older detached homes on similar lots is a question the data has to answer for each submarket.
Accessory dwelling units
ADUs and converted spaces are increasingly common. Their contribution depends on permitting, access, separation and how the local market has actually paid for them — not on cost.
Rural-edge acreage
Toward the county's eastern edge, lot size, outbuildings, well and septic, and access become significant, and comparable sales are sparser and further apart.
Coverage
Communities throughout King County
Assignments are accepted county-wide, including Seattle and the surrounding cities and unincorporated areas.
Requests can be started for any address in the county. If you would like the city pre-filled, these links carry it into the form:
Cities and areas covered
- Seattle
- Bellevue
- Kirkland
- Redmond
- Renton
- Kent
- Auburn
- Federal Way
- Shoreline
- Sammamish
- Issaquah
- Burien
This list is representative rather than exhaustive. Unincorporated areas within King County are also served.
Assignments
Appraisal types available in King County
The same assignment types are available throughout the coverage area. Each is explained on its own page.
Divorce Appraisals
Independent valuation for property division, mediation and related legal matters.
View pageEstate & Date-of-Death
Current or retrospective valuation for estate, probate and inheritance needs.
View pageRetrospective Appraisals
Residential property valuation as of a prior effective date.
View pageProperty Tax & Assessment
An independent opinion for owners reviewing a county assessed value, with the effective date an appeal requires.
View pagePre-Listing Appraisals
An independent value opinion before listing, separate from a broker's pricing strategy.
View pagePrivate Appraisals
Independent valuation for non-lender financial, family and planning decisions.
View pageAssessed value
Assessed value is not the same as an appraised value
The King County Assessor values property in aggregate, using mass appraisal models applied across large numbers of properties from available records and area data. That approach is efficient and generally reasonable across a county, but it cannot examine an individual property or capture condition, functional problems or characteristics specific to a particular home.
An independent appraisal looks at the one property, inspected to the extent the assignment requires, and reports a supported opinion of value as of a stated effective date with the reasoning documented. Whether to pursue an assessment appeal, what deadlines apply and how evidence is received are matters for the county and for your own advisors — not for the appraiser.
Request an appraisal in King County
Include the property address and what the appraisal is for. Washington State-Certified Residential Appraiser serving King, Pierce & Snohomish Counties.
Washington State-Certified Residential Appraiser · Serving King, Pierce & Snohomish Counties