Laurelhurst Real Estate Agent

Laurelhurst market snapshot

Median Sale Price$1,112,500▲ 0.1% YoY

Price / Sq Ft$561▼ 0.9% YoY

Median Days on Market7▲ 16.7% YoY

Sale-to-List100.0%± 0.0% YoY

Over the trailing twelve months, the median Laurelhurst home sold for about $1,112,500 — up 0.1% from a year earlier. Homes here typically went under contract in about 7 days at roughly 100.0% of list price (around $561/sq ft), reflecting a brisk, seller-leaning market. These rolling 12-month figures (NWMLS, June 2026) cover the broader market area around Laurelhurst rather than Laurelhurst on its own, so for any specific home it is worth comparing recent sales on that block.

About Laurelhurst

Laurelhurst is a residential neighborhood in northeastern Seattle, set on a peninsula that reaches into Union Bay and Lake Washington. It is bounded by Ivanhoe Place N.E. to the northeast, Sand Point Way N.E. and N.E. 45th Street to the northwest, Mary Gates Memorial Drive N.E. and the University of Washington's East Campus to the west, Union Bay to the southwest, and Lake Washington to the east.

The area was a seasonal campground of the Duwamish people before becoming part of Seattle through annexation in 1910. The Laurelhurst name dates to roughly 1906 to 1909, when the McLaughlin Realty Company platted the neighborhood and brought in water, electricity, and sewer service.

Housing & homes

Laurelhurst was largely built out in the 1920s, after the peninsula's topography had delayed significant residential development relative to neighboring areas. That timing shows in the housing stock, which centers on detached single-family homes, including view lots on the higher ground and waterfront properties along the Lake Washington and Union Bay shoreline.

Because much of the neighborhood dates from the early twentieth century, you will encounter period homes of that era alongside later infill and extensively remodeled or rebuilt houses. Some parcels carry water frontage, private moorage, or protected-shoreline considerations that affect what can be built or altered, so lot-specific due diligence matters here more than in a uniform subdivision.

Local conditions to know

Laurelhurst's eastern and southwestern edges front Lake Washington and Union Bay, so shoreline regulation is a real factor for waterfront and near-shore parcels. Work within Seattle's shoreline jurisdiction and Environmentally Critical Areas rules can require additional review, and buyers of waterfront homes should confirm the status of docks, bulkheads, and any moorage. Low-lying, saturated soils near the water can also fall within the city's mapped liquefaction-prone areas, a seismic consideration worth checking parcel by parcel using Seattle's ECA map.

For transit, Laurelhurst is served by King County Metro bus service, including a route connecting the neighborhood to University Village and the UW light rail station, which links to the regional Link system; there is no light rail stop within Laurelhurst itself. The Burke-Gilman Trail runs nearby along the neighborhood's northwest edge, and the University of Washington campus sits immediately to the west.

Getting around & local texture

The neighborhood's civic anchors include the Laurelhurst Community Center, a designated Seattle landmark, and the adjacent Laurelhurst Playfield, which the Park Department assembled beginning in 1927 and improved through New Deal-era projects; it offers ball fields, tennis courts, a children's play area, and open meadow. Seattle Children's Hospital occupies a large campus in the neighborhood's northwest corner and has expanded under a city-approved Major Institution Master Plan. Everyday shopping and dining are close by at University Village, just to the northwest.

The Laurelhurst Beach Club is a private, membership-based swim and beach facility on Lake Washington; eligibility is tied to owning or renting qualifying property within the club's defined boundaries, so its use is not open to the general public. For public schools, the neighborhood is served by Seattle Public Schools; addresses in the area are within the Laurelhurst Elementary School attendance area, which feeds Eckstein Middle School and Roosevelt High School. Attendance boundaries are drawn to the street and change over time, so confirm the current assignment for a specific address with the district's address lookup.

What buyers & sellers weigh in Laurelhurst

Waterfront and near-shore homes involve shoreline jurisdiction and Environmentally Critical Areas review; verify dock, bulkhead, and moorage status early.
Many homes date to the 1920s, so budget inspections for older systems, and review any prior permits on remodeled or rebuilt houses.
Check the city's mapped liquefaction-prone areas for low-lying lots near Union Bay and Lake Washington as part of seismic due diligence.
Access to the private Laurelhurst Beach Club depends on qualifying property within its boundaries; confirm eligibility rather than assuming it conveys.
Proximity to Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington shapes nearby traffic and institutional master-plan activity worth reviewing.
School attendance boundaries are set by address and can change; confirm current assignments through Seattle Public Schools before relying on them.

What makes Laurelhurst distinct

A peninsula setting on Union Bay and Lake Washington gives Laurelhurst more shoreline frontage than most inland north-end neighborhoods.
An early-1920s buildout means a concentration of period homes rather than the mid-century or newer stock common in outlying suburbs.
Direct adjacency to the University of Washington East Campus and Seattle Children's Hospital sets it apart from purely residential neighbors.
A private, boundary-restricted beach club is an unusual amenity structure compared with the public parks that serve surrounding areas.

Services in Laurelhurst

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Laurelhurst real estate FAQ

What schools serve Laurelhurst?

The neighborhood is part of Seattle Public Schools. Addresses in the area are within the Laurelhurst Elementary attendance area, which feeds Eckstein Middle School and Roosevelt High School. Boundaries are set by address and can change, so confirm the current assignment through the district's address lookup.

What should I know about buying a waterfront home here?

Waterfront and near-shore parcels fall under Seattle's shoreline jurisdiction and Environmentally Critical Areas rules. Confirm the permitted status of any dock, bulkhead, or moorage, and factor in additional review time for shoreline work. Low-lying lots may also sit within mapped liquefaction-prone areas.

Is the Laurelhurst Beach Club open to anyone who buys here?

It is a private, membership-based club, and eligibility is tied to owning or renting qualifying property within its defined boundaries. If beach club access matters to you, confirm whether a specific address qualifies rather than assuming membership is automatic.