Richmond Beach Real Estate Agent

Richmond Beach market snapshot

Median Sale Price$825,000▼ 2.4% YoY

Price / Sq Ft$491▼ 1.0% YoY

Median Days on Market9▲ 28.6% YoY

Sale-to-List100.0%± 0.0% YoY

Over the trailing twelve months, the median Richmond Beach home sold for about $825,000 — down 2.4% from a year earlier. Homes here typically went under contract in about 9 days at roughly 100.0% of list price (around $491/sq ft), reflecting a brisk, seller-leaning market. These rolling 12-month figures (NWMLS, June 2026) cover the broader market area around Richmond Beach rather than Richmond Beach on its own, so for any specific home it is worth comparing recent sales on that block.

About Richmond Beach

Richmond Beach is a residential neighborhood in the northwest corner of Shoreline, Washington, roughly 12 miles north of downtown Seattle in King County. It sits on wooded bluffs above Puget Sound, giving Shoreline one of its few points of public saltwater access. The neighborhood grew out of a late-1800s settlement tied to the arrival of the Great Northern Railway along the shoreline, and its community association traces its roots to 1908. Richmond Beach became part of the City of Shoreline when the city incorporated in 1995.

Housing & homes

Much of Richmond Beach was built out in the mid-20th century, with a large share of homes dating from roughly 1940 to 1969, alongside older cottages near the water and newer infill and rebuilds on view lots. The result is a mix of single-family houses across several eras rather than a single dominant style, from modest post-war ramblers and Northwest split-levels to updated and custom homes that capture the westward outlook.

The neighborhood is predominantly detached single-family housing on individual lots, with pockets of townhomes and smaller multifamily buildings closer to the Richmond Beach Road corridor. Lots on the bluff and hillside often carry panoramic Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain views, which is a primary driver of variation in home type and value from one street to the next.

Local conditions to know

Richmond Beach's western edge is a Puget Sound bluff, and Washington's coastal bluffs are recognized geologically hazardous areas subject to landslide and erosion risk. Shoreline regulates development in landslide and steep-slope critical areas, and new construction near bluffs is generally required to be set back so that shoreline armoring is not needed. If you are buying a view or waterfront-adjacent home, budget time for geotechnical review, drainage inspection, and confirmation of any critical-area or shoreline setback that applies to the lot.

The BNSF rail line (the historic Great Northern route) runs along the base of the bluff at the waterfront, so trains pass below the beach and some lower-elevation properties. To the north, Richmond Beach borders the Point Wells site at the King/Snohomish county line, a former marine-fuel and asphalt-oil property that returned to its prior industrial owner in 2024 after long-running redevelopment litigation and annexation by the Town of Woodway; its long-term use remains a live local issue. For transit, King County Metro Route 348 serves the neighborhood along NW Richmond Beach Road and connects to the Shoreline North/185th Link light rail station, which opened on the 1 Line in August 2024.

Getting around & local texture

The neighborhood's signature amenity is Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, a 32-acre City of Shoreline park with beach frontage on Puget Sound, a pedestrian bridge over the rail tracks to the shore, terraced parking, picnic shelters, restrooms, a playground, and trails, plus seasonal off-leash dog access along part of the beach. Nearby, the smaller Kayu Kayu Ac Park on Richmond Beach Drive NW, opened in 2009, offers a viewing platform and playground; its Lushootseed name reflects the area's Coast Salish heritage. A compact business district and neighborhood shopping run along NW Richmond Beach Road.

Richmond Beach is served by the Shoreline School District (District 412), which covers Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Homes west of Interstate 5, including Richmond Beach, are generally assigned to Syre Elementary, Einstein Middle School, and Shorewood High School. Attendance boundaries are set by the district and can change, so confirm the current assignment for a specific address with Shoreline School District before relying on it.

What buyers & sellers weigh in Richmond Beach

For bluff, hillside, or view lots, arrange geotechnical and drainage review early and confirm any landslide, steep-slope, or shoreline setback under Shoreline's critical-area rules.
The BNSF rail line runs along the waterfront below the bluff; verify how train activity affects a specific property before writing an offer.
The Point Wells site at the north edge is a former oil/asphalt property with an unresolved long-term future; factor the uncertainty into a purchase near the county line.
Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and Kayu Kayu Ac Park are walkable draws; proximity and view corridors are worth pricing carefully when listing.
Transit access improved with the 2024 opening of Shoreline North/185th Link light rail, reached via Metro Route 348 along NW Richmond Beach Road.
Confirm the current Shoreline School District attendance assignment (typically Syre, Einstein, Shorewood) directly with the district for any address.

What makes Richmond Beach distinct

One of Shoreline's only neighborhoods with direct public saltwater access, anchored by 32-acre Richmond Beach Saltwater Park.
A bluff-top setting with Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain view lots, which makes orientation and geotechnics unusually important here.
A distinct northwest-corner identity with its own community association dating to 1908 and its own business district on NW Richmond Beach Road.
Adjacency to the Point Wells site at the King/Snohomish county line, a redevelopment and land-use question specific to this edge of the city.

Services in Richmond Beach

All services

Richmond Beach real estate FAQ

Is Richmond Beach part of the City of Shoreline?

Yes. Richmond Beach is a neighborhood in the northwest corner of Shoreline, in King County, and became part of the city when Shoreline incorporated in 1995. It is roughly 12 miles north of downtown Seattle.

What school district serves Richmond Beach?

Richmond Beach is in the Shoreline School District (District 412), which serves Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Homes west of I-5, including Richmond Beach, are generally assigned to Syre Elementary, Einstein Middle School, and Shorewood High School. Boundaries can change, so confirm the current assignment for a specific address with the district.

What should I check before buying a view or waterfront home in Richmond Beach?

Homes on the bluff and hillside can sit in landslide, steep-slope, or erosion critical areas that Washington and the City of Shoreline regulate. Plan for geotechnical and drainage review, confirm required setbacks, and check how the BNSF rail line along the waterfront affects the specific property.