Seattle Sell my house
Sell your Laurelhurst home with a clearer local plan.
The median asking price in Seattle is $773K (Stats updated October 2026) and Washington excise tax on a sale at that price is $12,850. RexMont helps Seattle sellers price accurately, prep where it matters, launch with trust signals, and negotiate beyond the headline number.
Selling in Seattle — the numbers
Updated
What a Seattle sale costs in Washington
Washington’s excise tax is graduated by price tier and paid by the seller at closing; the table shows the schedule a Seattle sale falls under.
Sell fast or list
What a quick cash sale and a listed sale each net at the Seattle median asking price
Same home, same October 2026 median asking price of $775,000, same mortgage payoff. The cash columns run the instant-offer range RexMont models, 5% and 15% below that asking price, as-is, with no commission and no prep; Washington REET, title and the payoff are still due.
- List on the open market
- $775,000 sale price
- $436,000
- Estimated net · baseline
- Cash offer 5% below asking
- $735,000 offer
- $450,462
- Estimated net · +$14,462 vs listing
- Cash offer 15% below asking
- $660,000 offer
- $376,797
- Estimated net · −$59,203 vs listing
The $73,665 between the two cash columns is what a written offer settles; a program fee or a repair credit deducted after inspection moves it further. Bring any offer you already hold: the review costs nothing and you keep every option, including taking the cash.
Compare a written cash offer against a broker-tested listing priceA modelling range RexMont uses until a written offer exists, not a quote from any buyer; program fees are not modelled. For context, Research summaries have placed the total cost of instant-offer programs to sellers at roughly 13–15% of the home’s value.
Washington REET tiers for a Seattle sale
| Portion of sale price | State REET |
|---|---|
| Up to $525,000 | 1.10% |
| $525,001 to $1,525,000 | 1.28% |
| $1,525,001 to $3,025,000 | 2.75% |
| Above $3,025,000 | 3.00% |
| King County local REET — on the full price | 0.50% |
Each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its tier; the seller pays at closing. Breakpoints move to $551,000, $1,551,000 and $3,051,000 for closings on or after January 1, 2027; rates unchanged.
State schedule (2023–2026 schedule) per the Washington Department of Revenue, verified October 2026. Local rate per DOR’s local REET rate table, rates effective May 2026.
Worked example at the Seattle median
- Sale price (city median, rounded)
- $775,000
- Commission (5% total)
- −$38,750
- Washington REET (state + local)$8,975 state (2023–2026 schedule) + $3,875 local
- −$12,850
- Title and escrow
- −$2,400
- Pre-listing prep
- −$15,000
- Mortgage payoff (example: 35% of price)
- −$270,000
- Estimated net proceeds
- $436,000
Selling costs of $69,000 (8.9% of price), computed with the same function as the calculator below, on the 2023–2026 schedule. An estimate for planning, not a quote; your payoff, prep and title fees replace the example values.
Run your own Seattle numbers belowFigures reviewed by Adriano Tori, Designated Broker and Owner, RexMont Real Estate · WA Lic. #27660 · market figures updated , REET schedule per the Washington Department of Revenue.
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Local strategy
Seattle decisions depend on the street, not only the city.
Selling in Laurelhurst means competing at the top of the Seattle market — buyers here are experienced, well-advised, and compare properties across Laurelhurst, Madison Park, and Mercer Island simultaneously. Beach club access tier, waterfront exposure, architectural character, and condition are the four factors that determine the outcome.
- Read recent comps, pending pressure, and active competition
- Prioritize prep work that can change buyer behavior
- Launch with positioning, review proof, photography, and negotiation strategy
Laurelhurst city hub
Start with Seattle, then narrow to the right neighborhood.
Use the city hub for the broader market, then compare the most active neighborhoods by property type, condition, commute, schools, lifestyle, and resale depth.
Open Seattle hub →Laurelhurst
Established luxury near U-Village and UW, with some of Seattle's strongest public schools.
View Laurelhurst homes →Sand Point
Northeast Seattle community on Magnuson Park's perimeter.
View Sand Point homes →Windermere
Northeast Seattle gated community along Lake Washington.
View Windermere homes →View Ridge
Established Northeast Seattle hilltop with Lake Washington views.
View View Ridge homes →Hawthorne Hills
Quiet established Northeast Seattle neighborhood.
View Hawthorne Hills homes →University Village
Compare University Village listings with Seattle pricing, commute, school-path, condition, and resale context before you tour or list.
View University Village homes →
Active homes for sale in Seattle
The latest active NWMLS listings in Seattle, refreshed hourly.
Active30 days active · 30 cumulative$799,950
MLS# 25943856030 41st Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98115
2 bd2.25 ba1,093 sqftListing courtesy of Windermere Real Estate Co.
ActiveNew today$665,000
MLS# 25948634434 28th Place W
Seattle, WA 98199
4 bd1.75 ba1,780 sqftListing courtesy of Windermere RE Magnolia
ActiveNew today$4,750,000
MLS# 2595687307 Queen Anne Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
0 bd0 ba13,545 sqftListing courtesy of Kidder Mathews
Early Access · First Look$889,999
MLS# 25951938738 Hamlet Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98118
3 bd1.75 ba1,730 sqftListing courtesy of PropertiesNW of Gig Harbor Ltd
ActiveNew today$2,199,000
MLS# 25953505057 SW Stevens Street
Seattle, WA 98116
5 bd3.5 ba3,820 sqftListing courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway HS NW
Active31 days active · 31 cumulative$799,000
MLS# 2595689270 Fulton Street
Seattle, WA 98109
2 bd1.75 ba1,087 sqftListing courtesy of Real Property Associates
Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of October 17, 2026 at 5:53 PM PT (date and time MLS GRID Data was obtained). All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.
Listing information courtesy of Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). The listing data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than RexMont Real Estate are marked with the “Listing courtesy of NWMLS” designation. Information provided is for the consumer’s personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.
Some IDX listings have been excluded from this website.
© 2026 Northwest Multiple Listing Service. All rights reserved. Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Copyright concernsSelling in Laurelhurst: beach club, waterfront, and architectural weight
Laurelhurst prices on four factors, in roughly this order: waterfront exposure, beach club access, architectural significance, and condition. The Laurelhurst Beach Club membership eligibility that runs with much of the neighborhood is a genuine premium buyers pay for — and the true Lake Washington waterfront, the view slopes, and the interior estate blocks each comp separately. Buyers at this price point cross-shop Madison Park, Windermere, and Mercer Island simultaneously and arrive well-advised.
Like Madison Park, this is a top-tier REET market: Washington's graduated excise tax takes 2.75 percent of the price portion above $1.525M and 3.00 percent above $3.025M, plus the 0.50 percent King County portion — a six-figure line on many Laurelhurst closings that belongs in the net model before the pricing conversation starts. Note that for closings on or after January 1, 2027 the state breakpoints step up to $551,000, $1,551,000, and $3,051,000 (rates unchanged) per the Department of Revenue.
Laurelhurst is one of Seattle's most estate-heavy markets: architecturally significant homes held for decades, trusts, and heirs weighing a major asset. The inherited-home page covers authority, the stepped-up basis, and date-of-death valuation — which matters doubly here, where the valuation itself is a tier-pricing exercise. I am Adriano Tori, RexMont's Designated Broker (WA Lic. #27660); we document these sales to the standard the asset and the estate file require.
Preparation at this level is curation, not renovation: architectural records, systems documentation, shoreline and moorage records where applicable, and presentation that meets the buyer pool's expectations. The Form 17 under RCW 64.06 is handled from those assembled records. Start with the full cost picture on the cost-to-sell page.
Net-proceeds calculator
Estimate your net proceeds before you list.
Enter an estimated sale price for your Seattle home, mortgage payoff, and selling costs. Compare estimated proceeds after commission, Washington REET, and closing costs, then request an emailed copy of your calculation.
Your target list/sale price — or get an agent-prepared estimate.
Enter the combined brokerage compensation you expect to pay. Fees are negotiated; this editable example is not a quoted rate.
Remaining principal from your latest statement.
Paint, staging, cleaning, photography, minor repairs.
Use a quote from your title and escrow providers.
Washington's state excise-tax breakpoints step up for sales closing on or after January 1, 2027 (rates unchanged). The calculator applies the schedule in force on this date.
Using the 2023–2026 schedule: 1.10% to $525K, 1.28% to $1.525M, 2.75% to $3.025M, 3.00% above, plus 0.50% King County.
Estimated net proceeds
$519,135
after $80,865 in selling costs (8.5% of price) and mortgage payoff
Estimates for educational purposes only. Not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Actual REET, commission, escrow, and payoff figures vary by transaction and closing date. King County REET shown is the state graduated tax plus the 0.50% local portion; the state breakpoints step up for closings on or after January 1, 2027. Verify current rates with WA DOR and your CPA before acting.
FAQ
Laurelhurst seller questions
What determines a Laurelhurst home's price?
Waterfront exposure, beach club access, architectural significance, and condition — roughly in that order, with each waterfront and view tier comping separately. Buyers cross-shop Madison Park, Windermere, and Mercer Island, so the comp set extends beyond the neighborhood at the top tiers.
Is Laurelhurst Beach Club access really a pricing factor?
Yes — membership eligibility that runs with the property is a genuine premium, and listings should document and market it explicitly. Buyers moving from outside Seattle in particular price it in once it is explained.
We inherited a Laurelhurst home. Where do we start?
With authority and valuation: the personal representative's appointment, then a documented date-of-death valuation — which in Laurelhurst is a tier-pricing exercise worth doing carefully, since the stepped-up basis anchors the heirs' tax outcome. RexMont coordinates both with the estate's attorney and runs the sale remotely if needed.
How much excise tax applies to a Laurelhurst sale?
Washington REET is graduated — 2.75 percent on the price portion between $1.525M and $3.025M, 3.00 percent above, plus 0.50 percent King County on the full price. For closings on or after January 1, 2027 the state breakpoints rise to $551,000, $1,551,000, and $3,051,000 (rates and the King County 0.50 percent unchanged) — confirm the schedule at dor.wa.gov for your closing date. On estate-tier Laurelhurst homes this is routinely six figures; model it in the net sheet first.
Start here
Tell us about the Seattle home you may sell.
Share the address, condition, timeline, and what outcome matters most. RexMont will help you decide the right sale strategy.