August 2026 Eastside Market Advisory: A Market Finding Its Balance
August 2026 Eastside Market Advisory: What Three Months of Data Now Show
📊 Monthly Eastside Market Advisory
A recurring monthly look at NWMLS data across the Eastside's nine core submarkets. Read July's report →
For the third straight month, zero of the Eastside's nine tracked submarkets favor sellers — but August broke July's uniform pattern. Bellevue East of 405, West Bellevue, and Redmond/Carnation all tightened from July, while Mercer Island, East Side South of I-90, and Juanita/Woodinville continued to soften, in some cases sharply. West Bellevue remains the clearest buyer's market at 6.96 months of supply, though even that improved slightly from July's 7.52. Statewide, NWMLS reported inventory up 22.0% year-over-year and median price down 2.3% to $635,000, consistent with the Eastside's broader softening — but the area-by-area picture is genuinely mixed, not a single story.
From a Uniform Trend to a Mixed One
Last month's report had a simple, if sobering, headline: every one of the nine Eastside submarkets we track moved toward buyers, with no exceptions. August doesn't repeat that pattern. Five areas either tightened or held roughly flat month-over-month, while four continued to soften — some notably. This is a market settling into something less predictable than a single directional story, which actually makes it more useful to look at area by area rather than as one Eastside-wide trend. Bellevue East of 405 offers the clearest example of the shift. It was the Eastside's only seller's market back in June, moved to balanced in July, and in August tightened slightly again to 3.54 months — not back to seller's-market territory, but a genuine stabilization rather than continued drift. Compare that to Mercer Island, which held steady through June and July around 3.0-3.5 months and then jumped to 4.80 months in August — one of the largest single-month shifts anywhere in this data.
Market by Market: The Three-Month View
Bellevue – West of 405 — Area 520
6.96 months supply (improved from 7.52 in July) · Median $3,135,000 · -15.84% YoY
🔴 Still the Clearest Buyer's Market
West Bellevue improved slightly from July but remains firmly in buyer's-market territory, with pricing down nearly 16% year-over-year. For buyers with the means to compete in Medina, Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point, and Hunts Point, this remains the strongest negotiating position on the Eastside.
Mercer Island — Area 510
4.80 months supply (up sharply from 3.04 in July) · Median $2,200,000 · +5.77% YoY
⚠ The Month's Biggest Shift
Mercer Island's jump from 3.04 to 4.80 months in a single month is the largest move of any Eastside area this cycle. Notably, price still rose year-over-year even as supply loosened substantially — a sign that pricing hasn't caught up to the shift in conditions yet, which could mean room for negotiation ahead for buyers watching this market closely.
East Side, South of I-90 — Area 500
4.22 months supply (up from 3.08 in July) · Median $1,567,500 · -7.79% YoY
⚠ Reversed Course from July's Improvement
This area had actually tightened in July; August gave that back and more. Price softened alongside it, down nearly 8% year-over-year.
Juanita / Woodinville — Area 600
4.29 months supply (up from 3.79 in July) · Median $1,175,000 · -1.30% YoY
⚠ Continued Softening
Third consecutive month of loosening conditions here, though price has held relatively steady despite the added supply.
Bothell — Area 610
4.47 months supply (roughly flat vs. 4.40 in July) · Median $1,050,000 · -8.70% YoY
~ Stable, But at a Softer Price Point
Supply has essentially plateaued here after two months of increases, but pricing continues to soften year-over-year, making this one of the Eastside's more accessible submarkets right now.
Kirkland / Bridle Trails — Area 560
4.30 months supply (roughly flat vs. 4.33 in July) · Median $1,560,000 · -14.05% YoY
~ Supply Stabilizing, Price Still Correcting
Kirkland's supply has leveled off after climbing through the summer, but median price is still working through the correction that began after June's outlier spike.
East of Lake Sammamish — Area 540
3.91 months supply (up slightly from 3.68 in July) · Median $1,360,000 · -8.11% YoY
⚠ Mild Continued Softening
A modest month-over-month increase in supply, continuing the gradual trend from June, with price down meaningfully year-over-year.
Redmond / Carnation — Area 550
4.00 months supply (improved from 5.05 in July) · Median $1,290,000 · -3.37% YoY
✅ Meaningful Improvement
Redmond was approaching buyer's-market territory in July; August pulled it back to solidly balanced conditions, one of the more encouraging shifts this month for sellers here.
Bellevue – East of 405 — Area 530
3.54 months supply (improved from 3.72 in July) · Median $1,647,500 · +7.86% YoY
✅ Stabilizing After a Rocky Month
The Eastside's former standout seller's market continues to hold in balanced territory, and price is actually up nearly 8% year-over-year — the strongest price performance of any area tracked this month.
June → July → August at a Glance
| Area | June | July | August | 3-Month Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue E/405 (530) | 2.46 | 3.72 | 3.54 | Stabilizing |
| E Side S. of I-90 (500) | 3.33 | 3.08 | 4.22 | Reversed, Softer |
| Mercer Island (510) | 3.47 | 3.04 | 4.80 | Sharp Shift Softer |
| E of Sammamish (540) | 3.47 | 3.68 | 3.91 | Gradual Softening |
| Redmond/Carnation (550) | 4.06 | 5.05 | 4.00 | Improved |
| Juanita/Woodinville (600) | 3.28 | 3.79 | 4.29 | Continued Softening |
| Bothell (610) | 3.96 | 4.40 | 4.47 | Plateauing |
| Kirkland/Bridle Trails (560) | 3.63 | 4.33 | 4.30 | Plateauing |
| Bellevue W/405 (520) | 6.11 | 7.52 | 6.96 | Improved Slightly |
Information and statistics compiled and reported by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. RES-only data, King & Snohomish County breakouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Eastside a buyer's or seller's market in August 2026?
For the third consecutive month, zero of the nine Eastside submarkets tracked favor sellers. West Bellevue remains the clearest buyer's market at 6.96 months of supply. However, the trend is no longer uniform: five areas tightened or held flat from July to August, while four continued to soften.
Did the Eastside real estate market improve or worsen in August 2026?
Both, depending on the area. Bellevue East of 405, West Bellevue, and Redmond/Carnation all tightened from July to August. Mercer Island, East Side South of I-90, and Juanita/Woodinville continued to soften. This mixed pattern is a genuine shift from July, when all nine areas moved in the same direction.
What is the median home price on the Eastside in August 2026?
Median prices varied significantly by area in August 2026, from $1,050,000 in Bothell to $3,135,000 in West Bellevue. Most Eastside submarkets saw median prices decline year-over-year, with West Bellevue down 15.84% and Kirkland down 14.05%.
How does the Eastside compare to the statewide Washington housing market?
Statewide, NWMLS reported active listings up 22.0% year-over-year in August 2026, with median price down 2.3% to $635,000 and closed sales down 7.6%. The Eastside's pattern of flat-to-rising inventory with softening prices in most areas is broadly consistent with this statewide trend, though individual Eastside submarkets vary widely.
Is Mercer Island still a strong seller's market?
No. Mercer Island softened notably from 3.04 months of supply in July to 4.80 months in August, one of the largest single-month shifts of any Eastside area. This moves Mercer Island further from seller's-market territory and gives buyers meaningfully more room than earlier this year.
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