Health & Fitness
Rough Guide to Mercer Island Waterfront
After seeing an East Mercer waterfront home today and one on the west side a few days ago, I’ve been pondering waterfront property. In particular, waterfront on Mercer Island.
As anyone who has shopped for, bought, or sold waterfront property will probably agree: it’s definitely a different ballgame from most residential real estate.
Even here on Mercer Island, you may see waterfront for just under $2M to well over $10M and everything in between. So, what do you get for that money? It depends.
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On one end of the spectrum–the $1.5-2M end–you’ll typically be looking at a house that is either a tear-down with a good lot or a less desirable lot but a better house. (Though with a better house, it’s common to see a lot more stairs!) I have yet to see a newer house that is in good shape on a flat(ish) lot for under $2M.
Shared Waterfront Property
The other thing you’ll see at this price point is shared waterfront, which can be a great option for buyers looking for a little slice of beach without going over the $2M mark. Shared waterfront may or may not include a dock, but usually has enough waterfront for a few families to share comfortably. Most of the shared waterfront properties I’ve seen on Mercer Island have a little bit of a pebbly beach and space for folks to hang out and play.
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Private Waterfront Property
In the middle of the range, typically around $3-4.5M, you may see bigger and/or newer homes with more desirable, flatter lots. There will probably be between 65 and 100 feet or so of waterfront. Whether or not you can dock a big boat depends on which section of the Island you’re looking at, so it’s a good idea to check on this if you’re looking for a home that can accommodate a big boat.
And of course, the bigger and flatter the lot, the larger the chunk of waterfront, and better the size, age, and condition of the house…well, the sky’s the limit. At this time, the most expensive Mercer Island listing is over $16M, with a newer house and more than 120 feet of waterfront.
If you have waterfront dreams now or for the future, take some time to look around “the Rock”. Fortunately, there are options to choose from at each price point here on Mercer Island.