West Seattle, connected to downtown by an often traffic clogged bridge over the Duwamish River, is sort of a city unto itself. From its shore fishermen, many immigrants fishing for subsistence, can take in the view of the city skyline as they catch salmon, or bottom fish or squid, depending on the season. Many Seattleites come to recreate on the pathways that follow the West Seattle shore to Alki Point on Puget Sound
With a rapidly growing population, very high demand for housing and an extremely low inventory of homes on the market, Seattle is experiencing a classic supply and demand situation as real estate agents scramble to find listings and eager buyers find that their offers are repeatedly turned down unless they are willing to offer prices well above the asking price and forego many of the usual contingencies of sale such as once standard structural inspection. The median home price in Seattle has been rising by over 15 percent annually and now exceeds $700,000, with homes in the more desirable old and close-in neighborhoods exceed $1million. In nearby Bellevue, which began as a well-heeled bedroom community and is now a major tech center, the median home price is closer to $900,000, with the more desirable neighborhoods easily exceeding $1.2 million. As prices have risen for rentals as well cheaper alternatives have sprung onto the market, such as so-call “apodments” – tiny apartments often under 120 square feet, which have shared baths and kitchens, with rents beginning at $850 per month. One such facility sells itself as an alternative to sharing a rental home and having messy roommates. In the traditionally upscale areas such as the crest of Capitol Hill (where the pictured house is valued at $6.2 million) and Washington Park (where more modest existing homes were torn down to build the two pictured houses valued at close $4 million and $6million respectively), housing prices are reminiscent of the Great Gatsby.
