Yarrow Point is the overlooked Point. Sandwiched between Medina to the north and Hunts Point to the south, with Clyde Hill to the west, Yarrow Point exists in the careful geography of the four major Eastside waterfront communities—and for many sophisticated buyers, it is the one with the most balanced value equation.

Yarrow Point is unincorporated King County, which means it operates under county regulations rather than a restrictive incorporated city code. This creates both opportunity and complexity. Waterfront policies are less stringent than Medina's. Land use is more flexible. But privacy is not guaranteed by municipal borders. What makes Yarrow Point valuable is not its governance—it is the convergence of three specific advantages: proximity to SR-520, price positioning, and architectural diversity that attracts buyers who want Eastside credibility without Medina's insularity.

This page is written for buyers and sellers evaluating Yarrow Point—particularly those who have priced out of Medina, or those who explicitly prefer a less gated aesthetic. The Yarrow Point market has been characterized by rising interest from Seattle's tech sector as home buyers recognize that you can own waterfront on Lake Washington for $4–6M here, while a comparable property in Medina would exceed $10M.

The Market: Why Volume and Value Intersect Here

Yarrow Point's current median sale price sits at approximately $5.2M, with a price range spanning $2.5M to $15M+—the widest range of the four major Points. This range reflects the community's diversity: entry-level waterfront purchases near the $3M mark, interior lots from $2.5M–$4M, and exceptional estates exceeding $10M. No single price point defines the market.

Transaction volume tells a different story than Medina. While Medina averages 5–8 sales per quarter, Yarrow Point typically processes 10–15 transactions quarterly. This higher absorption rate suggests a market with greater liquidity and less price volatility. When a single sale can't move the median by millions of dollars, the numbers become more reliable.

Days on market in Yarrow Point average 45–60 days for priced-to-market homes, compared to Medina's 30-day average. This difference is not a reflection of weaker demand but rather of a broader buyer pool that includes move-up buyers from Seattle proper, tech executives relocating to the Eastside, and family-oriented purchasers prioritizing school access over waterfront status. For sellers, this means more showings, more backup offers, and less risk of extended vacancy.

Inventory at any given time typically ranges from 25–40 active homes, compared to Medina's 15–20. This creates a market with meaningful selection while still maintaining the scarcity premium that defines the greater Eastside.

The Waterfront Premium: Smaller Than You'd Expect

One of Yarrow Point's most distinctive features is that the price gap between waterfront and interior lots is significantly narrower than in Medina or Hunts Point. In Medina, waterfront homes trade at 150–250% premiums over comparable interior properties. In Yarrow Point, the premium typically ranges from 80–140%, depending on lot size, home condition, and view orientation.

A 2.5-acre waterfront estate in Yarrow Point might sell for $5.5M, while a comparable 2.5-acre interior lot with a newer home would sell for $4.2–4.5M. In Medina, that same waterfront property would exceed $10M. This difference makes Yarrow Point uniquely attractive to buyers who want waterfront without the extreme premium—and to sellers who own interior lots positioned to serve a broad buyer demographic.

Geography and Position: The SR-520 Advantage

Yarrow Point's geographic position along SR-520 represents a competitive advantage that is often overlooked in discussions that focus exclusively on Medina's status or Hunts Point's privacy. For commuters bound for Seattle, Yarrow Point has the fastest and most direct route to employment centers on the other side of the bridge.

During off-peak hours, the commute from Yarrow Point to downtown Seattle is approximately 12–15 minutes. During peak morning commute (8–9 AM westbound), you're looking at 18–22 minutes. This is meaningfully faster than the equivalent commute from Medina or Hunts Point, both of which require longer surface-street routing to reach the SR-520 on-ramp.

This geographic fact has concrete economic implications. In a Puget Sound region where tech workers face 30–45 minute commutes from more distant suburbs, a 15-minute bridge crossing with a waterfront home available at $4–6M becomes highly competitive relative to suburban alternatives. This positioning has driven incremental demand from Amazon, Microsoft, and smaller venture-backed companies whose employees actively seek Eastside locations.

Internal Connectivity

Yarrow Point's internal geography is straightforward. 84th Avenue NE runs north–south, connecting Yarrow Point to Hunts Point in the south and serving as a primary spine. 92nd Avenue NE connects eastward to Clyde Hill and toward the I-405 corridor. Evergreen Point Road provides access northward toward the Evergreen Point area and SR-520 approach.

Unlike Medina, which functions almost as a dead-end peninsula that you enter and exit via a limited number of streets, Yarrow Point has multiple through-routes. For residents, this means less of a gated feel. For traffic, it means slightly more mobility but also slightly more through-traffic. This is one of the aesthetic tradeoffs that makes Yarrow Point more affordable than Medina.

Waterfront and Interior Distinction

Yarrow Point's approximately 30–35 waterfront lots occupy the Lake Washington shoreline, with the largest concentration in the southern and central portions. The community also includes a significant interior territory extending eastward, where homes sit 0.5–2 miles from the water but benefit from Bellevue School District assignment and Eastside prestige.

This mix creates a market with distinct micro-zones: waterfront-focused properties that compete with comparable homes in Medina and Hunts Point on amenity (though not on price), and interior properties that represent the more accessible tier of Eastside premium real estate. For strategic buyers, these are nearly different real estate markets operating under the same neighborhood name.

Architecture: Diverse, Eclectic, and Increasingly Contemporary

Yarrow Point's architectural inventory is more diverse and less historically defined than Medina's. Where Medina's character is shaped by a concentrated collection of early-20th-century estates and mid-century originals, Yarrow Point's aesthetic is genuinely mixed: ranch-style homes from the 1950s–60s, split-level constructions, a number of 1980s and 1990s colonials, and an increasing volume of new construction in the contemporary Northwest and Modern styles.

This architectural diversity is partly a function of Yarrow Point's governance. Being unincorporated King County, it has less restrictive design guidelines than Medina. Homeowners have more flexibility in renovation scope, setback requirements, and material choices. This freedom has attracted builders and architects who want creative latitude—and it has resulted in a streetscape that feels more varied and less curated than Medina's carefully maintained uniformity.

For buyers, this diversity is both opportunity and caution. You might find a carefully renovated mid-century gem for $3.8M that would cost $5.5M+ to replicate in Medina's more restrictive environment. Alternatively, you might encounter a home that deviates significantly from neighborhood aesthetic—because neighborhood aesthetic is less stringently enforced. This is why local knowledge matters more in Yarrow Point than in other communities.

New construction in Yarrow Point typically features open floor plans, high-performance building systems, and clean-lined Modern or Contemporary Northwest aesthetics. Price points for new build typically range from $4.5M–$8M depending on lot size, waterfront access, and finish specificity. These homes often attract tech buyers who value efficient systems, smart-home integration, and minimal maintenance over the character and land scale of mid-century properties.

Schools: Same Bellevue Excellence, Without the Medina Microclimate

Yarrow Point benefits from the same school assignment as Medina: Bellevue School District. This is a material advantage and one reason the community attracts families. Yarrow Point residents have access to the same elementary, middle, and high schools, with the same Advanced Learning (AL) programs, the same test scores, and the same family-oriented reputation.

Yarrow Point Elementary

Unlike Medina, which is served by Medina Elementary directly within its borders, Yarrow Point feeds into Chinook Elementary and Juel Christian School for primary education. Chinook Elementary is a well-regarded Bellevue School District school with solid academic performance and active parent involvement. For families seeking public school option with strong academics, Chinook represents a proven choice.

From there, Yarrow Point students feed into Chinook Middle School and Bellevue High School—the same secondary pathway as Medina residents, ensuring access to the same quality instruction and post-secondary outcomes.

Private School Access

Yarrow Point's central Eastside location places it equidistant from all major private schools: Lakeside School (grades 5–12, approximately 12 minutes), The Bush School (grades 6–12, approximately 10 minutes), Bellevue Christian (grades K–12, approximately 8 minutes), and University Prep (grades 6–12, approximately 15 minutes). For families evaluating private options, Yarrow Point's location is actually slightly more convenient than Medina's, with shorter average commute times to school campuses.

Waterfront Ownership: More Permissive Than Medina, More Regulated Than Hunts Point

Waterfront properties in Yarrow Point operate under King County regulations rather than Medina's more stringent municipal code. This creates a meaningful difference in permitting burden and regulatory complexity. Dock modifications, bulkhead work, and waterfront landscaping require permits from King County and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, but not the additional layers of review that Medina's Shoreline Master Program imposes.

In practical terms, this means that waterfront projects in Yarrow Point often proceed faster and with lower permitting costs than equivalent work in Medina. A dock repair that might require 4–6 months of permit review in Medina might be cleared in 2–3 months in Yarrow Point. A bulkhead replacement faces the same seasonal restrictions (July 15 – September 30 for in-water work), but with less administrative overhead.

For buyers purchasing waterfront in Yarrow Point, this regulatory environment is generally favorable. For sellers, it means that waterfront property remediation can often be undertaken on a more aggressive timeline, which can accelerate pre-sale preparation.

Community Character: Understated Suburban Meets Waterfront Prestige

Yarrow Point's character is quieter and more understated than Medina's, but less aggressively private than Hunts Point's. The streets are residential and tree-lined. Commercial activity is absent. The overall sensibility is one of low-key quality—homes are maintained to a high standard, but the aesthetic rules are fewer and the enforcement is lighter.

For residents, this creates a neighborhood that feels less gated and more integrated with the broader Eastside community. You can drive through Yarrow Point without noticing fortification or ostentatious display. At the same time, property values and resident income levels make it unmistakably an affluent community.

Yarrow Point Beach Club

A distinctive community amenity, the Yarrow Point Beach Club provides waterfront access, beach parking, and seasonal recreation opportunities for residents and their guests. The club maintains a small public beach area and serves as a community gathering point, particularly during summer months. This shared amenity reinforces community identity while providing waterfront access for non-waterfront-lot residents.

The Beach Club is smaller and less elaborate than some Eastside clubs, but its existence reflects the community's commitment to providing shared amenities that reinforce the neighborhood's beach-community identity. For families with children, the Beach Club offers water access without the private-dock requirements and maintenance obligations of waterfront ownership.

Access to Bellevue and Seattle

Downtown Bellevue is approximately 10–12 minutes away via 92nd Avenue NE. This proximity provides Yarrow Point residents with quick access to shopping, dining, and professional services while maintaining residential separation. The 520 bridge crossing to Seattle's urban core typically takes 12–18 minutes during off-peak hours, and 20–25 minutes during typical commute periods.

This geography makes Yarrow Point simultaneously a bedroom community for Seattle-based workers and a residential community connected to Bellevue's economic center. For residents, this means dual-market access—you can work downtown Seattle, downtown Bellevue, or any point in between, with reasonable commute times from home.

The Value Proposition: Yarrow Point Versus Medina and Hunts Point

The most accurate way to position Yarrow Point is as the value alternative within the Eastside waterfront tier. Comparable to Medina and Hunts Point in schools, water access, and demographic profile, but positioned at meaningfully lower price points and with more relaxed governance structures.

Versus Medina

A waterfront property in Yarrow Point priced at $5.5M would trade in Medina at $8.5–10M+. An interior lot in Yarrow Point at $3.8M might fetch $5.5–6.5M in Medina. This 60–70% price differential is the central fact of Yarrow Point's market positioning. Buyers who price out of Medina—either due to budget constraints or by choice—often discover Yarrow Point as the obvious next option.

The tradeoff is governance and perceived privacy. Medina's incorporated city status, its restrictive building guidelines, and its reputation for exclusivity create a brand and a sense of insularity that Yarrow Point does not offer. If a buyer values that status explicitly, Medina commands a premium. If a buyer values waterfront access, great schools, and financial prudence, Yarrow Point delivers the same outcomes for significantly less capital.

Versus Hunts Point

Hunts Point occupies a positioning between Medina and Yarrow Point: more private and gated than Yarrow Point (it is an incorporated city), but generally more affordable than Medina while maintaining similar privacy and governance structures. Hunts Point prices typically range $4.5M–$12M, depending on waterfront status.

Yarrow Point's advantage over Hunts Point is price transparency and transaction volume. With more properties selling and fewer gated-community restrictions, the Yarrow Point market provides more accurate comparable sales data. For buyers, this means less risk of overpaying for the premium associated with Hunts Point's incorporated-city status.

Versus Clyde Hill

Clyde Hill, the fourth major Eastside community, typically trades below Yarrow Point in price but with less waterfront access and smaller average lot sizes. For buyers who want waterfront and are willing to pay the premium, Yarrow Point offers significantly better water exposure than Clyde Hill. For buyers prioritizing interior lots and school access over waterfront, Clyde Hill can be more affordable, though it also has less brand recognition among relocation buyers.

Yarrow Point Market Snapshot: Key Metrics

Sources: NWMLS, King County Assessor, proprietary transaction data. Waterfront and interior estimates based on direct market observation and recent comparable sales. Data updated quarterly.

Financial Considerations for Yarrow Point Buyers and Sellers

Washington State's lack of personal income tax remains a significant advantage for high-earning relocators from tax-jurisdiction states. This advantage is the same in Yarrow Point as in Medina, making the Eastside competitive on tax grounds regardless of which community you choose.

Property taxes in Yarrow Point are comparable to Medina, running approximately 0.8–1.0% of assessed value through King County. For a $5.2M home, annual property taxes typically range from $18,000 to $30,000, though the range can extend to $35,000+ for properties with recent improvements or assessments. This is approximately 40–50% lower than equivalent property tax bills in Medina on higher-priced homes, creating tangible annual savings on a lower purchase price.

Washington's Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) applies identically to Yarrow Point as to Medina: tiered from 1.1% to 3.0% based on sale price. On a $5.2M sale, REET would range from $45,000 to $115,000 depending on the specific transaction and any applicable exemptions. Like Medina, Washington does not tax capital gains on real estate sales, and federal Section 121 exclusions apply for primary residences.

For buyers comparing Yarrow Point to Medina on all-in financial terms, the math is compelling: purchase a $5.2M waterfront property in Yarrow Point versus a $8M interior property in Medina, and you're looking at $2.8M in lower acquisition cost, approximately $8,000–12,000 in annual property tax savings, and comparable school and waterfront access. Over a ten-year holding period, the cumulative savings can exceed $3M—funds that can be directed toward renovations, dock improvements, or simply retained as financial flexibility.

Buying Strategy: How to Compete and Win in Yarrow Point

Yarrow Point's higher transaction volume and broader buyer pool relative to Medina create a different buying environment. You will have more choices, more competition, and less reliance on personal relationships to access inventory. This also means a more conventional real estate process—properties are typically listed on the MLS, showing windows are more predictable, and the market operates more transparently than Medina's private-sale layer.

For buyers, this transparency is generally advantageous. You can make informed decisions based on comparable sales data. You can confidently evaluate pricing relative to market conditions. You face less risk of overpaying due to information asymmetry.

Strategic considerations for Yarrow Point buyers: (1) Be prepared to move quickly on well-priced properties. With 10–15 sales per quarter across ~170 parcels, inventory turns relatively rapidly, and good homes at fair prices attract multiple offers. (2) Understand your waterfront premium tolerance. Waterfront commands 80–140% premium in Yarrow Point, but it's not mandatory. Interior lots offer meaningful value if your priority is school access and neighborhood prestige rather than dock access. (3) Plan for renovation if acquiring a mid-century original. Many of Yarrow Point's mid-century homes offer significant value but require 15–25% budget for updates to systems, finishes, and efficiency.

Selling Strategy: Positioning for Speed and Competitive Outcomes

Selling in Yarrow Point can follow a more conventional approach than Medina, since the market operates with greater transparency and larger buyer pool. MLS listing, open showings, and conventional marketing typically generate meaningful interest. The decision between public and private sale matters less in Yarrow Point than it does in Medina because a public listing doesn't create the same privacy exposure that Medina's smaller, tighter market creates.

Pricing strategy remains important but less punitive than in Medina. A home priced 10% above market in Medina can stall indefinitely. In Yarrow Point, the same home will simply take longer to sell, as more buyers are in the market and more inventory exists. This means more room for negotiation and less risk of permanent damage from overpricing.

For sellers, the key strategic question is condition and finish level. Properties presented in excellent condition with modern systems and updated aesthetics typically sell in 30–45 days. Properties requiring visible updates take 60–90 days. The financial question is simple: does a $200K pre-sale renovation create sufficient appreciation to justify the cost and carrying expense? Often yes, but you need local data to evaluate.

Technology Sector Demand and Future Positioning

Over the past 18 months, we've observed increasing interest in Yarrow Point from Seattle's technology sector. Employees of Amazon, Microsoft, Stripe, Meta, and smaller venture-backed companies have specifically identified Yarrow Point as offering the right balance: waterfront access, great schools, Eastside prestige, and pricing that leaves room in the overall financial picture for other investments or lifestyle choices.

This shift in buyer composition—away from traditional family wealth and established money, toward high-earning tech employees—is reshaping the market subtly. Properties are being updated with smart-home systems, high-performance HVAC, and modern finishes designed for tech-savvy owners. Architectural choices trend contemporary and minimalist rather than traditional. Sellers recognize that buyers increasingly value efficient systems over land scale or legacy character.

For investors and sellers, this trend suggests that positioning a property toward tech-sector buyers—emphasizing systems, efficiency, and connectivity—may accelerate sale timeline and command premium pricing relative to properties positioned toward traditional family buyers.

The Yarrow Point Opportunity: Why More Buyers Are Choosing It

Yarrow Point is increasingly recognized as the optimal choice for buyers who want Eastside waterfront, Bellevue schools, and professional property valuation but who have priced out of Medina's premium-for-profile structure or who explicitly prefer a less gated aesthetic than Hunts Point offers. The community combines accessibility, value, and quality in a way that few neighborhoods in the greater Seattle region can match.

For sellers, Yarrow Point's broader buyer pool and higher transaction volume create advantages that smaller, more exclusive communities cannot offer. For buyers, the community's mid-tier positioning between Medina and more affordable interior communities creates flexibility and negotiating leverage that Medina's thin inventory simply does not permit.