Real Estate
A View of the Top
Our annual review of the region’s 10 most expensive homes. Get a look into the top properties in Western Washington

Extra, extra! Snap up one of these newsworthy beauties while you can. Home sales are predicted to increase in the next year, so the residences on our annual list of Western Washington’s most expensive homes may also find their way onto the most-wanted list.

While some real estate values have dropped, prices in this range are holding relatively steady. “They are less affected by interest rates,” says Coldwell Banker Bain’s Wendy Lister. “These luxury properties have strong value retention, without question.” Those who miss the chance to invest in one of these homes now may just have to admire their top-of-the-line amenities from afar. Consider what’s included in these homes:

1. Mercer Island, $32 million
Everything needed for a royal retreat can be found in this stone-and-stucco manse on Lake Washington: boathouse, dock, hot tub, six-car garage and a 13,636-square-foot house.
Contact: Wendy Lister, Coldwell Banker Bain, (425) 450-5206

2. Medina, $26.8 million
This 15,320-square-foot home with a wine cellar may feel like a chateau in the Alps, but it has expansive views of downtown Seattle, Lake Washington, Mount Rainier—and everything in between.
Contact: Tere Foster, Windermere Real Estate, (206) 200-8373

3. (tie) Mercer Island, $25 million
A Chihuly chandelier sparkles in the entry of this home, but through its atrium, one can see the stars sparkle. This exotic home also has mirrored lagoons, saltwater pools, dinner chambers and a marble salon.
Contact: Wendy Lister, Coldwell Banker Bain, (425) 450-5206

3. (tie) Yarrow Point, $25 million
This Eastside traditional estate, built in the 1900s and remodeled in 2007, provides a gazebo, dock and gardens designed to be a private oasis from city life.
Contact: Anna Riley, Windermere Real Estate, (425) 822-5100

5. Seattle, $14.95 million
A tennis player would love the regulation-sized tennis court on this property. The estate also features a detached apartment, covered boathouse, new bulkhead and dock.
Contact: Betsy Terry, Ewing & Clark, Inc., (206) 322-2840

6. Seattle, $12.85 million
A not-too-ostentatious luxury lakefront home is always classic. This one-story stucco has two kitchens, skylights, a hot tub, a master bedroom fireplace and more.
Contact: Kathryn Hughes, Madison House, Ltd., (206) 328-1011

7. Seattle, $10.9 million
Marble inlay, burl wood, granite, mahogany and onyx are some of the materials used in this 1930s French Normandy home, reconstructed in 2005, on 0.4 acre. Three adjacent lots are also available for purchase.
Contact: Betsy Terry, Ewing & Clark, Inc., (206) 322-2840

8. (tie) Snoqualmie, $10.5 million
Step out the doors of this 14,400-square-foot log home, and you can wander the grounds to a trout pond, pool, pastoral meadows and gardens—all with Mount Si as a backdrop.
Contact: Wendy Lister, Coldwell Banker Bain, (425) 450-5206

8. (tie) Seattle, $10.5 million
This shingle-and-stone home is reminiscent of the Hamptons, only the views through the bay windows of Lake Washington and the Cascades are more majestic. The verdant lot has terraces, fruit trees and space for gardening.
Contact: Betsy Terry, Ewing & Clark, Inc., (206) 322-2840

10. Mercer Island, $10.3 million
Sit in the infinity pool by the outdoor party zone of this 8,900-square-foot mansion and you may feel as if you're actually in Lake Washington. The party continues with full guest quarters, three kitchens and 96 feet of beach.
Contact: Wendy Lister, Coldwell Banker Bain, (425) 450-5206     

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2009 issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles.