Good morning. Five minutes on what moved in Bellevue this week, one item for your own neighborhood, the market in three numbers, and one practical thing for the house.
Bellevue this week
The next two-year budget is a $2.3 billion document, and council has started working through it. City Manager Diane Carlson introduced the preliminary 2027–2028 operating budget on September 15: balanced across all funds, with a 1% increase in the portion of property tax the city collects. Council also weighed three transportation funding scenarios, one of them a Transportation Benefit District. Three dates: information session Wednesday, September 30, 6 to 8 p.m.; final hearing October 27; adoption November 17. Source
How much parking a new building must include is still unsettled. State law now bars the city from requiring parking for homes under 2,000 square feet, affordable housing, senior housing, childcare centers and ground-floor commercial in mixed-use buildings. The Planning Commission would apply one consistent minimum citywide and add one visitor stall per 20 units on developments over six units. Council took it up September 8 and asked for more options before deciding. Source
The Transit Center switches sides in October. Work on the closed east bays wraps and construction moves to the west half, running through January 2027. Half the station stays open throughout, and bay assignments change more often than usual. Source
If a remodel or an ADU is on your list, October 17 is the day to ask questions. The Residential Permitting Expo runs 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at City Hall: the permit process, MyBuildingPermit.com, tree code rules, inspections, and a session on the new pre-approved plans program for accessory dwelling units and cottages. Free; registration appreciated. Source
The city will pay you $100 to test a crosswalk app. Bellevue, the University of Washington and Applied Information are testing an app that alerts drivers at midblock crosswalks. Testing runs in October: a 30-minute route, a 90-minute session with a temporary in-vehicle camera, $100. Source
Your neighborhood
Bridle Trails. Goff Creek gets a cleanup this fall: ivy pulled, slope stabilized and natives planted across roughly 8,000 square feet at NE 24th Street between 130th Place NE and 131st Place NE, to slow runoff and erosion. Up to four replacement neighborhood identity signs are due by December, with resident input on the design. Source
Sold near you: 6 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $4.26M (range $1.50M to $6.49M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 10 days.
BelRed. The BelRed Arts development agreement passed council unanimously: BRIDGE Housing leases a city-owned site long term, and about 60 of the project's 172 units are affordable, with creative space and an artist focus. Source
Sold near you: 6 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.10M (range $550K to $2.80M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 49 days.
Cougar Mountain / Lakemont. Tunneling for King County's Coal Creek sewer upgrade started at the Red Cedar Trailhead in July and runs 24 hours a day until roughly early 2027; you may feel small vibrations. Northbound Coal Creek Parkway SE loses a lane from 10:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily, deliberately reopened for the morning commute. Red Cedar Trailhead is closed — use Forest Drive, Red Town or Cinder Mine. Source
Sold near you: 8 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.73M (range $1.32M to $2.88M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 11 days.
Crossroads. Last one: the Crossroads Farmers Market closes its season Tuesday, September 29, noon to 6 in the east parking lot, after a run that started June 2. Source
Sold near you: 11 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.43M (range $435K to $2.73M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 21 days.
Downtown. Kemper Development has hired a broker to lead a sale of the Bellevue Collection, the Square-Place-Bellevue Collection block that anchors downtown retail. Nothing has changed on the ground yet; this is the start of a process. Source
Sold near you: 29 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.53M (range $420K to $5.15M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 3 days.
Eastgate. The draft Eastgate neighborhood area plan reached its final review: it was on the Planning Commission's agenda Wednesday night, September 23, 6:30 p.m. in Room 1E-113 at City Hall. The plan came out of about ten months of community input and covers neighborhood identity, mixed-use centers, gathering space, mobility and environment. The commission's recommendation goes to council next. Agenda · Plan
Sold near you: 19 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.35M (range $760K to $3.55M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 14 days.
Factoria. Factoria's draft neighborhood area plan is in the same round as Eastgate's — the 2025–26 cycle of the Great Neighborhoods program. The city expects the Planning Commission to hold its hearing on the Factoria plan this month, with both plans completed this year and adopted by council after the commission's recommendation. Source
Sold near you: 10 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $760K (range $440K to $2.80M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 25 days.
Lake Hills. Lake Hills Boulevard reopens October 1 between 151st and 154th Avenues SE, closing out the Kelsey Creek culvert replacement plus sewer and water work near Larsen Lake. The Lake to Lake Trail, sidewalk and crosswalk detours come down with it. Source
Sold near you: 17 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.14M (range $503K to $3.55M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 21 days.
Newport. The crosswalk at SE 60th Street and 120th Avenue SE, at the northeast corner of Newport Hills Park, is getting pedestrian-activated flashing beacons on both sides, upgraded street lighting and a new curb ramp on the north side, with completion set for late 2026. Newport residents picked it from ten ballot options; 498 ballots came back. Source
Sold near you: 10 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $820K (range $325K to $1.73M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 24 days.
Northeast Bellevue. About 1,100 feet of missing sidewalk is being filled in on the east side of 173rd Avenue NE, from Northup Way to NE 15th Place, paid from the area's $366,000 enhancement allocation plus Neighborhood Sidewalk Program money. Source
Sold near you: 8 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.25M (range $435K to $1.82M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 21 days.
Northwest Bellevue. Two Thursdays left. The Bellevue Farmers Market runs 3 to 7 p.m. at 1717 Bellevue Way NE through October 1, then closes the regular season; two Saturday fall markets follow on October 31 and November 21, 10 to 3. Source
Sold near you: 9 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.50M (range $235K to $6.00M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 42 days.
Somerset. A $217,000 project is pulling blackberry and ivy out of city-managed greenbelts across Somerset Park, Forest Park Open Space, Forest Park Meadows, Eastgate Park, Westwood Highlands and the Coal Creek Natural Area, replanting natives that crews maintain until established. Completion is set for fall 2027; 463 Somerset ballots picked it. Source
Sold near you: 14 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.73M (range $445K to $3.25M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 24 days.
West Bellevue. A shoreline permit is open for comment at 1863 Killarney Way (file 26-107015-WG): repair of an existing dock with 761 square feet of grated decking, a new 238-square-foot ramp, removal of a 578-square-foot moorage cover, and pile work. The shoreline comment period runs to 5 p.m. October 9. Source
Sold near you: 22 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.57M (range $420K to $5.15M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 3 days.
West Lake Sammamish. The median at the crosswalk next to Spiritridge Park is being replanted this fall with low-maintenance natives and expanded irrigation. Two stretches of West Lake Sammamish Parkway SE — north of the French Immersion School and south of SE 40th Place — get the same treatment by spring 2027. Source
Sold near you: 4 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.91M (range $1.14M to $2.47M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 25 days.
Wilburton. The Kelsey Creek Farm Fair is Saturday, October 3, 11 to 4 at 410 130th Place SE. On-site parking is for vendors and disabled visitors only — free parking is at International School, and shuttles run continuously from the Wilburton Park and Ride and Bannerwood Sports Park between 10:45 and 4:15. Admission, parking and many activities are free. Source
Sold near you: 22 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.38M (range $550K to $3.92M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 22 days.
Woodridge. (evergreen) Richards Creek Open Space at 1640 Richards Road is a city-managed wetland site where the Neighborhood Enhancement Program cleared non-native plants from the wet areas and replanted natives for habitat. It is one of four projects Woodridge residents voted through on a $161,000 area budget, alongside trail drainage and surfacing on the Woodridge/McTavish trail. Source
Sold near you: 12 homes closed within a mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.55M (range $605K to $5.15M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 26 days.
The market in 60 seconds
Three numbers from the live sales data behind the monthly Bellevue market report: the median sold price is $1.49M, the median home takes 48 days from listing to closing, and there are 6.8 months of inventory at the current pace. The number that moved is the last one — the same pull read 5.9 months two weeks ago. Active listings barely changed, 680 then and 681 now; what changed is the pace of closings, 116 in the trailing 30 days two weeks ago and 100 now. Read the three together: price is what buyers paid, days on market is how much patience sellers needed, and months of inventory is who holds the leverage. Under three months favors sellers, above six favors buyers, and on this measure Bellevue has crossed that line. The full report, with the trend lines behind these numbers, is here: Bellevue market report #market
One useful thing: the property-tax date moved this year
King County's second-half property tax is due October 31 — except October 31 lands on a Saturday in 2026, and the county's rule moves a deadline falling on a weekend or county holiday to the next business day, which makes it Monday, November 2. Pay online by card or e-check (a service fee applies), by mail postmarked no later than the due date, in person at 201 S. Jackson Street, or by the secure drop box at King Street Center. If your assessed value looked wrong this year, the window to challenge it is not October: petitions go to the Board of Appeals and Equalization by July 1 of the assessment year, or within 60 calendar days of the date on your value notice, whichever is later. Valuation notices mail between May and November, so the one arriving now starts a 60-day clock. Payment details · How to appeal
That's the week. Reply with anything you want tracked in Bellevue, and if a neighbor would read it, forward it. Next Thursday: what the Planning Commission sends to council on Eastgate and Factoria, and the first of the fall road projects to wrap.
The Bellevue Dispatch is a RexMont Real Estate publication. Adriano Tori, Designated Broker. Reply to this email and a person reads it.