Aerial view of Seattle homes, a bridge across the lake and the downtown skyline

Buying a home in
Seattle

Q: Does Washington tax my income if I buy a home in Seattle?

Not at present. The Department of Revenue says Washington does not currently have an individual income tax, and the capital gains excise tax does not apply to real estate. A new 9.9% tax starts on 1 January 2028 for individuals and couples with adjusted gross income above $1 million, with first returns due in April 2029. The Department has not yet said how it will treat non-residents or rental income, so confirm the position before you rely on it. Federal tax is separate.

Q: Could my heirs owe Washington estate tax on a Seattle home I own from Europe?

Possibly. The Department of Revenue says a non-resident who owns real estate in Washington must file an estate tax return if the gross estate exceeds the filing threshold, even if no tax is due. The exclusion amount is $3,000,000 for deaths from 1 July 2026. The tax is separate from the federal estate tax. Ask a cross-border adviser how your own country's inheritance tax and any treaty interact, before you buy.

Q: Is earthquake damage covered by my homeowner policy?

Usually not. The Insurance Commissioner says earthquake cover is added to a homeowner policy or bought separately, with deductibles typically 10% to 25% of the maximum payable on the building. Those policies also exclude damage from landslides, settling ground and mudflows, and it is usually hard to buy cover after an earthquake has happened. Ask for quotes during your inspection period, not after closing.

Q: Who pays what at a Washington closing?

Closing is run by an escrow officer at a title or escrow company, regulated as to title insurance by the Insurance Commissioner. The real estate excise tax is usually paid by the seller. The Commissioner says most sellers generally pay for the owner's title insurance policy, though it varies. Your lender will require a lender's policy, which you pay for. Read the purchase agreement to see exactly how each cost is allocated.

Q: Will I need a jumbo loan in Seattle?

Only above $1,063,750 for a one-unit home in King County in 2026. The county median sale price in August 2026 was $845,000, so a buyer putting 20% down at the median would borrow well under the limit. A larger house on the Eastside could take you over it, and jumbo lenders each set their own rules, including how they treat foreign income and visa status.

Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland form one job market built around technology, and many Europeans arrive on an employer-sponsored visa. Washington has no income tax today, but it does have an estate tax that reaches non-residents, and an earthquake risk that standard home insurance does not cover.

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Everything about buying in Seattle

Short answers on this page. The full guide has the detail, the figures and the sources.

The purchase and the loan

How a purchase runs here and which loans fit.

Buying: escrow, title and the excise tax
Financing at King County prices
Buying a condominium

Prices, taxes and insurance

What homes cost and what you pay on top.

What homes cost
Property tax in King County
No income tax today, but a new one is coming
The estate tax that reaches non-residents

Letting and living

Rental rules, local life and how to get there.

Earthquakes, landslides and insurance
If you plan to let it
Getting home

Read the full guide

Who moves here from Europe

The Seattle area is organised around technology employers, and most Europeans who buy here are relocating for work. Microsoft, whose headquarters are in Redmond on the Eastside, reported 223,000 employees worldwide at 30 June 2026, 121,000 of them in the United States.

For a European household that usually means a US salary, a temporary visa and no US credit history. That profile can obtain a conventional mortgage, but it takes preparation and it helps to start before you find a home. See how a work visa affects the loan.

Homes on a wooded lakeshore hillside with snow-capped Mount Rainier rising behind them

Seattle at a glance

Figures last checked: 4 October 2026

This is not a lending decision: a US specialist confirms what applies to your own situation.

Median sale price	$845,000 in King County, homes and condominiums together, August 2026 (Northwest MLS).
Property tax	2026 levy rates per $1,000 of assessed value: Seattle $9.91 in most tax codes, Bellevue $7.43 to $9.69, Kirkland $7.83 to $8.90, Redmond $7.27 to $8.40 (King County Assessor).
Loan limit 2026	$1,063,750 for a one-unit home in King County. Above that is a jumbo loan (FHFA).
Estate tax	Washington taxes the estates of non-residents who own Washington real estate. The exclusion is $3,000,000 for deaths from 1 July 2026 (Department of Revenue).
Short-term rental	Seattle requires a business licence and a short-term rental licence, $75 per unit a year, for stays under 30 nights (City of Seattle).
Flights home	Nonstops from Sea-Tac to 12 European cities, including Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Rome (Port of Seattle, page updated 13 May 2026).

Seattle skyline with the Space Needle seen over treetops under a blue sky

Grassy lakeside park with evergreen trees and a curved path at the water in Kirkland

Boats moored below the Seattle Great Wheel on the waterfront under a clear sky

Sailboats on Lake Union with the Seattle skyline and Space Needle in the distance

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Before you make an offer in Seattle

Get a pre-approval from a lender that understands your visa and employment contract.
Ask for the property tax code and the current assessed value of the exact address, then compare cities in dollars.
Confirm whether the loan would be conforming (up to $1,063,750 in King County) or jumbo.
Take cross-border advice on the Washington estate tax and your own country's inheritance rules before you buy.
Get earthquake insurance quotes, and ask about steep slopes, filled ground and landslide exclusions.
For a condominium, read the resale certificate and cancel within the allowed window if it is not acceptable.
Confirm with the city whether the property can be licensed as a short-term rental, and check the association's rules.
Ask the escrow officer who pays the excise tax and the owner's title policy under your contract.

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Questions people moving from Europe ask

Does Washington tax my income if I buy a home in Seattle?

Could my heirs owe Washington estate tax on a Seattle home I own from Europe?

Is earthquake damage covered by my homeowner policy?

Who pays what at a Washington closing?

Will I need a jumbo loan in Seattle?

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Sources (16)

Figures and rules on this page were checked against these sources on 4 October 2026. Rates, prices and local rules change, so confirm anything you rely on before you commit.

Buying a home inSeattle