Good morning. Issue three of the Kirkland Dispatch: five minutes on what moved in Kirkland this week, one item for your own neighborhood, the market in three numbers, and one practical thing for the house.
Kirkland this week
Tuesday's council: speed limits, a station name, and a downtown housing agreement. Speed limits were a study session: discussion, no vote. The policy adopted in December 2025 sets 20 mph as the default on local streets, and an implementation plan still comes back to council for approval. The regular meeting took up the NE 85th Street station-area name, an affordable-housing agreement at the Arete Apartments, and a lease of the former church on NE 132nd Street. Council calendar, revised 10/2 · Safety Action Plan
October 20: traffic signals, utility rates, and a Kraken lease that moved. The study session covers traffic signals and the Green Loop; the regular meeting lists utility-rate adoption, the faith-owned lands code and a middle-housing briefing. The Kraken ground-lease amendment, listed for October 20 last week, now sits on November 4. Council calendar
Southbound I-405 closes in Bothell this weekend. All southbound lanes between SR 527 and SR 522 close from 10 PM Friday, October 9, to 4 AM Monday, October 12, with the NE 195th Street ramps closed. Expect heavier traffic on I-5 and through Bothell. WSDOT
A half marathon closes part of Juanita Drive on Saturday, October 17. About 1,000 runners start and finish at Juanita Beach Park; eastbound NE Juanita Drive closes 7 to 11:30 AM between 93rd and 98th Avenues NE. Cars parked on the course will be towed. City of Kirkland
Halloween on the city calendar. The Pee Wee Monster Bash, for ages 1 to 5, is Friday, October 30, 10 AM to noon at the North Kirkland Community Center; $18 per child, register at KirklandParks.net or 425-587-3336. Día de los Muertos is Saturday, October 24, 2 to 4 PM at the Peter Kirk Community Center, free and drop-in. City bulletin · Día de los Muertos
Your neighborhood
Central Houghton. The Cross Kirkland Corridor between NE 52nd Street and 108th Avenue NE stays closed for King County's culvert repair, still on the three-month schedule that began September 8; the county has posted no newer update. Further out: Conversations with Council comes to the Northwest University café, 10930 NE 58th Way, on Monday, November 9, 5 to 7 PM, drop-in, bring your own topic. King County · City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 13 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.70M (range $253K to $7.30M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 20 days.
Everest. WSDOT has posted no new NE 85th Street closure since the October 1–5 paving weekend. Its project page now targets the rebuilt interchange opening to traffic in early 2027; the project hotline is 425-224-2423. WSDOT project page · WSDOT news
Sold near you: 31 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.45M (range $253K to $4.29M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 9 days.
Evergreen Hill. The former church at 13220 NE 132nd Street, 3.28 acres with a 15,635-square-foot building the city plans to turn into a community center, was on Tuesday's agenda for a lease following the city's closing. Closer in: a forest-restoration afternoon at South Norway Hill Park, 14701 122nd Avenue NE, Sunday, October 11, 1 to 3:30 PM; tools provided, register on Eventbrite. Church project page · Eventbrite via City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 21 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.03M (range $250K to $1.48M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 13 days.
Finn Hill. (evergreen) O.O. Denny Park, 12032 Holmes Point Drive NE, is 45.5 acres on the lake, owned by Seattle and run by Kirkland, with trails, Denny Creek and reservable picnic shelters; restrooms are seasonal, March through October. Northshore Utility District plans trench work on Holmes Point Drive by the park, date not yet set; when it starts, the park is reachable from one end only. City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 11 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $925K (range $326K to $1.60M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 31 days.
Highlands. On September 15, council approved a long-term approach to water pressure in the Highlands. The temporary booster station at Forbes Creek Park has held the upper part of the neighborhood at its former pressure since June 23. City bulletin · Highlands water pressure
Sold near you: 19 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.63M (range $675K to $4.29M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 22 days.
Juanita. Saturday, October 17, the half marathon closes eastbound NE Juanita Drive between 93rd and 98th Avenues NE from 7 to 11:30 AM; cars on the course get towed. Before that, this Saturday, October 10, the drive-in returns to Juanita Beach Park: lot opens at 6 PM, $20 per vehicle, advance registration. Half marathon alert · Wheels & Reels
Sold near you: 20 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $965K (range $300K to $2.80M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 8 days.
Lakeview. (evergreen) Marsh Park, 6605 Lake Washington Boulevard, is 4.1 acres with a lawn, a dock, a hand-carried boat launch and year-round restrooms. The land was given by Louis Marsh, an early Boeing engineer whose father settled near the site in 1905. City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 11 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.27M (range $253K to $7.30M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 25 days.
Market. (evergreen) Kiwanis Park, 1405 10th Street W, is 2.6 acres on the lake with a trail, a picnic table and a small beach, open dawn to dusk, street parking only. Part of it is a Green Kirkland restoration site. City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 26 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.83M (range $1.08M to $4.29M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 17 days.
Moss Bay. Día de los Muertos is at the Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Avenue, on Saturday, October 24, 2 to 4 PM; parking on site is limited, so the city points to the garage beneath the library. On October 17, southbound Lakeshore Plaza closes 8 to 10 AM for the half marathon; the Lakeshore Plaza lot stays reachable from Kirkland Avenue. Día de los Muertos · Half marathon alert
Sold near you: 29 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.50M (range $479K to $3.59M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 9 days.
Norkirk. (evergreen) Crestwoods Park, 1818 6th Street, is 26.6 acres beside the Cross Kirkland Corridor with ball fields, natural trails and a stair climb at the north end. Seasonal restrooms usually close after October, and Field 4 is slated for a synthetic-turf infield in 2027. City of Kirkland
Sold near you: 29 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.75M (range $1.06M to $4.29M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 17 days.
North Rose Hill. Conversations with Council comes to Fire Station 26's community room, 9930 124th Avenue NE, on Saturday, October 17, 10 AM to noon: drop in with a topic or question. The 132nd Avenue NE and NE 100th Street signal page still shows its April update, which put the signal in operation in September; nothing newer is posted. City of Kirkland · Signal project page
Sold near you: 16 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.41M (range $260K to $2.75M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 28 days.
South Rose Hill / Bridle Trails. The Kraken ground-lease amendment for the Iceplex and community center site, the former Houghton Park & Ride, moved on the council calendar from October 20 to November 4. Construction began in June; the city's target opening is fall 2027. Council calendar · Project page
Sold near you: 21 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.50M (range $825K to $3.49M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 18 days.
Totem Lake. This weekend's southbound I-405 closure in Bothell (10 PM Friday to 4 AM Monday) sits just north of the neighborhood; expect detour traffic. (evergreen) The Totem Lake Connector, open since July 2023, carries the 5.75-mile Cross Kirkland Corridor over Totem Lake Boulevard and NE 124th Street on foot or bike. WSDOT · Totem Lake Connector
Sold near you: 18 homes closed within 0.8 mile of the neighborhood center in the last 45 days, median $1.03M (range $235K to $1.60M); the fastest went from listing to closing in 24 days.
The market in 60 seconds
Across Kirkland ZIPs 98033 and 98034, the median home sold for $1.23M over the last 30 days (115 closings). The median home took 57 days from listing to closing, and there are 4.8 months of inventory on the market.
That is a small step toward buyers from last week's $1.24M, 55 days and 4.4 months: fewer closings against a steady 555 active listings. Still balanced territory: under three months favors sellers, above six favors buyers. For an owner, price and condition set the timeline. For a buyer, there is room to negotiate; 4% of homes closed above asking.
One useful thing: Before the saw comes out
Kirkland regulates any tree 6 inches or more in diameter, measured 4.5 feet up the trunk. A free online notification covers 2 removals every 12 months on lots up to 10,000 square feet, 3 up to 20,000 and 4 above that, if enough trees remain and the tree is under 26 inches (a Landmark tree). Critical areas, shoreline setbacks and the Holmes Point Overlay take a paid permit and an arborist's report. Topping is prohibited, and pruning over 25% of live canopy can count as removal. Questions: 425-587-3600. Tree Removal Guide · City trees page
That's the week. Reply with anything you want tracked in Kirkland, and if a neighbor would read it, forward it. Next Thursday: the October 20 council agenda in detail, from the traffic-signal update to utility rates, and the October 17 closures on Juanita Drive.
Curious what your place would sell for right now? Reply with your address.
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The Kirkland Dispatch is a RexMont Real Estate publication. Adriano Tori, Designated Broker. Reply to this email and a person reads it.