Where Do Google Kirkland Employees Buy If They Do Not Want a Downtown Kirkland Price? (2026)
<p><strong>Short answer:</strong> If you work at Google Kirkland and do not want to pay for central / waterfront Kirkland product, start with other Kirkland neighborhoods, then Kirkland condos or townhomes, then widen to Bothell, Redmond, Issaquah or Sammamish. Redfin does not publish a separate “downtown Kirkland” median. Citywide, Kirkland’s all-types median was <strong>$1,219,419</strong> over the three months ending September 2026 (down 9.67% YoY), with condos at <strong>$514,447</strong> and single-family at <strong>$1,374,452</strong>. October figures were not on Redfin yet as of November 5, 2026. Google lists two Kirkland locations—6th St Campus and Kirkland Urban—so pin the building before you chase a bargain across the map.</p><h2>Five places Google Kirkland buyers look instead of central product</h2><table><thead><tr><th>Option</th><th>What Redfin showed (Sept 2026 window)</th><th>Trade-off vs paying up for central Kirkland product</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Other Kirkland neighborhoods (Juanita, Houghton, Rose Hill)</td><td>Kirkland citywide all-types median $1,219,419; single-family $1,374,452; condo $514,447</td><td>Stay in-city for Google office days. Neighborhood choice still moves price a lot—see our Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill guide. Citywide figures are not downtown-only.</td></tr><tr><td>Kirkland condo / townhouse instead of SFH</td><td>Condo median $514,447 (n=84); townhouse $1,104,513 (n=27, thin)</td><td>Lower entry than Kirkland single-family ($1,374,452). HOA dues, reserves and rental rules matter. Compare to Redmond single-family in our condo vs SFH piece.</td></tr><tr><td>Bothell (I-405 north)</td><td>All-types $999,524; condo $489,950; 54.7% had a price drop</td><td>Lower citywide median than Kirkland; more negotiation room on Redfin’s September price-drop share. Hybrid Google schedule—see Mill Creek vs Bothell.</td></tr><tr><td>Redmond</td><td>All-types $1,194,406; condo $406,958; SFH $1,541,885</td><td>Useful if a partner works Microsoft / wants 2 Line access. Not automatically cheaper than Kirkland citywide.</td></tr><tr><td>Issaquah or Sammamish</td><td>Issaquah $1,034,507; Sammamish $1,489,291</td><td>Issaquah’s blend sat below Kirkland; Sammamish’s sat above. Drive-time trade-off—see our Issaquah / Sammamish Google schedule piece.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: Redfin housing-market pages and September 2026 property-type / demand extracts for Kirkland (9148), Bothell (29439), Redmond (14913), Issaquah (8645) and Sammamish (15735); Google Our locations page. Neighborhood guidance links to live club articles. Fetched / reconfirmed November 5, 2026.</em></p><h2>What Redfin shows for Kirkland citywide</h2><table><thead><tr><th>Redfin, Kirkland citywide</th><th>Figure</th><th>Notes</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Median sale price (All Home Types)</td><td>$1,219,419 (down 9.67% YoY)</td><td>Three months ending September 2026. Not a downtown-only median—Redfin does not publish a separate “downtown Kirkland” figure on the city page.</td></tr><tr><td>Single-family / townhouse / condo</td><td>$1,374,452 / $1,104,513 / $514,447</td><td>Same September 2026 window. Townhouse sample is thin (n=27).</td></tr><tr><td>Homes sold / median days on market</td><td>365 / 28 days</td><td>Citywide across product types.</td></tr><tr><td>Sale-to-list / above list / price drops</td><td>97.7% / 10.9% sold above list / 36.5% had a price drop</td><td>September 2026 demand metrics.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: Redfin Kirkland housing market (region 9148), three months ending September 2026 and September 2026 demand metrics, fetched November 5, 2026.</em></p><p>In-city neighborhood detail: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/juanita-vs-houghton-vs-rose-hill-google-kirkland">Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill</a>. Condo vs Eastside SFH: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/kirkland-condos-vs-redmond-single-family-eastside-tech-2026">Kirkland condos vs Redmond single-family</a>. North-end hybrid: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/mill-creek-vs-bothell-google-kirkland-hybrid-2026">Mill Creek vs Bothell for a Google Kirkland hybrid</a>. Issaquah / Sammamish school and bus context: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/sammamish-north-vs-south-microsoft-schools-2026">north vs south Sammamish</a>, <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/issaquah-bus-microsoft-commute-2026">Issaquah bus commute</a> (Issaquah/Sammamish Google schedule pack ships alongside this one). Light rail context: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/does-kirkland-have-light-rail-or-buy-in-redmond-2-line-2026">Kirkland light rail vs Redmond 2 Line</a>.</p><h2>A simple decision order</h2><ol><li><strong>Stay in Kirkland if office-day proximity is non-negotiable.</strong> Change neighborhood or product type before you change cities.</li><li><strong>Price the condo/townhouse path honestly.</strong> The sticker can look lower; dues and special assessments are part of the payment.</li><li><strong>Widen to Bothell when you want negotiation room on a hybrid schedule.</strong> September 2026 price-drop share was high versus Kirkland.</li><li><strong>Use Redmond when Microsoft / 2 Line matters for a partner.</strong> Do not assume it is cheaper than Kirkland citywide.</li><li><strong>Use Issaquah or Sammamish when lot size beats drive time.</strong> Confirm schools and run the Google trip on a real day.</li></ol><h2>FAQ</h2><h3>Where do Google Kirkland employees buy if they do not want a downtown Kirkland price?</h3><p>Most start with other Kirkland neighborhoods (Juanita, Houghton, Rose Hill), Kirkland condos/townhomes, or they widen to Bothell, Redmond, Issaquah or Sammamish. Redfin’s Kirkland citywide median was $1,219,419 over the three months ending September 2026—that is not a downtown-only number. Compare the same home type, then time the commute to Google’s 6th St Campus or Kirkland Urban.</p><h3>Is a Kirkland condo the cheapest in-city option?</h3><p>On Redfin’s September 2026 window, Kirkland condos medianed $514,447 versus $1,374,452 for single-family. That is the clearest in-city price step down in the published property-type split. Underwrite HOA dues and reserves the same way you would anywhere.</p><h3>Should I leave Kirkland entirely?</h3><p>Only if the payment or the yard matters more than office-day proximity. Bothell’s citywide median was $999,524 with 54.7% of homes showing a price drop in September 2026. Sammamish was higher at $1,489,291. Issaquah sat at $1,034,507 citywide.</p><h3>Does Kirkland have light rail that changes this?</h3><p>No Link station in Kirkland today. If rail is the priority, Redmond’s 2 Line is the Eastside story—see our light-rail guide. Google Kirkland workers are usually optimizing drive time and payment, not a Kirkland station.</p><h3>How should I compare offers without a downtown median?</h3><p>Pull sold comps for the same product type inside the neighborhood you will actually buy—not the citywide all-types headline alone. Ask your agent for a CMA that excludes waterfront or view premiums you are not chasing.</p><h2>Talk it through with a local agent</h2><p>Peter Kim and Odigo Real Estate Club help Google Kirkland employees map payment versus commute without chasing a fake downtown median, with 25+ years combined experience, 593+ closings, and 122 five-star Zillow reviews. See our <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/services/home-buying-services">home buying services</a>. Related reading: <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/juanita-vs-houghton-vs-rose-hill-google-kirkland">Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill</a>, <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/kirkland-condos-vs-redmond-single-family-eastside-tech-2026">Kirkland condos vs Redmond single-family</a>, <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/mill-creek-vs-bothell-google-kirkland-hybrid-2026">Mill Creek vs Bothell for a Google Kirkland hybrid</a>, <a href="https://www.odigoclub.com/articles/closing-process-real-estate-washington-2026">closing process</a>.</p><p><strong>Odigo Real Estate Club</strong> · REAL Brokerage, WA #112064 · 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · <a href="tel:+14254093823">(425) 409-3823</a> · Mon–Sat 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday</p><h2>Sources</h2><ul><li>Redfin, Kirkland WA housing market (three months ending Sept 2026 and September 2026 figures by property type; sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares; Sept still latest month as of Nov 5, 2026), https://www.redfin.com/city/9148/WA/Kirkland/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Redfin, Bothell WA housing market (three months ending Sept 2026 and September 2026 figures by property type; sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/29439/WA/Bothell/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Redfin, Redmond WA housing market (three months ending Sept 2026 and September 2026 figures by property type; sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/14913/WA/Redmond/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Redfin, Issaquah WA housing market (three months ending Sept 2026 and September 2026 figures by property type; sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/8645/WA/Issaquah/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Redfin, Sammamish WA housing market (three months ending Sept 2026 median sale price, homes sold, days on market, $/sq ft, sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/15735/WA/Sammamish/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Google, Our locations (Kirkland offices listed as Google Kirkland - 6th St Campus and Google Kirkland - Kirkland Urban), https://about.google/company-info/locations/ , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li><li>Sound Transit, Stride bus rapid transit (Eastside BRT program context; service beginning as soon as 2028), https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/stride-bus-rapid-transit , accessed Nov 5, 2026.</li></ul>
About the Author
Peter Kim
Peter Kim is the owner of Odigo Real Estate Club, a leading real estate agency in the Greater Seattle area that specializes in residential, commercial, and luxury properties. With over 25 years of combined experience and a team of highly skilled agents, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the real estate space.
