Kenmore homes for sale: north Lake Washington with everyday room to breathe
Looking for a north Lake Washington town that feels more approachable than Bellevue or Kirkland sticker shock? Kenmore sits at the north tip of the lake between Lake Forest Park and Bothell — close enough for Eastside and Seattle corridors, with residential streets that still feel like a place to settle into a week, not just pass through.
For many buyers, that mix is the point: compare different kinds of homes, notice how a street feels at your usual drive times, and keep weekends tied to parks and trails. With more listings and motivated sellers in pockets across the Puget Sound, putting Kenmore on a short list can make the search feel calmer and more intentional.
Kenmore parks and trails: Log Boom Park, the Burke-Gilman Trail, and Walkways & Waterways
One of Kenmore’s clearest everyday draws is water and trail access. Log Boom Park (Tracy Owen Station) at 17415 61st Ave NE is a roughly 3.9-acre park with more than 1,200 feet of Lake Washington shoreline, a sandy beach, pier, playground, picnic shelter, Burke-Gilman Trail access, and space for hand-carry watercraft. It is the kind of park that turns an ordinary Saturday into a shoreline walk or a simple beach hour without planning a big outing.
The Burke-Gilman Trail runs through Kenmore as a paved corridor toward Seattle and continues as the Sammamish River Trail at Bothell, so bikes, walks, and longer rides stay part of the local landscape. The City of Kenmore also maintains multiple parks and parkland and continues Walkways & Waterways waterfront projects aimed at connecting people to the shoreline over time. Those amenities matter when you are choosing a home: they shape how evenings and weekends actually feel.
Kenmore neighborhoods: where everyday life tends to cluster
Downtown Kenmore along Hwy 522 (SR-522) holds everyday services — the practical errands that keep a week moving — with routes that connect toward Seattle, Bothell, and I-405. Juanita Drive also links south toward Kirkland. We do not promise specific commute minutes; traffic varies, so it is always smart to test the drive at the times you would actually travel.
South Kenmore, near the Inglewood Golf Club and Saint Edward State Park area, offers another pocket of residential feel with parks and greenery nearby. Different sides of town suit different routines: some buyers want the Hwy 522 convenience; others lean toward quieter streets closer to parkland. Walking a few blocks and sitting in traffic at your real commute time usually tells you more than a listing photo alone.
Buying a home in Kenmore, WA with a buyer’s-market mindset
Region-wide, many buyers are finding more homes to walk through in some segments, sellers open to conversation on price or terms, and room to negotiate when the fit is right. That is not a guarantee on every listing — well-presented homes can still move quickly — so preparation and knowing which Kenmore streets match your life still matter.
Kenmore may be a strong fit if you want north Lake Washington living, trail and park access you will actually use, and a more flexible path than stretching only for Bellevue or Kirkland.
Search Kenmore homes for sale with a Bellevue real estate team
Browse Eastside options at eastsideluxuryliving.com, or search homes for sale across the Puget Sound on homesnwre.com (past clients and buyers outside the Eastside). Comparing towns south of Bellevue too? Read our Renton Highlands neighborhood spotlight.
Want the current list of Kenmore homes? Call or text and we’ll send it.
Homes Northwest is not a lender.
Questions on a street or price range? Call or text Paul & Christine Nelson at 206-261-7355. Homes Northwest Real Estate | 1400 112th Ave SE, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98004.