Renton, Washington Housing Market

How much more is for sale in Renton than before the pandemic?

There are 427 homes for sale in Renton, 52% more than in 2017–2019 at this time of year. That count is up 29% on last year, with 144 new listings this month. The build-up is biggest in 98057 (30 for sale, 64% above its 2017–2019 level) and 98056 (107 for sale, 60% above its 2017–2019 level). More choice means you can walk away from any home priced for the market of three years ago.

How much can you negotiate in Renton?

For every 100 homes still for sale, 30 are under contract. In 2017–2019 at this time of year it was 61. The rest are still waiting for a buyer. About 1 in 4 sellers has already dropped their price. Each one has learned their first price was too high. Start your offer below their new price.

Renton listings spend a median 53 days on the market. That is 20% longer than a year ago. There are 427 homes for sale in Renton. That is the most in ten years. It is 10 times the low of Jan 2022. Every one of them competes with the house you want.

What to do about it

• Search Renton homes listed 60+ days ago that have already cut their price.
• Offer below the reduced price.
• Keep your inspection and financing contingencies.
• Ask the seller to pay closing costs.
• You can lose a few offers here and still win.

How does Renton compare with other Washington markets?

Ranked among the 25 Washington markets we track:

• Asking price: 6th priciest of 25. Renton is at $767,369. Closest: Seattle and Edmonds.
• Buyer competition: 10th least competitive of 23. Renton is at 0.30 buyers per home. Closest: Bellingham and Federal Way.
• Time on market: 10th longest time on market of 25. Renton is at a median of 53 days on market. Closest: Puyallup and Yakima.
• Price cuts: 11th fewest price cuts of 25. Renton is at 24% of sellers cutting. Closest: Kennewick and Bremerton.

What is the fair market rent in Renton?

HUD sets one fair market rent for King County. For fiscal year 2026:

• 1 bedroom: $2,146 a month. Down 6% on last year, up 75% since FY2016.
• 2 bedrooms: $2,501 a month. Down 6% on last year, up 64% since FY2016.
• 3 bedrooms: $3,272 a month. Down 7% on last year, up 47% since FY2016.
• 4 bedrooms: $3,847 a month. Down 6% on last year, up 47% since FY2016.

The figures include tenant-paid utilities and apply to all of King County, so one home's rent can sit well above or below them. See fair market rent by city.

Who will rent from you in Renton?

In Renton, 39 out of every 100 households rent. Most own their home. That share has held steady for five years. Renter households average 2.3 people. Two and three bedrooms fit the typical renter.

Households grew 2% in five years. The housing stock grew 2%. The two are moving in step. Just 4.2% of homes sit empty. A well-priced rental fills fast here.

The median Renton household earns $112,795 a year. Incomes here have grown 5.2% a year since 2019. Incomes are rising faster than home prices. Affordability is improving. A typical home costs 6.8 times the median income. Most locals cannot buy. That keeps rental demand deep. It also caps the rent they can pay. At 30% of income, a tenant on the median income can pay about $2,820 a month.

To see what one Renton address would rent for and cash flow, run it through the app.

What numbers should you underwrite a Renton deal with?

• Price growth to assume — +2.5%/yr. Renton grew 6.2% a year over the decade. Ignore that rate. Most of it landed in the 2020 and 2021 boom. Without the boom, Renton grows about 2.5% a year. That is the number to type in. Prices fell 2.1% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.
• Odds you cut your price to sell — 1 in 4. 24% of Renton listings have cut their asking price. Underwrite your exit below asking.
• Competition when you exit — +29%. Homes for sale in Renton are up 29% on last year, so your resale faces more competition than today's comps did.

Read what days on market tells you about leverage and how we read these numbers, then run the numbers on a deal.

What is the median home price in Renton?

The median asking price in Renton is about $767,000 as of Sep 2026, down 2.5% from a year ago. This is the asking price on homes listed for sale. Sites that report sold prices or estimated home values will show a different number. Our Renton figures cover the 5 ZIP codes with a Renton mailing address, which can reach past city limits.

Is Renton a buyer's or seller's market in 2026?

Buyers have more room in Renton than usual. We compare Renton with 2017–2019 at this time of year: there are 30 pending sales per 100 listings, against 61 then; there are 52% more homes for sale; listings spend 48% more days on the market.

Are Renton home prices going up or down?

The median asking price is 22.1% below its Apr 2023 peak. Per square foot the gap is smaller: 10.8% below the May 2025 high. Part of the drop is smaller homes coming to market. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower.

What is the best month to buy a house in Renton?

Across 9 full years, Renton asking prices ran lowest in December, about 5.5% below the year's average. They peaked in May. The most homes for sale show up in August, about 39% above the yearly average.

What is the fair market rent in Renton?

HUD's fiscal year 2026 fair market rent for King County is $2,501 a month for 2 bedrooms and $3,272 for 3 bedrooms. The figures include tenant-paid utilities and cover the whole county.