Bothell Townhomes And Condos For Long-Term Investing

If you are thinking about buying a Bothell condo or townhome as a long-term investment, the big question is simple: does this market have the right mix of demand, scarcity, and staying power? That is a fair question, especially when attached homes come with HOA dues, shared decision-making, and rental rules that can change the math. The good news is that Bothell offers several signs that can support a long-hold strategy if you buy carefully and underwrite the details. Let’s dive in.

Why Bothell stands out

Bothell has several fundamentals that matter to long-term investors. The city had an estimated population of 51,770 as of July 1, 2024, which was up 7.5% from April 1, 2020. It also had a median household income of $140,427, a 65.5% owner-occupied housing rate, and a mean travel time to work of 27.7 minutes.

Those numbers do not guarantee appreciation or easy leasing, but they do show a city with growth, household income, and a strong owner-occupant base. For an investor, that combination can support future resale demand and a stable renter pool over time.

Attached homes are a smaller part of Bothell

One of the more interesting points in Bothell is the housing mix. The city says its land-use data show a predominantly low-density housing stock, including about 41% single-family homes, about 5% buildings with five or more units, and about 4% condos or group homes.

That matters because condos and townhomes sit in a smaller slice of the local market. When a housing type is less common, that can help support long-term scarcity, especially for buyers who want lower-maintenance living or a more attainable entry point than a detached home.

Bothell also reported that about 35% of households were renters in 2021. That gives attached homes a meaningful audience, both from owner-occupants and from renters looking for alternatives to larger apartment buildings.

What current inventory suggests

As of May 24, 2026, Zillow showed 96 townhomes and 63 condos for sale in Bothell. Zillow also showed 18 townhomes for rent. These are live snapshots, so they can change quickly, but they still offer a useful look at the current attached-home segment.

For long-term investors, the main takeaway is that supply is active but not especially deep when compared with the full city housing market. That can matter later when you eventually sell, especially if your unit is in a well-run community with solid reserves and a floor plan that appeals to both renters and future buyers.

Broader market speed also supports the case for liquidity. Redfin reported that in March 2026, Bothell homes sold after 8 days on market and received 3 offers on average. That applies to the overall market, not just condos and townhomes, but it still points to an active local resale environment.

Why this is more of a long-hold story

Bothell is not easiest to frame as a pure cash-flow play. A more defensible view is that condos and townhomes here fit a long-term hold strategy built on local income levels, relatively limited attached-home supply, shared-maintenance living, and ongoing city investment.

That distinction matters. If you are expecting a property to produce exceptional cash flow right away, HOA dues, reserves, and insurance costs may limit your margin. But if your goal is to hold through multiple market cycles, benefit from city growth, and preserve optionality for future resale or rental use, Bothell becomes more compelling.

Growth drivers to watch over time

Bothell’s long-term planning helps explain why many buyers keep this city on their radar. The city approved its 2024 Imagine Bothell Comprehensive Plan on December 10, 2024, and that plan serves as a 20-year roadmap for residential and commercial growth, transportation improvements, and capital investments.

The city’s adopted housing target calls for 12,782 new units from 2020 to 2044. That is a large amount of planned growth, and it signals that Bothell is preparing for more households over time rather than standing still.

Downtown also remains a major focus area. The city says its Downtown Subarea Plan helped transform downtown over the last 15 years, and the current update is intended to keep pace with how Bothell is changing. The city’s Economic Vitality Plan also emphasizes walkable and accessible business districts and stronger connections between housing, business, and nearby campuses.

For attached-home owners, this matters because townhomes and condos often benefit from improving walkability, growing business districts, and more transportation choices. Those factors can make a home more useful to both future buyers and renters.

Transit and access are key demand drivers

Transportation is one of the clearest long-term reasons to watch Bothell. Bothell Way NE connects SR 522 and I-405, and the city’s multimodal project is designed to add roadway capacity, transit support, and pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

The project also supports the Swift Green Line extension toward the UW and Cascadia College campus area. In addition, Sound Transit broke ground on Stride S3 in February 2026. The line is planned to run from Shoreline South Station to Bothell through Kenmore and Lake Forest Park, with 14 stations and service every 10 to 15 minutes for up to 19 hours a day.

WSDOT’s I-405 and Brickyard to SR 527 project is also primarily in Bothell and is intended to improve express toll lane access and Stride connections, with completion expected in 2028. For a long-term investor, that kind of infrastructure investment can support convenience, mobility, and future housing demand.

HOA diligence matters more than almost anything else

With condos and many townhome communities, the association can shape your investment outcome as much as the unit itself. That is why HOA review should never be treated like a side task.

In Washington, condo resales require a resale certificate before execution of the sale contract or before conveyance. That certificate must disclose items such as monthly assessments, unpaid common expenses, special assessments, reserve balances, annual financial statements, the operating budget, insurance coverage, pending legal proceedings, and any restraints on free alienability of the unit.

For many townhomes governed as common interest communities, Washington’s WUCIOA framework has a similar resale-certificate process. It requires disclosures that can include regular assessments, delinquent and special assessments, reserve-study status, insurance, legal actions, governing documents, recent board and association meeting materials, and any lease or rental restrictions.

That means your underwriting should go beyond price, taxes, and projected rent. You also need to understand how the community is run and whether the association supports your hold strategy.

HOA items to review carefully

Before you buy, pay close attention to:

• Monthly dues and what they cover
• Reserve balances and reserve-study status
• Any history of special assessments
• Insurance coverage carried by the association
• Pending lawsuits or unsatisfied judgments
• Board meeting notes and recent association decisions
• Lease caps, rental waiting lists, or other occupancy restrictions
• Rules that could affect your future use or resale

A condo or townhome with a strong budget and healthy reserves may be easier to hold through the years. A community with weak reserves or unclear rental rules can create risk that is easy to miss at first glance.

Reserve funding can change the numbers fast

Reserve funding deserves its own review because it can affect both your monthly costs and your risk exposure. Washington condo associations with significant assets generally must prepare and update reserve studies annually, with a full visual site inspection update at least every three years.

The reserve-study disclosures themselves warn that inadequate reserve funding can lead to special assessments. Under WUCIOA, reserve studies are also generally required annually and at least every third year by a reserve study professional, although some smaller associations may be exempt in limited situations.

For you, the practical point is simple: low dues are not always a good sign. If an association is underfunding reserves, you could face larger surprise costs later.

Rental rules need a close read

Some buyers assume they can move out later and keep the property as a rental. In attached housing, that assumption can cause problems.

Washington law requires disclosure of any restriction on the right to use or occupy the unit, including lease or rental restrictions, in the resale materials covered by WUCIOA. Bothell also notes that Washington law preempts local rent control, while state law now limits most rent increases to 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, subject to exemptions.

For long-term planning, that means you should confirm two things before you buy. First, can the unit actually be leased under the current rules? Second, do the governing documents and current state law still support the rental strategy you have in mind?

How move-up owners can think about investing

In Bothell, some buyers are not pure investors from day one. They may buy a condo or townhome as a primary home, then keep it later when they move to a larger property.

That can be a smart long-term path, but only if you review the resale package and governing documents early. Rental restrictions, reserve strength, and future assessments can all affect whether keeping the home as an investment still makes sense a few years down the road.

What a smart buy often looks like

Not every Bothell condo or townhome will fit the same investment profile. In general, long-term investors may want to focus on properties with:

• A practical layout with broad resale appeal
• A well-documented HOA or association
• Healthy reserve funding and no obvious deferred maintenance issues
• Clear rental rules with no surprises
• Good access to major roads, transit improvements, or downtown amenities
• A community that supports easy ownership, not constant uncertainty

This is where detailed review matters. A polished kitchen is nice, but the resale certificate, budget, reserve study, and meeting notes often tell the more important story.

Bottom line on Bothell attached homes

Bothell townhomes and condos can make sense for long-term investing, but the case is strongest when you view them as hold assets shaped by local growth, limited attached-home supply, and improving transportation access. They are not automatically hands-off investments, and they are not all equal.

If you want to buy well in this segment, focus on the association as much as the unit, confirm the rental rules before you rely on future income, and look at the property through both an owner and renter lens. That kind of careful, practical review is what helps turn a decent purchase into a stronger long-term decision.

If you want help evaluating a Bothell condo or townhome with a clear, detail-first investment lens, schedule a consultation with Mary Pong, Compass.

FAQs

How many townhomes and condos are for sale in Bothell right now?

• As of May 24, 2026, Zillow showed 96 townhomes and 63 condos for sale in Bothell, along with 18 townhomes for rent.

What should you review in a Bothell condo or townhome HOA?

• You should review dues, reserve-study status, reserve balances, special assessments, insurance coverage, legal issues, governing documents, meeting notes, and any lease or rental restrictions.

Are Bothell condos and townhomes a good fit for long-term investing?

• They can be, especially if you are focused on a long hold rather than immediate cash flow and you buy in a well-run community with clear rules and solid reserves.

Can you rent out a Bothell condo or townhome later?

• Maybe, but you should not assume that. Washington resale disclosures can include lease and rental restrictions, so you need to confirm the current rules before you rely on a future rental plan.

Why does Bothell attract long-term housing demand?

• Bothell has population growth, high household income, a meaningful renter base, ongoing downtown planning, and major transportation projects that can support demand over time.