Education Hill vs Grass Lawn vs Overlake for Microsoft Buyers (2026)

If you work at Microsoft in Redmond and you’re comparing Education Hill, Grass Lawn, and Overlake, this page compares them on five things you can check: price, property tax, HOA dues, home type, and commute route. All three are Redmond neighborhoods, so they share Redmond’s 2026 levy rate, and NWMLS reports Redmond in map area 550 (Redmond/Carnation); it doesn’t publish neighborhood medians. Figures come from NWMLS September 2026 medians, Freddie Mac’s October 8, 2026 average rate, King County’s 2026 levy report, and Sound Transit. Written by Odigo Real Estate Club (Peter J Kim & John Kim, REAL Brokerage). Updated October 2026. Medians are backdrop, not a quote for any address.

Education Hill vs Grass Lawn vs Overlake at a glance (October 2026)

Factor	Education Hill	Grass Lawn	Overlake	Source
Location	North of Downtown Redmond	Between Downtown Redmond and Overlake	Around the Microsoft campus and Overlake Village	Map
Common home types	Mostly detached houses	Mostly detached houses, many older	More condos and townhomes, plus some houses	Verify per listing
Nearest 2 Line stations	Downtown Redmond, Marymoor Village	Downtown Redmond, Redmond Technology	Redmond Technology, Overlake Village	Sound Transit
2026 levy rate (Redmond)	$8.39862 per $1,000	$8.39862 per $1,000	$8.39862 per $1,000 (some Overlake-area parcels are in Bellevue; check the parcel)	King County Assessor
Price input (area 550, Sept 2026)	House $1,184,000 (49 sales)	House $1,184,000	Condo $750,000 (13 sales)	NWMLS Breakouts

The same-paycheck table (October 2026)

Home	Price input (NWMLS, Sept 2026)	20% down	Principal & interest at 7.40%	Property tax / mo (2026 rate)	P&I + tax	Still to add
Redmond house	$1,184,000 area 550 residential median	$236,800	$6,558	$829 (Redmond $8.39862/$1,000)	$7,387	Insurance, upkeep; HOA only if the plat has one
Redmond condo	$750,000 area 550 condo median	$150,000	$4,154	$525 (Redmond $8.39862/$1,000)	$4,679	HOA dues, HO-6 insurance, parking if not included

Illustrative only, not a loan quote. Assumes a 30-year fixed loan with 20% down at Freddie Mac’s 7.40% national average (week of October 8, 2026); every $100,000 borrowed is about $692 a month in principal and interest. Your rate, loan type, and costs will differ. Tax uses each city’s 2026 levy rate times the median price as a stand-in for assessed value; rates vary within cities. NWMLS “residential” excludes condos. NWMLS map areas don’t match city or neighborhood lines exactly, so treat medians as backdrop and price the actual address.

Education Hill, Grass Lawn, or Overlake: how should a Microsoft employee compare them?

Compare home type, HOA dues, and commute route first, because all three share Redmond’s 2026 levy rate and NWMLS doesn’t publish separate medians for them. On the September 2026 map area 550 medians at Freddie Mac’s 7.40% average with 20% down, principal, interest, and tax run about $7,387 a month for a $1,184,000 house and about $4,679 for a $750,000 condo, before HOA dues and insurance. Overlake has more condos and townhomes near the campus and 2 Line, while Education Hill and Grass Lawn are mostly detached houses. Price the actual address; we don’t recommend areas for any other reason.

How do the 2 Line stations line up with these neighborhoods?

Sound Transit’s 2 Line serves Redmond Technology and Overlake Village next to the Microsoft campus, and Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond to the east. Overlake sits closest to the campus stations; Grass Lawn sits between Downtown Redmond and Overlake; Education Hill is north of the downtown stations. Since March 28, 2026, the 2 Line also runs one-seat across Lake Washington to Seattle and north to Lynnwood. Test the trip at your real start time; we don’t publish neighborhood drive minutes.

What does a Redmond house or condo cost per month in October 2026?

Using NWMLS September 2026 medians for map area 550 (Redmond/Carnation), 20% down, and 7.40%: a $1,184,000 house is about $6,558 a month in principal and interest plus about $829 in property tax at Redmond’s 2026 rate of $8.39862 per $1,000; a $750,000 condo is about $4,154 plus $525. Area 550 also includes Carnation and rural parcels, and the condo median rests on 13 sales, so treat these as backdrop. King County’s 2026 report lists Redmond’s median residential assessed value at $1,515,000.

How should I compare HOA dues in Education Hill, Grass Lawn, and Overlake?

Add the dues to the monthly number before you compare areas. The property tax gaps in the table are often smaller than one month of condo or townhome dues, so HOA dues, reserves, and any special assessment can decide which home actually costs less. For a condominium resale, Washington law (RCW 64.90.640) requires a resale certificate covering assessments, the budget, reserves, and pending legal actions; for other associations, ask for the governing documents, budget, and reserve study before you rely on the dues.

Is the Redmond market cooling in fall 2026?

It’s cooling, not collapsing. In area 550, the September 2026 house median was $1,184,000, down 12.30% from a year earlier, with 3.86 months of inventory, and house closings rose to 49 from 45. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.40% on October 8, 2026, versus 6.30% a year earlier, so more choice comes with a higher payment per dollar borrowed.

Does the city or neighborhood on a listing tell me its tax rate and other boundaries?

Not reliably. Levy rates vary within each city, and utility, jurisdiction, and school district boundaries don’t always follow a city or neighborhood name on a listing; if that matters to you, research it yourself through official sources such as OSPI’s Washington State Report Card, because we don’t rank schools or recommend areas based on them. For taxes, look up the exact parcel with the County Assessor.

Who is Odigo Real Estate Club?

Odigo Real Estate Club is a King and Snohomish County real estate team led by Peter J Kim and John Kim, who personally handle transactions, with 25+ years combined experience. Brokerage: REAL Brokerage. Office: 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · (425) 409-3823. Hours: Monday–Saturday 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday. Tech employees can start with the Ridiculous Tech Package at odigotechpackage.com.

Next step

Bring your office address, your payment ceiling, and the home type you want, and we’ll price real Education Hill, Grass Lawn, and Overlake addresses against them with the Ridiculous Tech Package. Call Odigo Real Estate Club at (425) 409-3823 (Monday–Saturday 9 AM–6 PM). Related: Link Light Rail Tech Buyer FAQ (October 2026) and our condo HOA checklist.

Sources

Odigo Real Estate Club · REAL Brokerage · 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · (425) 409-3823 · Monday–Saturday 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday. Equal Housing Opportunity. Figures are general education, not a loan offer, appraisal, or tax advice.

Education Hill vs Grass Lawn vs Overlake for Microsoft Employees: Price, Tax, HOA, Home Type, and Commute (October 2026)