Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill for Google Kirkland Buyers (2026)

If you work at Google’s Kirkland campus and you’re comparing Juanita, Houghton, and Rose Hill, this page compares them on five things you can check: price, property tax, HOA dues, home type, and commute route. All three are in Kirkland, so they share Kirkland’s 2026 levy rate; NWMLS reports Houghton and Rose Hill in map area 560 (Kirkland/Bridle Trails) and Juanita in area 600 (Juanita/Woodinville). Figures come from NWMLS September 2026 medians, Freddie Mac’s October 8, 2026 average rate, and King County’s 2026 levy report. 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.

Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill at a glance (October 2026)

Factor	Juanita	Houghton	Rose Hill	Source
NWMLS map area (Sept 2026)	600 Juanita/Woodinville	560 Kirkland/Bridle Trails	560 Kirkland/Bridle Trails	NWMLS Breakouts
House median (map area)	$1,150,000 (93 sales)	$1,900,000 (61 sales)	$1,900,000 (same area 560)	NWMLS Breakouts
Condo median (map area)	$535,000 (22 sales)	$720,000 (35 sales)	$720,000 (same area 560)	NWMLS Breakouts
2026 levy rate (Kirkland)	$8.45759 per $1,000	$8.45759 per $1,000	$8.45759 per $1,000	King County Assessor
Location	North Kirkland toward Juanita Beach and Totem Lake	South Kirkland, around the Google campus near 6th Street South	East of I-405, toward Redmond	Map
Link light rail in 2026	None in Kirkland	None in Kirkland	None in Kirkland; nearest 2 Line stations are in Redmond	Sound Transit

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
Juanita-area house	$1,150,000 area 600 residential median	$230,000	$6,370	$811 (Kirkland $8.45759/$1,000)	$7,181	Insurance, upkeep; HOA only if the plat has one
Juanita-area condo	$535,000 area 600 condo median	$107,000	$2,963	$377 (Kirkland $8.45759/$1,000)	$3,340	HOA dues, HO-6 insurance, parking if not included
Houghton or Rose Hill house	$1,900,000 area 560 residential median	$380,000	$10,524	$1,339 (Kirkland $8.45759/$1,000)	$11,863	Insurance, upkeep; HOA only if the plat has one
Houghton or Rose Hill condo	$720,000 area 560 condo median	$144,000	$3,988	$507 (Kirkland $8.45759/$1,000)	$4,495	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.

Juanita, Houghton, or Rose Hill: how should a Google Kirkland employee compare them?

Compare price, HOA dues, home type, and commute route; property tax barely differs because all three are in Kirkland. On NWMLS September 2026 medians at Freddie Mac’s 7.40% average with 20% down, principal, interest, and tax run about $7,181 a month for a $1,150,000 house in map area 600 (which includes Juanita) versus about $11,863 for a $1,900,000 house in area 560 (which includes Houghton and Rose Hill), before HOA dues and insurance. NWMLS doesn’t publish neighborhood medians, so pull comps for the street. We don’t recommend areas for any reason other than the numbers and the commute you choose.

Where are Juanita, Houghton, and Rose Hill relative to the Google Kirkland campus?

Google’s Kirkland campus sits in the Houghton area near 6th Street South. Juanita is north toward Juanita Beach and Totem Lake, and Rose Hill is east of I-405 toward Redmond, which can matter if another household member commutes to Microsoft or the 2 Line at Redmond Technology, Overlake Village, Marymoor Village, or Downtown Redmond. Drive time depends on the address and hour, so we don’t publish neighborhood minutes; test the route at your real start time.

Condo, townhome, or house in Kirkland: what does NWMLS show?

In September 2026, area 560 closed 61 houses at a $1,900,000 median and 35 condos at $720,000; area 600 closed 93 houses at $1,150,000 and 22 condos at $535,000. NWMLS doesn’t publish a separate townhome median; townhomes count with houses unless condominium-platted, so ask how each listing is recorded. Both areas mix very different stock, so a median is a starting point, not a price for any street.

How should I compare HOA dues in Juanita, Houghton, and Rose Hill?

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 Kirkland market cooling in fall 2026?

It’s cooling, not collapsing. Months of inventory for houses and condos combined were 3.99 in area 560 and 5.49 in area 600 in September 2026, and house medians were 17.39% and 6.11% below a year earlier, partly reflecting which homes sold. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.40% on October 8, 2026, versus 6.30% a year earlier.

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 Juanita, Houghton, and Rose Hill 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.

Juanita vs Houghton vs Rose Hill for Google Kirkland Employees: Price, Tax, HOA, Home Type, and Commute (October 2026)