Waterfront: Financial Advantages

07 June 2025

A sought-after beach destination

In need of a quick escape after a long week of work, away from urban traffic & stress... craving for that perfect island lifestyle while not wanting to wait in a ferry line to feel nature and water around you? There is another option: Three Tree Point. This little community is within an uncomplicated 15 to 20-minute drive from Downtown Seattle, about the same travel timeframe (or even less) as if you were going from Madison Park to Queen Ann on a good day.

Take 509 south and exit either at 148th or 160th and set your GPS to Three Tree Point. The minute you cruise along the tree lined roads, you will start relaxing and wishing you had packed a picnic to eat at one of the public beach accesses. Here relaxed locals are walking dogs, chatting with neighbors, enjoying a refreshing beverage at the Three Tree Point store (perfect place to buy something delicious to nibble on); fragrances of salt water and fir trees are floating in the air.

Here, dramatic panorama of sea and mountain scapes including the Olympics and Mt Rainier snowy peaks and the green islands across the bay.

As you are gazing at the deep blue water, a shiny head pops up... a curious seal swimming along the shore. Maybe you are spotting a pod of porpoises in the channel...

Residents love and are proud of the convenience of their community nearby an International Airport (without the noise factor), the laid-back spirit, the stunning natural beauty and the general quality of life.

Equity & Wealth Building

Many local beachfront owners have found a clever way to enjoy/preserve their waterfront lifestyle while making money/offsetting their property taxes, by renting part of their home: a great way to grow their investment portfolio in a rather fast timeframe and build steady equity all in one. Among the wide array of real estate investments, the purchase of a TTP Puget Sound property is, in my professional view, a safe/reliable way to build wealth especially with the growing demand of Puget Sound living and the fresh/country like Three Tree Point way of life and its close proximity to the Greater Seattle Area combined with the convenience of its public transportation including Light Rail, bus and airport.

Short-Term Rental Income Potential

Over the last 8 years, Three Tree Point has seen a growing demand for short term rentals (Airbnb and VRBO) especially when it comes to waterfront properties which are generally booked months ahead and this all year round with a surge during the nicer seasons. In fact, numerous homeowners have expressed that some of their renters keep coming back and have done so for the past decade or longer. TTP has become their little "me-time" and bit of heaven.

A growing number of residents and buyers entering the waterfront market are looking for properties offering the ability/option of building a separate ADU on their lot or make adjustments to their home to allow for such seasonal rental.

How to find/select the perfect TTP investment opportunity?

As a general rule, your beach ADU will be more popular if easily accessible, cozy and charming in design with coastal, uncluttered decoration and great amenities: washer/dryer, tiled floors, big views, A/C for occasional hot summer days... Privacy is also important (from neighbors and from the street) as well as ample parking. Are kayaks, paddle boards available onsite?

Lots of stairs, walk-down or tram accesses can lower desirability as well as challenging beach entry points or barnacle shorelines versus sandy ones.

Example of versatility of use: one single property

This property has versatility of uses with its 2 units (which can be used separately or turned back into one home) + a well curated and totally charming cabana along the beach. The homeowner has used the waterfront property as a reliable source of income over the years and has built equity doing so.