The Seattle real estate market remains a popular one in part because of the unique geographic aspects of the region. A number of agencies are using satellite photographs of various neighborhoods to give potential buyers a perspective on what the region has to offer potential buyers, such as myriad lakes and mountains which provide an abundance of opportunities for outdoor activities.

The actual real estate market of the area in a whole has experienced a number of ups and downs, and has on average been stronger than many other real estate markets across the country. The prices of Seattle-area homes declined 4.9 percent from April 2007 to April 2008, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index. This decline was much less steep than the national average of a 15.3 percent decline.

In the Gig Harbor region, for example, the median home price increased 30.5 percent from February 2006 to February 2007, according to figures from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Nearby University Place saw a 29 percent increase in the same time period.

This would indicate that Seattle remains a relatively safe real estate market and free of the significant declines visible in locations such as Central and Southern Florida.