Bothell, Washington Short-Term Rental Market
Bothell STRs averaged $159/night at 62.6% occupancy in April 2026, in a suburban Seattle tech-corridor market with strong summer demand.
Quick Answer: Bothell, Washington is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 63%. average monthly revenue is $2,689. average daily rate is $159. the top operator is Blueground with 506 listings. market score is 50/100 (grade D).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Bothell is a suburban city northeast of Seattle straddling King and Snohomish counties, anchored by technology sector employment (Google, Kenworth, Seagen/Pfizer), University of Washington Bothell, and proximity to Seattle. As of April 2026, the average daily rate is $159, occupancy is 62.6%, and RevPAR is $100. Year-over-year, occupancy declined 2.6 percentage points while ADR rose 0.6%, producing a revenue decline of 3.4% versus April 2025.
Bothell has no city-specific STR ordinance. Operations are governed by Washington State law (Chapter 64.37 RCW) and a general city business license requirement. This places Bothell among the most accessible STR markets in the Seattle metro from a regulatory standpoint.
The typical listing is an apartment or condo rather than a vacation home, reflecting the urban-suburban character of the market. The population of approximately 50,213 supports both corporate relocation demand and university-adjacent short stays. The for-sale inventory of 287 units and a median days to pending of just 11 indicate a fast-moving real estate market.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55% | $119 | $1,901 |
| Feb | 62% | $120 | $1,858 |
| Mar | 68% | $132 | $2,380 |
| Apr | 65% | $136 | $2,391 |
| May | 71% | $144 | $2,670 |
| Jun | 80% | $173 | $3,542 |
| Jul | 80% | $178 | $3,827 |
| Aug | 77% | $177 | $3,658 |
| Sep | 71% | $159 | $3,021 |
| Oct | 64% | $142 | $2,571 |
| Nov | 60% | $134 | $2,171 |
| Dec | 59% | $132 | $2,133 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bothell
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 506 | 271 | ★ 4.35 |
| 2 | Evolve | 179 | 4,907 | ★ 4.54 |
| 3 | Vacasa | 150 | 8,153 | ★ 4.47 |
| 4 | Snowball Rentals | 135 | 5,336 | ★ 4.78 |
| 5 | Vince | 132 | 12,206 | ★ 4.58 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bothell?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 7,885 |
| 2 bed | 3,501 |
| 3 bed | 2,166 |
| 4 bed | 1,007 |
| 5 bed | 633 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $181 |
| Luxury | $281 |
| Professionally Managed | $188 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,701 |
| Entire Place | $3,024 |
| House | $2,699 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 60.7% |
| vrbo | 3.9% |
| both | 35.4% |
Investment Analysis
Bothell presents a low-yield, high-liquidity suburban investment case. At a typical home value of $1,067,401 and April 2026 average monthly revenue of $2,689, annualized gross revenue is approximately $32,265, implying a gross revenue yield of roughly 3.0%.
The high home value relative to STR revenue is the primary challenge: Bothell’s real estate market reflects Seattle-metro premium pricing rather than vacation-destination premiums. Investors entering this market must have a long-term equity appreciation thesis rather than a pure STR cash-flow thesis.
ADR tiers show meaningful upside for quality positioning: entire-home listings average $181 versus $159 overall, professionally managed properties average $188 (a 18% premium), and luxury-tier listings reach $281 per night. The unusual pattern here: apartments at $2,701 per month slightly outperform houses at $2,699, and entire-place units at $3,024 outperform both. This reflects the urban apartment character of high-performing Bothell STRs.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Bothell bookings average a 35-day lead time, roughly five weeks in advance. This is shorter than most markets in this batch, reflecting the corporate relocation, university visitor, and Seattle-area leisure guest base where short-notice bookings are common.
Average length of stay is 5.1 nights, among the longer stays in the Washington State markets in this batch, reflecting the extended nature of corporate relocation visits, temporary housing arrangements, and week-long family stays associated with university events. The combination of short lead time and longer stay length means operators should monitor 30-day availability windows closely and adjust pricing dynamically for the July-August peak.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Bothell has no city-specific STR ordinance. Operations are governed by Washington State law, primarily Chapter 64.37 RCW (effective 2019). Key requirements: (1) Obtain a Washington State Business License (Unified Business Identifier number) through the Department of Revenue; (2) Obtain a City of Bothell General Business License endorsement through the DOR portal (fees starting at $94/year for small operators with 1 to 2 employees); (3) Maintain primary liability insurance covering the rental at a minimum of $1 million aggregate, or confirm that the booking platform (Airbnb, VRBO) provides equivalent primary coverage; (4) Post a visible safety notice inside the rental listing street address, 24/7 operator contact, fire exit floor plan, maximum occupancy, and emergency services numbers; (5) Working smoke and CO alarms required per RCW 19.27.530.
The combined sales tax rate in Bothell varies by precise location (King vs. Snohomish county portion) but generally runs 10.2% to 10.5%. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit Washington state and local sales taxes automatically. No owner-occupancy, primary residence, or maximum nights-per-year requirement applies. Enforcement is rated minimal.
Market Comparison
Bothell’s April 2026 ADR of $159 is well below the US STR median of approximately $220, while occupancy at 62.6% is approximately 8 percentage points above the national median. The low ADR reflects suburban Seattle pricing norms rather than resort-destination positioning.
Blueground leads the market with 506 listings and 271 reviews (4.35 average rating), reflecting its corporate furnished apartment focus. Evolve follows with 179 listings and 4,907 reviews (4.54 rating). Vacasa holds 150 listings and 8,153 reviews (4.47 rating). Snowball Rentals manages 135 listings with 5,336 reviews and a 4.78 rating. Vince rounds out the top five with 132 listings and 12,206 reviews (4.58 rating).
Blueground’s 506-listing presence is the dominant corporate furnished apartment operator position in the Seattle suburban corridor. The combination of Blueground (corporate) and Evolve/Vacasa (leisure) reflects the dual corporate-and-leisure demand structure of this market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bothell, Washington
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