ZIP 98042 Housing Market & Real Estate Update (Kent/Covington, WA) – February 21, 2026

ZIP 98042 (Kent/Covington area in King County, Washington) continues to look like a cooler, more negotiation-friendly market than last year, with softer year-over-year pricing and longer marketing times in the latest ZIP-level dashboards.

Top takeaways

Sale prices: Redfin reports a $675K median sale price for January 2026 (about 10% lower than a year earlier).
Home values: Zillow’s typical home value for 98042 is $689,700, down 2.0% over the past year (data through Dec. 31, 2025).
Inventory + pace: Zillow shows 129 homes in for-sale inventory (Dec. 31, 2025 snapshot) and Zillow/Redfin both point to roughly ~43 days to pending/sale in recent data.
Mortgage rates: Freddie Mac’s weekly survey shows the average 30-year fixed at 6.01% as of Feb. 19, 2026.

Market snapshot (latest available)

Demand and negotiation: Redfin rates 98042 as very competitive, but the numbers still show a slower cadence than last year: about 42 days on market in January 2026 versus 29 a year prior, with 127 homes sold in the month.

List vs. sale signals: Zillow’s snapshot shows a $736,492 median list price (Dec. 31, 2025) versus a $674,000 median sale price (Nov. 30, 2025). That gap is normal, but in practice it often means buyers are rewarding homes that are priced to condition and not to last year’s peak expectations.

Rentals pulse

On the rental side, Realtor.com’s 98042 rentals page lists a median rent around $3K. Keep in mind: ZIP-level medians can swing with the mix of single-family rentals vs. apartments, so watch the current active listings that match your unit type and commute needs.

What’s for sale nearby (no addresses)

Today’s 98042 for-sale feeds show a wide spread, including:

New construction offerings that cluster around the high-$900Ks to $1.2M+ range.
Land/lot listings at lower price points (often with important questions about utilities, access, and feasibility).
Move-in-ready resales across the middle of the market, where recent comps and inspection items (roof age, drainage, HVAC) can materially change what a buyer will pay.

ServiceXTC local pro help

Directory check: We were not able to confirm 3–5 verified ServiceXTC provider pages specifically tied to ZIP 98042 in this daily pull. If you are prepping a home for sale (or tackling repairs after inspection), check back soon as our directory expands.

Sources (reference pages used)

Redfin: 98042 housing market trends (Jan. 2026)
Zillow: 98042 home values and monthly inventory snapshot (through Dec. 31, 2025)
Realtor.com: 98042 homes for sale feed
Realtor.com: 98042 rentals/median rent
Freddie Mac: PMMS weekly mortgage rate averages (Feb. 19, 2026)
UnitedStatesZipCodes: 98042 primary city and county

What are you seeing right now in 98042: more price cuts, more new listings, or buyers moving quickly on the best homes?