This Week on Mercer Island: Views, Luxury and Great Family Living

This week’s group covers a pretty wide range of Mercer Island living, from a newer luxury home in Summerwell to a 9,000-plus-square-foot estate with its own indoor pool, sauna and sport court.

What stood out to me after touring these homes is how different the experience is from one property to the next. One is polished newer construction with an exceptionally functional layout, one feels like a private resort, another is built around views and entertaining, and the fourth is a turnkey South End home that simply works really well for everyday family life.

Beautiful Summerwell Living With Space to Entertain

8270 SE 31st Street · View listing

Real Residential Featured Listing

$4,098,000 · 4 Beds, 3.5 Baths, 4,120 SQFT, Built in 2018

This is a beautifully finished newer home in Summerwell with a floor plan that works extremely well. The main level feels open and bright, with soaring ceilings, large windows, a substantial kitchen, great room, covered outdoor living, and a large primary suite. The primary has its own fireplace, built-ins, room for a sitting area, a spacious bath, and a large walk-in closet. There is also a second bedroom or office, powder bath, and a laundry room that doubles as a well-designed mudroom off the garage. Everything throughout the house feels high-end and very thoughtfully put together. The MLS notes 10- to 14-foot ceilings, clerestory windows, Miele appliances, Poggenpohl cabinetry, and a walk-in pantry.

Things to note: Downstairs, the high ceilings continue and the spaces feel just as well finished as the main level. There are two private guest suites, a generous rec room, dedicated media room, flexible space that could work well for a gym, hobbies, or an office, and another covered outdoor living area with a fireplace. The backyard side of the home feels especially private because it does not directly back up to another house. Summerwell is one of those Mercer Island neighborhoods where the newer homes have a consistent high-end feel, and this property combines that setting with excellent indoor-outdoor entertaining space and a layout that gives everyone room to spread out.

A Private Mercer Island Resort With Views and Serious Amenities

7909 78th Avenue SE · View listing

$6,800,000 · 6 Beds, 8.5 Baths, 9,340 SQFT, Built in 1996

This is one of those homes where you understand the scale before you even walk through the door. Set at the end of 78th Avenue on more than half an acre, the approach feels private and substantial, with brickwork, stonework, mature landscaping, and a long list of amenities. Inside, there is extensive millwork, built-ins, multiple decks and sunrooms, large gathering spaces, and beautiful southwestern Lake Washington views. The upper-level primary suite is especially impressive, with its own outdoor seating area, expansive views, a large bath, walk-in closet, and enough space to feel like a true retreat. The listing also notes a separate guest apartment above the garage, which adds another layer of flexibility.

Things to note: This house really starts to feel like a private country club once you get downstairs. There is a large rec room with bar and pool table, wine storage, dedicated theater, sauna, indoor pool, hot tub, and direct access to the outdoor entertaining areas. Outside, you also have a sport court and putting green. The home was built in 1996 and the finish style reflects that era, but it has been exceptionally well maintained and still feels grand and cohesive. For someone who does not necessarily need waterfront but wants big views, privacy, serious space, and resort-style amenities, there is a lot here that would be very difficult to recreate.

A Refined Westside Home Built Around Views and Entertaining

4140 Boulevard Place · View listing

$3,100,000 · 5 Beds, 3 Baths, 4,070 SQFT, Built in 1957

This one has a completely different feel from the other homes in the group. Set above the street on Boulevard Place, the house is oriented toward the western Lake Washington views and has a great entertaining layout. The main level has hardwood floors, soaring ceilings, a large open kitchen and living area, beautiful stonework, and a spacious primary suite with a large walk-in shower and sauna. Mature hedging gives the front porch privacy while still allowing you to sit outside and enjoy the view, and the west-facing deck extends the main living space outdoors.

Things to note: Downstairs there is an oversized media and rec area, two additional bedrooms, an office, and enough separation that it could work very well for guests or extended family. The backyard is private and set up for entertaining with expansive decking, a hot tub, and sport court. Nearby Franklin Landing adds another lifestyle piece to the property. You are not buying waterfront, but you can carry a kayak or paddleboard down and be on the lake. This feels particularly well suited to someone who wants views, a great place to entertain, main-floor living, and plenty of room for family and guests without needing a more traditional family-house layout.

Turnkey South End Living With Great Family Flow

7803 89th Place SE · View listing

$2,795,000 · 4 Beds, 4 Baths, 4,197 SQFT, Built in 1976

This is probably the most traditional family home of the group, and it does that job really well. It sits on a quiet South End cul-de-sac close to schools, parks, trails, athletic fields, and South End shopping. The house is bright, very well maintained, and feels turnkey, with refinished hardwoods, fresh finishes, a generous updated kitchen and island, and a floor plan that connects naturally from the kitchen into the casual eating, dining, family room, and office or den spaces. The backyard is private, nicely landscaped, and very usable.

Things to note: All four bedrooms are upstairs, including a good-sized primary suite, one secondary bedroom with its own bath, and two additional bedrooms that share a hall bath. The lower level adds a cozy rec room, bonus or studio space, laundry, another bath, a built-in mud area, and plenty of garage storage. The split-entry layout may not be for everyone, but this particular house functions much better than the label might suggest because the spaces are bright, open, and well connected. At $2.795 million, you are getting more than 4,000 square feet, a strong family layout, a private yard, and a move-in-ready home in a very convenient South End location.

What I liked about this week’s group is that each house offers something genuinely different.

At 8270 SE 31st, it is newer construction, beautiful finishes, and a floor plan that handles both everyday living and entertaining extremely well. At 7909 78th, you are buying scale, views, privacy, and a resort-style amenity package that is hard to replicate. At 4140 Boulevard Place, the story is western views, entertaining, and easy access to the lake. And at 7803 89th Place, it is a polished, comfortable South End family home that simply works.

If one of these catches your eye, let me know. I’m happy to walk through the details, talk about the tradeoffs, and help you compare it with the other options on Mercer Island.