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There are many neighborhoods in Seattle that are cherished by those who live there. The vibe or sense of place varies among neighborhoods, but the things that set them apart are what make them special. Wallingford is known for tree-lined streets and a vibrant community within the historic fabric of heritage homes and landmarked public buildings, such as Wallingford Center, Good Shepherd Center, and the Fire and Police Station. The retail shopping district offers much of what you might need, as well as many opportunities to eat, drink, and be merry. Such a sense of place is worth preserving.

In response to the urgent need for more housing, the state legislature enacted HB 1110 in 2023, requiring mid- to large-sized cities to allow multiplexes, townhomes, and cottage housing in areas traditionally zoned for single-family homes. Through the One Seattle Plan, the City of Seattle is making additional zoning changes to accommodate HB 1110 and increase housing density. The plan calls for taller buildings along transit corridors and introduces neighborhood centers that will allow taller buildings in areas such as Tangletown, upper Fremont, and other Seattle neighborhoods, including a previously proposed but currently tabled plan for part of Wallingford near Gas Works Park. With all of these changes, there are concerns that heritage homes and older retail spaces could be lost, potentially altering the character and dynamics of the neighborhood.

But there is an option to increase density while preserving older homes: adding a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) to the same property, as outlined in Washington’s HB 1337. Building DADUs allows density to increase gradually, maintaining existing homes and designing new construction to fit in with existing historic styles.

Wallingford resident Tyson Baty is a real estate agent with John L. Scott’s Seattle Northlake office, and has recently expanded his expertise to help homeowners understand how to manage and develop their own property with new housing opportunities in mind.

Tyson is deeply invested in our community and committed to honoring and sharing the story of the neighborhood’s historic significance. He has served on the board of Historic Wallingford (HW) board for three years, actively supporting community outreach as the greeter and MC at the 2024 and 2025 Roaring Twenties fundraisers, and as a seminar recruiter and leader at the 2025 and 2026 Wally-Home Resource Fairs.

Tyson (left) at HW’s Speakeasy fundraising event at Murphy’s Pub

Sarah Martin and Tyson Baty leading a discussion at the Wally-Home Resource Fair

Tyson Baty and Larry Bush leading HW in the 2023 Wallingford Parade

Tyson has represented Historic Wallingford in the Wallingford Parade and at the Wallingford Farmer’s Market. He will also represent HW at the Great Wallingford Bratwurst Festival at St. Benedict Catholic School this September.

Tyson shared the following on the subject of DADUs:

As a local real estate agent, I would like to introduce the community to a new type of initiative which could benefit homeowners and renters alike.

I’ve come across situations here in Wallingford where longtime homeowners structure their estate so their home only sells after they pass, because of the capital gains treatment that kicks in at death.  But it also means someone stays locked in a home they may no longer be able to live in comfortably, sometimes well past the point it’s serving them, because the tax code rewards waiting it out rather than selling while they’re still here to see the money and the next chapter.

That’s just one version of a pattern I see a lot in this neighborhood: aging homeowners who can no longer live comfortably in their own house, facing affordability pressure that pushes them toward drastic end-of-life decisions, all of which quietly keeps well-located homes like the ones in Wallingford out of reach for the next generation of buyers.

There’s already a predatory answer to this. Homeowners in situations like this get hand-addressed “we’ll buy your house for cash” letters all the time. It sounds appealing on the surface, but it rarely results in a fair deal for the homeowner. The real angle for whoever sent that letter is usually to demo the home, build four or five units in its place, and price each one north of a million dollars, because that’s what construction costs now require just to break even. [Note that a Do Not Solicit bill was recently passed by Seattle City Council to protect homeowners from unwanted off-market real estate buying pitches. It will come into effect in June 2027.]

What I’ve been getting more excited about is a different answer: SkyDADU. Instead of buying someone out and demolishing their home, it adds a second home to the property they already own, with construction financing and permitting handled for them. That gives homeowners actual options: the ability to age in place, generate rental income, multi-generational living, or condominiumizing and selling one of the units, allowing the owner to remain in the other, staying close to family, doctors, and the community they’ve spent decades building here.

The demand for building DADUs in Wallingford is extremely high, so SkyDADU has certified me as one of their SkyDADU Brokers. I am simply an independent contractor who can assess people’s properties to see if they are suitable for DADU construction.

Historic home with DADU added

Example DADU property

From a financing perspective, SkyDADU fronts the construction cost, so homeowners don’t need cash up front. They offer this at different tiers depending on the homeowners’ financial needs. The construction costs get repaid later when they refinance or sell one of their properties.

This option, offered by SkyDADU, that property owners can take is “condominiumizing” the new structure, which lets the owner sell one of the two properties, often the original home, since the new DADU is easier to age in and may be ADA compliant. So they get to stay at home while generating income from the sale of the home they own outright.

There are many questions to be answered, which Tyson would be glad to address for anyone interested in this process. For more information on whether your property could be suitable for a DADU, reach out to Tyson directly at 206-321-1697, by email, or follow his real estate and local history updates on Instagram.