Green Lake is one of Seattle's most beloved parks. Its expanse of water and green space in the center of a dense urban neighborhood draws thousands of people daily from all over the city.

The park serves as a natural preserve for hundreds of species of trees and plants, as well as numerous birds and waterfowl and is 323.70 Acres in size.

The newly reconstructed 2.8-mile path around the lake provides a perfect recreational spot for runners, bikers, skaters and walkers and the adjacent 3.2 mile trail is ideal for joggers. Many others use the athletic fields or visit the park for boating, picnics and swimming.

If you want to see active Seattleites on sunny weekends, come to Green Lake, where upwards of 7,200 rowers, runners, in-line skaters, dog-walkers, stroller-pushers, bicyclists and plain old pedestrians flock to the paved three-mile trail that circles the lake.

But even though city estimates show 1 million people enjoy its recreational virtues, the surrounding Green Lake neighborhood is actually home to a much smaller population some 3,858 households with nearly 16,500 people in a 2.1-square-mile (not counting the lake) area of northwest Seattle.

Even businesses around the lake are a magnet for visitors. Quaint and cozy restaurants with outside tables or benches beckon locals and visitors. Ballplayers look for spots near the lake's south end, where Lower Woodland Park's lighted ball fields and tennis courts are in heavy use.

The result of Green Lake's popularity: a pinch on the neighborhood's curbside parking during warm-weather, high-use months. Though most homes have single-vehicle garages, parking is tightest at the north end of the lake, where homes, apartments and a few businesses mix.

But that doesn't deter homebuyers. Green Lake is one of the most sought after neighborhoods in Seattle. Values have been on an incredible increase. Add this wonderful park to the convenient location to downtown Seattle ?often under 10 minutes - makes Green Lake compare to New York City's Central Park!

Most homes in the area are older craftsman homes with charm and history. The median area home was built in the 1920's. Most have three to four bedrooms and one bathroom and are around 1,440 square feet.

When older homes are sold many buyers are not averse to spending $100,000 to $200,000 to improve them. When homes are torn down so new homes can be built, the new dwellings adopt a "very traditional" appearance with river-rock facades and natural wood siding.