A Substantial Barn on 5 Acres Near the Yakima River
$525,000 Ripe for Reimagining
Cle Elum sits in Kittitas County, in the pine-forested foothills of central Washington — 5 acres of homestead land bordering the Yakima River's public recreation corridor.
This one is a genuine blank slate, and the honest kind: the home has already been taken down to the studs, so the messy, costly demolition phase is behind you, and what's left is the design and rebuild — your layout, your finishes, your vision. A substantial separate barn stands ready in the meantime, sized for equipment, workshop space, livestock, or storage while the house comes together. The infrastructure that's expensive to add later is already here: power installed, an existing septic system, and an exempt well with meaningfully more capacity than most newly drilled rural wells. Whether you're building a family homestead or something set up to generate income — a guest retreat, a small rental, a hobby operation — the groundwork is in place either way. 3 bd / 2 ba, 2,500 sq ft, built 1955, on 5 acres.
Offered at $525,000, for sale by owner.
Homestead Potential
Water & Infrastructure
The well here is a genuine standout: it's an exempt well with significantly greater capacity than many newly developed rural properties get, which matters enormously whether you're supplying a single family home, a small guest operation, or livestock. Confirm the exempt-well classification and its permitted use with the county as part of due diligence, since exempt wells carry specific rules about what they can legally supply. Beyond the property line, the Yakima River corridor next door is one of central Washington's great water features, with river access built into daily life here rather than a drive away.
Crop & Income Potential
At 5 acres of pine and natural meadow, this is homestead-scale rather than row-crop farmland — room for a garden, some animals, or simply space to breathe, with the barn providing real infrastructure most 5-acre parcels don't have. The mix of mature pine and open ground gives you both shade and workable clearing. Whether you lean toward growing your own food or toward a small income operation — boarding horses, a workshop business, seasonal rentals — the barn and the acreage flex to fit either direction.
Sustainability
Rebuilding from studs out is real work, but it's also a rare chance to build exactly the efficient, right-sized home you want rather than retrofitting someone else's choices — every wall, every system, is still an open decision. The well's strong capacity, the existing septic, and power already run to the property mean the unglamorous, expensive infrastructure is already handled. The barn adds genuine flexibility for either a self-sufficient homestead (workshop, storage, animals) or a small income venture, without asking you to build a second structure from scratch.
The Boundaries
A property mid-renovation calls for specific homework. Have a contractor or inspector assess the studs-out home to scope the rebuild honestly — framing, roof, foundation — before you commit to a number. Confirm the exempt well's permitted use and capacity with Kittitas County, and ask directly about the protective covenants mentioned in the listing: what they restrict, and whether your plans (family home, rental, hobby farm) fit within them. Get a current survey to confirm the 5-acre lines and the barn's placement. None of this is unusual for a rebuild opportunity — it's simply the due diligence that turns a blank slate into a confident purchase.
Beyond the Property Line
Local Flavor & Small-Town Character
Cle Elum is a small, historic mountain town in Kittitas County, on the eastern slope of the Cascades along the Yakima River. Once a coal-mining hub, it's now known for its outdoor access and easy reach to Seattle — about 80 minutes west over Snoqualmie Pass — while still feeling like genuine small-town Washington. Nearby Thorp and the college town of Ellensburg round out the area, and Interstate 90 keeps the whole region conveniently connected.
Agricultural Resources & Neighbor Networks
Washington State University Extension keeps a Kittitas County office in Ellensburg, with soil testing, Master Gardener training, and small-acreage and livestock guidance well suited to a rebuild-and-homestead property like this one. The Kittitas Valley has a strong agricultural identity, from hay and cattle to a growing small-farm and agritourism scene, so feed stores, large-animal vets, and building contractors familiar with rural renovation are all within reach.
Outdoor Recreation & Natural Surroundings
The location is the headline here. The property borders public recreation land along the Yakima River, with river access, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, hiking, and cycling all immediately at hand, plus thousands of acres of nearby public land beyond that. The Cascades bring skiing and mountain recreation within an easy drive, and the Yakima River itself is renowned for fly fishing. Few 5-acre properties come with this much genuine outdoor access built directly into the address.
Listed on Zillow
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