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Category: Industry News
Industry News
Oregon bans “love letters” in real estate transactions
Oregon lawmakers put the kibash on the use of “love letters” for real estate transactions, making the Beaver State the first in the nation to ban them. House hunters who hope to have their purchase offer favored by sellers can no longer include communications that convey their love of the [..]
Industry News
Former SKCR staffer launches new venture
Val (Towler) Taylor, who worked at Seattle King County REALTORS™ for 12+ years before relocating to North Carolina, has taught herself various art mediums over the years. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she concentrated on learning to draw with watercolors and soft pastels. SKCR’s former director of membership and communications turned [..]
Industry News
Coalition documents gaps between renter wages and cost of rental housing
In no state, metropolitan area, or county can a full-time minimum-wage worker afford a modest two-bedroom rental home. Even a modest one-bedroom apartment is beyond the means of these workers in 93% of U.S. counties, according to Out of Reach 2021: The High Cost of Housing report. Researchers ranked Washington [..]
Industry News
SKCR Events Calendar
Date Event Time Where Phone August 12 Affiliate Council 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Zoom 425-974-1011 August 17 – 18 SKCR Planning All Day SKCR 425-974-1011 August 18 Affiliate Food Drive 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. SKCR 425-974-1011 For updates visit: www.nwrealtor.com and look under “Events”
Industry News
Pandemic prompted remote workers to snatch up vacation homes
Vacation home purchases skyrocketed during 2020, with the trend continuing this year, according to a report from the National Association Realtors®. Workers with the ability to log on from anywhere are credited with spurring the surge. “Vacation homes are a hot commodity at the moment,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief [..]
Industry News
Amazon to invest $300 million from its Housing Equity Fund for 3,000 new affordable housing units in three metro areas
Amazon will invest $300 million to build 3,000 new affordable housing units in the Puget Sound, Arlington/Metro D.C., and Nashville regions. The ecommerce giant will work with “traditional and non-traditional partners,” to acquire land near public transit in hopes of creating move-in ready homes by as early as 2025. The [..]
Industry News
Bellevue celebrated as one of 10 All-America Cities
Bellevue was among 10 cities nationwide to be honored with this year’s prestigious All-America City Award. Cities, counties, tribes, neighborhoods, villages, towns, and regions that engage residents in innovative, inclusive and effective efforts to tackle critical local challenges are eligible for consideration. Doug Linkhart, the National Civic League’s president, said [..]
Industry News
More Americans are living in common-interest communities, and larger percentage express satisfaction with their experiences
More than 73 million Americans live within community associations, which continue to be a preferred housing option in today’s overheated housing market. That number translates to about 25% of the U.S. housing stock. Projections by the Foundation for Community Association Research indicate the number of new condominiums and homeowner associations [..]
Industry News
Lured by on-water living?
Calling them Seattle’s quirkiest type of home, journalist Sarah Anne Lloyd wrote an “explainer” report on “aquatic residences” for Seattle Metropolitan magazine. Northwest Multiple Listing Service brokers know them as “style code 24 – floating home/on-water residences.” Currently the NWMLS database features only 14 such listings, with current inventory ranging [..]
Industry News
Large gap exists between what homebuyers expect to pay and actual prices
Newly-built homes are out of reach for buyers in the lower one-fourth of the market, according to an analysis of recent Census data and surveys by the National Association of Home Builder (NAHB). With inventory of homes at historically low levels (about 2.5 months of supply nationally), and prices for [..]