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Category: Industry News
Industry News
The Missing Middle: A Solution for Adding More Housing
Duplexes, fourplexes, plus 2-to-4-unit townhomes, courtyard buildings, and cottages could provide much needed entry-level housing and/or more affordable housing for certain homebuyers. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) believes such structures offer viable solutions to the housing shortage and would help meet the needs of many first-time buyers as [..]
Industry News
“Black tax” constrains wealth accumulation, homeownership opportunities
Black households are unable to accumulate housing wealth at the same rate as white households due to a combination of income gaps, a “Black tax,” and other factors that unfairly raise the cost of homeownership for African Americans, according to a report from a trio of authors. In a paper [..]
Industry News
More adults considering home purchase as builders find shifting interest in new versus existing homes
More adults were considering a home purchase in the fourth quarter of 2020 than the same period the previous year. The 15% versus 11% margin was among findings in the latest Housing Trends Report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The quarterly trends report also analyzed preferences by [..]
Industry News
Pandemic presents new option for home buyers as market “kept foot firmly on the accelerator”
KIRKLAND, Washington (February 4, 2021) – Home buyers who have been precluded from entering Puget Sound’s competitive market may want to consider condominiums as an option, according to industry experts who commented on the latest housing statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. “With the trend toward telecommuting and moving to [..]
Industry News
Veteran policy consultant offers insights for housing advocates
In a special presentation tailored to Realtor associations, veteran public policy/communications consultant Michael Luis discussed constraints and strategies for working effectively with local governments. Drawing on his experiences as an elected official and executive with local not-for-profit and economic development organizations, the Medina resident offered insights on changing land use [..]
Industry News
Free app helps Washingtonians stop the spread of COVID-19
During the first 100 hours after WA Notify launched, more than 1 million users had downloaded the simple, anonymous exposure notification tool on their smartphones. The free app, designed to help stop the spread of COVID-19, is available for iPhones and Android phones, and is offered in 29 languages. By [..]
Industry News
Home appreciation reaches highest level since 2014
Homeowners with mortgages saw an average equity gain of $17,000 for the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same period a year ago. Owners in Washington state enjoyed more than double the U.S. amount with an average gain of $35,800 according to the CoreLogic® Home Equity Report. CoreLogic reported [..]
Industry News
Issues & Impacts: January 2022
Issues & Impacts is a quarterly publication produced by the SEATTLE KingCounty REALTORS® to inform members about current issues and successes within your Governmental Affairs Department. SEATTLE KingCounty REALTORS® (SKCR) is ensuring that public policies support homeownership and your business’s bottom line. View the full publication
Industry News
Washington #13 among “Most Educated States”
Washington ranked 13th in a Work + Money report on the most educated states in the U.S. The digital media site reported the 13.1 percent of Americans who hold an advanced degree (as of 2018) earned on average 3.7 times more than those who had not completed high school. Washington [..]
Industry News
News In Brief: January 2021
Rents in Seattle are continuing to decline month after month amid the coronavirus pandemic. November data from ApartmentList found that Seattle rents declined 5.6% month over month and are down nearly 20% since the start of the pandemic in March. For the past eight months straight, Seattle has seen its [..]