NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
Northwest MLS resumes in-person membership meetings to update brokers on initiatives, rules, systems, and services
Northwest Multiple Listing Service resumed in-person membership meetings for brokers last month for the first time since 2019. As with previous fall meetings, they featured an information-packed agenda that included reminders about elections for directors, updates on strategic initiatives, updates on rules, forms and the industry, and updates on systems [..]
Industry News
Housing Solutions Breakfast
An inadequate supply of housing threatens our state’s competitiveness and poses challenges on many fronts, stated Washington Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, keynote speaker at the Housing Solutions Breakfast presented by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). Speaking at last month’s event, Heck highlighted some of the [..]
Industry News
Housing panelists focus on accessible, attainable actions to address housing crisis
Four local elected officials and a homebuilder (listed above) were panelists at last month’s Housing Solutions Breakfast presented by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. The event also featured keynote speaker Denny Heck, Washington’s lieutenant governor, and the recently unveiled MBAKS Housing Toolkit Preview, a compendium of [..]
Industry News
Homebuilder group outlines steps to streamline permit process
Improving permit review times for housing projects and having more transparency around timelines would benefit city staff, builders, and ultimately, consumers, suggests the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). With those outcomes in mind, the homebuilders’ association published an Issue Brief. The two-page document features a chart [..]
Industry News
Washington voters can track their ballots using online tools
Voters in King County can read about contests on their ballot, view their registration information, and track their ballots with a new tool unveiled by King County Elections system. Halei Watkins, a King County Elections spokesperson, said the goal is to ensure voter security. King County’s tracker enables its 1.4 [..]
Industry News
Expectations of rising rates prompt some to consider buying a home
The prospect of rising mortgage rates may be prompting an uptick in house hunters, according to research by the economics team at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Third quarter findings indicate the share of adults planning a home purchase within a year rose to 15%, up from13% in [..]
Industry News
Pet-friendly policies could enhance employee relations
Employers with pet-friendly policies could be at an advantage in retaining workers and luring them back to the office, according to a recent survey. Some 86% of employees who were surveyed said they would look forward to working more if they could bring their dog to work daily. Aside from [..]
Industry News
Seattle startup builds portal for Americans to buy vacation homes in Mexico
A Seattle-based startup aims to simplify buying and selling real estate internationally, with an initial focus on Mexico. FarHomes organizes online listings by destination with current offerings priced from $100,000 to more than $3 million. The options on the portal range from small condos to beachfront mansions. Interested buyers are [..]
Industry News
News In Brief: November 2022
The Highline Public Schools Bond (Proposition 1) earned unanimous endorsement from Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR). The measure, which seeks to raise nearly $518.4 million and needs a 60% yes vote to pass, will be on the November 8 General Election ballot. The Realtor endorsement followed a presentation by district [..]