NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
Groups align to close gaps in homeownership among Blacks
Upon hearing the speaker tell the audience Black brokers were banned from membership in the National Association of REALTORS® prior to 1961, one prominent broker and industry leader remarked, “This is the first time I heard NAR did not allow Black people. I am sorry and appalled.” Speaking at a [..]
Industry News
Built Green unveils updated resources
Updated handbooks and checklists for Built Green single-family and multifamily homes are available from the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. The new publications include significant updates in response to code changes, and a new section on Equity and Social Justice. Built Green, established in partnership with King [..]
Industry News
Free COVID-19 safety materials available to Washington businesses
As more workers return to their offices and coronavirus restrictions change, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) created new materials to help businesses promote COVID-19 safety at their workplaces. The free materials include WA Notify posters, testing posters, and vaccinated buttons. These items are available in English and Spanish, [..]
Industry News
News In Brief: March 2022
The cost of living for an average U.S. family has gone up an extra $276 a month, according to The Wall Street Journal. As inflation rises, the price of groceries, gasoline and cars is making up all those costs. Overall household debt jumped by $1 trillion, the most since 2007, according [..]
Industry News
Renton’s Permit Ready ADUs drawing praise
Permit Ready Accessory Dwelling Units (PRADUs) are one way Renton hopes will help ease the region’s housing crisis, as evidenced by historic shortages in inventory and skyrocketing prices. Underscoring the need to create more inventory is Washington’s last place ranking among 50 states when comparing the number of housing units [..]
Industry News
Insights on ways brokers boost their income
4th Annual Real Estate Income Guide Real estate agents with special designations and/or who focus on specific niches tend to have above-average income, according to the latest Real Estate Income Report from McKissock Learning. Their research also showed experience and hours worked correlate with earnings. Findings in the 4th annual [..]
Monthly Market Update
Multiple offers “the norm” for home buyers, but may ease with uptick in listings
Multiple offer situations are the norm for today's home buyers, but some brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service suggest February's improving inventory and a slowing pace of price increases may ease some of the competitive pressures.
Press Release
Bellevue broker tapped to chair Northwest MLS Board
Stuart Heath, owner of Bellmark Real Estate in Bellevue, was selected 2022 chairperson of the board of directors at Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Other new officers include Chris Millsap from Chelan, vice chairperson; Jeff Pust from Olympia, treasurer; Frank Leach from Silverdale, secretary, and Randall Fisher from Oak Harbor, immediate [..]
Industry News
Interest in newly-built homes is shrinking
Low inventory and rising costs are contributing to a steady decline in interest for new construction, according to the latest Housing Trends Report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). By the 4th quarter of 2020 (after the start of the pandemic) 42% of buyers were looking to purchase [..]