NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
2021 SKCR GA Successes for NWMLS Final
Summary Prepared for Northwest Multiple Listing Service: Representative Advocacy Successes & Initiatives During the Past Year September 2021 Introduction The last 12 months have been an especially challenging environment for local government advocacy on behalf of real estate brokers: Covid has seriously constrained our ability to meet face-to-face with [..]
Industry News
Healthy benefits in new homes
Marketing a healthy lifestyle is much more powerful than promoting a new home’s HERS score, LEED certification, or other features, according to research by the New Homes Institute at John Burns Real Estate Consulting. The researchers also recommended two other steps to increase new home sales: making the benefits visual [..]
Industry News
Issues & Impacts: October 2021
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
Monthly Market Update
Northwest MLS brokers report gains in new listings, closed sales, prices versus year ago
KIRKLAND, Washington (October 6, 2021) – September’s housing market remained “very active” to “frenzied” around Washington state with brokers reporting year-over-year (YOY) gains in new listings, closed sales, and prices. Brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service also detected growing stability in the condominium market. “Historically low interest rates continue to [..]
Industry News
News In Brief
Data from the 2020 Census shows the central Puget Sound region added another 600,000 people in the last 10 years. The population now stands at 4.3 million, up from 3.7 million in 2010. To put that in perspective, we’ve added about the equivalent of two Kitsap counties since the last [..]
Industry News
Pet Safety
With pet ownership on the rise, animal considerations are influencing home remodeling and buying decisions so pets and their needs and safety are accommodated. According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors™, nine out of 10 owners consider their pets as valued family members, and 81% of U.S. [..]
Industry News
SKCR Events Calendar
Date Event Time Where Phone October 13 – 15 WR Leadership Conference Semiahmoo Resort 425-974-1011 October 14 Affiliate Council 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Zoom 425-974-1011 October 28 First Citizen Banquet 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Seattle Art Museum 425-974-1011 For updates visit: www.nwrealtor.com and look under “Events”
Industry News
Single use bag ban
Starting October 1, restaurants, retailers, small vendors, and grocers are prohibited from distributing single-use plastic carryout bags and are required to charge a fee for certain bags. “Single-use plastic bags are not easily recyclable, which makes managing them at the end of their lives almost impossible,” said Laurie Davies, manager [..]
Industry News
Free COVID Posters
In its continuing effort to educate and protect workers and consumers about stopping the spread of COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health has created free posters and other resources. The materials are available to all registered businesses within the state. To order the free items, qualifying small businesses (with [..]
Industry News
Seattle housing affordability drops
Escalating home prices negate affordability gains the average homebuyer attained from low interest rates and higher incomes, according to the Real House Price Index (RHPI) published by First American Financial Corp. The index measures the price changes of single-family properties adjusted for the impact of income and interest rates on [..]