NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
Savvy developers attract buyers with health and wellness amenities
“Family friendliness” remains the top focus for developers of master-planned communities, but a new survey indicates “health and wellness” amenities are becoming increasingly important. The New Homes Trends Institute at John Burns Real Estate Consulting reported the once-prolific “resort lifestyle” is being unseated as the second-most important focal point. Researchers [..]
Monthly Market Update
Brokers detect good news for home buyers, citing gains in listings and moderating prices
KIRKLAND, Washington (May 5, 2021) – Finally, some good news for home buyers! Sizeable increases in new listings compared to a year ago and reports of moderating prices “might mean we are seeing some relief for buyers,” suggested John Deely, a board member at Northwest Multiple Listing Service. In commenting [..]
Industry News
National Association of REALTORS picks King County group to be part of new mentor program
Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR), in collaboration with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), is launching a unique mentorship program for multicultural individuals who are interested in exploring careers in real estate and developing the necessary skills for success. SKCR is among eight associations – and the only one in [..]
Industry News
“Priced out” gaps for new homes vary widely by race, ethnic groups
Affordability challenges for new home buyers continue to be more pronounced for minority households, according to the latest “priced out” estimates by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Only 24% of Black households can afford a new home at the U.S. median price of $346,577, according to an analysis [..]
Industry News
Homebuilder acquires large parcel in Woodinville
Thirty-two acres in Woodinville where one home, a barn, and an arena are currently situated, will be redeveloped by homebuilder D.R. Horton. The parcel, which is near 132nd Ave NE and NE 143rd Place, sold for $19 million. Public records indicate plans for 87 townhomes and seven single family homes. [..]
Industry News
News In Brief: May 2021
Washington state’s economy has weathered the coronavirus pandemic better than any other state in the nation, a newly released study has found. The report, by personal finance website WalletHub, compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 13 key metrics, including the share of employment from small businesses to [..]
Industry News
DOL implements paperless license retention requirements
Paper copies of real estate licenses no longer need to be given to a broker’s firm or designated broker for retention. The Department of Licensing (DOL) eliminated that requirement effective April 29, 2021, although individual brokerages may have different policies requiring copies of licenses. DOL also abolished its requirement that [..]
Press Release
Oak Harbor broker tapped to chair Northwest MLS Board
Randall (Randy) Fischer, managing broker at Coldwell Banker 360 Team in Oak Harbor, has been elected chairman of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) board of directors. Other new officers for 2021 include Stuart Heath, vice chairman, Chris Millsap, treasurer, and Jeff Pust, secretary. Brokers Keith Bruce, David Maider, and [..]
Blog
Offer Review Dates
The Pacific Northwest has been experiencing an extremely strong seller’s market in 2021 with an average of only two weeks of inventory. In a hot seller’s market, setting an offer review date is a strategy that can generate higher offers by increasing buyer competition. Comparison of the percentage of list [..]