NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
NWMLS spring meeting held virtually, with coronavirus updates added to agenda
Spring meetings for member-brokers of Northwest Multiple Listing Service departed from the usual in-person gatherings and pre-announced agenda, shifting to a webinar format, and adding updates on the industry responses to the coronavirus pandemic. In opening comments, Tom Hurdelbrink, president and CEO at NWMLS, described the ever-changing situation as “the [..]
Industry News
SKCR Events Calendar
Date Event Time Where Phone Apr 17 WR Director Caucus 12 pm – 1:30 pm SKCR 425-974-1011 Apr 22-24 WR Spring Conference Skamania Lodge 425-974-1011 May 11-15 NAR Mid-Year Meetings WA-DC 425-974-1011 For updates visit: www.nwrealtor.com and look under “Events”
Industry News
New law aims to thwart robocallers
New consumer protections under the TRACED Act (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act) means robocallers based in the U.S. will face tighter scrutiny and stiffer penalties. The new legislation, signed into law at the end of December 2019 and effective this year, directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [..]
Industry News
Applicants have until March 9 to apply for free ramps from Master Builders
Photo courtesy of Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties People in need of a ramp at their home to aid their mobility have until Monday, March 9 to apply to be a recipient of this year’s Rampathon. The one-day community service project of the Master Builders Association of [..]
Industry News
New home sales hit highest mark since September 2007
New home sales surged to start 2020, according a joint report from HUD and the Census Bureau. Based on their data, the three-month moving average for new single-family home sales reached 721,000 in January. That marked the strongest month since September 2007. Contracts for new home sales jumped 7.9% in [..]
Industry News
County Assessor Wilson discusses housing crises with Realtors
When King County Assessor John Wilson joined a meeting of the Government Affairs Committee at Seattle King County Realtors last month, he opened his remarks with a discussion on homelessness. “I don’t buy that Seattle is dying,” he stated while acknowledging citizen concerns on expenditures for homelessness. He called the [..]
Monthly Market Update
NWMLS brokers report brisk activity, noting “too early to tell” if coronavirus will soften sales
KIRKLAND, Washington (March 5, 2020) – “We’re entering prime time for the real estate market, and more listings are on the way,” stated industry veteran J. Lennox Scott, as he reviewed the latest statistical report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. MLS figures for February show year-over-year (YOY) gains in new [..]
Industry News
News In Brief
Amazon expects to have at least 15,000 employees in Bellevue in the next few years as the company expands from its Seattle headquarters to tap a larger labor pool. The Seattle Times reported that would be more than a sevenfold increase from now and total about as many people as [..]
Industry News
Supply of age-restricted housing is increasing – and so are prices
Age-restricted housing accounted for only a small fraction of new home starts in 2018, but the volume for both single-family and multifamily starts were the highest recorded since 2009, when HUD and the Census Bureau began collecting data on this component. Of the 875,000 single-family starts builders reported for 2018, [..]
Industry News
Seattle Credit Union unveils unique loans for renters, home buyers
Just as homeowners may be challenged to come up with a down payment, renters may find it difficult to save for first, last and security/cleaning/pet deposits, especially if they are recent graduates or relocating to the Seattle area from less expensive markets. To assist these consumer segments, Seattle Credit Union [..]