NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Industry News
Forget Fridays if you’re frugal and want a fill up of gas.
Friday proved to be the worst day to fuel a vehicle in terms of cost and wait times, according to smartphone app GasBuddy. More specifically, 5 pm Friday is the time to avoid, as stations nationwide reported that’s when they are busiest, and, according to GasBuddy, also when prices peaked. [..]
Industry News
Northwest MLS housing report for April signals good news for home buyers
KIRKLAND, Washington (May 6, 2019) – Housing activity during April signaled good news for buyers in Western Washington as inventory continued to grow, the rate of price increases was slowing in many areas (and even decreasing in a few counties), and mortgage rates remained low. Northwest Multiple Listing Service statistics [..]
Industry News
Northwest MLS meeting agenda covers surveys, strategic planning, systems updates, and stats
Strategic planning, a satisfaction survey, system updates, upcoming services, and updates pertaining to rules, forms and legislation were all part of the spring 2019 meetings for Northwest Multiple Listing Service members. As part of its strategic planning process, Northwest MLS conducted various group and individual “listening sessions” as well as [..]
Industry News
News In Brief
Nearly 400 bridges in Washington state are “structurally deficient,” including dozens of bridges on interstate highways, according to a newly released report and reported by KOMO news. The report, by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, says that of the 8,278 bridges in Washington state, 382 are classified as [..]
Industry News
TV homes vs. reality of home buying inspires latest Realtor.com campaign
A collection of seven ad spots created around a “Public Reality Announcement” began airing in late April as part of realtor.com’s “Homes for the Real of Us” campaign. The :15- and :30 second spots are tailored to viewers watching real estate, lifestyle realty, or food television. Each ad satirizes the [..]
Industry News
SKCR Events Calendar
Date Event Time Where Phone 5/13-18/19 NAR Meetings Washington, DC 425-974-1011 5/23/19 First Citizen Banquet 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm Fairmont Hotel, Seattle 425-974-1011 5/27/19 Holiday – Office Closed 6/4/19 Housing Issues Briefing 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Meydenbauer Center 425-974-1011 For updates visit: www.nwrealtor.com and look under “Events”
Industry News
Seattle leads trend of high-income Americans opting to rent instead of buy
Seattle outgained 19 other cities in the growth of high-income Americans opting to rent instead of buying a home, according to an analysis by RENT Café, a nationwide internet listing service. This “new breed” of renter is challenging the home owner market, the service suggests. According to its analysis, which [..]
Industry News
Home buyers rate ENERGY STAR items as highly desirable
ENERGY STAR® rated items claimed the top three spots in a recent survey of home buyer preferences for green features. In the study by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), ENERGY STAR windows were the single-most wanted green feature with 89 percent ranking it as an essential/must have or [..]
Industry News
Washington job gains in March tops all states
Washington added 27,900 nonfarm jobs in March, the largest gain of any state, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Evergreen State also claimed top spot for gains in employees in the construction sector by adding 14,800 jobs. Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment in March rose 1.7 percent year-over-year [..]
Industry News
Distracted driving at an all-time high
As a REALTOR®, you’re always on the move. Showing homes to clients, hosting open houses and taking calls are all part of the job. It’s tempting to send a quick text, check your email or make a call while driving to save time – but any phone use behind the [..]