NEWS & INSIGHTS
What’s Happening
Monthly Market Update
Despite seasonal slowdown, Northwest MLS brokers report pent-up demand for housing
November statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service surprised few brokers.
Industry News
Consultants classify Seattle as one of 12 “slowing” markets, with 21 other cities found to be “plateauing” or “falling”
Seattle is one of 12 major metro areas in a “slowing” housing cycle, according to an analysis by John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Researchers at that consulting firm classified 14 cities as “falling” and seven areas as “plateauing.” “While all markets have slowed, the dynamics are not the same,” a [..]
Industry News
Research finds homeowner associations enjoy strong growth, high levels of satisfaction
In a series of reports, The Foundation for Community Association Research released findings from studies on the growth of community associations, residents’ satisfaction with their communities, top trends and benefits of this form of housing, and how states compare. Its latest statistical review, for 2021-2022, shows that 74.2 million Americans [..]
Industry News
Researchers find 40,000 deeds around Puget Sound with racist restrictions – so far
Since Washington lawmakers passed a measure in 2021 enabling review and property owner notification of recorded documents with unlawful racial restrictions, teams of researchers have documented more than 40,000 properties with racial restrictions – and those are just preliminary results for four Puget Sound area counties. Representatives of the Racial [..]
Industry News
Urban Institute says much of Puget Sound region is “unwelcoming” to housing development
Local land use rules, including restrictive zoning, are limiting the creation of new housing in the Puget Sound region, according to research by the Urban Institute. In a recent report, researchers with that nonprofit organization and think tank suggested state legislation and local zoning changes could improve housing accessibility in [..]
Industry News
U.S. homes have near-record levels of equity
Homes around the country have near-record levels of equity, with the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area ranking 21st among markets with the highest percentage of equity-rich households. ATTOM Data Solutions LLC reported 48.5% of mortgaged residential properties nationally were considered equity-rich in the third quarter. A property is defined as equity-rich when the [..]
Industry News
3D-printed homes being built in pioneering response to housing crisis
Tech and tradition come together to create a pioneering community of 3D-printed homes near Austin, Texas. In an announcement, Lennar Corporation and ICON Technology revealed the 100-home project is situated in the Wolf Range master-planned community in Georgetown, about 30 miles north of Austin. Construction is underway at the community, [..]
Industry News
News In Brief
The National Association of REALTORS® released its annual profile of homebuyers and sellers, which found the boom in housing prices brought on by a pandemic-era surge in activity and increasing mortgage rates led to fewer people being able to buy their first home. First-time buyers made up 26% of sales in 2022, [..]
Blog
Five Reasons to Plant Natives
Whether you are creating a garden from scratch, or simply adding some variety, please consider choosing native plants to enhance your local ecosystem. Not only are they easy to care for, many natives are a good choice when dealing with difficult terrain, such as steep slopes, deeply shaded areas, or [..]