NW REPORTER

NW REporter

Northwest REporter is a joint publication brought to you by Northwest Multiple Listing Service and the Seattle King County REALTORS.

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

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 [..]

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 [..]

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. [..]

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”

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 [..]

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 [..]

3D Printed Homes

3D printed homes are popping up in multiple markets, including the United States, Europe, South America, and elsewhere. Proponents say they will revolutionize the home building industry and help solve widespread housing concerns ranging from inadequate supply to affordability. In an interview with CNBC, builder Kirk Andersen said, “We’re trying [..]

California abolished single family lots

To increase his state’s housing supply, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that fundamentally eliminates single family zoning in the nation’s most populous state. As a result, owners can redevelop their single family lot and add up to four housing units on it. The move marked one of Newsom’s [..]

DOE Grant

Thanks to a three-year, $750,000 grant, Washington State University will develop a curriculum on the design and construction of high-performing, energy efficient residential buildings. The program will include building science certificates and a degree focused on energy-efficient housing. Under the leadership of Omar Al-Hassawi, assistant professor in the School of [..]

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 [..]

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 [..]