NW REPORTER

NW REporter

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

Seattle King County Realtors

December 2020 Issues

Will Seattle become a “15-Minute City?”

Like many urban planners and metro government leaders, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has embraced the “15-Minute City” concept as one way to recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Critics say that notion is unrealistic. The “15-Minute City,” as envisioned by French academic Carlos Moreno, who is credited [..]

Olympia considering changes to ADU regulations to help ease housing crunch

Among Washington’s 39 counties, King County is known for having exorbitant housing costs. A recent two-part report in The Olympian delved into Thurston County’s ever-increasing prices, focusing on Olympia and Lacey where housing advocates hope to add many more accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as one way to increase the supply [..]

Despite prohibition on open houses, brokers, buyers and sellers employ array of virtual tools to stay safe and fulfill housing needs

Even though in-person open houses are not currently allowed under new and reinstated pandemic-related restrictions, broker-members of Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) continue to provide services to home buyers and sellers using several contactless and virtual tools. Feedback from NWMLS representatives include reports of sales by purchasers who made offers [..]

Northwest MLS brokers say real estate activity across Washington remains strong

KIRKLAND, Washington (December 7, 2020) – Some real estate brokers expect the competition for homes to ease somewhat over the holidays, but the latest statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service indicate activity is unusually strong heading into December. “The rush is on for housing,” exclaimed J. Lennox Scott, chairman and [..]

Northwest MLS updates members on multiple topics at virtual fall meetings

The fall General Membership Meeting of Northwest Multiple Listing Service covered a range of topics from elections in three districts to strategic planning and national issues. Voting members in three districts (King, Snohomish and Pierce/Thurston counties) will be using Election Buddy’s paperless ballots and have until December 11 to submit [..]

NAR updates conduct code, rolls out training to combat discrimination

Acting on a recommendation of its Professional Standards Committee, the board of directors for the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) approved a new personal conduct policy addressing discrimination. America’s largest trade association subsequently released a new online interactive training platform designed to help combat discrimination in the country’s real estate [..]

News In Brief: December 2020

When the Washington state Legislature convenes in January, the Capitol building will remain closed to the public and lobbyists due to the pandemic, and lawmakers will do their work through a mix of virtual meetings and on-site votes. The Senate Facilities and Operations Committee met Thursday to discuss the protocols [..]

SKCR Events Calendar

Date Event Time Where Phone Dec 9 Affiliate Council 10 a.m.-11 a.m. 425-974-1011 Dec 24-25 Holiday-Office Closed Jan 1, 2021 Holiday-Office Closed For updates visit: www.nwrealtor.com and look under “Events”

Nation’s housing stressed by trio of factors during 2020

Not surprisingly, the 2020 rendition of The State of the Nation’s Housing contained plenty of grim news, but authors suggested there is no better time for policymakers to “seize the moment by framing a new, comprehensive housing strategy that will reduce inequalities and advance the longstanding goal of a decent, [..]