NW REPORTER
NW REporter
Northwest REporter is a joint publication brought to you by Northwest Multiple Listing Service and the Seattle King County REALTORS.
December 2021 Issues
Northwest MLS fall meetings update members on diverse topics
Amid pandemic-related uncertainties and ever-changing mandates, Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) stayed focused not only on its core services, but also on some strategic initiatives, reported CEO Tom Hurdelbrink during last month’s meetings for member-brokers. The meetings, held virtually, also included updates on the latest membership survey, MLS services and [..]
Potential buyers cite bidding wars as top obstacle
Getting outbid is the top reason serious house-hunters say is why they can’t buy a home. Nevertheless, about half these long-time searchers intend to keep looking for the “right” home in the same location. Those conclusions were among findings in the 3rd quarter Housing Trends Report from the National Association of [..]
Rising prices appear to be discouraging prospective buyers
Fewer prospective buyers tried to buy a home during the third quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter. The decrease reversed six quarters of steady gains, according to the Housing Trends Report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The share of would-be buyers trying to find a [..]
Northwest MLS brokers not seeing much seasonal slowdown, say buyers still need to be bold
KIRKLAND, Washington (December 6, 2021) – Historically soggy weather and the onset of holidays did not deter thousands of buyers and sellers during November, based on the latest report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Numbers for new listings, pending sales, and closed sales were comparable to year-ago totals, while prices [..]
SKCR Events Calendar: December 2021
SKCR Events Calendar: December 2021
40% of pet owners say caring for furry friends is as costly as kids
Six of every 10 pet owners (61%) admitted having a pet is costlier than they anticipated, but an even larger number (74%) say cost doesn’t matter so long as they have a healthy, happy, safe fur baby. Those were among findings from a recent survey of 2,000 dog and cat [..]
Master Builders issue “Housing Toolkit” for boosting housing choices and supply
Cities and counties can take some simple steps to help ease regulatory burdens and other obstacles that hamper the creation of housing for the Puget Sound region’s growing population, suggested the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). The builder group recently issued an updated “Housing Toolkit” to help local jurisdictions [..]
News In Brief: December 2021
During a press event in Glasgow, Gov. Jay Inslee announced an executive order to fully electrify Washington state’s public fleets and transition to a 100% zero-emission light duty fleet by 2035. The governor also ordered switching to 100% zero-emission medium and heavy-duty state fleets by 2040. Inslee made the announcement as [..]
Timber company executive foresees strong housing market for years
Pent-up demand and demographics will keep the U.S. housing market strong “for years ahead,” according to Weyerhaeuser CEO Devin Stockfish. In an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer, the timber giant’s leader said underbuilding dating to the last Great Recession and surging demand during the pandemic are fueling homebuying. The National [..]
Building Code Council adopts emergency rule to accommodate builder concerns
The State Building Code Council (SBCC) adopted an emergency rule affecting heat pumps in response to concerns from the homebuilding industry. Because of the current global microchip shortage, many home builders are unable to obtain certain components for residential heat pumps that are frequently installed to achieve the required energy [..]
Homeowner outlays for remodeling could reach $400 billion by mid-2022
Residential remodeling expenditures could reach $400 billion by the third quarter of 2022, according to projections in the latest Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA). Strong growth in the indicator, which includes national home improvement and repair spending on owner-occupied homes, is expected to continue during 2022. Based on four-quarter [..]