Housing policy – where are we headed?

Your clients have stories about their arduous home buying process. Now they have a useful place to share them.

Non-profit groups, builders, REALTORS® and others have recently teamed up to promote legislative solutions to our statewide housing affordability crisis. The coalition, called Unlock the Door for Affordable Homeownership, is calling upon consumers who have struggled to find affordable housing to tell their stories.

The coalition goal is to make housing the top priority in the 2019 legislative session. Consumer stories that will be shared with legislators are a key part of that goal.

Despite the recent market shift and the addition of more inventory, the median home price is still out of reach for most buyers. REALTORS® are still reporting buyer fatigue as their clients tire of the competitive search process, limited choice and rejected offers.

As a REALTOR®, you know these struggles firsthand. Your clients turn to you for guidance, expertise and insight. Demonstrate your awareness by encouraging your clients to visit www.unlockthedoorwa.com to share their stories with legislators.

Affordability is especially difficult for first-time buyers, including young families and millennials. According to the University of Washington’s Center for Real Estate Research, first-time buyers in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kittitas Counties face home prices that are nearly double what they can afford. Affordability is also a major problem for older buyers who want to downsize but have nowhere to go.

Educating legislators about the depth and urgency of this crisis is only the first step. Unlock the Door will undertake a sustained campaign to push through sensible laws that will ease building regulations and protect consumers.

Stay tuned for more updates about the Unlock the Door campaign, and learn more about the causes and impacts of housing unaffordability at HousingTranslator.com.