ADUs – “A Step Towards Housing Affordability in Washington State”

Annie ChanEducation

“This class is interactive and is meant to provide REALTORS® with an overview of the ADU trend that is sweeping the densely populated communities across the country.” -Instructor Brenda Nunes

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) have captured the attention of political leaders and many cities and states as one solution to the affordable housing crisis – this makes ADUs one of the hottest topics in real estate today. Legislation is rapidly changing to encourage the building of more ADUs with Seattle and Portland leading the way.

Seattle King County REALTORS® now offers a class that focuses on ADUs as “A Step Towards Housing Affordability in Washington State.” The first two classes offered – held on November 14 and December 2 – reached maximum capacity.

Examples of ADUs – (press photo to enlarge)

The purpose of this class is to provide an overview of what ADUs are and how REALTORS® can help their clients to: increase their housing income and wealth, provide a safe cost-effective home for their family, and provide a solution for people to age in place. The class also provides information on the process of designing and constructing ADUs, and financing options.

“This class is interactive and is meant to provide REALTORS® with an overview of the ADU trend that is sweeping densely populated communities across the country,” said Instructor Brenda Nunes. “REALTORS® will leave with resources that can kick-start them in their journey towards addressing properties with ADU potential. We evaluate properties that can evolve as ADUs gain momentum and more comps become available.”

A component of the class is a panel of professionals that are active in the design (architects), construction (builders), and selling (Realtors) of ADU-equipped properties. They provide real world issues encountered during the incorporation of ADUs into residential lots.

Topics Include:
  • Benefits of having an ADU
  • Forms of ADUs (DADUs, attached inside homes or over garages, additions)
  • Financing options
  • Different scenarios where ADU’s help solve housing problems that clients might have
  • Difficulties appraisers are having in evaluating properties and how that may change over time; what brokers can do to assist the appraisers
  • Providing resources for learning more about ADUs
  • Identifying what other progressive communities are doing throughout the country and what we can learn from them
Seattle’s ADU Policy
  • Either two AADUs or one AADU and one DADU
  • The second unit must meet one of following requirements: green building standard or be an affordable unit for the next 50 years
  • Can be up to 1,000 square feet
  • Has NO parking requirement
  • Has NO owner-occupancy requirements

You can register for the Thursday, January 16 session.