This year, Washington REALTORS® prioritized legislation that would increase housing supply and address the growing affordability problems in our region. HB 1337 was championed by the REALTORS® and passed in the Washington Legislature in the 2023 session. This bill makes it easier to build ADUs (accessory dwelling units) by requiring… Read more
On March 30th, the Seattle King County REALTORS® hosted over sixty mayors, council members, city planners, stakeholders, and REALTORS® on a tour of missing middle housing. Traveling across Kirkland and Redmond, attendees walked down two blocks of alleyway lined with ADUs, visited a cottage housing development, and inspected a small… Read more
This post is the second of a series of reports on the important legislative wins for REALTORS® from the 2023 Washington State congressional session. Washington REALTORS® scored a huge legislative win on May 8 when Governor Inslee signed HB 1474, a bill that establishes a Covenant Homeownership Account and… Read more
This post is the first of a series of reports on the important legislative wins for REALTORS® from the 2023 Washington State congressional session. When a house is sold, sometimes the seller is not yet ready to move out, or the buyer is not able to move in right away.… Read more
One of the most talked about bills in Olympia this session, House Bill 1110, has now passed in the legislature and will head to Governor Inslee’s desk for his signature. The bill will expand the construction of Middle Housing—accessory dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes, triplexes, and more low-density, multi-family development—in cities… Read more
BELLEVUE, Washington (February 17, 2023) – Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR) deepened its commitment to housing equity by joining the Black Home Initiative network (BHI). The association’s board of directors approved joining the regional program to support the goal of generating 1,500 new low- to moderate-income Black homeowners in the… Read more
Near a thousand bills have been introduced this legislative session, hundreds of which address our State’s housing crisis. Legislators from across Washington are banding together to make housing the priority this session. On Tuesday, January 31st, 20 legislators from both sides of the aisle across both chambers held a press… Read more
The 2023 Legislative Session is well underway with close to 1,000 bills already introduced. A long session, this year’s legislative session will run for 120 days and conclude in late April. In an early success, the Washington REALTORS® priority issue addressing leasebacks passed unanimously off the House floor and now… Read more
“REALTORS® are changing lives every day. That is who we are.” This was the message from 2023 National Association of REALTORS® President-Elect Tracy Kasper as she rallied up REALTORS® at Hill Day. Each year, hundreds of REALTORS® from across Washington State gather for Washington REALTORS® Hill Day to discuss housing… Read more
Washington State ranks last in the country for the number of housing units per family, according to a recent report by Washington’s Department of Commerce. Crippling effects include rental prices continuing to increase and qualified buyers still having little to no ownership opportunities. This reinforces the need for additional types… Read more