A consensus economic forecast points to a healthy housing market due to low mortgage rates, a low unemployment rate, consistent building activity, and a continually competitive first-time buyers’ market. Earlier this month, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) surveyed economists for its Real Estate Forecast Summit. Their 2020 projections are consistent with Windermere’s Chief Economist Matthew… Read more
On November 26, 2019, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) published the 2020 conforming loan limits for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The baseline (national) limit will increase to $510,400 from $484,350 in 2019. In the higher cost areas of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, the limit will go up… Read more
Affordability, lack of inventory, having enough choices for their clients: those are the business concerns of brokers in our 2019 Membership Survey. Not surprisingly, affordability remains top of mind for King County brokers, as it has for the last several years. Seattle King County REALTOR® members completed the survey in… Read more
In a move to increase transparency and flexibility for consumers and brokers, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) will update its rules concerning the publishing of selling office commissions (SOC). The rules update will take effect on October 1, 2019 and will make three basic changes. The update will allow… Read more
Georgia Stevens, 2020 President of Seattle King County REALTORS®, has been appointed Vice Chair of the National Association of REALTORS® Young Professionals Network (YPN). This national position will give Georgia, a broker with Compass, the opportunity to use her leadership skills and experience to assist YPN networks across the country.… Read more
Patti Hill, a managing broker and endorsed branch manager of John L. Scott Seattle Northeast, has been elected to serve on the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors for a two-year term. Hill, the 2016 President of Seattle King County REALTORS®, was elected by the local Board to this… Read more
TAKE THE SURVEY What challenges will the next year bring for your business? Opportunities? How can the Association better serve you and deliver the best value for the dues dollars you pay? We want your input on these questions and more so that we can provide the education, advocacy, tools… Read more
The 2020 Board of Directors election was held May 31-June 28, 2019. The election results are listed below. Thank you to those members who put their names forward as candidates and to all those who cast a vote this year. Board members serve one- or two-year terms, meet six times… Read more
The region has a lot of work to do on housing and homelessness, but if we work together, we can do it. That was the theme of A Compassionate Conversation hosted by Windermere at The Cinerama in Seattle on Monday in the firm’s first company-wide discussion about homelessness in Seattle.… Read more
Sellers of higher-end homes will pay more in real estate excise tax (REET) next year due to changes adopted by the Washington state Legislature. A new graduated tax, or tiered REET, will go into effect for homes sold on or after January 1, 2020. Washington state has one of the… Read more