We stand up and speak out for the rights of homeowners and the livelihood of REALTORS®. A few of our recent successes include proposing county policies to increase housing inventory and preventing point-of-sale mandates.
Citing a previously undiscussed restriction of Washington’s Stay at Home order, the Seattle City Council has stopped consideration of the recently resurrected large employer business tax. Read our previous story on the large employer business tax According to published reports, Seattle City Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez has determined that… Read more
The electronic ballot is now open! Elections for the 2021 Board of Directors will be conducted June 1 – June 30, 2020, electronically. Vote now! This year’s election features 25 well-qualified candidates for 12 positions. The Nominations Committee reviews all candidates before submitting a ballot to the membership. “I encourage… Read more
At-risk homeowners who are struggling to meet loan obligations are encouraged to work with REALTORS® and housing counselors. REALTORS® can help by sharing this information-packed brochure put together by the REALTOR® Party. The brochure highlights how to watch out for scams, options provided by lenders, counseling help, and more. This… Read more
Governor Jay Inslee announced a phase 1 restart of the construction industry on April 24. Construction job sites must comply with a 30-point safety plan, which includes social distancing, personal protective equipment, frequent sanitation of the site and safety training for workers. Residential construction projects with fewer than seven workers… Read more
To meet the unprecedented demand for small business loans, Congress this week passed an additional $360 billion for two assistance programs for which real estate brokers may apply. The initial round of funding was exhausted last week. The National Association of REALTORS® has issued this advice for brokers seeking assistance… Read more
In a new version of the employer “head tax” hastily revoked by the Seattle City Council in 2018, Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales have reintroduced a payroll surcharge that would tax Amazon and approximately 800 other businesses. The City Council heard initial testimony on the proposal on April 22.… Read more
The spring market for residential real estate was just ramping up with home prices “rising robustly” prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Home prices are still looking to hold steady as the housing industry adapts to the “new reality” to list and close deals. Business activity can be expected to be “markedly… Read more
The Employment Security Department (ESD) is in the process of developing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Here are seven points on unemployment by Washington REALTORS®: Independent Contractors Under the federal CARES Act, independent contractors and self-employed workers are eligible for… Read more
Here is a summary of recent government actions to alleviate financial hardship due to COVID-19. REALTORS®, their family members, and their clients, as well as most Americans, with incomes below the thresholds are receiving cash payments of $1,200 per adult from the federal government. In addition to that, there is… Read more
Updated on Monday, April 27, 2020 The Washington State Employment Security Department’s (ESD) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program under the federal CARES Act is under way. The ESD hosted a free webinar for REALTORS® to provide details on the program and to discuss eligibility, filing requirements, and other information. Commonly… Read more