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The latest news from Seattle King County REALTORS®

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15Apr

REALTORS® and unemployment assistance in Washington

The Employment Security Department (ESD) is in the process of developing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) under the Coronavirus Aid,... Read more

Advocacy

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.

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Your Association Remains Closely Engaged in Seattle’s 2015 City Council Elections

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

For REALTORS®, the move to district elections offers an opportunity to encourage and support candidates who will be positive for the real estate market and specifically the critical issue of housing supply. Housing supply needs to be recognized as a foundation to housing affordability. For too many years the City Council’s… Read more

Temporary Suspension of Federal Way Impact Fees for Change in Use

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

The Federal Way City Council has decided to suspend transportation impact fees on local businesses until December 31, 2017. Due to the economic downturn, in December 2011 the City Council passed a 3-year temporary suspension of transportation impact fees charged for changes in use that do not add new square… Read more

B&O Tax On Commissions Rejected by Kent City Council

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

Last September, Mayor Suzette Cooke sent the City Council a 2015 budget for the City of Kent that included a proposal to increase the B&O tax, and to use those dollars to increase the general fund, instead of retaining B&O taxes for transportation capital projects.  The proposal would have increased… Read more

Kent, Auburn Adopt Maximum Allowable SEPA Exemption Thresholds

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

The cities of Kent and Auburn have each adopted new SEPA categorical exemptions that will minimize the costs and delay associated with redundant environmental reviews under the State’s Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).  In each case, the City Council vote to approve the changes was unanimous.  Cities are authorized to make… Read more

Kent Development Codes Update

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

REALTORS® are supporting efforts being led by the Masterbuilders of King and Snohomish County to work with top staff members of the City of Kent – including Kent’s new City Administrator Derek Matheson. The efforts are intended to result in amendments to the City’s development codes and guidelines in order to… Read more

Auburn Moving Forward with Bundle of Development Code Improvements

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

Auburn officials have been meeting on a quarterly basis with representatives of Seattle King County REALTORS® and the Masterbuilders in connection with a bundle of potential development code updates that could make it easier to bring new housing inventory to the market in a way that is consistent with the… Read more

Floating Homes Legislation Proposed to Help REALTORS®

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

The Association of REALTORS® has been working hard to pass new legislation that would allow REALTORS® to sell Floating Homes. Under current law, real estate brokers are only allowed to sell floating homes if the broker has a vessel dealer’s sales license. A real estate broker license from the Real… Read more

Point-of-Sale Inspections: Elevators, Stairway Lifts, Etc.

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

Will sellers of single-family homes be required to have pre-sale inspections of all elevators, side chair lifts, trams and other conveyances before the home could be sold?  The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) has been working to pass a law that would require sellers of single family homes to… Read more

New Federal Rules for Real Estate Transactions

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

Important New Federal Rules Are Coming for Residential Real Estate Buyers, Sellers and REALTORS® New federal rules are going to affect almost all residential real estate transactions where the buyer is obtaining a mortgage. The new rules take effect on August 1, 2015. The new rules are important for buyers… Read more

Seattle Should Take Bold Steps to Increase Housing Supply

Annie ChanNo CommentsAdvocacy

This past fall, the Mayor convened the Housing Affordability and Livability Advisory committee (HALA).  The committee has been tasked with developing housing recommendations for everything from homelessness on up through market-rate housing. REALTOR® Terry Miller is participating on a HALA subcommittee task with developing strategies to preserve housing, and President… Read more

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