News You Can Use
Back to News Center Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level since February 2023 last month, but the cut did not spark much movement in homebuyer demand, according to the latest data from Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). Its report for September showed year-over-year (YoY) gains in both new and…
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Back to News Center Having working smoke alarms can save lives and property. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) founded and promotes Fire Prevention Week in its quest to reduce losses with “information, knowledge, and passion.” This year’s observance is October 6-12. NFPA, a self-funded nonprofit, created Fire Prevention Week…
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Back to News Center Good news: 75% of Washingtonians don’t litter, according to research by the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE). Bad news: The litterbugs cause “expensive cleanups, dangerous road conditions, loss of community tourism, and big environmental impacts.” In addition to safety risks, the unsightly debris can harm…
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Back to News Center Presidential elections have little impact on home sales in the five months leading up to such elections, according to research by John Burns Research & Consulting. The firm measured both new and existing homes. “The annual seasonal decline in home sales is no worse in election…
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Back to News Center BELLEVUE, Washington (September 24, 2024) – Seattle King County REALTORS® have endorsed the Building Excellence Capital Construction Levy for the Lake Washington School District (LWSD). The $676.9 measure will appear on the November 5 ballot. If approved, the levy will generate an average of $112.8 million…
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Back to News Center A capacity crowd was on hand earlier this month for a “Lunch & Learn” program on “Indigenous Peoples and the Home Buying Process + Covenant Homeownership Program.” The event, presented by the LGBTQ+ Alliance of Western Washington, featured speakers Monica La Crue, an affordable lending manager…
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Back to News Center Worker shortages in the construction trades are contributing to project delays, rising costs, and other challenges for both homebuilders and nonresidential contractors. As a result of the labor shortage it’s taking longer to build homes. In 2022, it took an average of 8.3 months to build…
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Back to News Center International buyers purchased $42 billion worth of U.S. existing homes from April 2023 through March 2024, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®. That volume was a drop of 21.2% from the prior 12-month period. The highest dollar volume of existing-home purchases…
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Back to News Center Homeowners can get a free, Personal Electrification Planner to help save money, improve home comfort, and make a positive climate impact. Offered by Rewiring America, it promises an “easy-to-use home-electrification planning tool” that will generate a customized plan in less than five minutes. The planner will…
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Back to News Center Seattle issued 987 permits for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in 2023, twice the volume in 2020 when the city issued 482 ADU permits. Officials point to an easing of regulations in 2019 as a key factor, according to a newly released ADU progress report. The report,…
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