New single-family home construction declined as builders continue to grapple with macroeconomic headwinds. 

Purchase applications slowed to their lowest level since May as economic worries dampened activity, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. 

Greater Seattle’s priciest home sales last month were waterfront properties on Lake Washington and Union Bay.

Staging a home in Seattle before listing could lead to a $44,000 return on investment, according to a new study from home decor company Level Frames.

Three of the 10 most expensive new listings in Seattle are located at undisclosed addresses.

May’s 1.8% monthly gain follows a 6.3% drop in April, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

The pace of home-price appreciation slowed to its most modest pace since 2023, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. 

The median-sales price for an existing home rose 1.3% year over year to $422,800. 

Nationally, home sales slid 3.5% year over year but rose 8.6% month over month, RE/MAX said. 

Buyers were willing to pay $1,597 more for a home with an olive-green kitchen, and navy-blue bedrooms boosted a home’s value by $1,815.

Homebuilder sentiment recently reached its third-lowest level since 2012. 

The Puget Sound area’s most expensive home sales last month were located in Clyde Hill, Bellevue and Washington Park.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said the post-Memorial Day increase came despite economic uncertainty and largely static interest rates. 

T3 Sixty said the difference between real estate agents who subscribe to MLSs but are not Realtors and Realtor-subscribers hit 25%, the highest on record. 

In addition to a low poverty rate and high median salary, Seattle offers more family-friendly attractions than any other major metro.

The Northeast and Midwest remained strong, while Florida, which saw a major runup in prices in recent years, continued to cool.