“MBA expects solid growth in purchase activity this year, as demographic drivers and the strong economy support housing demand,. However, the strength in growth will be dependent on housing inventory growing more rapidly to meet demand.” — Mortgage Bankers Association associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting Joel Kan

Renton’s Permit Ready Accessory Dwelling Unit (PRADU) program may offer some respite from the state’s current housing crisis

Washington has been hit harder by the housing crisis than any other state, according to a new study by the Washington State Department of Commerce. Washington ranks last among 50 states in the ratio of housing units to the number of existing households, the EcoNorthwest study revealed.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded $2.4 million in Transit-Oriented Development Implementation (TODI) grants to 11 communities to review zoning areas served by current or forthcoming high-frequency bus service and light-rail transit.

The city of Bellevue is offering mediation to help tenants and landlords negotiate repayment of overdue rent resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR).

More than half of King County residents plan to move out of the area in the next five years, according to a recent survey conducted by DHM Research and Quinn Thomas. 

Enumclaw’s city council recently expanded the city’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, a move that many hope will reverse decades-old development patterns and stimulate construction of new multifamily housing, according to a report by Seattle King County REALTORS® (SKCR). 

Nationally, housing prices were also on the rise, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index. 

Seattle and Tacoma were among the top 50 most competitive rental markets in 2021, according to a year-end report from RentCafé.

Legislation proposed this month by Washington Governor Jay Inslee could significantly impact the state’s housing supply and affordable homeownership crisis. 

Fears of an economic fallout are causing long-term U.S. mortgage rates to fall as the newest COVID-19 strain reignites worry among Americans. 

Check out the local stories which most interested our Seattle readers in 2021.

The holiday season has done little to deter home buyer demand as the number of real estate showings at new property listings is heating up across the country. New listings in 13 housing markets averaged double-digit showings in November, according to the latest data from ShowingTime. 

Eviction filings are rising as millions of Americans are being forced from their homes months after lawmakers allowed the federally imposed eviction moratorium to expire. 

Hundreds of Seattle concrete truck drivers are striking for wage increases, a movement that has stopped the flow of concrete deliveries to job sites and significantly slowed construction on many of the city’s developments. 

“The market is roaring along, with only half the seasonal slowdown we typically see from October to November.” — RE/MAX LLC President Nick Bailey