John L. Scott has reached a settlement agreement in the ongoing buyer-agent commission lawsuit, Gibson/Umpa. It is one of two independent brokerages to settle in the case this week, the other being the Michigan-based Real Estate One.

Katie Johnson, who serves as NAR’s chief legal officer and chief member experience officer, is stepping down.

Seabrook, a planned community near Pacific Beach, has announced a strategic sales partnership with Windermere Real Estate. This means that, as Seabrook grows, Windermere will represent all new construction and developments.

The latest reading of the National Association of REALTORS® Pending Home Sales Index shows a return to month-over-month growth after a decline in July.    

The 716,000 per-year rate of new-home sales topped the consensus estimate of 700,000. 

The Seattle Office of Housing is funding up to $3 million toward creating 21 affordable homes at a site previously used by the utility company Seattle City Light, in Highland Park.

The 2.5% decline followed a 1.3% increase in July, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. 

The Seattle area had the third-largest home-price spike in the country during August, according to RE/MAX’s latest National Housing Report. The market’s median price — $745,000 — is now the fourth-highest in the United States.

Mortgage rates have been dropping in recent weeks in anticipation of the Fed’s move.

The expectation of a rate cut this week, and the potential for more later in the year, has already moved mortgage rates lower.

At a time of year when the real estate market typically experiences seasonal declines, this fall is bringing just the opposite.

Seattle is the No. 3 alternative relocation destination in the U.S., according to a new study by Remitly. Vancouver is No. 1 in the world.

Rate introduced its Spanish-language mortgage process in 2022.

The subject of housing came up four times during Tuesday night’s presidential debate — all mentions were by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Specifically, prices rose 4.3% annually after growing by 4.7% in June. 

With mortgage rates at their lowest level since March 2023 — 6.35% as of Aug. 29 — the Seattle area showed increases in active listings, new listings and pending sales during August, according to the NWMLS’ monthly Market Snapshot.