NWMLS: Market Activity Reports
Latest Housing News, Press Release, Infographic & Reports. Stay up-to-date with the latest real estate market data and statistical trends:
- Latest Press Release: "Northwest MLS brokers say August housing activity follows patterns of seasonal slowing"
- Market Activity Snapshot Shareable Infographic
- Market Report Video (4 minutes)
- Statistical Reports: Log in to view or print reports
WASHINGTON:CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2
NPSAR Government Affairs Director, Ron Wortham in corporation with Realtors Property Resource (RPR), provides an in-depth look at Congressional District 2. This report shows statistics on Housing Stock, Monthly Housing Costs, Median Values and much more! Follow the link to read the report including Talking Points on how to increase housing inventory, build strong, resilient communities, and 1031 Exchange Myth-busting. Read More At: gad_report.pdf
HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR WASHINGTON IN 2021
Make Housing Available and Affordable
It’s time for the residents of Washington across the state to come together and address the numerous obstacles associated with buying and owning a home. For most Washingtonians, home ownership is out of reach because of sky-high prices and low inventory. Whether you live in a rural area or a busy metro neighborhood, opportunities for home ownership simply don’t meet the need.
Practical, proven policies are available now to address this issue. As a state, we simply need to come together and make it happen.
This involves:
It’s time for the residents of Washington across the state to come together and address the numerous obstacles associated with buying and owning a home. For most Washingtonians, home ownership is out of reach because of sky-high prices and low inventory. Whether you live in a rural area or a busy metro neighborhood, opportunities for home ownership simply don’t meet the need.
Practical, proven policies are available now to address this issue. As a state, we simply need to come together and make it happen.
This involves:
- Greater emphasis on planning for the housing we need
- Ensuring urban densities for housing are provided near transit
- Providing long-term funding for long-term planning
- Erase Out-Dated Racial Covenants
Read more at: myneighborwa.com
'Should We Say Good-Bye to Gas Heat?'
[Continued]
The legislation is silent about use of natural gas for cooking and clothes dryers. In an interview, Ramel said lawmakers want to transition those appliances to clean energy as well. However, the details may be worked out later between natural gas utilities and regulators at the state utilities commission.
During the well-attended virtual public hearing before the state House Environment and Energy Committee, Cascade Natural Gas, Puget Sound Energy and the utility trade group Northwest Gas Association raised objections.
"[This bill] would jeopardize energy reliability, drive up costs to customers and put gas industry employees across Washington out of work," said Alyn Spector, energy efficiency policy manager for Cascade Natural Gas. "This is not the time to eliminate good paying jobs."
Business lobbying groups, including the influential Association of Washington Business and the home builders' Building Industry Association of Washington, also voiced their opposition.
"As we saw this summer in California, we cannot take a healthy grid for granted and losses from even short-lived interruption of power supply can run into the billions," said Peter Godlewski with AWB. "Shifting consumers and businesses away from natural gas to electricity puts severe pressure on the electric grid as a time when we’re retiring more generating capacity than ever."
At this juncture it is hard to gauge the prospects for the gas heat phaseout proposal. Inslee, who made combating climate change a central plank of his brief run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has the benefit of large, supportive Democratic majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. But the capacity of lawmakers to get much done beyond the basics of passing new state budgets and dealing with the coronavirus pandemic while conducting most business virtually remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, an assortment of West Coast cities are tackling carbon pollution from buildings independently. Around 40 climate-conscious California cities and counties have already passed laws or codes to require new buildings to be all-electric.
Later this week, the Seattle City Council begins consideration of an ordinance to ban the use of fossil fuels for heating in new commercial and large apartment buildings. The proposed policy change does not apply to single family homes and duplexes because the city's energy code that is open for amendment pertains only to commercial buildings. The effective date of January 1, 2022, is much sooner than the state legislature’s proposal in the same vein.
"In Seattle, 35 percent of carbon emissions are from the building sector and they are rising," Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment Director Jessica Finn Coven told state legislators in testimony Friday. "Constructing homes and buildings right the first time reduces the likelihood of costly retrofits in the future."
The Bellingham City Council has also teed up electrification of buildings as part of a broader climate action package. In an email, Bellingham City Council member Michael Lilliquist said the pandemic had slowed down the work, but it is proceeding. He said city staff were running all of the proposed climate measures through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process.
"We are not yet at the stage to offer specifics that can be incorporated into an ordinance or program," Lilliquist said.
The legislation is silent about use of natural gas for cooking and clothes dryers. In an interview, Ramel said lawmakers want to transition those appliances to clean energy as well. However, the details may be worked out later between natural gas utilities and regulators at the state utilities commission.
During the well-attended virtual public hearing before the state House Environment and Energy Committee, Cascade Natural Gas, Puget Sound Energy and the utility trade group Northwest Gas Association raised objections.
"[This bill] would jeopardize energy reliability, drive up costs to customers and put gas industry employees across Washington out of work," said Alyn Spector, energy efficiency policy manager for Cascade Natural Gas. "This is not the time to eliminate good paying jobs."
Business lobbying groups, including the influential Association of Washington Business and the home builders' Building Industry Association of Washington, also voiced their opposition.
"As we saw this summer in California, we cannot take a healthy grid for granted and losses from even short-lived interruption of power supply can run into the billions," said Peter Godlewski with AWB. "Shifting consumers and businesses away from natural gas to electricity puts severe pressure on the electric grid as a time when we’re retiring more generating capacity than ever."
At this juncture it is hard to gauge the prospects for the gas heat phaseout proposal. Inslee, who made combating climate change a central plank of his brief run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has the benefit of large, supportive Democratic majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. But the capacity of lawmakers to get much done beyond the basics of passing new state budgets and dealing with the coronavirus pandemic while conducting most business virtually remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, an assortment of West Coast cities are tackling carbon pollution from buildings independently. Around 40 climate-conscious California cities and counties have already passed laws or codes to require new buildings to be all-electric.
Later this week, the Seattle City Council begins consideration of an ordinance to ban the use of fossil fuels for heating in new commercial and large apartment buildings. The proposed policy change does not apply to single family homes and duplexes because the city's energy code that is open for amendment pertains only to commercial buildings. The effective date of January 1, 2022, is much sooner than the state legislature’s proposal in the same vein.
"In Seattle, 35 percent of carbon emissions are from the building sector and they are rising," Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment Director Jessica Finn Coven told state legislators in testimony Friday. "Constructing homes and buildings right the first time reduces the likelihood of costly retrofits in the future."
The Bellingham City Council has also teed up electrification of buildings as part of a broader climate action package. In an email, Bellingham City Council member Michael Lilliquist said the pandemic had slowed down the work, but it is proceeding. He said city staff were running all of the proposed climate measures through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process.
"We are not yet at the stage to offer specifics that can be incorporated into an ordinance or program," Lilliquist said.
Skagit County Agriculture Impact
How Skagit County's agriculture affects the economy, both locally and globally.
Read Washington State University Research & Extension Fact Sheet.
Read Washington State University Research & Extension Fact Sheet.
