the
DECEMBER 2016
Volume 7 | Issue 12
EYE ON THE
market
What a great year it has been for the Puget Sound. Our economy is strong, unemployment remains low and the real estate market continues to move at a brisk pace as this year comes to an end. October Northwest MLS statistics show existing listings are selling quickly, with closed sales for single-family homes up year-over-year 9.26 percent in King County, 11.63 percent in Pierce County and 15.38 percent in Snohomish County. The number of active listings fell in all areas compared to the same time period last year. In local elections, Puget Sound voters approved Sound Transit 3, a $54 billion plan to expand mass transit in the region over the next 25 years. Communities slated for expansion include Redmond, Issaquah and Tacoma.
A SEASON FOR GREEN
LOCAL Looking past the holidays and into 2017: The Federal Reserve has indicated a rate hike but may hold off until more is known about the new presidential administration’s plans for the country. Even with the anticipated rate hike, rates are expected to remain at historic lows and keep buyers in the hunt. More millennials will make plans to become first time homebuyers, adding pressure to the current market. We can expect an increase in demand and price for housing located with convenient access to the planned new Sound Transit transportation facilities. Our region is a very special corner of the nation. While low inventory remains a concern, our strong local economy and improving ability to plan for future growth demonstrate Puget Sound’s readiness for 2017 and beyond.
Happy New Year!
giving
Hoping to share some “green” holiday cheer this year? Here are some ideas: Creative gifts show you care Give a gift where it is needed The baby sweater or cozy scarf you knit Make a friend smile when they get a yourself is more likely to become a card describing the child in another part family heirloom, extending the life cycle of the world whose life will be improved of the materials in your gift. by the gift on their behalf. There are several wonderful websites offering Buy a local gift charitable gift opportunities, including A gift made or grown locally can tell a heifer.org and charitygiftcertificates.org. story or be a way to share a unique product you have discovered in your Consider green packaging own backyard. Use packaging that will not go to waste. Your packaging may be part of the gift Share your time and attention itself; for instance, you can wrap the gift Offer to babysit, pet-sit, house-sit, in a scarf or enclose it in a box that can deliver home-cooked meals, or clean. be reused for collecting life’s odds and Give a consumable gift ends. Reusable wrapping such as a gift Organic teas, fair trade coffee, fresh bag will pass on the fun. flowers, and fresh or dried fruits and Happy Holidays! nuts all make great gifts.
happenings
1-23 Christmas Ship Festival Around the Sound (starts 11/25) argosycruises.com 1-24 Snowflake Lane in Bellevue (starts 11/25) snowflakelane.com 1-31 Garden d’Lights in Bellevue (starts 11/26) gardendlights.org through Gingerbread Village in Seattle Jan 1 (starts 11/22) sheratonseattle.com through WildLights at Woodland Park Jan 1 Zoo (starts 11/25) | zoo.org through Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo Jan 1 (starts 11/25) | pdza.org 3 Light Up Monroe choosemonroe.com 3 Lighted Santa Parade in Puyallup puyallupmainstreet.com 3 Redmond Lights redmondlights.com 3-4 Phinney Winter Festival & Crafts Fair phinneycenter.org 4 Chase the Grinch Outta Snohomish 5K & 10K databarevents.com 10 Green Lake Pathway of Lights seattle.gov 11 Jingle Bell Run in Seattle jbr.org 24 Jingle Bell Run in Tacoma metroparkstacoma.org 26-31 Celebration Lane in Bellevue snowflakelane.com 31 First Night Tacoma firstnighttacoma.org