the
JUNE 2016
Volume 7 | Issue 6
LOCAL happenings
EYE ON THE market Experts say our region’s weather is one month ahead of schedule this year, which means this spectacular spring has been perfect for home shopping and selling. The Northwest MLS reports most new listings coming on the market are receiving plenty of attention and sell within the first 30 days. Open house traffic is high, and buyers are still hopeful for a chance of owning a home this year. Low inventory remains a concern, but overall NWMLS listings were up 13.6 percent in April over the month before, helping to ease some of the strain. A lack of condo units for sale is often cited as a significant factor in the inventory shortage. Condos are very important to the health of our local real estate market for many reasons. Affordability, size, location and lower maintenance compared to single-family homes are just a few reasons condos attract first time home buyers and those looking to downsize. The latest Northwest MLS statistics show condo closed sales are up over this same time last year by 16.16 percent in King County and up 31.65 percent in Pierce County. Condo closed sales in Snohomish
County are down by 12 percent, primarily because condo listings were down by 42.66 percent compared to last year. Where are the condos? Restrictive condo laws in our state, meant to protect buyers, have deterred many developers from building condos since they came into effect. In recent months, there has been an increase in discussions about revisiting condo laws to make this type of construction more attractive to developers while still protecting consumers. In the meantime, what can we expect for the summer of 2016? More of the same: listings selling quickly and multiple offers on properly priced properties. We’ll also see more buyers looking to Pierce and Snohomish counties and beyond to buy a home that meets their needs while interest rates are still at historic lows.
THE BENEFITS OF naturescaping Landscaping with native plants conserves water and reduces maintenance costs, and once the plants are established, “naturescaping” saves you time. What exactly is naturescaping? It’s the practice of using native Northwest plants to create a more natural yard. Some benefits to naturescaping: Planned the right way, it can create a healthy, safe space for you and your family, free of chemicals. It saves money normally spent on lawn chemicals and on watering during the dry summer months. Once established, a naturescaped yard reduces your time mowing, raking and watering. There are many resources online that can help with your naturescaping planning. Here’s where you can learn more: green.kingcounty.gov/GoNative savingwater.org nativeplantsalvage.org
1-5 Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival bellevuedowntown.com 3-5 Edmonds Waterfront Festival edmondswaterfrontfestival.org 4-5 Maritime Gig Festival in Gig Harbor | gigharborchamber.net 10-12 Maple Valley Days maplevalleydays.com 10-12 Sorticulture Garden Arts Festival in Everett | everettwa.gov 11 Georgetown Carnival georgetownmerchants.org 11 Lake to Lake Bike Ride in Bellevue | bellevuewa.gov 11 National Marina Day in Seattle portseattle.org 11-12 Festival Sundiata at Seattle Center | festivalsundiata.org 11-19 Marysville Strawberry Festival maryfest.org 12 Woodinville Wine Ride cascade.org 17-19 Edmonds Arts Festival edmondsartsfestival.com 17-19 Fremont Solstice Celebration fremontsolstice.com 17-19 Meeker Days Festival in Puyallup puyallupmainstreet.com 18-19 Burien Wild Strawberry Festival burienstrawberryfestival.org
24 Auburn Kids Day auburnwa.gov 25-26 Bellevue Strawberry Festival bellevuestrawberryfestival.org 26 PrideFest in Seattle seattlepridefest.org