By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

Median home prices for single-family homes and condos rose more than 17% year-over-year in King and Snohomish counties in September 2020. The King County median home price was $698,230. In Snohomish County, it was $550,000.

The Builder's Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management, and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

Download this month's report:

Media Contact:
Nona Raybern, PR & Media Manager
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
p 425.457.7067
m 425.208.6308

COVID-19 Safety Toolkit Released for Construction Restart

Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties develops a safety packet with templates for builders to resume work during COVID-19 crisis

BELLEVUE, Wash—April 24, 2020—Today, Governor Jay Inslee announced a plan to immediately restart some residential construction that can be done safely. The plan is based on recommendations unanimously agreed to by a workgroup formed by the Governor, consisting of construction industry and labor leaders. Based on the Governor’s announcement and this framework, MBAKS has created a safety toolkit designed to create and maintain a safe working environment upon return to construction projects.

“We have an obligation to help our workforce and our community stay safe as residential construction restarts,” said MBAKS Executive Director Kat Sims. “We are providing this toolkit simply because the safety of everyone who returns to work in this climate carries the highest importance.”

The Phase 1 toolkit includes safety plans for job sites—including policies regarding control measures related to safe distancing, hygiene, sanitation, etc.—and plans for jobsite cleaning and disinfecting, OSHA recordkeeping, and other safety information.

The toolkit also includes English- and Spanish-language signage and posters to be posted at job sites, and identifies specific duties given to onsite supervisors or managers who will oversee the compliance of safety protocols. Guidance on weekly meetings for procedures and expectations is included in the toolkit, along with daily checklists and safety data sheets.

MBAKS has created this toolkit alongside our existing COVID-19-dedicated website, which provides resources on where businesses can find safety equipment—PPE, handwashing stations, etc.—and resources pertaining to jurisdictions and utilities.

More information on this release: mbakscovid19.org/phase-1-toolkit

Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is the nation’s oldest and largest local homebuilders association. Like our founders, our members continue to take a leading role in all facets of homebuilding and support the planning for a growing region. From new technology to advances in sustainability and from collaborative public policy efforts to investing in our communities, our commitment to a thriving, inclusive, and well-planned region never wavers. We are the professional homebuilders, architects, remodelers, tradespeople (carpenters, framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians), planners and engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and sales and marketing professionals in your community who believe everyone deserves access to a healthy and productive place to call home.

The Bellevue City Council has adopted an ordinance implementing residential lot splitting, creating another tool to help increase housing opportunities through more efficient land division. The ordinance was adopted on July 28 as part of a larger package of land use code amendments. MBAKS supported adoption and submitted this July 28 letter to the City Council. 

Bellevue deserves recognition for being one of the first jurisdictions in King and Snohomish counties to implement Washington’s new lot splitting law, HB 1096 (now codified in RCW 58.17.145). The City has taken an important step by establishing a local process and ensuring its code is consistent with the intent of state law. MBAKS also appreciates Bellevue staff's collaborative approach and willingness to work through implementation issues before adoption.

One important caveat is that Bellevue's new residential lot splitting provisions will not take effect until July 27, 2027. The City chose to delay implementation to allow time to establish a new, streamlined permit type and complete the work needed to administer the new process. While MBAKS would have preferred an earlier effective date, we appreciate Bellevue's thoughtful approach to implementation and its commitment to creating a permitting process that is as efficient and user-friendly as possible.

What Is Residential Lot Splitting?

HB 1096, passed by the Legislature in 2025, requires cities planning under the Growth Management Act to allow qualifying residential lots to be administratively divided into two lots without requiring a traditional short plat or subdivision process.

The goal is to create a simpler, faster path to divide eligible residential lots while maintaining local development standards, infrastructure requirements, and environmental protections. Once divided, each lot can be developed consistent with local zoning and the middle housing requirements adopted under state law.

Read the new residential lot splitting provisions: Ordinance 6933 beginning at the bottom of page 37.