Contact:
Stephanie Giralmo, Public Relations & Media Manager
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
p 425.457.7067

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MBAKS Gives Local Charity a Fresh Coat of Paint

KENT, WA—Since 2003, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) has painted hundreds of thousands of square feet for various service organizations through our Painting a Better Tomorrow (PBT) community stewardship program. PBT is a one-day event that brings MBAKS members and community volunteers together to paint a local service organization’s facility.

“Frequently, the first maintenance item to be removed off an operational budget is painting, so many of our recipients have gone years without this much-needed improvement,” stated MBAKS Interim Executive Director Jerry Hall. “The Painting a Better Tomorrow program allows us to give back to the community by helping create a welcoming space for the communities that they serve.”

This year MBAKS selected King County non-profit Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care as their 2022 partner. Valley Cities provides case management, vocational training, housing support, peer support, crisis support and a wide variety of other support services to meet the unique needs of each. Valley Cities serves more than 20,000 people each year through intensive behavioral health care, counseling, and support services.

"It's important to make our clients feel like our space is welcoming, soothing, and calming so they feel safe enough to access care,” said Kent Clinic Manager, Jessica Forshee. “That's exactly why we looked for programs and grants to create spaces of belonging."

Programs like these would not be possible without the help from our sponsors. Thank you to our signature sponsor ERNWest for their support throughout the years.

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About MBAKS

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, 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.

About Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care

Established by community members of South King County in 1965, Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care has provided behavioral health care services to people of all ages for over 50 years. Through the ongoing support of the community, Valley Cities delivers compassionate care to over 20,000 individuals at 10 outpatient clinics, 2 inpatient detox centers, and 1 Cohen Military Family clinic. Valley Cities offers licensed mental health counseling and substance use disorder treatment; homeless outreach services and housing programs; and specialized services that deliver counseling and family support to veterans and their families. Throughout their long history, Valley Cities has remained focused on helping families and individuals by delivering a continuum of services designed to maximize client potential and success. Their work is founded on their unwavering belief in the resiliency and strength of the human spirit. That, with help, people can and do overcome the barriers and obstacles that confront them.

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Number of the Day: 12.4

As in, Seattle metro area median home prices are up 12.4 percent from last year, topping Zillow's list of fastest appreciating U.S. markets.

In the everlasting battle between West Coast cities boasting the most eye-popping home prices, Seattle seems to have landed a surprise left uppercut to its sister (cousin?) to the south, the n-o-t-o-r-i-o-u-s San Francisco.

San Fran (they hate being called that) still holds the edge in median home values, with the average Bay Area home running just over $865,000, compared to $455,000 in the Seattle metro area, which includes Everett, Bellevue, and Tacoma.

Despite the still rather large gap in median prices, our region's $455,000 is up 12.4 percent from last year, which is good enough to top Zillow's list of fastest-appreciating markets. U.S. home values rose 6.9 percent during the same period, while San Francisco has thus far seen a 6 percent increase, or half of what Seattle is experiencing.

Still, don't expect the median price gap to close anytime soon. San Francisco had hit our current median home value way back in July 2002 and they haven't looked back since.

Is this a sign of where we're headed? MBAKS and friends recently addressed this issue at our annual Housing Summit, held October 17. At the Summit, the association announced our 2018 legislative agenda, including a 10-Point Plan for Housing Attainability.

Curious about the rental market? Seattle tops that list too, with a 5.5 percent increase year over year, which comes out to a median monthly rent of $2,189. U.S. rents are up 2.1 percent (at $1,430 a month), and San Francisco again limbos under the trend at a scant 0.4 percent increase, though don't start putting flowers in your hair just yet—their median rent is still a bloated $3,376 per month.

I guess that's one thing to be thankful for this Northwest Thanksgiving—at least we're not San Francisco… yet.

Contact: data@mbaks.com

Month’s supply of housing inventory for both King County and Snohomish County is still below a 2-month inventory, indicating that the market has not yet made the switch into a buyer’s market. Industry analysts consider a 4–6-month supply to be an indication of a healthy market. Snohomish County continues to be the most competitive within the Puget Sound region.

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