By the Everett Herald

Members of Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, Professional Women in Building Council, and AAA KARTAK on Sept. 30 volunteered to rake, measure, dig, and plant around the future homes of low-income families at Housing Hope’s Main Street project in Monroe.

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The near-record-low 2.6% unemployment rate for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett seen in February rose to 5.5% in March, according to the latest monthly employment report, which shows the first wave of job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Employment Security Department notes the impacts on jobs are more likely to be evident in the April report. Meanwhile, housing indicators from the latest Builders Bulletin do not yet reflect the impact of coronavirus on real estate and new home construction. The report shows year-over-year median home price increases in March and rising permits in February.

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:

Contact: data@mbaks.com

The latest end-of-year numbers reveal a downturn in both single-family and multifamily homebuilding from 2022 to 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the number of single-family permits stands at 6,053, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 16% compared to 2022 figures. Similarly, multifamily permits have seen a substantial decrease, with 11,201 permits issued as of the same date, indicating a sharp year-on-year decline of 43%.

Read the full February Builders Bulletin: