By Logan Riely, Seattle Times

The 24th Annual Gingerbread Village was unveiled Monday at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel lobby. Creations were inspired by scenes from the wizarding world.

The event came together with more than 1,000 volunteer hours, an estimated 1,200 pounds of dough, 800 pounds of icing, 200 pounds of white chocolate, 250 pounds of almond paste, and hundreds of pounds of candy.

Homing in on Our Region's Housing Statistics

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The Office of Financial Management (OFM) released its annual population estimates this week for the state of Washington and its counties, cities, and towns. The report shows that as of April 1, 2022, the Puget Sound region’s population (King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap counties) is 4,383,300, an annual increase of 52,550. Most of the growth occurred in King County, which added 30,650 over the past year. This is down from the average of 33,800 people per year in King County between 2010 and 2020. Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap counties also saw a smaller population increase than the previous year. For more information, see OFM’s press release.

Please contact data@mbaks.com with questions or feedback. We want to know what data would be useful to you!

Months' Supply of Housing Inventory

As of May 2022

	King County had 0.83 months' supply of inventory (up from 0.55 months' of inventory a year ago).
	Snohomish County had 0.85 months' supply of inventory (up from 0.34 a year ago).

Many industry analysts consider a four-to-six-month level as an indicator of a healthy market.

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Median Home Price

May 2022

	The median price of single-family homes and condos was $880,000 in King County and $782,800 in Snohomish County.
	For single-family homes only, the median price in King County rose 14.82%, from $869,975 a year ago to $998,888. The median price in Snohomish County rose 16.93%, from $697,000 to $815,000.
	In Seattle, the median price of single-family homes and condos was $899,475. The median price for single-family homes only was $1,025,500, a 11.59% increase from $919,000 in April 2021.

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Building Permit Activity

Jobs

	The seasonally adjusted Washington unemployment rate for May 2022 is 3.9%; for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett, it is 2.7%.
	Construction employment in Washington increased by 800 between April 2022 and May 2022. Total construction employment is 232,400 statewide and 107,600 for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett specifically.

Source: Employment Security Department: WA Employment Estimates (Seasonally Adjusted), May 2022 and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Population

The Puget Sound region's population as of April 1, 2022 was 4,383,300. Over the past year, the region added 52,550 people, as follows:

Source: Office of Financial Management

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Stephanie Giralmo, Public Relations & Media Manager
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
p 425.457.7048

MBAKS Announces 2023 REX/T-REX (Remodeling Excellence and Trades Remodeling Excellence) Awards Winners

BELLEVUE, Wash.—May 6, 2023—For the 37th year in a row, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) hosted their annual Remodeling/Trades Remodeling Excellence (REX/T-REX) Awards.

The REX/T-REX Awards, presented by the Remodelers Council of MBAKS, encourages local remodelers and builders to submit their best projects of the year. Each submission is reviewed by a panel of remodeling professionals from across the country and winners are selected in each category. The categories are: Design, Interior/Exterior Details, Bath, Kitchen, Addition, Outdoor Living, Major Remodel, Historical, ADU/DADU, Green Remodel, Aging in Place, and Get Away Room/Basement.

REX/T-REX entries were judged on the following categories:

1. Aesthetics—How is the remodel visually appealing?
2. Special or unique design solutions—How was the space planned and was livability considered?
3. Quality workmanship—What are the special features of the project and is there attention to detail?
4. Use of appropriate building material—Does the remodel complement existing structure and design?
5. Budgetary consideration—How did the project keep within the budget and still deliver client expectations?
6. Challenges and obstacles—Were there any unexpected obstacles that called for adjustments?

2023 REX/T-REX Winners

About the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties

Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is one of the nation’s oldest and largest local homebuilders associations. 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.

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