By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The January jobs report was just released on March 16 and showed improvement from the prior month. Washington’s unemployment rate fell from 7.1% in December 2020 to 6.0% in January 2021. The January unemployment rate in the Seattle metropolitan area was 5.8%. The March Builders Bulletin also includes year-end permit totals for 2020, which were relatively flat for single-family. In contrast, multifamily permits fell 17% in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties in 2020 compared to 2019.

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:

By Erich Armbruster, Ashworth Homes, The Lens News

One of the biggest challenges facing our region is a lack of attainable housing, especially near job centers. Continued growth is driving the demand for more housing and the strong demand is outpacing supply, causing home prices and rents to soar. This is making housing increasingly out of reach for families and workers and threatening our area’s quality of life.

Read article

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The latest data from the Census Bureau show single-family permits up 25% in the three-county Seattle metro area through March, compared to the same period last year. Pierce County saw the biggest rise in single-family permit activity among the three counties, up 61% year-over-year in the first quarter. Multifamily permits more than doubled in the region, led by big upticks in Pierce and King counties. However, Snohomish County experienced a drop in multifamily permit activity in the first quarter.

The Builders 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: