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February Builders Bulletin: Housing Inventory in King and Snohomish Counties Remains Low

In February, builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes dropped to 42, a decline of five points from January, marking the lowest level in five months. In the West, the HMI stood at 35. According to NAHB, builder sentiment experienced a significant decline in February due to concerns over tariffs, elevated mortgage rates, and high housing costs.

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As Rampathon 2026 winds down it’s a good time to reflect on MBAKS’ long-running involvement in this program and the positive impact it has, not just on the people we help, but our members as well. 

Since 1993, Rampathon has brought together MBAKS volunteers to build more than 650 free accessibility ramps for neighbors across King and Snohomish counties. 

A Tradition of Support

Among the many partners who help make Rampathon possible, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties stands out for its deep commitment to long-term housing stability. Since its founding in 1986, Habitat SKKC has constructed or renovated 500 homes and completed more than 700 home repairs benefitting more than 3,000 people. 

The Habitat SKKC repair team has been part of Rampathon since 2018, and according to Kait Heacock, Habitat SKKC communications manager, it is one of their favorite times of the year. “Everyone pitches in to make these ramps happen,” Heacock said. “We have seen firsthand how life-changing these accessibility modifications can be for our homeowners and love being a part of the program.” This year, Habitat SKKC is building four ramps as part of the program located across Kent, Renton, Auburn, and Federal Way. 

A Helper Who Needed Help

One of Habitat SKKC’s most memorable stories from this year is about a longtime Pacific Northwest resident named Lawrence who moved here in 1978 from Ohio. Now retired, Lawrence spends much of his time helping friends and family with things like car repairs, electrical work (he used to install telephone service), plumbing, drywall, and household projects. Not to mention he is also known to whip up a variety of cakes (rum, orange liqueur, piña colada, banana split) from his basement bakery. 

Unfortunately, ongoing issues with one of his knees had made it difficult for Lawrence to walk up and down stairs and maintain his balance. It was starting to interfere with his active (and helpful) lifestyle, and even accessing his front door had become a challenge. Although he had visited Habitat stores for years to buy materials for his projects, he had never used Habitat SKKC’s repair services until recently. When he reached out, the repair team quickly determined that a ramp would significantly improve Lawrence’s safety and independence.

The ramp construction took approximately two weeks. Along the way the team also completed additional repairs, including replacing leaking plumbing and rebuilding worn deck boards and front steps. Lawrence knew the repairs were difficult and that he could not safely tackle them alone but, true to form, he stayed as involved as he could, assisting with parts of the project and preparing barbecue, salads, and cakes (of course) for the repair team to help say “thank you.”

With the work completed, Lawrence reports that the improvements have reduced his stress and made his home far more accessible. He also sees the repairs as beneficial not only for himself but for friends and neighbors who have difficulty using stairs. “The ramp has made me feel a lot more comfortable when people come to visit,” he said.

Stories like Lawrence’s really bring home why MBAKS is so committed to Rampathon and why volunteering can be so meaningful for our members. An accessibility ramp might seem like a very simple solution, but it can make a huge difference helping someone remain in their home, supporting them if they have mobility challenges, removing barriers that might keep them isolated, and providing peace of mind for families. It’s the sort of impact that really reflects the values that drive MBAKS members: service, craftsmanship, and a commitment to strengthening the communities where we live. 

Building a Lasting Impact

As we wrap up Rampathon 2026, we want to thank all of the volunteer builder members and Signature Sponsor, Dunn Lumber, who make it possible. MBAKS looks forward to continuing its partnership with Habitat SKKC and many other organizations as we build on the momentum of 2026. We know the work will be challenging, but also rewarding. Not every day can be sunny, especially around here. But as Lawrence says, “When people say, ‘The sun’s not shining,’ I tell them the sun’s shining every day if you look past the clouds. That’s what life is about.”  

Q: I’ve spent a lot of time at home since the pandemic started. Lately, my smallish house feels cluttered and claustrophobic, and it’s affecting my mood and energy level. What can I do to feel better?

A: Your home can profoundly affect your health and well-being, and we’re spending more time in our homes than ever before.

Over the past few decades, science has revealed a strong link between our surroundings and our overall health. It’s become clear that we need to give our home environment a serious health check to ensure our own long-term wellness. Here are a few tips to transform your home into a more positive space.

Let nature in

Despite how we live today, we’re still children of nature. The health benefits of acting on this knowledge are well-studied and undeniable. When we’re close to nature, everything works better. It calms us and reduces stress. In natural settings, we concentrate better and heal faster. When we remove nature from our surroundings, things fall apart.

Bring in nature by minimizing the barriers that separate exterior from interior. If you can increase the size of your windows, or add more, do so. Replace heavy drapery with solar shades that open up the view and admit more natural light. Invite nature in by adding landscaping just outside your windows and bringing plants, herbs and living walls into your home.

Invest in your outdoor space if you’re able. Make your patio or deck more inviting with comfortable furniture, outdoor heaters, rugs and soft fabrics. Replace a solid door with glass, or add a sliding door to improve access to garden paths and outdoor spaces.

Shed stuff

We often have too much stuff. The psychological burden of clutter and chaos is greater than you might think. It might seem counterintuitive, but having too much stuff can result in depression, a sense of isolation and an inability to focus.

Reducing and decluttering are not easy but can be achieved if you tackle rooms and tasks systematically. The hard part is the mental shift required to commit to keeping only things that give us joy or that we truly need.

In terms of decluttering, drawers and containers are the most efficient form of storage. The secret of effective storage is keeping containers visible and “filing” them vertically, as you would with paperwork, to ensure that you can easily see and access what you need. Not knowing where things are is its own source of unhealthy frustration and stress.

Of course, decluttering is of no use if you continue accumulating more stuff. Stores encourage you to buy more, but you can decide what you actually bring into your home.

Light appropriately

Our ancestors’ only source of light was the sun. As a result, natural light is the heart of our circadian rhythms and essential for our overall health. It regulates our metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and cognition. It is easy for artificial lighting to work against our natural cycles.

While we can’t control sunlight, we can control the type of lighting in our homes and the tone and color of the light we are exposed to. Every room should have different types of light — general lighting, task lighting and accent lighting — preferably controlled separately and dimmable. This allows flexibility for different activities at different times of the day and night. Most importantly, it allows you to simulate natural sunlight.

Pay specific attention to the color (also known as temperature) of light bulbs. To increase productivity during the day, set overhead lighting to a bright, blue-white light. In the evening, when you want to relax, you can switch to lamps with soft, warm light placed at eye level.

Improve air quality

We breathe in air continuously, but unless our sense of smell tells us that something is wrong, we hardly ever think about the quality of the air. Many irritants and harmful gases are odorless and can cause serious health problems without our realizing it.

To improve air quality, become mindful of what you bring into your home. Many household products like air fresheners, disinfectants, aerosol sprays, and art materials (paints, solvents) contain harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Choose paint, flooring products and building and furniture materials that are formaldehyde free. Read product labels, ask questions and choose reliable manufacturers for everything you bring into your home.

While we cannot control everything, there is still a lot we can do to ensure that our homes improve the overall health and well-being of ourselves and our loved ones.

Mia Hannom is the owner of In Form Design, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). If you have a home improvement, remodeling, or residential homebuilding question you’d like answered by one of the MBAKS’s more than 2,600 members, write to homework@mbaks.com