Case-Shiller: Everybody get on board the Seattle real estate rocket ship!

Posted on by The Tim

Let’s have a look at the latest data from the Case-Shiller Home Price Index. According to July data that was released this morning, Seattle-area home prices were:

Up 0.6 percent June to July
Up 13.5 percent year-over-year.
Up 20.2 percent from the July 2007 peak

Over the same period last year prices were up 0.6 percent month-over-month and year-over-year prices were up 11.2 percent.

To get a sense of just how nuts it is here in Seattle compared to pretty much everywhere else, consider this chart of year-over-year home price changes in all twenty Case-Shiller cities over the past year and a half…

Amazon, Go

Okay, okay, let’s talk about Amazon HQ2

Posted on by The Tim

Everybody is talking about it, and it’s definitely going to have some kind of effect on the local economy in Seattle, so even though it’s a bit late, let’s talk about Amazon’s HQ2.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen the news that Amazon is seeking to build a second headquarters somewhere “in North America” that “will be a full equal to our current campus in Seattle.” GeekWire has been covering the story extensively (including a data-based city analysis by yours truly), so if you need to catch up on the facts, head over there. For the discussion here, let’s focus on the possible impact this development will have on the Seattle-area real estate market.

Case-Shiller: Seattle On Top Again in June

Posted on by The Tim

Let’s have a look at the latest data from the Case-Shiller Home Price Index. According to June data that was released this morning, Seattle-area home prices were:

Up 1.4 percent May to June
Up 13.4 percent year-over-year.
Up 19.4 percent from the July 2007 peak

Over the same period last year prices were up 1.4 percent month-over-month and year-over-year prices were up 11.0 percent.

Home price growth in Seattle as measured by Case-Shiller show no signs of slowing. Seattle leads the nation yet again in year-over-year home price growth. However, there was one city that passed Seattle in month-over-month price gains in June—Detroit, of all places.