The NWMLS “recap” sheet for September has been posted, for those of you that prefer the summary version of the monthly statistics. And if it’s the day of the recap sheet, that means it’s the day of the Seattle Times’ “blurb” article. Amazingly, Elizabeth Rhodes finally acknowledges that the Seattle market is slowing, even using…
WAMU to cut 140 at Lynnwood Loan Centers
The Everett Herald reports that Washington Mutual is cutting 140 processing jobs in Lynnwood (Home Loan Center I presume). Evidently the majority are in processing and the company expects to move some of the operation overseas. “More reductions are possible,” said Tim McGarry, vice president of corporate public relations. “It is true that there may…
Olympia Experiences "Necessary Cooling Effect"
Here’s the latest report out of Olympia, where business reporter Rolf Boone doesn’t bother to wait for the NWMLS talking points press release before publishing his monthly real estate stories. While South Sound home sales year to date are running 6 percent ahead of sales through all of 2005, higher inventories continue to slow the…
Demand Down, Supply Up, Prices Dip
It’s that time of the month again. Time for fun with numbers. September figures from the NWMLS have been posted. King County Residential inventory jumped even more than I was expecting, up 28.79% from last year. Sales tanked nearly 20% from August, and are down 20.59% from last year. Median sales price for single-family homes…
Realtors Getting Testy, Anti-Competitive
In yesterday’s open thread, Plymster pointed out an interesting bit of drama that is being played out in the Seattle real estate blogging scene. I’m not really interested in fanning internet flame wars, but the comments of a local Realtor™ really sheds some light on one of the problems the real estate industry as a…