The Seattle Housing Market is Cooling Down
This text will speak about how the housing market within the Seattle space is true now and its forecast for subsequent yr. The Seattle actual property market has been sizzling because the pandemic however issues are altering now. House costs within the Seattle space stay effectively above the place they had been a yr in the past however the market is cooling off. In response to Redfin, Seattle has the fastest-cooling housing market within the U.S.
December is usually the month with the fewest new listings as a result of vacation season, which is good news for consumers. Rates of interest on house mortgages are decrease than they had been a month in the past. Noting that specialists anticipate decrease rates of interest within the close to future because the economic system works to cut back inflation, homebuyers are at the moment buying on the market value with the choice to refinance when rates of interest decline.
Within the interim, some purchasers are choosing five- or seven-year adjustable-rate mortgages, which scale back the rate of interest and month-to-month fee. With stock ranges nonetheless considerably beneath the long-term common, there can’t be a giant enhance in provide sooner or later. Seattle is unlikely to grow to be a purchaser’s market in 2023, nevertheless it could possibly be a way more balanced market. The times of sellers “having the higher hand” are over, they usually might want to grow to be extra sensible as exact pricing turns into extra essential than ever.
In response to NWMLS’s newest report, regardless of the seasonal slowdown, there was a pent-up demand for housing in November. King County skilled a median of 55 gross sales per day final month, with year-over-year (YOY) median costs in King County up $10,000, rising from $740,000 to $750,000. 15 of the 26 counties reported value will increase from the earlier yr, whereas 11 counties recorded value decreases. All 4 counties within the Puget Sound area had minor value will increase, starting from roughly 1.1% in Kitsap County to 2.8% in Snohomish County.
Each pending and closed gross sales fell sharply from a yr in the past, however median costs system-wide edged up barely (0.88%), from $570,000 to $575,000 throughout the 26 counties in NWMLS’s report. Closed gross sales fell 42%, declining from 8,976 to five,194. Some consumers are benefiting from the rising stock because the market swings to their benefit, whereas others are ready for rates of interest to fall or anticipating costs to fall a lot additional.
Regardless of this, market situations don’t conform to trade norms. Utilizing a metric referred to as months of stock, it will take roughly 2.17 months to promote all the homes on the market in King County on the present fee of demand. The balanced market has 4 to 6 months, a stage not seen in no less than six years. The stock continues to develop however the market in Snohomish County stays probably the most aggressive within the Puget Sound housing market with months of provide being 1.89.
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There are 1.95 months of provide in Kitsap County and a couple of.17 months in Pierce County. At month finish, NWMLS brokers added 14,214 lively listings of single-family houses and condos system-wide. The uptick in provide boosted the months of stock determine to 2.2. That’s the highest stage, primarily based on this metric, since January 2019.
NWMLS brokers added 12,245 whole lively listings throughout the 26 counties, a whopping enhance (about 165%) from the collection of a yr in the past when there have been solely 4,621 lively listings. Measured by months of stock, November’s provide, at 2.36 months, was the perfect since January 2019 when the general choice reached 2.4 months of stock.
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Seattle Housing Market Report – November 2022

Beneath is the latest Seattle Housing Market Report launched by “Northwest MLS.” The report compares the important thing housing metrics of the Metropolis of Seattle (which is a part of King County).
Listed below are the numbers (RESIDENTIAL+CONDO) for November 2022 in contrast with November 2021.
ACTIVE LISTINGS FOR SALE
- Whole lively listings in Seattle had been 1,385.
- This represents a rise of 98.42% as in comparison with November 2021.
- Whole lively listings in All King County had been 3,599.
- This represents an increase of 213.23% as in comparison with November 2021.
CLOSED SALES
- 551 closed gross sales had been registered by brokers in Seattle.
- This represents a year-over-year lower of -47.07%.
- 1,657 closed gross sales had been registered in All King County.
- This represents a year-over-year lower of -45.58%.
PENDING SALES
- 578 pending gross sales had been registered by brokers in Seattle.
- This represents a lower of -44.10% from the identical month a yr in the past.
- 1,615 pending gross sales had been registered in All King County.
- This represents a lower of -42.14% from the identical month a yr in the past.
MEDIAN SALES PRICE
- Seattle’s median gross sales value elevated by 7.83% to $824,900.
- Final yr, right now, the median value in Seattle was $765,000.
- King County’s median value elevated by 1.35% to $750,000.
- Final yr, right now, the median value in King County was $740,000.
MONTHS OF INVENTORY (MOI)
- 2.51 months represents the quantity in Seattle.
- Months of provide in All King County is 2.17.
- 6 months of provide is when you may have a balanced actual property market.
- This exhibits that this area continues to be a vendor’s housing market.
Why is the Seattle Housing Market So Sizzling?
Seattle’s housing market is pushed by workers of native tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft, in addition to companies with large operations within the neighborhood like Google and Fb. Lots of them did not need to work remotely in small residences in the course of the epidemic, in order that they sought spacious houses with workplace areas. Most of them have the monetary means to compete with different consumers and lift house promoting costs.
The housing market within the four-county Puget Sound area has the tightest stock. Even with the wholesome uptick in stock, there may be nonetheless lower than 2 months of provide. To summarise the final month’s statistics we will say that the Puget Sound area stays a vendor’s actual property market with lower than 2 months of stock — nonetheless effectively beneath what’s required to fulfill the quantity of consumers proper now.

It’s a Vendor’s Actual Property Market
The next housing market tendencies are primarily based on single-family, rental, and townhome properties listed on the market on realtor.com. Land, multi-unit, and different property varieties are excluded. This knowledge is supplied as an informational useful resource solely. King County, WA remains to be a vendor’s actual property market. The median asking value remains to be rising in double digits.
The median asking value for a house in King County was $840K in November 2022, which is a rise of 12 % yr over yr. The median sale value was 764K. If the Median Itemizing Value is rising, the market is probably going “sizzling,” and houses will promote extra shortly. When costs enhance, sellers will profit. In September, houses in King County bought for roughly the asking value. The Sale-to-Listing Value Ratio was 98.63%.
- There are 63 cities in King County, the place Realtor.com has lively listings.
- Beaux-Arts has a median itemizing value of $2.3M, and it stays the most costly metropolis in King County.
- Federal Means is probably the most inexpensive metropolis in King County, with a median itemizing value of $588.8K.

Seattle Metropolis Housing Tendencies November 2022
- The median itemizing value of houses within the metropolis of Seattle is $814K, trending up 8.7% year-over-year.
- The median sale value is $811.3K.
- Seattle can also be a vendor’s market, having a complete sales-to-total listings ratio above 0.2 have a tendency, which favors sellers.
- On common, houses in Seattle, WA promote after 43 days in the marketplace.
- The development for median days on market in Seattle, WA has gone up since final month, and barely up since final yr.
- East Queen Anne has a median itemizing value of $1.2M, making it the most costly neighborhood in Seattle.
- Belltown has grow to be probably the most inexpensive neighborhood, with a median itemizing value of houses being round $559.9K.
Seattle Housing Market Forecast 2022 & 2023
Seattle housing costs are going to rise in 2023 albeit at a slower fee. Allow us to take a look at the value tendencies recorded by Zillow over the previous few years. For the previous 6 to 7 years an excessive drop in stock led to an astronomical rise in Seattle house costs, as consumers competed over a dwindling variety of properties in the marketplace. Seattle has a monitor report of being among the best long-term actual property investments within the U.S.
- In response to NeighborhoodScout.com, Seattle’s actual property appreciated 137.11% during the last ten years.
- It’s a median annual house appreciation fee of 9.02%,
- It places Seattle within the prime 10% nationally for actual property appreciation.
- As of now, Seattle costs are up throughout the board.
- Throughout the twelve months, from 2021 Q2 – 2022 Q2, the Seattle appreciation fee has been 12.16%.
- Within the quarter, from 2022 Q1 – 2022 Q2, the appreciation fee has been at 4.35%, which annualizes to a fee of 18.58%.
- Nonetheless, the housing market in Seattle is cooling shortly because the third quarter of 2022.
The present typical house worth of houses in Seattle is $927,525 (Knowledge by means of October 31, 2022). ZHVI represents the entire housing inventory and never simply the houses that record or promote in a given month. Seattle house values have gone up 7.1% since final October.
- Typical House Worth: $927,525
- 1-year Worth Change: +7.1%
- The median sale-to-list ratio is 0.998
- 29.3% % of gross sales over record value.
- 42.9% % of gross sales beneath record value.
- 15 Median days to pending.
Right here is the housing forecast for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metro.
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metro house values have gone up 10% from final yr.
- The Seattle metro housing market forecast ending with October 2033 is considerably constructive.
- Zillow predicts that Seattle metro house values might develop by 0.5% between October 2022 to October 2023.
- If this forecast is right, Seattle metro house costs will probably be barely larger within the third Quarter of 2023 than they had been within the third Quarter of 2022.

These numbers could be constructive or adverse relying on which aspect of the fence you’re — Purchaser or Vendor? Individuals proceed to purchase and promote their houses, whether or not they’re rising their household and want an even bigger place, relocating for a job, or retiring. Alternatives abound for each consumers and sellers in the event that they’re keen to behave shortly.
Seattle and the complete metro space market is so sizzling that it can not shift to an entire purchaser’s actual property market, for the long run. In a balanced actual property market, it will take about 5 to 6 months for the provision to dwindle to zero. By way of months of provide, Seattle can grow to be a purchaser’s actual property market if the provision will increase to greater than 5 months of stock. And that’s unlikely to occur no less than over the subsequent twelve months.
The underside line: The present stock (months of provide for SFH+condos) on this area stays tight — 2.51 months in Seattle and a couple of.17 months in All of King County. Due to this fact, in the long run, the Seattle actual property market stays as robust as at all times. This housing market is skewed to sellers as a consequence of a persistent imbalance in provide and demand.
Among the data on this article was obtained from referenced web sites. Norada Actual Property Investments gives no express or implied claims, warranties, or ensures that the fabric is correct, reliable, or present. All data needs to be validated utilizing the beneath references. As a normal coverage, Norada Actual Property Investments makes no claims or assertions in regards to the future housing market situations throughout the US.
REFERENCES
- https://www.nwmls.com/
- https://www.zillow.com/seattle-wa/home-values
- https://www.redfin.com/information/seattle-homes-sold-above-list-price/
- https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Seattle_WA/overview
- https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/wa/seattle
- https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/wa/seattle/real-estate
- https://www.littlebighomes.com/real-estate-seattle.html
- https://seattlerealestatenews.com/class/information/seattle-monthly-housing-news
- https://www.seattlepi.com/coronavirus/article/best-time-to-buy-or-sell-a-house-during-pandemic-15287608.php