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The Mudroom


Scroll through real estate listings and you’ll see the usual parade of pristine kitchens and bedrooms. But another picture is increasingly getting added and catching buyers’ eyes: the mudroom. More buyers are looking for these hardworking spaces that corral the everyday mess of coats, shoes, bags and outdoor gear.

What makes a good drop zone? Owners don’t need a ton of square footage to make an impact. Strategic cubbies, drawers, hooks and a built-in bench can transform an otherwise messy entryway into an organized, highly functional space—that buyers will surely notice as they enter a home.

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Washington State NWMLS Market Update for September 2026


Homebuyers across the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) service area had more homes to choose from in September than at any point since September 2014. Active listings increased 24.5% from a year earlier to 24,965, giving buyers a wider selection of properties and more opportunities to find a home that fits their needs and preferences. Pending sales declined 15.1% to 6,231, while the median sales price was nearly unchanged at $625,000, down 0.9%.

Closed sales fell 8.9% to 5,623, also the lowest for any September since at least 2014, and months of inventory reached 4.44, the highest level since February 2014. September’s drop in pending sales was the sharpest year-over-year decline of 2026, and the NWMLS median price has been flat or below its year-earlier level every month this year.

Pending sales have declined year over year in seven of the first nine months of 2026, and September’s decline was more than double August’s 6.5% drop. For every 100 new listings added in September, buyers went under contract on about 62 homes, down from about 80 a year earlier.

Mortgage rates rose through the month. The average 30-year fixed rate climbed from 6.71% on September 3 to 7.03% on September 24, according to Freddie Mac. In the first week of October, it rose further to 7.28%.

“Recent months have demonstrated what economists call ‘downward stickiness’ in home prices,” said Steven Bourassa, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research. “Prices tend to rise quickly in a strong market but can be slower to fall when conditions weaken, in part because sellers may have the flexibility to wait rather than accept a lower price. Meanwhile, inventory continues to grow and sales have slowed, while higher mortgage rates are adding to affordability challenges for buyers. As a result, months of inventory has risen from 2.8 in March to 4.4 in September.”

Explore more details from September…

Source: NWMLS 10/6/26

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Home Inspections and Tech Upgrades


Some home inspectors are upgrading their use of tech, and that could mean fewer surprises for home buyers after they move in. Tools such as drones, thermal cameras, moisture meters, sewer scopes and air-quality monitors are increasingly being used by inspectors to uncover problems that may be hidden beneath the surface of a home. AI-assisted software also helps to identify potential property defects or even offer price estimates for repairs.

Read more…

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Schools Rule Home Location Choices



Living within walking distance of a school can boost quality of life for families, offering shorter commutes, greater independence for children and easier daily routines. But those benefits often come with a price premium, especially in highly rated school districts, writes Anna Baluch for Realtor.com. Baluch cites NAR data, which shows that buyers will pay more to live in a walkable neighborhood, as they increasingly value convenience over square footage.

When evaluating a neighborhood, experts say buyers should look for continuous sidewalks, safe crossings, traffic-calming measures and good visibility. Michelle Griffith, a luxury real estate broker at Douglas Elliman in New York City, recommends that—before they make an offer—buyers walk the neighborhood multiple times a day to get a good read of what goes on throughout the day and week.

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National Housing Snapshot for August 2026


Existing-home sales decreased by 2.0% month-over-month and 1.2% year-over-year, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales report.

“Mortgage rates and home sales move in opposite directions, so it’s not surprising to see a mild dip in home buying activity due to high mortgage rates,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Still, home prices are rising, and existing home sales are actually up 1.6% year-to-date through the first eight months of the year. Homebuying demand, despite higher interest rates, is no doubt being supported by rising wages, which grew 3.1% in August, along with 643,000 net new jobs added since the start of the year. Job creation and wage growth typically drive housing demand.”

“The number of months it would take to exhaust the total inventory at the current sales pace has grown to 4.9 months’ supply—its highest level in over ten years. The ample supply of homes for sale on the market is giving homebuyers better opportunities to negotiate,” Yun added.

Read more details, including regional data, here…

Source: National Association of REALTORS® 9/10/26

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Washington State NWMLS Market Update for August 2026


The August Market Stats are here:

  • Inventory growth is still the biggest story, with active listings up 22% year over year.
  • Both pending and closed sales have slowed since August 2025.
  • Despite the growing number of listings, median sales price declined just 2.3% year over year, to $635,000.

Explore all the stats from August…

Source: NWMLS 9/3/26

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NWMLS Expands Listing Options


Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), the premier broker-owned multiple listing service in the Pacific Northwest, announced updated listing options designed to further expand seller flexibility while ensuring an open, comprehensive, and transparent marketplace for residential real estate.

NWMLS’s new “First Look” listing option gives sellers enhanced flexibility during the early stages of a listing without walling off inventory inside closed or private networks. Developed in response to member feedback, First Look provides practical solutions for navigating Washington’s public marketing requirements, balancing sellers’ needs for preparation time with buyers’ access to the marketplace.

Read more…

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Recessed Lighting


Recessed lights have seen a notable decline in popularity among designers, with more moving toward flush-mount lights. Many professionals now consider recessed lights outdated, as they clash with the current trend of nostalgia-inspired, textured interiors. Designers emphasize that the grid-like appearance of recessed cans makes a space feel impersonal and out of sync with architectural details like medallions and moldings.

Read more…

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National Housing Snapshot for July 2026


Total Existing-Home Sales for July
• 1.7% decrease in existing-home sales1 month-over-month.
• 0.7% increase year-over-year to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million.
 
Inventory in July
• 1.54 million units: Total housing inventory2, down 1.9% from June and down 0.6% from July 2025.
• 4.6-month supply of unsold inventory, unchanged from last month and one year ago.
 
Median Sales Price in July
• $434,100: Median existing-home price3 for all housing types.
• 2.0% increase from one year ago ($425,700), marking the 37th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.

Read more details, including regional data, here…

Source: National Association of REALTORS® 8/11/26

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The Final Walk-through

Closing time can be hectic, but it’s important that buyers not overlook the final walk-through. This is the last opportunity for them to ask questions and ensure the property is in the condition they expect prior to closing.