As home prices in the Seattle metro area continue to rise, affordability has become an increasingly elusive goal, as has timed the market for developer incentives and today's historically low, but rising, interest rates. According to The Seattle Times, condominium sales in Seattle increased 121.2 percent year over year, while median prices increased 4.5 percent compared to April 2020.

The strongest headwinds caused by COVID-19 in 2020 were in urban centers across the country. According to S&P/Case-Shiller reports, Downtown Seattle was not sheltered, despite the Seattle metro area commanding the highest aggregate median home price increases in the U.S. for most of the year.

The real estate market has largely been a beacon of positivity in an extraordinary year. Every quarter, Realogics Sotheby's International Realty (RSIR) looks at these five market areas to determine where our market has been and plan for where it is going next.

A year ago, additional space and extra amenities had a very different feel for homebuyers. Today, the health crisis has brought to light how valuable more square footage and carefully designed floorplans can be. Home offices, multi-purpose rooms, gyms, and theaters are becoming more popular, and some families are finding the space they need for these upgrades in the luxury market.

There has been much talk around the possibility that Americans are feeling less enamored with the benefits of living in a large city and now may be longing for the open spaces that suburban and rural areas provide.

Like many Americans, Seattleites are moving for a variety of different reasons. The current health crisis has truly re-shaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending extra time where we currently live is enabling many families to re-evaluate what homeownership means and what they find most important in a home. According to Zillow…

Whether you're thinking of buying or selling a home this year, there are perks today that are rarely available, and definitely worth looking into. Here are the top two.

Danny Varona (Sotheby’s Seattle) is featured on the Wall Street Journal and Mansion Global for his expertise on waterfront properties in Seattle, WA.

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its latest jobs report. It revealed that the economic shutdown made necessary by COVID-19 caused the unemployment rate to jump to 14.7%.

Danny Varona completes specialized training, builds expertise in luxury real estate market.

The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing’s training gives real estate professionals the knowledge, skills and resources to effectively serve affluent clients.

On April 24th, over 15,000 regional subscribers will receive a complimentary copy of RESIDE Magazine in the print edition of The Wall Street Journal. The Digital Edition is also available for all to experience in the comfort of their homes.

When looking at GDP (the measure of our country’s economic health), a survey of three leading financial institutions shows a projected sharp decline followed by a steep rebound in the second half of this year:

Here's how Danny Varona is helping buyers and sellers in Seattle stay safe without completely putting off their home buying/selling journey.

At the start of last year, many of the more expensive homes listed for sale hadn’t seen as much interest, since much of the demand for housing over the past few years has come from first-time buyers looking for starter homes. It looks like buyer activity, however, is starting to show a shift in this segment.

Many believe when real estate values are increasing (in cities like Seattle), owning a home becomes less affordable. That misconception is not necessarily true.

If you’re following what’s happening in the current housing market in Seattle, you’ve seen how the lack of newly constructed homes is a major reason there’s a shortage of housing inventory available to today’s buyers.