By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

New data from the Employment Security Department show continued modest improvement in the jobs picture for our state and region. The unemployment rate for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett fell from 5.5 in February to 5.4 in March. Meanwhile, construction employment in Washington increased by 1,400 between February and March.

The Builders Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management, and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

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Join us for the Taste of Italy Dinner & Elected Officials Reception, March 15 at the Normandy Park Community Club (aka The Cove) for delizioso Italian cuisine and the exclusive opportunity to chat with area elected officials.

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

Data on jobs released by the Puget Sound Regional Council recently show the four-county region added 362,800 jobs between 2010 and 2017. At this pace, the region continues to add more than three jobs for every housing unit, placing continued strong demand on housing.

As this month’s Builder’s Bulletin shows, we’re seeing more of the same with a very low inventory of homes for sale and rising home prices in King and Snohomish counties. Meanwhile, King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties experienced a 32 percent decrease in multifamily permits the first two months of this year, compared to the same period last year. Single family permits are up 10 percent in King and Pierce counties and down 22 percent in Snohomish County.

The Builders' Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

Download this month's report: