Wondering who has it best in Western Washington and the Pacific Northwest? Look no further than our phenomenal membership base. 

Every year, Seattle Business magazine puts out their list of the 100 best companies to work for, based on anonymous employee survey responses as picked from 10 categories: corporate culture, executive leadership, benefits, communication, hiring/retention, performance standards, responsibility/decision making, rewards/recognition, training/education, and workplace environment. 

Response scores are then calculated and averaged out, and companies ranked in four categories: small, midsize, large, and those headquartered outside Washington state. 

Which employees are smiling away at their standup desks flanked by exotic popcorn machines and flashy breakroom games where they can count their 401Ks? We’re proud to announce that 21 MBAKS member companies made the grade for 2018. Full disclosure, we were a little perturbed Seattle Business magazine didn’t expand the list to 3,000 and put all our awesome members on the list, but there’s always next year. 

Check out the extensive list of member companies that raised the bar in 2018. 

Large Companies (150+ Employees)

• Bob’s Heating & Air Conditioning
• Clark Nuber
• Edward Jones
• Evergreen Home Loans
• Exxel Pacific
• Redfin
• Sequoya Electric
• Valley Electric
• Zillow Group

Midsize Companies (50–149 Employees) 

• American Income Life
• Andersen Construction
• Berntson Porter & Company
• Gravity Payments
• Pacific Capital Resource Group
• Pillar Properties 
• Sweeney Conrad

Small Companies (15–49 Employees) 

• Board & Vellum
• Carlisle Classic Homes
• Chermak Construction
• Kalles Group
• Pacific Crest Savings Bank

Congratulations to all 21 of our member companies for going above and beyond! 
See the entire list at seattlebusinessmag.com

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The supply of housing inventory for sale stood at 1.74 months in King County and 1.47 months in Snohomish County in August, which is down slightly from a year ago.  Meanwhile, single-family building permits were down 8% YTD and multifamily permits down 5% in the three-county Seattle Metro Area (King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties) as of July, compared to the same period last year. 

The Builder's 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:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sharon Couts
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
425.499.1723

Governor Signs into Law Permit Process Improvements to Help Housing

New Law Will Create Efficiencies in the Final Plat Approval Process for Subdivisions

Bellevue, Wash—April 27, 2017—Governor Jay Inslee today signed into law Senate Bill 5674, providing a local option to allow administrative approval of the final plat process. The bill, sponsored by Senator Guy Palumbo (D-1st District) and Senator Joe Fain (R-47th District), will provide significant efficiencies in many jurisdictions where it can take a long time to get a final plat through the legislative process.

Shannon Affholter, executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, explained why the bill is one of the Association's top legislative priorities: "Allowing local governments to delegate final plat approval to planning directors or other designated authorities will save our members weeks or even months of delay in getting on Council agendas for final approval in what is largely a pro forma action," he said.

"The new law is a positive step forward for housing affordability because it will bring greater efficiency to the permit process," Affholter added. "In homebuilding, time is money. Anything that reduces unnecessary delays in the permit process helps to lower another cost pressure on housing."

The preliminary plat application provides an opportunity to appeal, so making the final plat approval process administrative will not remove the opportunity for public input or appeal.

About MBAKS

Founded in 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBA) has grown to become the largest residential homebuilders association in the United States. With more than 2,800 member companies, the Association is dedicated to membership value, government advocacy, financial stewardship, and promoting the residential building industry in the Puget Sound Region. The Association and its members address many of the concerns and issues affecting the residential housing industry. If you are looking to buy, build, remodel, or maintain your home, trust the MBA for industry professional referrals and practical information to get the job done. mbaks.com

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