Plus, what does Seattle look like in your dreams?
 
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Today’s Forecast

70º | 40% chance of precipitation | Sunrise 6:12 a.m. | Sunset 8:11 p.m. | High tide 6:54 p.m. | Low tide 11:56 a.m. | Full Weather Report | Traffic Report
 

🏠 In the market

How difficult is it to buy a home in Seattle?
IMG_7355.JPG
Queen Anne has some of the best views in the city. | Photo by SEAtoday Staff
Whether you’re planning your next move or just love scrolling Zillow, NBC’s home buyer index — which debuted in May and is updated monthly — might help you keep better tabs on the Seattle real estate market as it shifts from month to month.

How it works

The study uses a 0-100 scale to measure the level of difficulty when purchasing a home; the higher the score, the more difficult. It’s measured using four factors: cost, competition, scarcity, and economic instability (think: market volatility, unemployment, and interest rates).

Is it legit? A real estate industry analyst, bank economist from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and other experts helped develop the tool, according to NBC News. Examine the methodology.

A few caveats: The index does not capture additional homebuying difficulties for certain groups, such as those with lower credit scores, and it can’t always capture data for more rural communities.

King County’s rating

The data listed below comes from June 2024, but it’s updated monthly — in other words, you can check back whenever you’re curious. Check out King County’s numbers, on a scale of 0 (easy) to 100 (difficult):
  • Overall difficulty index | 72
  • Cost index | 76.8
  • Competition index | 73.2
  • Scarcity index | 41.5
  • Economic instability index | 91.3
The index also shares that a median income buyer here in King County can afford a $616,000 home — compare that to the median list price for a home, which is $875,000.

Feel good about buying, but want to stay updated on what it’s like to live in Seattle? Check out our City Guides for the 411.
 
Events
Tuesday, Aug. 20
  • Bingo Lunch Cruise | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Fishermen’s Terminal | $73-$78 | Your two-hour cruise around Lake Union + Lake Washington includes a tasty lunch and a chance to win some neat prizes.
  • Making Connections: Summer in the Rose Garden | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 5-7 p.m. | Woodland Park Rose Garden | $25 | Beautiful scenery can be an exceptional icebreaker — bring a lawn chair and get ready to make some new professional connections.
Wednesday, Aug. 21
  • Mt. Joy | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 6 p.m. | Remlinger Farms | $60 | You’ll find that an expansive lawn is exactly the right setting to watch this five-piece indie band.
  • Barks ‘N Crafts: Snuffle Mats at Dog Yard Bar | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 6-8 p.m. | Dog Yard Bar | $35 | Spoil your pooch by letting them play with some other dogs while you make them a cute enrichment toy.
  • “Parks and Recreation” Trivia | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Wildrose | $7 | Grab yourself a Snake Juice and see how much you know about Leslie Knope and the rest of Pawnee’s parks department.
Thursday, Aug. 22
Friday, Aug. 23
  • 2024 Redmond Wine Walk | Friday, Aug. 23 | 5-8 p.m. | Redmond Town Center | $30-$35 | Need a reminder of how tasty Washington wines can be? It’s probably smart to sample several... just to make sure.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Real Estate
  • Seattle’s share of homes worth at least $1 million increased by ~4%, from 30.2% in June 2023 to 34.4% in June 2024. Across the board, 8.5% of US homes are worth $1 million or more — that’s up from 7.6% last year + more than double the 4% pre-pandemic rate. (Redfin)
Maritime
  • Two retired Washington State Ferry (WSF) boats are now on their way to a new owner in South America. Purchased for $100,000 each, the Elwha and Klahowya will be towed to Ecuador to be recycled at a clean, green steel mill. These two ferries served WSF for 50+ years. (KING 5)
Community
  • Seattle’s downtown has reached 60% of its 2019 weekday worker foot traffic — a first since the start of the pandemic. July averaged over 90,000 workers per weekday, a 14% increase compared to July 2023. This comes after major in-office changes for several local employers. (Puget Sound Business Journal)
Ranked
  • Seattle Seahawks’ Lumen Field ranked No. 10 for most expensive NFL stadium concessions. The No. 1 most expensive concessions belongs to the LA Chargers’ SoFi Stadium. Comparing the two, Lumen Field sells two 16-oz beers for $19 + SoFi sells the same for $27.50. (24/7 Wall St.)
Arts
  • The first segment of an art installment was recently added to Seattle Waterfront. Crafted by artist Oscar Tuazon, the wooden structures will eventually be a three-block long work reminiscent of the waterfront’s past buildings and features. Posts on the northern and southern ends will include works by more fellow artists.
Trending
  • The past weekend’s thunderstorms really put on a show. In addition to 3,000+ lightning strikes touching down in the area, 29 inbound flights at Sea-Tac Airport were impacted. Airport spokesperson Perry Cooper said it was “the first time [he has] seen anything like this in 18 years [of work].” (KING 5)
Job
  • Wanna be spooky on duty? You should check out Stalker Farms’ seasonal jobs for its haunted attractions. The two types of positions are Toxic Blaster Actors (guest entertainment) and Toxic Mutants (setup assistance). Applications are open now, with pay rates starting at $16.28/hour.
Transit
  • A weekday shuttle service for Snoqualmie Valley residents is now also running on the weekend. The Valley Shuttle makes stops in North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City, Carnation, and Duvall. The fare remains at a suggested $1 donation. (KING 5)
Sports
  • The Seahawks had a hard time holding onto their halftime lead against the Tennessee Titans in their most recent preseason game. Hear from the local experts about what they’re taking away from watching the team’s unraveled offensive performance with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
    Number
    • 22%. That’s how much auto insurance rates have increased over the last year. Stop overpaying + find a better rate when you get a free, no-obligation quote from Savvy.*
     
    City

    ☁️ Dream big

    Pick two: Create your dream life in Seattle
    Seattle Skyline
    Seattle’s views put us in a romantic mood all year long. | Photo by @jstn.sight
    Close your eyes — let’s imagine a dream life in Seattle. Maybe you’re thinking of better weather, easier transit, or freebies from your favorite local spots. But it can’t be that easy, right? We make the (hypothetical) rules here, and you can only pick two.

    We took to Instagram asking our followers to choose from these five dream scenarios:
    • No more I-5 traffic
    • Free Capitol Hill Block Party tickets for life
    • A house boat on Lake Union
    • Free Canlis dinners for life
    • A sound-proofed home during Seafair
    Not surprisingly, the biggest winner was a traffic-free interstate (runner-up was the houseboat), but we want to hear from our readers, too. Cast your vote for the top two options you’d pick.
    What would you pick?
    The Buy

    The Buy 8.20.24 (Affiliate)
    A laundry hamper cabinet. This easy-to-assemble space-saver comes complete with a hidden compartment for the laundry hamper, as well as a drawer and shelves that are functional storage solutions.
    More worth The Buy
    Answered

    Have you participated in Seattle’s nudist scene?
    Last week, we took a bare look at Seattle’s history in the buff in honor of Nudist History Month — we were also curious how many of you readers were enthusiasts in this department.

    Of the folks who answered, no one owned up to joining in the Fremont Solstice Bike Ride, but about ~10% have made their fair share of visits to our local nude beaches.

    Another couple of readers had more specific experiences in the Bare Buns Fun Run and streaking in college (it’s a rite of passage).
    Buck naked history
     
    The Wrap
     
    Alina Hunter-Grah headshot

    Today’s edition by:
    Alina
    From the editor
    Are you really coworkers if you don’t get tattoos together at the Tattoo Expo? Madeline and I say, “Nay.” It’s the ultimate workplace bonding experience.
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