Posts by sean@tpcar.org

As Washington state lawmakers weigh new revenue sources to balance the state budget, proposed changes to the state’s property tax cap are raising alarms among housing advocates—including the Washington REALTORS®, who recently commissioned an analysis to better understand the potential impacts on homeowners. The proposals under consideration would remove the long-standing 1% cap on annual…

On Thursday, April 10th, the State Senate passed an amended version of HB 1217 which would implement rent control in Washington State. Due to changes made from the House version which was approved in March, the bill must move back to the House of Representatives for a vote of concurrence to be enacted into law.…

On January 29 – 30th, nearly 50 TPCAR members joined with 600 REALTOR® members from across the State to gather at the Capitol in Olympia and lobby REALTOR® and housing consumer issues with legislators from every district in the state. The event offered attendees an opportunity to hear from the Washington REALTORS® (WR) lobby team…

Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® advocacy team has hit the ground running in 2025 as several carry-over items from 2024 will continue to be worked on this year. Those include: Pierce County TPCAR has been tracking proposed short term rental regulations (STR), as well as accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations, for unincorporated areas of Pierce…

Tacoma is moving forward with its Home in Tacoma Phase 2 ordinance, a major update to zoning and building regulations aimed at increasing housing density and creating more opportunities for homeownership. As a REALTOR®, understanding these changes is essential to helping your clients navigate the evolving real estate landscape.  Key Zoning Changes The new ordinance…

The Importance of Voting in Local Elections for REALTORS® As a REALTOR®, you’re likely well aware of how government policies directly impact the housing market, property rights, and the real estate profession. While the Presidential election captures the most attention in 2024, our local elections can have a far more immediate and lasting effect on…

Track Office Agent Rosters in 3 Simple Steps For all TPCAR Designated Brokers, Managing Brokers, and / or Office Staff assigned primary user access, you’re able to verify that your current Office Agent roster is accurate and complete in these three easy steps. Log on to your TPCAR InfoHub account by going to www.tpcar.org and…

After several conversations and additional feedback provided by Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has made the decision to pause implementation of the septic stress test requirements which were originally effective as of July 15, 2024. This means that, for the time being, a stress test will not be required when…

RSS Repair, Replacement, and Testing Guide Starting July 15, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will require stress tests of drainfields for property sales inspections of gravity and pump to gravity systems. This document outlines the requirements and policies for repairing or replacing septic tanks, including details with regards to testing procedures, repairs, and replacements of…

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to temporarily lift its ban on buyers directly paying for professional real estate representation until the agency deems it necessary to engage in a formal rulemaking process, a VA official said Tuesday at a Mortgage Bankers Association conference in New York. Although not an official announcement, the comments from…