2025 Legislative Days Event Recap
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…
TPCAR Advocacy Report – January 2025
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 City Council Enacts Home in Tacoma Phase 2 – Effective February 1, 2025
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…
October Advocacy update
In alignment with our mission to keep members informed on key planning and policy changes, TPCAR shares recent developments impacting Pierce County’s rural density planning and Tacoma’s business resilience efforts. These updates highlight important shifts in growth management strategies, with implications for land use and local business support. Home In Tacoma Update: Phase 2 of…
COT Business License Update – Oct 2024
TPCAR continues to meet with the City of Tacoma’s Licensing Department to ensure current information is available for REALTOR® members who sell real estate in the city. Current updates on license requirements and how B&O taxes are apportioned between the brokerage and agent are shared in this update. We continue to work on the concerns…
Why Local Elections Matter More to REALTORS® Than You Think: Make Your Voice Heard!
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…
Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS® – September 2024 Advocacy Update
TPCAR’s Advocacy team continues to make strides on several issues for our members, as well as track other items which may be of interest to the members and our industry. Below is a report on the past month of advocacy activities and other upcoming items we will be working on in the Fall. Home in…
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…
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Pauses Septic Stress Testing Requirement
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…
New septic system stress testing requirements begin July 15
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…
TPCAR 2021 General election Endorsements
Tacoma-Pierce County Association of Realtors is proud to announce its candidate endorsements for this year’s General Election on November 2nd. The below list of candidates were interviewed by our Endorsement Advisory Committee and received TPCAR support based on their understanding and acknowledgement of the importance real estate plays in our communities, their support of REALTOR…
Read MoreGuides to Help Prepare for the Winter Season
In the Pacific Northwest, we know a thing or two about severe weather. Wind, rain, ice, and snow – We get it all. In preparation for the winter season, we have prepared a series of guides to help people protect their home. These guides are everything you need to know about how to prepare your…
Read MoreWashington is Open for Business
Washington is Open for Business Washington REALTORS and the NWMLS are excited to announce that effective Wednesday, June 30th, Washington State will lift the majority of restrictions imposed on businesses, including those restrictions affecting the real estate industry. However, certain face covering requirements still apply to real estate firms and sellers may impose their own…
Read MoreReal Estate Professionals Classification as Independent Contractors
Real Estate Professionals Classification as Independent Contractors Of the 1.4 million members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), approximately 87 percent are classified as independent contractors. This classification is essential to the real estate industry, homeowners across the country, and to boosting the economy. The ability to work as an independent contractor is recognized…
Read MoreCDC Eviction Moratorium Vacated and Stayed
CDC Eviction Moratorium Vacated and Stayed On May 5, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) nationwide eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of June, concluding the moratorium exceeds the limits Congress placed on the CDC’s authority. In response, the Department of…
Read More10 Dos and Don’ts for New Homebuyers with Septic Systems
10 Dos and Don’ts for New Homebuyers with Septic Systems Inspect your system annually. Routine maintenance allows you to catch issues before they become emergencies. Pump your tank every 3-5 years or as frequent as your service provider suggests, based on technology and system usage. Spread out your laundry loads over the course of the…
Read MoreChanges to Insurance Regulations May Delay Closings
Changes to Insurance Regulations May Delay Closings At Cross Insurance Agency we believe in “Insurance with no surprises.” With that in mind, we felt it was essential to reach out to our partners and friends in the Mortgage and Real Estate industry with an update on some recent changes in the insurance marketplace in Washington state that may impact you and your clients in securing home and auto coverage…
Read MoreYun: Consumer Spending Likely to Spur Economy
Yun: Consumer Spending Likely to Spur Economy The economy is at 99% of its pre-pandemic activity, and growth in Americans’ income and savings could propel housing in the second half of the year, Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, said Thursday at the Residential Economic Issues and Trends Forum during the…
Read MoreNEW MASK GUIDANCE FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERS, COUNTY PHASE UPDATE, STATE REOPENING DATE ANNOUNCED
NEW MASK GUIDANCE FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERS, COUNTY PHASE UPDATE, STATE REOPENING DATE ANNOUNCED On May 13th, Governor Inslee announced that Washington will adopt new masking guidance as issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). This guidance allows fully vaccinated people to no longer wear a face covering with certain limitations. The…
Read MoreCourt Strikes Down Eviction Ban
Court Strikes Down Eviction Ban U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich of the District of Columbia struck down a nationwide eviction moratorium Wednesday, calling it unlawful. Friedrich’s ruling applies nationwide. The eviction ban was put in place last year by the Trump administration using public health powers granted to the Centers for Disease Control…
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