Category: Uncategorized

Recently the neighborhood blog Curbed surveyed real estate luminaries on their highs and lows of Seattle real estate development in 2015.  Our own Peter Orser, Center Director, and Matthew Gardner, Runstad Center Advisory Board member, were included in the group of local experts that were interviewed.  Read the three part series here:

• Part I: Local Experts Sum Up Seattle’s Neighborhoods in 2015
• Part II: Local Experts Sum Up Seattle’s Best Buildings in 2015
• Part III: What Do Local Experts Predict For Seattle Real Estate in 2016?

The Runstad Center would like to wish everyone a very merry holiday and a happy new year!

#1 Fourth rated city for real estate growth

Is there any better City in America to study Real Estate?  Seattle is in the middle of a real estate boom underpinned by extraordinary growth from “new industry” companies like Amazon, Costco, Starbucks and Microsoft—not to mention other corporate traditional giants like Boeing. New commercial high rises are going up, one on the books for over 100 stories, at least 52 cranes on the horizon, and a commitment from the Mayor to build 50,000 new apartment units in the next 15 years, 20,000 of which are to be “affordable”.  We have the most sustainable building in the world just completed by the Bullitt Center and many other examples of how sustainability (a core value of the program) is working in our current environment. Talented real estate leaders with an advanced degree are in demand!

Find out 9 more reasons here!

The Seattle Times interviewed Runstad Center Affiliate Fellow Thaisa Way recently on her book “The Landscape Architecture of Richard Haag: From Modern Space to Urban Ecological Design.” Read the story here

Peter Orser shares his thoughts on the 3rd Annual Real Estate Symposium…

The Runstad Center just completed its 3^rd annual joint Real Estate conference with the Foster School on December 8^th.  The program featured Robert Feldstein the Director for policy and innovation for Mayor Ed Murray.  He spoke eloquently on the progress the City is making on tough policy issues like Affordable Housing having just published the long awaited HALA report and transportation improvement opportunities just funded through the almost Billion Dollar transportation levy which passed with a huge 64% majority.

From there we spent the morning with two extraordinary panels, one on affordable housing opportunities and the other on Transportation issues.  The panels were designed to bring some disruptive thinking to the advancement of these issues- or as one panelist put it, “throw some dynamite into the log jam”—and they certainly did that and more.

Over the next 25 years we expect 400,000 new jobs and 500,000 new residents within a City area of 84 square miles.  A daunting challenge, but it appears we have the willingness and the brain power to meet this challenge while at the same time respecting the character and natural environment that has made Seattle a top economic driver in the first place.  It was a honor to host such a provocative event, but that’s what a University should do and the Runstad Center clearly is taking that mission to heart.

Dr. Enrico Moretti’s keynote speech at the 2nd Annual Leadership Dinner continues to receive buzz, read more on Allison Partners blog.  Read more on Dr. Moretti’s research here.

Home sale prices increased while actual sales declined in Washington State as reported in the 3rd quarter of 2015.

Read more about the Center’s research findings on UW Today.

Here’s a preview of the data, in our snapshot for Q3 2015.

You’re Invited! 

Please join the Foster School of Business and Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies for an engaging discussion on urban growth and infrastructure featuring Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, Professor Raphael Bostic (former Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), Kevin Desmond (General Manager of King County Metro), and others. DATE: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 TIME: 8:30 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. PLACE: Anthony’s Forum (UW Seattle Campus, Dempsey Hall) AGENDA:

• 8:30 – Event check-in
• 8:45 – Welcome and opening remarks: Tracey Seslen, Foster School
• 8:50 – Keynote Speaker: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray
• 9:20 – Affordable Housing: What Will It Take?
• 10:35 – Break
• 10:45 – Transportation: What is the Shortest Distance to Better Mobility?

12:00 – End of program

RSVP

During Enrico Moretti’s visit to Seattle last week to speak at the Runstad Center Leadership Dinner, he was interviewed by the Daily Journal of Commerce.  He spoke about how an increase in tech jobs relate to booming cities like Seattle.  Read more from Enrico Moretti’s interview with the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce here

KUOW interviewed Enrico Moretti, the keynote speaker of our 2nd Annual Leadership Dinner, about the rapid growth of Seattle.  How do we avoid making the mistakes that cities have made in the past?  Listen to the interview here