Two Major Virtual Reality Launches Cement Seattle Area as Hotbed of Innovation

Puget Sound Business Journal | Ashley Stewart | February 29

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2016/02/two-major-virtual-reality-launches-cement-seattle.html

“The Puget Sound area’s emerging virtual reality industry hit a major milestone Monday as Microsoft’s HoloLens and Bellevue-based Valve-developed HTC Vive headsets launch for pre-orders…Seattle is emerging as a leader in the billion-dollar virtual reality industry. The industry-leading Oculus Rift, which Facebook acquired for $2 billion in 2014, opened a Seattle office last year. Puget Sound region startups Envelop VR, VRcade and Atomic VR are helping to establish the industry. Estimates as to the exact value of the virtual reality market vary greatly because it is a nascent industry, but some analysts expect the market could generate $70 billion by 2020­– including more than $5 billion in 2016.”

 

Seattle’s Job Market Remains Red Hot, Thanks to Amazon, Catholic Health

Puget Sound Business Journal | Greg Lamm | March 3

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2016/03/seattle-s-job-market-remains-red-hot-thanks-to.html

“Seattle was the second-hottest job market in the U.S. in February, according to the job search site Simply Hired. The number of job openings in the greater Seattle area increased 3.85 percent in February, compared to the previous month. The Seattle region had 93,656 open job listings in February. Amazon was the top employer hiring workers locally, followed by Catholic Health Initiatives, Microsoft, Providence Health & Services and the University of Washington.”

 

Seattle on Top 10 Best Places to Live in US

KING 5 News | Mina Khalil | March 2

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2016/03/02/seattle-top-10-best-places-live-us/81211610/

“U.S. News & World Report Wednesday unveiled its 2016 Best 100 Places to Live in the United States. The list was based on affordability, job prospects, and quality of life. Seattle finished seventh on the list…The Best Places to Live ranking is based on what people say are their most important concerns about where to live, such as cost of living, employment opportunities, and access to good schools.”
You can see the list here.

 

This is The Best Time to List Your House for Sale in Seattle

Puget Sound Business Journal | Emily Parkhurst | March 2

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2016/03/this-is-the-best-time-to-list-your-house-for-sale.html

“The Seattle area’s housing market is already one of the hottest in the country – but there are a few months when things really heat up. Seattle online real estate company Zillow crunched the numbers and found that houses listed between May 1 and May 15 sell 20 days faster than the yearly average. They also sell for an average of $2,600 more. Those dates are the best times to list a home across the country, but homes in Seattle sell even faster than national rates during that time.”

 

Seattle Has a New Gathering Place to Talk About the Building Boom

Puget Sound Business Journal | Marc Stiles | February 29

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2016/02/seattle-has-a-new-gathering-place-to-talk-about.html

“Paul Schell, the late mayor of Seattle, would appreciate that a new center dedicated to urban design operates where his restaurant, Italia, once did. The Center for Architecture & Design recently opened at 1010 Western Ave., in the National Building. It’s a place where people can meet to talk about urban design. It’s an opportune time for such a place to open since Seattle is in the midst of a building boom that saw 37 new residential and commercial projects in and around downtown Seattle open last year, with 39 more under construction.”

 

Want a Career in Aerospace Study Computer Science, Job Forecast for Seattle Region Suggests

Want a career in aerospace? Study computer science, job forecast for Seattle region suggests

GeekWire | Alan Boyle | February 29

“The most reliable way to break into the aerospace industry of tomorrow is to learn computer science today. That’s one of the preliminary findings from a study that estimates how many workers will be available to fill future jobs at King County’s aerospace ventures. The “talent pipeline study” is one of a series of sector-by-sector employment forecasts, drawn up for the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County by Community Attributes, a Seattle-based research firm. The aerospace industry study hasn’t yet been released, but this month Community Attributes shared a draft version of its analysis with stakeholders.”

 

Revved-Up Sea-Tac Prepares for Takeoff

Seattle Times | Jon Talton | February 27

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/economy/revved-up-seatac-prepares-for-takeoff/

“Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was the fastest-growing major airport in the United States last year, continuing a red-hot streak that matches the economy of the region it serves…No wonder that a top priority for commissioners and officials at the Port of Seattle, which runs the airport, is examining how it must expand to accommodate growth and keep up with the competition. The Port is working on a Sustainable Airport Master Plan to guide the work in intervals of five, 10 and 20 years. Two decades for complex infrastructure can pass very quickly for the unprepared.”
See the Master Plan here