Two of the Highest-Paying U.S. Companies are Based in the Seattle Area – and They’re Hiring

Puget Sound Business Journal | J. Jennings Moss (Silicon Valley Business Journal) | April 13

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/04/13/highest-paying-us-jobs-microsoft-f5-networks.html

“Two of the highest-paying companies in the U.S. are based in the Seattle area. Redmond-based Microsoft ranked No. 19 on Glassdoor’s breakdown of the 25 companies that offer the biggest pay and compensation packages, while Seattle-based F5 Networks came in at No. 23. Two other tech giants with large workforces in the Puget Sound region – Google and Facebook – also made the list.

“This report reinforces that high pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills and higher education, which in part, is why we see several companies on this list among the consulting and technology industries,” Glassdoor Chief Economist Andrew Chamberlain said in a news release.”

 

Seattle and Tacoma among Most Competitive Real Estate Markets in the U.S., Report Finds

Curbed Seattle | Sarah Anne Lloyd | April 13

http://seattle.curbed.com/2017/4/13/15295442/seattle-tacoma-competitive-real-estate-low-inventory

“Both Seattle and Tacoma were among the top five most competitive markets in the U.S. during March, according to a new report by real-estate listing site and brokerage Redfin. 57 percent of homes in the Seattle metropolitan area, which includes both King and Snohomish County, went above asking, Redfin’s report found, making it the fourth most competitive out of the metros they serve.

Even when homes don’t go above asking, there’s still competition. 91 percent of homes in the Seattle metro area had more than one offer. Tacoma was fifth highest, with 44 percent of homes going above asking.”

 

Taller Buildings Coming: Seattle Council Approves Upzone in Downtown, South Lake Union

Seattle Times | Daniel Beekman | April 10

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/taller-building-coming-seattle-council-approves-upzone-in-downtown-south-lake-union/

“The Seattle City Council voted 9-0 Monday to approve an upzone of downtown and South Lake Union. New buildings will be allowed to climb one or several stories higher, depending on location. In some cases, buildings will be allowed more floor area. The zoning changes will trigger in downtown and South Lake Union the city’s new Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program, which developers to include rent-restricted units in their buildings or pay fees to help create such units elsewhere. Besides downtown and South Lake Union, the upzone also includes a small section of industrial and commercial property between South Charles Street and Interstate 90 in the Chinatown International District.”

 

Luxembourg Sets Its Sights on Space Resources with Seattle as Launch Pad

GeekWire | Alana Boyle | April 10

http://www.geekwire.com/2017/luxembourg-asteroid-space-resources-seattle/

“Luxembourg’s royal heir and its top economic official got the grand tour of the Seattle area today, deepening a business relationship that could someday turn far-flung asteroids into the next commercial frontier. “The exciting field of space technology could enable many more partnerships and economic success stories between Luxembourg and Seattle,” Prince Guillaume told a VIP gathering at Seattle’s Space Needle…Over the past few decades, Luxembourg has built itself into a financial powerhouse as well as a center for Europe’s satellite industry. Now Luxembourg’s government and investment companies are aiming to do it again, with asteroid mining.”

 

Zillow Ranks U.S. Cities Where People Want to Live and Where They Want to Leave

Puget Sound Business Journal | Casey Coombs | April 10

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/04/10/zillow-housing-market-desirability-cities.html

“Residents of Washington, D.C., Miami, Detroit, Houston and Chicago want out – and not many house-hunters want in. Meanwhile, Seattle, Tampa and Portland are popular targets for homebuyers who live elsewhere as well as residents who already live in those cities. That’s according to Seattle-based Zillow, which has analyzed searches from house-hunters to figure out which U.S. cities residents want to leave and where they want to stay. By comparing the locations of its users with the cities that they’re searching, Zillow has charted cities based on popularity with outsiders and popularity with current residents.”