September Prices Mostly Flat Vs. August

Home sales figures for the month of September have been released for the Northwest, with Pierce County's combined (house & condo) median price posting a 19.5% gain year-on-year to $245,000, and King County's median price (house only) gaining 15.5% year-on-year to $381,250.

Interestingly, that is a 1% decrease from August 2005's $385,000 high for King County. However, it would seem that September 2004's $330,000 was a fairly flat as well, gaining only $1,000 from August 2004's $329,000. So, while we may be in a bubble, it would seem that it is not so strong that it can bubble its way right through the slow fall months. I'm sure some would argue that this is evidence that we're not in a bubble at all.

For the record: I still can't afford, with my above-median salary, the ~$2,200 monthly that the median house would cost me.

(Jack Keith, Tacoma News-Tribune, 10.06.2005)
(Brad Wong, Seattle P-I, 10.06.2005)