One year after start of pandemic, demand for office space in downtown Seattle begins to rebound (rent, loans)

[homesinseattle]

Article link here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sea...d-16055842.php

“It's been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic emptied office buildings in downtown Seattle, sending many workers in a "new normal" of remote work.

But a newly published report found that demand for office space in the Emerald City is growing, placing it "within an arm’s length of pre-crisis levels."

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Workers will be called back into the office because so few people are self-starters. Left to their own devices they'd rather sleep in, play with their kids, or do online gaming than to work at their job while no one is looking at them.

[87112]

Office romance, socialize, cabin fever are reasons to go back.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

Workers will be called back into the office because so few people are self-starters. Left to their own devices they'd rather sleep in, play with their kids, or do online gaming than to work at their job while no one is looking at them.

This idea is common, and I'm sure that most employers believe it, but it's... suspect. I'm seeing a mix of studies claiming that WFH improves, harms, or doesn't affect productivity.

I am surprised that demand is nearing pre-COVID levels so early, though. I sure hope those people who bought houses in the far outer suburbs and eastern WA are working at the few companies that are staying remote.

[thatguy950]

Well seattle is a work=life grind employees into the ground town, so can’t say I’m surprised. I suspect it’ll be different though, as there was apparently quite the exodus from WA last year when WFH became the thing. It went from one of the most moved to states to one of the most moved away FROM

[rjshae]

The housing situation in Seattle is in tents.

Intense? Bah-dum-tish.

[87112]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Well seattle is a work=life grind employees into the ground town, so can’t say I’m surprised. I suspect it’ll be different though, as there was apparently quite the exodus from WA last year when WFH became the thing. It went from one of the most moved to states to one of the most moved away FROM

Seacove is happy about this, Very.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Well seattle is a work=life grind employees into the ground town, so can’t say I’m surprised. I suspect it’ll be different though, as there was apparently quite the exodus from WA last year when WFH became the thing. It went from one of the most moved to states to one of the most moved away FROM

According to this article, WA is still the best state overall, and while the most moved-to states are the low cost of living states (exception being Hawaii) WA state change is still 54.5% new people moving in and only 45.5% moving out.

Interesting chart on incomes, shows that most coming into WA state are making over $150k incomes.


https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ic-study-finds

[dav51lin]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

According to this article, WA is still the best state overall, and while the most moved-to states are the low cost of living states (exception being Hawaii) WA state change is still 54.5% new people moving in and only 45.5% moving out.

Interesting chart on incomes, shows that most coming into WA state are making over $150k incomes.


https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ic-study-finds

for the life of me i cannot see why nightmare commutes no parking
etc etc

[uniquetraveler]

Washington takes top spot on list of state economies hit the least by COVID-19

Washington in recent weeks has been slowly opening up its economy as more people across the state get vaccinated.

About two weeks ago, every county in the state moved to Phase 3 of Washington's reopening plan, meaning most indoor places including restaurants and gyms could open at 50%.

Despite the slow reopening over the past year, according to a new updated study from Wallethub, Washington now takes the top spot on a new list of state economies least hit by the coronavirus.

"The U.S. is still struggling to recover from the unemployment caused by business closures, too. While the federal government has helped mitigate some of this damage through multiple rounds of business loans, direct stimulus payments to individuals and increased unemployment benefits, it will take a long time for state economies to fully recover."

But, the rate of recovery has varied widely from state to state over the past year.
The study looked at a number of factors to determine which state economies were hit the most and least by the pandemic, including the share of employment from highly affected industries, the percent change in the number of small businesses open, the share of workers working from home and with access to paid sick leave and Wallethub's rankings of states whose unemployment claims were recovering the quickest.

Throughout the pandemic, thousands of people in Washington and across the country have lost their jobs and many businesses have had to close down for good. In recent weeks, as more people have become eligible for vaccines and supply increases, Washington has been reopening more fully.

But, health officials in the state in recent weeks have been increasingly concerned about rising cases, especially with the spread of new variants in the community thought to spread more easily and quickly. State officials have said counties could be moved back a phase if they do not meet a series of key metrics, which could impact the state's economy once again.

Still, local, state and federal officials have been working over the past year to provide relief to tenants and businesses that have been struggling over the past year to afford rent and other basic necessities.

https://www.seattlepi.com/coronaviru...y-16077994.php