Sponsored by Realogics, Inc.

Representatives of Realogics, Inc. announced the establishment of The FutureCast Forum – a collaborative of opinion leaders to explore both the current and projected market fundamentals influencing the Seattle/Bellevue metro area by 2020 and beyond. Its founding members and guest columnists will provide timely insights on the state of the economy, commercial and residential development trends, evolving demographics and lifestyle pursuits, wealth management considerations, impacts of government policy, and international influences that are shaping the regional landscape. The first panel discussion will be held on September 26^th during the BISNOW “State of the Market” event held at The Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle. 

“The FutureCast Forum will help articulate our regional growth trajectory, discuss the issues and opportunities and measure market pressures,” said Dean Jones, President of Realogics, Inc. and CEO of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR). “As the Seattle metro area continues to evolve at a meteoric pace this new media channel will help consumers plan ahead with greater perspective.”

In addition to Jones, the founding members include Brian O’Connor of O’Connor Consulting Group, Trevor Bennett of Caliber Home Loans, Brian Bushlach of Feedback Media, Christian Chan of Burrard Group, Brian Evans of Madrona Financial Services, Maria Royer of REAL Retail, John Spear of Seattle magazine, Jennifer McCullum of Gray magazine, Marc Rousso of JayMarc Homes and Dylan Simon of Colliers International. Several other members will soon be announced to cover other industry sectors.

Dean Jones (L) and Brian O’Connor, founding members of the FutureCast Forum, meet in Realogics Sotheby’s International Real Estate’s downtown office to discuss the market fundamentals shaping the Puget Sound Region by 2020 and beyond.

Why You Should Pay Attention

The panel is a timely resource. The Puget Sound region is already home to the fastest-growing median home prices in the US for the tenth straight month in a row, according to S&P/Case-Shiller. Both population and job growth have far exceeded projections set by the Puget Sound Regional Council’s VISION 2040 narrative – a comprehensive plan to accommodate 5 million residents in the central region of King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap Counties.

The FutureCast Forum members will generate their key industry observations within in a series of short articles and rank the top ten most influential ones on a number of topics, making the content fun, easy to digest and simple to share on social media. 

“This discussion may influence a consumer’s decision on where and when they make a move, or how they plan ahead for retirement,” adds Jones. “The conversations within the forum have been eye-opening for all of us and we want to share the perspective.”

Jones notes just a few of the many findings in the forum’s content:

• Downsizing empty-nesters who didn’t realize they could lock into a presale at a new condominium tower two years before it’s delivered, all while enjoying home price appreciation in their current property, which will soon see the addition of a new light rail transit station nearby.  
• A retiring investor who thought he’d be a landlord for life, fearing the tax burden if he sold his nest-egg. He didn’t realize that he can transfer this equity into a Delaware Statutory Trust for a tax-deferral-like exchange into passive real estate investments with no tax penalty, allowing him to enjoy reliable income into retirement.
• A Millennial tech-worker who didn’t know she could qualify for a loan using restricted stock units in the underwriting, or make an all-cash offer using short-term financing options in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the nation.

“These sorts of findings are what the BISNOW events are all about,” said Tom Woodcock, BISNOW’s Regional Director for the Pacific Northwest – a new media platform that hosts more than 300 events per year in 33 cities and networks with a half-million subscribers. “The FutureCast Forum is onto something and this is just the beginning of the conversation.”

The next BISNOW evening event is being planned for September 28^th. FutureCast Forum members will assemble for a panel discussion moderated by John Spear, Associate Publisher of Seattle magazine. Prospective guests are encouraged to register online at www.Seattlein2020.com for more information.