Everyone keeps talking about a marketplace slowdown, but it was not reflected in September. Pending sales in the four-county, Central Puget Sound region were the highest since 2005, second highest since 2000. Other issues? Huge drop in inventory and increased prices. OB Jacobi of Windermere said that “We simply can’t sustain double-digit increases in sales when inventory levels continue to drop every month.” Ben Kinney of Keller Williams believes that growth and sales will continue outside of core areas. “Outside of King County and a few spots in Snohomish County, we will expect strong sales the balance of this year and into the next.”

Things I currently like: Alaska Airlines nonstop from Seattle to New York; downtown Seattle real estate guy Matt Goyer’s blog; the 13 Coins restaurant, renewed!; my new Amazon Echo; traveling to Italy; Washington State’s low unemployment numbers; TeamBuilder clients; all Apple products; the expansion programs at Keller Williams; Arsenal Football Club; Miles Davis; my perfect sons-in-law; and all Republican candidates, especially the non-professionals.

Things that I do not enjoy: lack of available, zoned land and resulting pricing; HOV 3-person lanes; marijuana legalization in Washington State; the FIFA corruption scandal; high taxes; and any food from the Cucurbita family.

Coming soon: Bill’s Blog, where I get to take the gloves off!