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She and her family moved to their starter home in Altadena on election day in 2016.

In Bremerton, the typical first-time buyer now earns just 48% of the income necessary to afford a starter home, down from 76% just three years ago, according to UW’s affordability index.

In early 2020, those first-time King County buyers were already earning only 59% of the income needed for a starter home in the county, according to the center’s affordability index.

To put that in day-to-day terms, even in formerly affordable parts of Seattle, such as Rainier Valley, a starter home is going to be $700,000, said Sally Li, a broker with Pellego.

The research also showed that terraced homes made up 30% of new mortgages for first-time buyers, although flats have been increasing in popularity as a cheaper starter home option.