A wave of layoffs in the tech sector has hit Seattle’s housing market, with DR Horton’s chief pointing to weakness in the Northwest. Marysville police are looking for witnesses to a head-on collision that killed a driver. HBO has released a trailer for the new season of Hard Knocks about the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp — the reigning Super Bowl champions.
In Seattle, layoffs in tech have struck the housing market — DR Horton CEO statement
In recent months, Seattle has faced a serious downturn in the real estate market, and mass layoffs at technology companies have played a key role. This was stated openly by the chief executive of one of the largest U.S. homebuilders, DR Horton, Paul Romerowski. During a conference call with analysts, he cited “weakness in the Northwest,” especially in Seattle, where “changes in the software hiring landscape, new layoffs, and a headwind from demand” are beginning to weigh heavily on the market. The remarks came amid a continuing correction in the U.S. tech sector, when giants such as Amazon and Microsoft announced thousands of job cuts.
Seattle has traditionally been seen as one of the most expensive and fastest-growing housing markets in the United States thanks to the high concentration of high-paid IT employees. However, the layoffs wave that began as early as 2025 is now directly affecting buying power. When thousands of people lose their jobs—or fear losing them—demand for new homes drops sharply, forcing investors and developers to adjust their plans. DR Horton, whose business model is heavily tied to building houses for the mass buyer, has been among the first to acknowledge these issues publicly. As reported in a Bloomberg article, the company is already seeing slower sales and has been forced to revise its forecasts for the region.
To understand the scale: DR Horton is one of the leaders in U.S. homebuilding, and its financial reports often serve as a barometer of the overall health of the market. Mentioning “weakness in the Northwest” amid ongoing layoffs in the tech sector is a signal that could show up in housing prices not only in Seattle, but across the entire West Coast. Experts note that for now it’s a local problem, but if tech layoffs continue, the effect could spread to other cities with a high concentration of IT professionals, such as San Francisco, Austin, or New York.
What’s behind this development? The main reason is the cyclical nature of the labor market in high-tech. After the hiring boom during pandemic years, companies began optimizing headcount, while also reducing salary expectations for new employees. For the housing market, this means fewer would-be buyers willing to take out a $1 million mortgage. In addition, the broader rise in interest rates and high inflation add further pressure. In this way, DR Horton’s CEO statement is not just a factual observation, but a warning to all market participants: the era of ultra-low rates and a rush for housing in tech hubs is coming to an end—at least in Seattle.
Fatal crash in Marysville: police seek witnesses to head-on collision
In Washington state, in the city of Marysville, a tragedy has occurred that claimed the life of a 55-year-old driver and sent several people to the hospital. Police asked the public for help piecing together what happened—seeking witnesses who may have seen the moment of the collision or the behavior of the vehicles beforehand. The crash happened during the day on July 16 at the intersection of 132nd Street and Smokey Point Boulevard.
As reported in a KIRO 7 News Seattle post, around midday, a Chevrolet Suburban struck head-on with a Ford F-250 truck. The truck driver, a man from Everett, died at the scene. His 30-year-old passenger, a woman, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital. The Suburban driver, a 32-year-old woman from Arlington, and three children—a child age eight, and two one-year-old toddlers—sustained minor injuries and were also transported to a hospital.
Traffic collision investigation unit personnel are continuing their work, but as emphasized in the police statement, they have already spoken with everyone who was at the scene immediately after the crash and collected the available dashcam footage. However, law enforcement wants to ensure that no one is overlooked. “We believe we spoke with all witnesses and gathered all available video, but we want to be sure that anyone who didn’t contact the police that day does so now,” said a message from the unit posted on social media.
Anyone who has any information is asked to contact the lead investigator on the case, Officer Lex Warbis, by email at Awarbis@marysvillewa.gov or by phone at 360-322-8615. It’s important to note that even small details—such as strange behavior by one of the vehicles in the minutes before the impact—can help investigators reconstruct an accurate picture and understand what led to the head-on collision.
For those unfamiliar with the area: the intersection of 132nd Street and Smokey Point Boulevard is one of the key roads in the Marysville area, and the crash occurred during the daytime when traffic is typically fairly active. The term “head-on collision” refers to vehicles traveling toward each other and hitting their front ends—collisions like these are especially dangerous because speed adds up, and safety systems (airbags, seat belts) may not be enough to prevent severe injuries. In this case, one person died and four others were injured to varying degrees, including infants, making the crash particularly tragic.
At this time, it is unknown what caused a vehicle to enter the oncoming lane or what other maneuver led to the disaster. Police do not report potential factors such as alcohol, fatigue, or a vehicle malfunction—investigation is ongoing. Reaching out to witnesses is standard procedure, but an extremely important one: it’s often the accounts of eyewitnesses or footage from their dashcams that helps accurately reconstruct the dynamics of the crash and determine whether any charges or claims may be appropriate. For the family of the deceased driver and for those injured, every detail matters, and authorities are doing everything they can to shed light on what happened.
“Hard Knocks”: the trailer for the new season about the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp promises an exclusive look at the reigning Super Bowl champions
HBO and NFL Films have released the official trailer for the 27th season of the documentary series Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks (“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks”). This season will be special: for the first time in the entire history of the franchise, which launched in 2001, viewers will see the preparation of a team that has just won the Super Bowl title. The five-episode project will premiere on August 4, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on HBO, and will also be available on the HBO Max streaming service. New episodes will air every Tuesday through September 1.
As noted in a piece published on Deadline, the story centers on the Seahawks’ training camp in Renton, Washington. Cameras will capture head coach Mike Macdonald, quarterback Sam Darnold, and also star defensive players — Devon Witherspoon and Byron Murphy II. Special attention is given to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year last season. For those who aren’t familiar with American football, it’s worth noting that the “Lombardi Trophy” is the trophy awarded to the Super Bowl winner, and the “AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year” title is given to the season’s most productive player, as selected by the Associated Press.
This season of Hard Knocks is also noteworthy because the Seahawks have never previously participated in the show. It’s notable that in season 15, when the series followed preparations for two teams—the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers—receiver Cooper Kupp appeared on screen, and he now plays for Seattle. Over the years, the show has been in camps for the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and Buffalo Bills. The voiceover will traditionally be provided by actor Liev Schreiber.
The main takeaway from the announcement is that the creators are betting on exclusivity and drama—reigning champions preparing to defend the title always draw extra attention. For NFL fans, it’s a rare chance to see inside a team at the peak of its fame, and for neutral viewers, it’s an opportunity to get a glimpse of the world of professional football, full of strategy, injuries, and emotional highs. In the trailer posted on Deadline, you can already see Hard Knocks’ signature style: close-ups, tense faces of players and coaches, and a promise of “comprehensive access.” If previous seasons featuring the Buffalo Bills (2025) and the Chicago Bears (2024) received high marks from critics, the Seahawks season could become one of the highest-rated in the show’s entire history.
