(upbeat rhythmic music) - I'm Starla Sampaco in the "Crosscut KCTS9" newsroom.

The town of Cle Elum has seen double digit increases in their housing market year over year.

Senior producer, Sarah Hoffman speaks with a local realtor to explain what to make of this changing region.

- [Kitty] I tell people, you choose to live in Kittitas County.

There isn't a job or a school that's really bringing you to this area, it's really your own personal desire.

We're a small little resort community about an hour east of Seattle.

The personality and landscape is kind of that small town lifestyle with tons of outdoor recreation.

If you want to relocate here and move here, you definitely need to love the outdoors.

If you don't like rattlesnakes, do not purchase over here.

If you buy a cabin in these locations, in the winter months, you will be snowmobiling in.

I've been selling real estate here in Kittitas County for almost 20 years, and I sell single wide million dollar homes and all the dirt in between.

Even when I first started 20 years ago, the I-90 commuters have chosen to live here more because it's affordable.

So now things have shifted a little bit because guess what?

We're not as cheap and affordable as we used to be.

In fact, there's some statistics out there that show that Kittitas County is at a higher median price than some areas of King County.

(solemn music playing) Oh and by the way, gas is cheapest in the entire state in Cle Elum.

So, gas up before you leave.

(solemn music continues) These homes were completed in 2019 and they started at 319 a piece.

Now, they're right about 600.

We have Suncadia, which is a destination resort.

Most of the homes in Suncadia are over a million dollars.

So, we've seen almost a 51% price over price increase from 2020 to 2021.

I don't expect 51% appreciation year over year in the next coming years.

I do however, still expect us to appreciate.

We're seeing definitely a shift in the personalities of the people who buy in Upper county, and without getting into politics, a lot of people are exiting Seattle for political reasons.

But because we've had so much in fluctuation of what I call the moderate Democrat coming outta Seattle, you really kind of have become purple right here where we used to be pretty red.

I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.

It brings in different ideas.

It brings in revitalization.

Change is a good thing.

Affordability is crucial in every market because although we are a luxury product market, meaning most of our clients that come in here have the ability to be able to afford the pricing here.

They still need services.

We don't have apartments.

We don't have duplexes.

I think the affordability piece is really working with our local officials to create affordable housing.

And that means rezoning some things, upzoning some things, and really working with them to still keep us a destination, but we don't wanna become a Seattle, so we don't want an unheard of traffic.

We want people that'll be able to come over here recreate and still keep our small town vibe.

- I'm Starla Sampaco.

For more on the housing market visit making Seattle home on crosscut.com.