A Seattle-area family with ties to a major tech company is selling their home in Crown Hill and downsizing due to rising costs for groceries, gas, insurance, and housing amid ongoing inflation pressures.

Liesl Gatcheco, a self-employed esthetician, told The Seattle Times that the past year has seen a significant tightening of household spending. Gatcheco and her husband, who have twins and live with her sister in their home's downstairs unit, said they are selling their home to "take control" of their finances.

Consumer prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region rose 4.5% over the past year, higher than the national inflation rate of 3.5%, though down from 4.9% in April. Gatcheco expressed feeling like she has been "living emotionally in survival mode."

Dusty Wilson, a math teacher at Highline College in Des Moines, about 20 minutes from Seattle, said that he and his wife have reduced driving and now use light rail due to gas prices reaching $6 a gallon.

The cost of living in Seattle is prompting some residents to move out of the city. Additionally, layoffs at major tech companies are causing further financial concerns. One tech giant recently cut 4,800 workers in its Xbox division and sales teams, following 15,000 layoffs in 2025, and offered voluntary buyouts to 7% of its U.S.-based employees.

The National Association of Realtors was scheduled to release existing home sales figures on June 21, reflecting ongoing shifts in the housing market.

Sources