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We know everyone is feeling unease about the current state of the world and there is a lot of information about the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures federal, local and state governments are taking to mitigate the economic impact. To help you understand the effects on the real estate markets, we offer the following information: […]
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, (the “Act”) has been signed into law. It will go into effect in 15 days, and expire on December 31, 2020. This is NOT a bill that will provide direct payments to Americans, that would be a third relief bill which has not yet been fully formed or voted […]
Last week, in response to the housing crisis and in support of greater tenant rights, the Seattle City Council passed two sets of bills related to residential rental properties in the City that both landlords and tenants alike should be aware of. The first set of bills addressed landlords’ and tenants’ rights during a tenancy […]
According to data reports published by the Seattle Office of Labor Standards – which enforces the City’s labor standards for minimum wage, Paid Sick and Safe Time, Fair Chance Employment, and other related laws – the costliest areas of enforcement for employers are violations of minimum wage and wage theft ordinances. In the first six […]
Washington’s Seller Disclosure Statute, RCW 64.06, originally passed in 1994, required Sellers of real property to disclose “material defects” on a Seller Disclosure Statement, which quickly became known as a “Form 17”. A special provision of RCW 64.06 provides that the statutory obligation to disclose material defects is independent of the common law principle of […]
With concerns over affordable housing being a driving force, Senate Bill 5334 was passed earlier this year and just recently took effect. This new legislation has been celebrated by affordable housing proponents, developers, and homebuyers alike as it is expected to spur increased infill development, consistent with the Growth Management Act and local Comprehensive Plans. […]
A class action lawsuit filed in March of this year has spurred significant changes in the way real estate brokerages are setting and disclosing commissions for listing and selling brokers. The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, names the National Association of Realtors and the four largest […]
A lost or destroyed original will can unravel the best laid plans of a person trying to specifically avoid ambiguity when it comes to his/her testamentary intent. Washington State adopts the common-law presumption of animo revocandi (latin for “with intent to revoke”) that a lost or destroyed will was purposefully revoked. Probating a will when […]
The Washington wine industry is the second largest in the United States, with over 970 wineries in business and an annual production of approximately 17.5 million cases, according to the Washington State Wine Commission. As the Washington wine industry grows, it will to face an increasing level of environmental regulation. Other winegrowing states, such as […]
Residents, neighborhood groups, developers, and designers alike are now awaiting the Seattle Mayor’s signature. Last week, after a fine-tuned version was submitted, the Seattle City Council voted 8-0 to adopt proposed legislation that will ease restrictions on the construction of accessory dwelling units, commonly referred to as ADUs or mother-in-law apartments, and detached accessory dwelling […]