On March 27, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued a memorandum clarifying the restrictions placed on the real estate and mortgage industries in his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The memorandum sets forth guidance and restrictions by which real estate professionals, sellers, and buyers can continue to operate […]
Real Estate
COVID-19 and Your Real Estate Transaction
The COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order have stopped your real estate transaction dead in its tracks. The earnest money is in escrow, but Washington is shut down for all but “essential services”, which does not include real estate at this time. What are your options? If your transaction involves Northwest […]
Seattle Land Use and Real Estate & COVID-19
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: […]
Seattle City Council Recently Passes Flurry of Bills to Protect Residential Tenants
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 […]
Buyer Beware is Still the Law of the Land
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 […]
New Legislation Reducing Liability for Condominium Defects Takes Effect
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. […]
Federal Antitrust Lawsuit Driving Changes to Increase Transparency and Flexibility of Real Estate Broker Commissions
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 […]
Seattle City Council Unanimously Approves Legislation that Allows for Construction of More Mother-in-Law Apartments and Backyard Cottages
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 […]
Seattle City Council Considering Legislation Restricting Single-Family Home Development
The Seattle City Council is considering legislation introduced by Councilmember Mike O’Brien intended to increase the availability of affordable housing in Seattle. The proposal, which largely seeks to expand the amount of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) available in order to increase affordable housing inventory and options, would also impose new regulations on the allowable floor […]
Governor Signs Sweeping Changes to Washington Landlord-Tenant Laws
On May 14, 2019, Governor Inslee signed SB 5600, a bill that dramatically alters the landscape of Washington residential landlord-tenant law. The effective date of this legislation is July 27, 2019. SB 5600 does not apply to commercial real estate. Residential landlords and property managers need to be well-versed in these changes, which are as […]