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On Friday, April 24, 2020, Governor Inslee announced that construction projects that have been suspended under his Stay Home, Stay Safe order would be allowed to proceed subject to compliance with a set of safety requirements intended to prevent the spread and resurgence of the coronavirus. The addendum to the order implements the first of […]
On Tuesday, April 13, 2020, the Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 119766, relating to commercial tenancies involving small businesses or nonprofits. The ordinance would temporarily place a moratorium on rent increases for these tenants and would require landlords to negotiate payment plans for overdue rent. As of this writing (April 16, 2020 ), the […]
Washington allows real estate documents to be executed by e-signatures rather than wet-ink signatures. However, many real estate related documents require notarization. The ability of individuals to properly execute deeds, deeds of trust, long-term leases, easements, covenants and other real estate documents requiring notarizing, has become increasingly difficult under the COVID-19 social distancing orders and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]