Recent News

Can My Neighbor Really Build That? Hostile Neighbors and “Spite Fences”

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Nicholas D. Gross | 8/4/2025
Even if you’ve made every effort to be a good neighbor, you may find yourself caught in a dispute you didn't see coming. A disagreement over a late-night backyard party, a disputed property line, or an unapproved fence repair can quickly escalate, leading to long-term friction between neighbors. If you’ve found yourself at odds with… Read More

Commercial Leasing in Washington State

Washington State Real Estate Law Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 7/30/2025
Commercial landlords and tenants have dramatically different considerations from residential landlords and tenants. Commercial landlords, for example, must deal with longer lease terms, complex code regulations, and significant financial consequences stemming from the success or failure of their tenants’ businesses. These do not generally come into play for residential landlords, who deal with shorter term… Read More

But It’s My Property, Why Can’t I Just Remove Trees?

Washington State Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 7/28/2025
You would not be the first property owner that desired to have trees taken down. It might be to improve sun light, a view, or just to cautiously avoid a potential scenario where a fallen tree could damage your home. Before proceeding with any tree removal, it would be wise to understand the entire process.… Read More

Washington State Rewrites Partition Law… Well, Sort Of.

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Joshua G. R. Curtis | 7/28/2025
In Washington, unless co-owners have agreed otherwise, any co-owner of property can file a lawsuit to have the court divide that property.  This could be personal property or real estate.  For the purpose of this article, we will be discussing the resolution of disputes involving real estate.  The court process of dividing property is called… Read More

Do Sellers Need to Complete the Form 17 Seller Disclosure Statement?

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Joshua G. R. Curtis | 7/28/2025
In almost every residential sale of real estate, the seller is required to provide a Seller Disclosure Form.  This is usually completed on MLS Form 17.  In a recent Washington case, the court addressed the effect of an incomplete Form 17.  The case is Lyons v. Liu and the opinion of Division 1 of the… Read More

Residential Real Estate Market Update

Washington State Real Estate Law Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 7/21/2025
Back in April, I published a piece here regarding the status of Western Washington Real Estate inventory. It outlined the large jump in residential listings across King and Snohomish Counties in March of 2025, compared to March of 2024, reflecting a noticeable increase in the availability of real estate. This post serves as a brief follow up… Read More

Enforcing a Lien in Washington State

Washington State Business Law and Litigation Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 7/16/2025
In Washington State, many mechanisms exist to enforce a debt. One of the most powerful mechanisms is the claim of lien. At its most basic definition, a lien is a claim to the personal or real property of another who owes the creditor money. With respect to real property, a lien creates an encumbrance that… Read More

Pursuing Off-Market Real Estate Transactions

Washington State Business Law and Litigation Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 6/23/2025
In Washington State, most home sales involve publicly disclosed and advertised transactions. They often start with listings on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) and end up with buyers and sellers entering into purchase and sale agreements with the assistance of their respective real estate brokers. Although rife with risks, some of which we have… Read More