Recent News

Adverse Possession is a legal doctrine which allows a possessor of land, who does not own record title to that land, to become its legal owner over a period of time. Here is a more detailed description of Adverse Possession: https://beresfordlaw.com/adverse-possession-in-washington-state/ Adverse Possession lawsuits can be time-consuming, risky, stressful, and costly for both neighbors. Oftentimes, the… Read More

When purchasing a home, buyers have a daunting amount of matters to focus on...how much earnest money to put down, how to structure an offer, how to address financing, how to address inspection contingency results, and more.  One matter which often gets lost in the shuffle, however, is title insurance,  A purchaser who enters into an agreement… Read More

Real estate brokers in Washington frequently confront situations where they must carefully navigate to avoid acting as lawyers.  In Washington, it is a misdemeanor to engage in the “unauthorized practice of law.”  Court rules define the practice of law as “the application of legal principles and judgment with regard to the circumstances or objectives of… Read More

Increasingly, many property owners find themselves living in condominiums governed by associations.  A condominium association typically has several governing documents that enumerate rights and responsibilities of the owners and the Board of Directors, such as a declaration, bylaws, and rules and regulations.  One of the major aspects of community living consists of enforcement of the… Read More

Most property owners have a mortgage.  In the course of property ownership, the owner may end up paying off this mortgage (“deed of trust”), whether by sale of the property to a third party, refinance of the loan, or outright payment with personal finances.  Once the loan is paid in full, this should effectively end… Read More

Over the last half-century or more, the public has grown accustomed to laws protecting consumers. We hear of large damage awards for perceived minor breaches of duties owed to a consumer. In such an environment, buyers of real estate may be lulled into a false sense of security, assuming incorrectly that they may rely mostly… Read More

Governor Inslee’s May 4, 2020, amendment to his “Stay Home – Stay Healthy” Order set in motion a re-opening plan called “Safe Start Washington: A Phased Approach to Recovery.”  The Safe Start Washington plan announced that “Phase 1 of reopening Washington begins on May 5, 2020.”  However, as I discussed in my May 5th blog… Read More

Earlier this year, the City of Seattle placed a moratorium on evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently set to terminate on June 4th, at the same time that a similar statewide moratorium will also sunset.  On May 4th, the Seattle City Council voted to provide new additional protections to Seattle residential tenants… Read More

On February 29, 2020, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation No. 20-05, where he “proclaim[ed] that a State of Emergency exists in all counties in the state of Washington, and direct[ed] the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented.”  Since that date, Governor Inslee has issued more than… Read More