Recent News

The Hidden Dangers of Waiving a Home Inspection

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Ryan G. Foltz | 3/25/2025
In today’s competitive housing market, submitting an offer with an inspection contingency could jeopardize a buyer’s ability to purchase a home.  Performing a detailed inspection of the existing condition of the property is always the best practice to identify defective conditions that were not disclosed by the seller.  Although waiving a home inspection can speed… Read More

The High Cost of Miscommunication: Construction Edition

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer William O. Kessler | 3/10/2025
In the recent Washington Court of Appeals case DWP General Contracting, Inc. v. Wilson Architects, PLLC, Dr. Harold Lee hired DWP General Contracting to build an apartment complex. The contract required DWP to complete the project within 180 days. But construction delays and payment disputes caused work to halt, leaving the project only 60% complete… Read More

Interpreting Easement Agreements

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Andrew M. McKenzie | 3/5/2025
An easement is a right to use land that belongs to someone else.  Most of the time, it will “run with the land,” meaning that it will continue on even if ownership of the burdened property changes hands.  Frequently, easement language does not on its own settle questions of interpretation, and the document may be… Read More

Formalizing Rental Agreements: Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Zachary M. Smith | 2/28/2025
If you’re renting out a property or entering into a rental agreement, it’s essential to formalize the arrangement to protect both parties involved. Whether you’re renting to a friend, family member, or a stranger, a well-drafted rental agreement can prevent misunderstandings, legal disputes, and financial losses. Here’s why formalizing a rental agreement is crucial and… Read More

Do You Own, or Want to Own, Real Estate with Someone Else? Know Your Rights

Washington State Real Estate Law Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 2/26/2025
If you have purchased real property with another person or persons, apart from your spouse, you have most likely purchased that real property as a “tenant-in-common” with your co-owners. Tenancy in common constitutes one of the most, well, common forms of collective property ownership in Washington State. Although the concept of purchasing a home or… Read More

WUCOIA to Govern Most Common Interest Communities Starting on January 1, 2028

Washington State Real Estate Law Lawyer Babak Shamsi | 2/19/2025
In 2018, Washington State passed RCW 64.90, known as the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA), which took effect on July 1st of that same year. WUCOIA applies to all common interest communities, with a few exceptions, created after July 1, 2018. WUCOIA also gives the option to older community associations to opt into its… Read More

Can I Sell My Property If It Has A Lien On It?

Washington State Real Estate Lawyer Andrew M. McKenzie | 2/13/2025
A “lien” is typically defined as a right to enforce a charge upon property of another for payment or satisfaction of a debt or claim.  Stated another way, in the real estate context, it is a claim of a security interest in someone’s property to secure the payment of a debt.  Liens can either be… Read More