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Did you know... TENANT RESPONSIBILITIES – Washington State
Did you know... CLEANING FEES – WHO PAYS? In Washington State, if a landlord charges a non-refundable cleaning fee, the tenant cannot be charged for any routine cleaning that exceeds the amount of the fee. If cleaning costs exceed the amount of the cleaning fee, the owner will have to pay the difference. On the other hand, if the tenant is charged a […]
Did you know... Department of Justice Lawsuit The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently settled a lawsuit with a landlord in Edmonds, Washington for refusing to rent to families with children.  The complaint was filed with HUD in 2014 and the DOJ just settled the case.  The settlement includes the following: Pay a total monetary settlement of $95,000, comprised of: $35,000 in damages […]
Did you know... SEATTLE LANDLORD/TENANT UPDATES There have been updates to the handout landlords are required to provide to Seattle tenants.  This handout includes summations of both Seattle and state landlord tenant regulations and must be provided to tenants at move in, annually and whenever changes are made to it. Emailed copies to current tenants is sufficient. The updated packet includes information […]
Did you know... SEASONAL RENTAL MARKET – WASHINGTON In this area, the rental market is very seasonal.  The greatest demand is typically during the summer months and slowest during the holiday season.  While rents are still high, the seasonal slowing is starting earlier than usual this year.  This is believed to be due to the number of new apartments in the area.  In […]
Did you know... Seller Remains AFTER closing – Washington State Due to the current sales market, we’re seeing a significant increase in sellers maintaining possession post-closing.  NWMLS form 65B, for seller occupancy after closing, states in the instructions that, “post-closing occupancy is risky,” and recommends that buyers not give sellers the right to occupy after closing. If you have buyer clients contemplating allowing the seller […]
Did you know... The Fair Tenant Screening Act The Fair Tenant Screening Act prohibits landlords from charging an applicant for screening without first posting or notifying the applicant in writing of the criteria that will be used to screen applicants?  This must include: What type of information will be accessed to conduct the tenant screening; What criteria may result in denial of the […]
Did you know... 2017 SURVEY OF RENTERS The results of a recently released 2017 survey* of renters reveals tenant priorities.  In this survey, 35% of tenants were in single family rental homes, the rest in multi-family.  32% of tenants had dogs, 30% had cats and 10% had other pets.  The top amenities that renters said are worth paying more for are: Pets […]
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Did you know... CAP-RATES & INVESTING Investor clients often want to know the capitalization (cap) rate of a potential property. Cap rate is net operating income (NOI) divided by the sales price or value of the property.  NOI is gross annual income minus operating expenses, but not including income taxes and mortgage. Cap rate = NOI/current market value. A five-unit apartment […]
Did you know... WHO THE HECK IS MRS. MURPHY? The “Mrs. Murphy” exemption to the Fair Housing Act (FHA) doesn’t apply if a real estate professional is involved in the transaction.  The “Mrs. Murphy” exemption is that if a dwelling has four or fewer rental units and the owner lives in one of them, the home is exempt from the FHA. “Mrs. Murphy” is […]
Did you know... Tenant Marijuana Use Despite changes in Washington State law, landlords can still prevent or restrict tenant marijuana use on a rental property.  Much like smoking cigarettes, landlords can prohibit legal activities.  As for medical marijuana usage, tenants are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act because marijuana growing and possession are still considered a crime under federal […]
Did you know... LOVE YOUR COUNTRY – HAPPY 4TH
Did you know... SERVICE CALL? The Washington Landlord/Tenant Act specifies the length of time an owner or property manager has to respond to a problem.  The time to commence repairs will vary, depending on the nature of the defective condition.  Once begun, the repair must be completed, “as soon as possible.” Per RCW 59.17.080, remedial action must commence, after receiving […]
Did you know... BUILD THEM – THEY WILL COME! The Dupre and Scott’s March survey of 20+ unit apartments reports that almost 9,500 new apartments were opened in 2016. 12,700 are expected this year in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties and 62,000 more are planned between 2017 and 2020. The survey shows that that new construction apartments typically get a rent premium of more […]
Did you know... Squatters in Washington State The Washington State legislature has passed a law to help property owners remove squatters. A new law passed in May 2017, which goes into effect 90 days after passage, allows property owners to have squatters removed by law enforcement without having to go through the eviction procedure. The new process will allow an owner to file […]
Did you know... WHO’s RIGHT – WHO’s WRONG??? The majority of landlord-tenant disputes are arguments over the landlord withholding part or all of the tenant’s damage/security deposit.  Typically, disagreements arise when landlords and tenants disagree about whether the tenant is responsible for repairs or cleaning and/or whether tenants believe the charges are unreasonable. Unresolved disputes may result in a trip to small claims […]
Did you know... SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Did you know... TERMINATE A LEASE? A lease or rental agreement may be terminated by the landlord before the end of the agreement only for specified reasons, including the tenant not paying rent, seriously damaging the property (waste), seriously interfering with the rights of other tenants (nuisance), conducting an illegal business on the property, or violating an important rule or regulation. […]
Did you know... NON-RESIDENT ALIEN INVESTORS FIRPTA typically requires that taxes be withheld monthly on gross rental income for non-resident aliens. Passive rental income for foreign investors is subject to a flat 30% withholding tax. The withholding requirement is on gross rather than net income and the responsibility to collect this may apply to the leasing broker or property manager.  Foreign investor clients […]
Did you know... KIDS!! YEA or NAY? You cannot deny tenancy to applicants just because they have children, even if you think the rental property is unsafe for children. Families are a protected class, so even if the property is such that owner thinks s/he could be assuming potential liability by renting to a family with children, the owner cannot deny tenancy […]

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