Real Estate
April 28th, 2023

On March 13, 2023, the Bellingham City Council approved Ordinance No. 2023-03-007, which requires landlords to provide tenants of rental units in Bellingham a minimum of 120 days’ prior written notice ahead of ANY increase in rent or other periodic housing costs. The requirements of this new ordinance took effect on March 28, 2023, and…

January 9th, 2023

Both Washington State and federal law protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination, including discrimination that may result from municipal zoning ordinances. Because the scope of the protections afforded under state and federal law differ, it is possible for a zoning action to comply with one while violating the other. As a result, it is important…

November 7th, 2022

Whether you live in Skagit, Whatcom, or San Juan County, here in the Pacific Northwest chances are there are trees in your yard, your neighbor’s yard, or a family member’s yard, and there may be no fence separating one property from the next. There is also a good possibility there has not been a recent…

May 24th, 2022

Whenever real property is co-owned by multiple individuals, disputes are bound to happen. The owners may disagree about how to develop or maintain the property, whether to sell the property, and so on. The rights of each individual and how disputes among them may be settled depend greatly on the kind of tenancy at play,…

May 2nd, 2022

In 2021, the Washington State Legislature made significant changes to Washington’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA).[1] One of the most noteworthy changes is a new provision that restricts landlords ability to refuse to renew a month-to-month rental agreement to when one of sixteen listed “causes” applies.[2] Interestingly this new section impacts an often-overlooked area of landlord-tenant…

March 31st, 2022

It’s easy to get lost in the mountains of paperwork when purchasing real estate. One document in that mountain, called the commitment to issue title insurance, is both extremely important and guaranteed to make most folks’ eyes glaze over. A potential buyer of property will receive a commitment to issue title insurance after both buyer…

November 17th, 2021

In Washington, construction contractors must be registered with the state’s Department of Labor and Industries. As part of the registration requirements, contractors must have a general liability insurance policy in the amount of $200,000 in public liability and $50,000 in property damage, and a $250,000 combined single limit. Contractors must also obtain a bond that…

August 25th, 2021

Washington recently passed a new law limiting when landlords can terminate their tenants’ tenancies without cause. Previously, in most cities and counties in Washington (but not all, including Bellingham), a month-to-month tenancy could be terminated by either party with 20 days’ notice for any reason, and a tenancy with a lease for a specific time…

June 25th, 2020

The Washington State Supreme Court decision Whatcom County v. Hirst, 186 Wash.2d 648, 381 P.3d 1 (2016) set off years of uncertainty for rural and suburban development in Whatcom County. Most of Whatcom County is in the Nooksack River watershed (“WRIA 1”). You can find out if your property is in WRIA 1 or a…

May 27th, 2020

Catch Carmichael Clark’s Attorney, Lisa Keeler and Michael Heatherly, from Law Advocates, on Bellingham Tonight to find out what is happening with the law and courts during COVID-19.  They discuss how to legally navigate through this time and the effect the pandemic has had on our legal system. https://www.youtube.com/watch? list=PLI_OFdCv7R112kCSGbZLNp4VsSPnlriry&time _continue=985&v=jXQK0NrbWYo&feature =emb_logo. Make sure to…

Stay Informed

To receive updates or be informed when we post a new article.