If you are reading this article based on the headline, you’re likely already familiar with the problem. The downturn in the economy and associated depression of housing prices have created new challenges for Washington condominium residents far beyond the usual run of the mill disputes over noise violations and pet odors. Condo associations across the…
By David Spring, Ph.D., CFP Editor’s note: David Spring is a Certified Financial Planner and a client of ours. We assisted David with his insurance claim after his house was destroyed by fire. (Thankfully, no one was injured in the fire.) David had done such a good job of documenting his personal belongings that his…
Selecting the Contractor 1. Use your resources. Seek referrals from your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, but DON’T STOP THERE. One good reference is not enough. Search for contractors on the Better Business Bureau website. Search for reputable contractors with the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Never forget…
When the nation’s home builders report growing confidence and increasing sales of new homes, does that make it a good time to buy a new home? The New York Times recently reported that the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index surged six points this month to 35, the highest reading since March…
If you lost your home in a foreclosure between January 1, 2008 and December 31 2011, and your lender was one of five that participated in the recent National Mortgage Settlement, you may be entitled to compensation pursuant to that settlement. In February 2012, 49 state attorneys general and the federal government announced a historic…
Often homeowners rely on their contractor to include all items necessary in the scope of work to ensure the work is done properly and up to code. But, what if the contractor fails to include the necessary items? For example, a homeowner hires a contractor to install a driveway for $6,000. The contract simply states…
If you’ve explored buying a new home recently, you are undoubtedly familiar with the many articles and press accounts that have appeared over the past few years regarding the battered state of the residential real estate market. There is a glut of inventory of new homes that stretches across the country, and Washington is no…
As a result of two new cases – one from the Washington Supreme Court and another from our Division I Court of Appeals – homeowners may now have additional legal avenues to pursue if they experience personal injury or damage to property, regardless of whether they have a contract with the wrongdoer. In Eastwood v. Horse…
It may seem unremarkable that the Washington Supreme Court would approve a claim by an equipment operator, in this case the Seattle Monorail, against an engineering firm that provided services to the monorail’s owner, the City of Seattle. It seems only logical that if an engineer provides engineering work for the City on the monorail,…
In a recent, unreported decision, Division III of the Washington Court of Appeals upheld a trial court’s award of damages to a homeowner that included a $26,000 “contingency” to address unforeseen problems that might be uncovered during the repair work. Although not a reported case, the decision is very instructive and interesting for homeowners who…