Tenants in Foreclosed Properties

Many clients and associations in general (both condos and HOAs) are in possession of properties that do not have “clear title.” This puts the association in the position of wanting to rent out the property until the lender forecloses. One… Read More
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Fixing Improper Board Decisions

It’s important to make sure your association’s board of directors makes decisions following proper procedure. But what do you do if your board doesn’t? There are several ways to validate board decisions after the fact. The way to fix an imp… Read More
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Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Condominium associations homeowners need to be aware of Washington’s carbon monoxide alarm law! Although the law was passed in 2009, it requires that all buildings classified as residential occupancies (which includes condominiums) be equipped with… Read More
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What's in Your Governing Documents?

Washington law contains numerous provisions containing restrictions and requirements on COAs and HOAs. In many cases, however, the law contains a minimum requirement only and defers to the more specific provisions of the governing documents. For a pr… Read More
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When Board Members Go Rogue

Sometimes, board members don’t follow the rules. A board member might speak out of turn at meetings or dominate the floor; might take actions without consulting other board members or in direct conflict with a board decision; or might even hide or… Read More
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Board of Directors Resignation

Imagine this scenario: your association’s entire board of directors decides they are fed up with being board members, and all resign at the same time, leaving your association with no board at all. Or, imagine that, one by one, each board member re… Read More
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Resale Certificates

A resale certificate is a document that a unit owner must provide to the purchaser before they can sell their condominium unit. Any unit owner who wishes to sell his or her unit needs to be aware of the resale certificate requirements. These requirem… Read More
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Adopting a Budget

Many condominium and homeowners’ associations are preparing their annual budgets this time of year. Association members, as well as the association’s board of directors, need to be aware of the laws applicable to community association budgets. A… Read More
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Bank of America Foreclosures in Washington State

For many months, we’ve seen that Bank of America foreclosures have been completely stalled. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least of which is the fact that BOA took over a multitude of sub-prime loans when Countrywide went belly… Read More
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Reserves for Mixed Use Building & Limited Common Elements

Often condo declarations state that some building components are to be paid for exclusively by one group of owners. This may include all residential owners, or all owners within a single building. This means that reserve contributions for those compo… Read More
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