Home Forum Extra http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/ Seattle Times business reporter Elizabeth Rhodes posts the answers to your real estate questions as they pop up during the week. Join this ongoing discussion, which also features reader reaction to real-estate articles appearing throughout The Times. Bio | Previous Home Forum archive Submit a question: erhodes@seattletimes.com 206-464-8510 Home Forum, Seattle Times, P.O. Box 1845Seattle, WA 98111 Sorry, no personal replies. en Copyright 2009 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.01 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Homeowner lacks big down payment Q: We'd like to buy a home in a better school district and keep our current paid-off home as a rental. Our problem: we don't have enough cash for a large down payment. Will a lender OK a small down payment because we have a paid-off property?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/23/homeowner_lacks_big_down_payme.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/23/homeowner_lacks_big_down_payme.html Other Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Mold, broken dishwasher vex tenant Q: After moving into our rental house, we discovered the dishwasher didn't work. Several months later the landlord has done nothing about this. We also discovered the house has mold, which the landlord will neither get removed nor allow us to remove and then deduct the work from our rent. What are our options?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/22/mold_broken_dishwasher_vex_ten.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/22/mold_broken_dishwasher_vex_ten.html Renting Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Who pays homeowners association special assessment? Q: My sister wants to sell her home. Her homeowners' association just said that all residents must pay for their neighborhood's water-system improvements. If her house sells before this improvement money is due, who's obligated to pay it -- my sister or the new owner?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/16/q_my_sister_wants_to.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/16/q_my_sister_wants_to.html Homeowners associations Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Predicting the mortgage crisis Q: In April 2006 you quoted a local appraiser who predicted home prices here would rise substantially in 2006 and 2007. How could an experienced appraiser not have seen how the impending mortgage crisis would affect our housing prices?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/15/predicting_the_mortgage_crisis.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/15/predicting_the_mortgage_crisis.html Reader reaction Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Wandering tree roots disturb sidewalk, threaten sewer line Q: Trees planted in our neighbor's parking strip are raising our sidewalk and starting to do the same to our driveway. We're concerned this could affect our sewer line. However the neighbor won't do anything about these trees because he says they're not on his property. So do we have any recourse?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/10/wandering_tree_roots_disturb_s.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/10/wandering_tree_roots_disturb_s.html Neighbor to neighbor Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0800 Understanding new condo reserve study requirements Q: Our condominium association is struggling to understand the new law requiring us to have a professional reserve study. With the exception of financial hardship, is it mandatory we have this study? Are there other exceptions, perhaps related to the number of units or age of the building?

Can we forgo a study if we have our accountant certify our reserves are sufficient to meet expenses? And if we don't have a reserve study done, does this open our association to liability if an owner decides to claim it impairs the marketability of his unit?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/10/understanding_new_condo_reserv.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/10/10/understanding_new_condo_reserv.html Condos and condo associations Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00:00 -0800 Collecting delinquent condo dues Q: When homeowners in our large condominium association fall behind on their dues, our recourse has been to lien the property. Realistically, are there other avenues of recovery we could pursue? Perhaps take them to small-claims court? Or turn them over to a collection agency?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/29/collecting_delinquent_condo_du.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/29/collecting_delinquent_condo_du.html Condos and condo associations Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:57:23 -0800 Property line dispute has neighbors in stalemate Q: My neighbor has claimed about a two-foot strip of my property and erected "no trespassing" signs along it. He says I'll be sued if I don't respect this boundary. I've had a survey done, which shows that my original boundary line is correct.

However, this neighbor has removed the new survey markers and says he'll cut down the trees in the disputed area. I showed him our state law requiring him to get a surveyor to replace the markers. He says he won't do it. What agency can I contact to enforce these laws?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/29/property_line_dispute_has_neig.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/29/property_line_dispute_has_neig.html Neighbor to neighbor Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:51:33 -0800 Just what do condo owners get to vote on? Q: What questions can a condo unit owner vote on other than electing officials? Can we require the right to have a vote or say on issues?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/24/just_what_do_condo_owners_get.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/24/just_what_do_condo_owners_get.html Condos and condo associations Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:23:07 -0800 Tenant wonders about displaying campaign signs Q: Seattle's Fair Housing Ordinance prohibits discrimination based on political ideology and activity. Does that protect tenants who put political campaign signs in their windows?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/24/tenant_wonders_about_displayin.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/24/tenant_wonders_about_displayin.html Other Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:08:44 -0800 Dead rats create repair bill headache Q: For almost two years several owners in my condo complex complained about a rat problem in one area of our common space. The association tried to solve it, but I feel there was some stalling on their part. So the problem ballooned into a $7,000 repair bill.

Our bylaws say "the units that benefit from repair or replacement must bear the expense." Shouldn't the entire association -- rather than just those owners most directly affected -- be responsible because the problem wasn't solved in a timely fashion?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/10/dead_rats_create_repair_bill_h.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/10/dead_rats_create_repair_bill_h.html Condos and condo associations Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Ad for "preforeclosure" rental: too good to be true? Q: In searching for a rental, we noticed many houses advertised online are pitching themselves with low rent if you take over the mortgage payments. Is this safe?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/09/ad_for_preforeclosure_rental_t.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/09/ad_for_preforeclosure_rental_t.html Renting Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:15:00 -0800 Failure to disclose leaky basement Q: My home's basement has had two major floods in the five years I've owned it. My real-estate agent and the inspector she recommended never disclosed the house was flood prone. I did notice 2-inch water marks on the doors just after I moved in, but I didn't think anything of them. What are my rights now?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/04/failure_to_disclose_leaky_base.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/04/failure_to_disclose_leaky_base.html Buying or selling a home Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:15:00 -0800 Seller wonders about need for green card Q: I'm in deep distress on my mortgage and need to sell. I've found buyers from my old country, but they don't have green cards. Do they need to have green cards to buy a house?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/03/seller_wonders_about_need_for.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/03/seller_wonders_about_need_for.html Buying or selling a home Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0800 Landlord stalls needed repairs Q: My son rents a house King County. There is a faucet leaking on the outside of the house. The water has begun to seep into one of the basement bedrooms. It is saturating the carpet and the drywall resulting in the growth of mold (or mildew). Also in another basement bedroom there is a door to the outside that is not weathertight. Water runs in under the door. I believe the landlord is required to repair both problems. There are other problems that indicate that there is no interest in maintaining the property. What do you advise?

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]]> http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/02/landlord_stalls_needed_repairs.html http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/elizabethrhodes/2008/09/02/landlord_stalls_needed_repairs.html Renting Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:30:00 -0800