When it comes to landlord – tenant relationships, nothing should be left to translation or interpretation. The dealings between both parties should be mutually beneficial, respectful, and above all else, clear. With that in mind, the attorneys at Holmquist & Gardiner work with landlords (and tenants) to make sure their interests are provided for and protected.

Seattle and the state of Washington continue to be in a constant state of expansion. New commercial buildings are springing up left and right; in fact, Seattle tops the nation as the city with the most tower cranes for the third straight year in a row. With new developments come new commercial spaces, and if you’re in the market for office, retail or industrial rental space in the Emerald City, lease negotiations are going to be in your near future.

Are you in the process of developing real estate in Seattle? Are you from out-of-state? It is likely that your lender will require a loan opinion letter. Loan opinion letters are provided by legal counsel for borrowers and provide a number of opinions including the assurance that loan documents will be binding under the law of the jurisdiction, the borrower and guarantor entities have the necessary signing authority, and that such entities have been properly formed.

With the increase in housing prices in the Seattle area, homeowners are finding that their annual property tax bill is increasing by a much larger percentage than in the past.  For example, property taxes on a median-valued home in King County has increased 42.6% in the last four years! This is a huge increase, no matter your financial situation. You might be wondering what you can do to contest your property tax assessment? Indeed, you do have options.

City of Seattle Ordinance No. 125222 went into effect on January 16, 2017 , and introduced important amendments to the City’s Rental Agreement Regulation Ordinance governing landlord/tenant relationships within the City of Seattle.

Commercial leases can be lengthy, complicated and full of unfamiliar terms. Often, landlords and or tenants are reluctant to incur the cost required for their attorney to complete a detailed review of the lease because the monthly lease payment is small or they are under a time crunch. The aggregate cost of a lease is often very substantial, however. Through years of experience doing commercial lease work on a daily basis we have discerned the following key tips...