Just Listed FOR LEASE: Custom 3bd++/3.5ba at the Cristalla…3393 SF, $8500 unfurnished/$10000 furnished www.seattlerentals.com/13429

Just LEASED! Cosmo #1502- $2400, Cosmo #2904- $2300 & Seattle Heights #804- $1850. PRICE DROP! Parc #1203, $1350 & Mosler #1001- $2850

Courtesy of WMFHA & Landlord Solutions Inc …

HB 2484:  TERMINATION NOTICES: 
This is a new bill and it was given a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on January 13.  The bill would require landlords and tenants to give 30-days notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy.  It would also require a landlord to give 60 days notice if the tenancy has been in existence more than one (1) year.  The termination date could be any day of the month.  The bill also requires a refund of any prepaid rent and provides that a tenant who gives notice but fails to vacate is guilty of unlawful detainer and can be evicted.  Landlords testified in opposition to the bill but stated they would support a bill providing for a change in the law to require 30-days notice so long as the notice could be effective on any day selected by the landlord or the tenant.

HB 2438:  DEFINITION OF SERVICE ANIMAL:  
This bill would eliminate the requirement of training or certification for a service animal under our state laws regarding discrimination against the disabled in real estate transactions.  A committee hearing was held on January 13.  Landlords testified in opposition.

HB 2622:  TENANT SCREENING:  
This is a new bill and has some similarities to a screening bill introduced last year.  It requires that a tenant’s screening report be “portable” for 60 days after it was initially issued.  It also prohibits screening companies from reporting a filed eviction unless a final judgment was entered in favor of the landlord and against the tenant.  Finally, it requires a landlord who denies an applicant or requires a larger security deposit, a co-signer, or some other increased security to give the applicant a written statement setting forth the reasons for the “adverse action.”  There is a hearing scheduled for January 19 

SB 6459:  INSPECTIONS AND CIVIL SEARCH WARRANTS:  
Representatives for landlords, tenants and various cities have been meeting for the past 3 months to try and work out mutually agreeable legislation that would put reasonable restrictions on any mandatory inspection program that a city might adopt.  In return for these limitations, cities would be given authority to obtain a civil search warrant for rental property to look for housing code violations.  In order to obtain the warrant, the city would have to satisfy a judge that there was “probable cause” to believe that code violations existed.  The city would not be able to go on a “fishing expedition.”  There is a hearing set for January 19 on the bill in its current draft form.  The parties have also agreed to meet again on January 20 to continue their discussions in an attempt to resolve remaining disagreements.

HB 2618:  STREET UTILITY TAX:  
This bill authorizes cities to adopt a “street maintenance utility” to enable the city to charge property owners for street maintenance in relation to the burden that their properties put on city streets.  This would mean that multifamily property owners would be charged based on the number of units at their property.  A hearing is scheduled for January 20.

HB 2592:  PROHIBITING INCENTIVES FOR TOWING FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY:  
Several months ago a local TV station highlighted a local towing company that was offering rewards and gift cards to resident managers based on the number of tows authorized by the property.  This bill would make the practice illegal.  A hearing is set for January 18.

HB 2413 / HB 2414:  CRIMINAL STREET GANGS:  
These 2 bills are an attempt to deal with gang activities and the adverse affects that such activities can have on a community.  The first bill sets up procedures that allow law enforcement to seize, forfeit and sell real or personal property used in connection with gang violence.  The second bill authorizes occupants of a multifamily property and neighbors or any rental property to file a compliant seeking a declaration that the property is a nuisance.  If a court determines that the property is a nuisance, the property can be closed for up to one year.  This bill had a hearing on January 14.

SB 6261:  CLARIFYING MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES’ COLLECTIONS FROM OWNERS:  
This bill will make it clear that a municipally owned electric utility can only hold a rental property owner responsible for a maximum of 4 months unpaid bills if the tenant fails to pay.  Current law provides that the utility has a lien against the property for up to 4 months of unpaid bills.  However, some utilities have charged owners and required owners to pay more that 4 months of bill in order to continue, transfer or restore service.  A hearing is set for January 19.

HB 2469:  CANDIDATES ACCESS TO TENANTS:  
This bill provides that a landlord may not unreasonably deny access to the premises to political candidates or their agents or those who are advocating for or against ballot measures.  However, the bill would allow a landlord to provide in the rental agreement that the tenant authorizes the landlord to deny such access.  No hearing has been set. 

For additional information- visit http://www.leg.wa.gov

SEATTLE – Jan. 20, 2009 – Executives at OPUS NWR Development, LLC today announced that The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has recognized Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue with eight awards including a silver finalist for “Project of the Year” for 2010 – one the most prestigious honors in the national homebuilding industry. The NAHB held “The Nationals” awards ceremony on January 19, 2010 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Hundreds of industry representatives and guests attended the black-tie gala, which kicks-off the annual International Builder’s Show. Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue was selected by a panel of judges during a three-day evaluation of more than 700 individual award entries. 

“We continue to be honored by industry peers for our collective accomplishment at Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue,” said Tom Parsons, senior vice president and general manager of Opus Northwest – Seattle, the managing member of OPUS NWR Development, LLC. “It’s tremendously gratifying to be singled out as a success story nationally.”

Judges awarded Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue with three gold honors nationally for “Best Black & White Ad,” “Best Interior Merchandizing of a Model Home over $1 Million,” and “Best Internet Marketing Campaign – Banners.” The high-rise project was also awarded with five silver honors for “Best Special Promotion,” “Best Landscaping Design,” “Best Staging of a New Home,” “Best Graphic Continuity” and “Attached Community of the Year.”

In addition to The Nationals awards, Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue has also been recognized with the following honors:

-The West Coast’s “Outstanding High-Rise” for 2009 as part of the Gold Nugget Awards held during the Pacific Coast Builder’s Conference in San Francisco on June 18, 2009

-The “Project of the Year” during the national Multifamily Executive Awards held in Las Vegas on October 13, 2009

-The “Multi-Family High-Rise of the Year” by NAIOP during their annual “Night of the Stars” gala held in Bellevue on November 6, 2009

-The Green Building Council rated Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue with a “Silver LEED” certification on December 18, 2009 – a ground-breaking accomplishment for a residential project under the City of Seattle’s new land use code

“To my knowledge, this is an industry first for a single project to earn so many awards and certifications from this many respected institutions,” said William Justen, a partner in The Justen Company, which was the project visionary and collaborated with Opus Northwest in the development of the project. “But then again, there were many firsts on Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue, which is in part what makes this development so unique.”

Justen says numerous pioneering attributes led to the project’s success. This includes being the first “tall and skinny” tower under downtown Seattle’s new zoning; having all larger, two-bedroom homes ranging from 1,650 sq. ft. to 3,000 sq. ft. (average 1,916 sq. ft.) and having secured protected views of the city and Elliott Bay for each of the 143 units.  

“Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue is inherently differentiated in our marketplace and continues to earn praise from both national judges and homebuyers alike,” said Dean Jones, President and CEO of Realogics, which represents the marketing and sales of the condo tower. “That said, the most critical endorsement is consumer validation now that two-thirds of the homes have closed with established market values.”

Just dropped Cristalla #1104 (1bd, furnished) to $1200 for Dec. through 1/6/10- the perfect holiday getaway! seattlerentals.com/9537

Come join me at the Four Seasons for a preview of www.seattlerentals.com/10671

JUST LEASED- Madison Tower, 2bd at $4000 per month

Just LEASED- Four Seasons, $9000! Application Pending on Madison Tower #1501…

Have been working on my broker license clock hours for months and will hopefully take the test by the end of the year…fingers crossed!