All Forum Posts by: Melissa Melia

Adding to this... and be prepared for a quick turn-around from the Seattle DPD requesting an inspection.  We recently registered a building and received an inspection notice just a few weeks later. 

DPD provides an inspection checklist (pdf online) which is must-read to ensure your property meets the RRIO requirements. 

Welcome, @Nicholas Jones! It will be great to have the contribution of your experience to the forums

Hi Will! It's great that you have the desire to be proactive in finding tenants. However, it could be a recipe for trouble. If you're accepting application fees as part of the weeding out process, and the deal falls through, you would have unhappy prospects at best and there could be legal ramifications depending on the laws in your area. 

That aside, we've advertised vacancies both ways - as they become vacant and ahead of vacancies, and in our area at least (Seattle), we tend to have a better response from serious prospects if the unit is vacant and available. Good luck!

Welcome, @Nicholas Jones! It's wonderful to hear of another investor capitalizing on what the beautiful city of Seattle has to offer. I hope you will share some of your experiences with neighborhoods, Seattle ordinances, tenants...

Welcome, @Jeremy Magin ! Best of luck to you on the Eastside.

Hi @Mark Gibbs

We used Stokes Lawrence (in DT Seattle) to draft a couple of contracts recently and were pleased with the experience. I'll message you a name. 

It's also a good idea to check how the notice should be legally served in your area, to prevent any snags during the eviction process, if it comes to that. If not properly served, it can cause delays.

Thanks for the tips, @Kevin C. ! I was just looking at REIA, and will watch for a local meet up.

Kind Regards,

Melissa

Hi @Edward Seid.  Sorry to hear about the issues your property is experiencing.  I can guess the area you're in, and we manage a property nearby that has seen graffiti for the first time in recent months (although no break-ins).  Otherwise, it's a nice, in-demand area.

Some leases contain language around 'acts of third parties' which inform the tenant something to the effect of; the owner has acted in good faith to secure the property, however, it's not a guarantee of your safety from acts of third parties, and personal safety and security are tenant's responsibility, etc.  If you don't have a lease in place which speaks to this specifically, it may be a good idea, given your concerns.  

I ran across a thread from last year about the Rental Registration & Inspection program in Seattle, and am curious for updates - how's it going? Does anyone have stories to share about the registration process or seeing the ordinance in action?