I recently read an article published by U.S. News & World Report titled, How to Win a Fight With your Condo Association - Without Going Broke by Teresa Mears. The article includes some solid guidance. A more accurate but less flashy title might have been - How to influence Association Policy - Without a Fight. read more

This past weekend I spoke at the Community Association Institute's ("CAI") South Sound Law Day on the topic of association records. Based on the number of questions from the audience on owner requests to obtain or review records, I thought I'd summarize some highlights here. read more

With the holiday season a distant memory and emergence of the first quarter of the calendar year, many community associations are scheduling their 2016 annual meetings and election of directors. Now is the time to begin planning for 2017 and 2018's elections. Yes, you read that correctly. read more

Many in the homebuilding industry still believe in the notion of caveat emptor or "buyer beware." Unfortunately, many home buyers aren't aware of what they are purchasing. This can be particularly true with first time buyers who are understandably anxious and excited to join the ranks of home-ownership. When it comes to new home warranties, many builders go to great lengths to disclaim limited protections that purchasers might otherwise enjoy. We often see builders offering "Express Warranties" that are more about disclaiming liability than warranting anything. We often hear that a one or two year warranty coupled with a disclaimer of any and all other liability warranty represents the "industry standard." If that truly is the industry standard then the industry is wrong. Most small electronics come with a better warranty than this. read more