Washington Property Law Flashcards

Under Washington's Marketable Record Title Act, what is the period a chain of title must be unbroken to establish a marketable record title?

Answer: 50 years

Washington's Marketable Record Title Act (RCW 65.08.060) provides that a chain of title extending back 50 years is sufficient to extinguish most prior interests not recorded within that period.

In Washington, a vendor selling real property under an installment land contract who accepts payments after the buyer's default may be required to:

Answer: Seek judicial foreclosure rather than forfeiture

Washington courts may require equitable foreclosure rather than strict forfeiture when a buyer has made substantial payments and the vendor's conduct waives strict compliance with contract terms.

What Washington statute governs the creation and enforcement of easements by necessity?

Answer: RCW 8.24.010 (private ways of necessity)

RCW 8.24.010 authorizes a property owner whose land is surrounded and has no access to a public road to obtain a private way of necessity through a neighboring parcel.

Under Washington law, which of the following best describes the 'economic waste' doctrine in landlord-tenant law?

Answer: Landlords must mitigate damages after a tenant abandons the premises

Washington requires landlords to take reasonable steps to re-let abandoned premises and mitigate damages rather than allowing rent to accrue indefinitely.

Under Washington's condominium law, when does a developer's implied warranty of habitability apply to a new condominium unit?

Answer: For 4 years after the first conveyance or 2 years after discovery

Under RCW 64.34.445, a developer impliedly warrants that a new condominium unit is suitable for the ordinary uses of real estate for 4 years or 2 years after discovery of the defect.

In Washington, which doctrine prevents a grantor from later claiming an interest in property inconsistently with a prior deed the grantor executed?

Answer: Both estoppel by deed and after-acquired title

Washington recognizes both estoppel by deed (binding the grantor to representations in the deed) and the after-acquired title doctrine (automatically passing title acquired after a warranty deed to the grantee).