Member Updates

Fall Conference returns to Spokane September 23–25, 2026. Registration opens Friday, August 7 at 10:00 a.m., with early bird pricing available for those who move early.

More learning. More committee meetings. More chances to connect with REALTORS® from across the state. Will we see you there?

Fall Conference is BACK...

The Housing Segment More Agents Should Be Watching

This NAR article looks at why manufactured housing is becoming a bigger opportunity for real estate professionals, especially as affordability pushes more buyers to consider it. It also explains how better data, financing options and technology are helping bring more transparency to a market many agents still overlook.

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5 AI Trends Changing Real Estate Right Now

AI is moving fast, and this piece breaks down the shifts real estate professionals should actually care about. From AI becoming part of everyday business operations to the rise of agentic systems, LLMs, deepfake fraud, and the push for compliance, it lays out what’s changing and why it matters.

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Deepfakes and the Growing AI Fraud Threat

Feeling lost in the world of AI? You're not alone. Real estate professionals are facing new fraud risks as deepfakes and AI-generated scams become more convincing.

This NAR webinar will cover how to spot warning signs, identify suspicious activity, and use emerging tools and best practices to help protect transactions. Register for free today using the link below.

Register Here →

What REALTORS® Are Asking Right Now

At the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, members asked NAR leaders the questions shaping their businesses — from AI and legal settlements to affordability, consumer confidence, and the REALTOR® brand. The conversations offered a clear look at the issues members are watching most closely.

It’s a strong snapshot of where the industry is headed and what matters most to REALTORS® right now.

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Did You Know?

Prioritizing Your Education Doesn't Have to be Costly...

With CE Shop, members can save 50% on Pre-Licensing with code MISSION50 and save 40% on Continuing Education with code MISSION when you visit https://WARealtor.TheCEShop.com.

This limited-time opportunity is available for two days only. Offer valid 7/22–7/23.

Get Savings→

Legal Hotline Q&A of the Week

Question

We're representing the Buyer on their purchase. The Earnest Money deposit was not received until after the contract date, but was deposited. We sent the Seller's agent an addendum for the adjusted earnest money date for state compliance. The Seller just sent a termination for failure to deposit earnest money. Are they legally allowed to do that? The termination wasn't sent until after the earnest money was already deposited.

Answer

If the EM is due but not yet received, seller has the unilateral right to terminate. There is no law or other precedent in Washington indicating that a seller may terminate for failure to pay the EM timely once the EM is delivered. The seller could definitely have terminated the PSA during the days when the EM was late and before it was delivered.

Similarly, there is no requirement that the PSA be amended to acknowledge a delayed EM deposit. Broker's statement that the addendum is required for "state compliance" is false. There was a time when DOL auditors were asserting such a requirement but they no longer do so because there is no contractual basis for a buyer being able to force a seller to amend a purchase agreement when buyer pays EM late.

The fact is, buyer was in breach of contract when the EM was due but not yet delivered and buyer cured the breach by depositing EM, albeit late. Buyer broker should NOT seek a revision to the PSA based on buyer's late, but already made, delivery of the EM. If this issue develops into a dispute or if seller persists with the claim that the PSA is terminated, broker should advise buyer to seek legal counsel. Based only on the facts provided, seller has no basis for terminating the PSA at this time.

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