Recently Whidbey Island Realtors received an email from the Whidbey Island Board of Realtors alerting us to a new ordinance regarding Ebey’s Reserve. 
Here’s an excerpt from a letter from Island County, the Town of Coupeville and the Manager of Ebey’s Reserve that was addressed to all “Whidbey Island Real Estate Professionals.”
On 10/3/2011 the Board of Island County Commissioners adopted the new Unified Code and Design Guidelines for all development within Ebey’s Reserve. The Code and Guidelines become effective 1/1/2012.
The code requirements include a new Disclosure Statement that applies to the sale, lease or offer to sell or lease any property within Ebey’s Reserve.
My first thought was “No problem, we will just add that to the list of seller disclosures we normally insure are available for our listings.” So I decided to write down how many seller disclosures a homeowner might be required to prepare for a buyer of their property. I stopped at 9, but am sure if I thought a bit longer I could come up with 1 or 2 more.
So you may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with using a local realtor?” Well of the 9 legally required disclosures, 7 of them are based on local knowledge and information.
Using the example above about Ebey’s Reserve, many off island agents would not even know a property is in Ebey’s Reserve, and even if they did, what is the likelihood they know of the upcoming requirement to disclosure that fact? It is not that they are unskilled. They are simply unaware. Why? Because this is knowledge that local realtors learn from experience, from each other and from their managers and owners. Real estate agents from out of the area do not have the benefit of those opportunities, nor will they.
Unfortunately what your broker/realtor does NOT know can impact you negatively.
So do yourself a favor. If you are going to buy or sell real estate, use a competent, experienced local realtor. It is the best insurance you can obtain to be sure you are well served and well protected.
If I was listing property within this reserve, it would be imperative for me to include all pertinent CCNRS and any other conditions including any updates in my listing package. This should not just be available for “local agents” but anyone that has access to our NWMLS site. After all, full disclosure is the only way to properly represent properties. So I am puzzled by your reference to “local knowledge and information”. Any information that would impact the decisions of a purchaser should be, as a matter of legal responsibility, fully disclosed at the time the listing is submitted to the NWMLS. The repercussions of anything less that full disclosure are obvious to us all. Sharing any new information as soon as possible aids all agents in the performance of their work.
I disagree. I also happen to disagree with the heavy-handed over burden of regulations at Ebey’s Reserve, and believe that in ten years or less, we will see them removed completely or softened.
Great comments, Linda. So many folks have bought within the Reserve unknowingly in the past, only to find out they had design review to address that was more restrictive than they’d envisioned. Ebey’s Historical Reserve is part of what makes Central Whidbey such a treasure, and the new required disclosure at least gets agents and their buyers to look into exactly what owning land or a home, remodeling or building, entails. We also have archaeological sites in some areas of the reserve, as well as complex water and bluff issues. Here’s to informed agents helping buyers make smart decisions. See you soon, Janet
You did a great job Linda wrapping up a complicated set of issues and tying this to “local knowledge and information”. I currently serve as the Chair of the 9-member Ebey’s Reserve Trust Board. Charged by Congress to manage this 17,500 acre asset. The new Unified Code and Design Guidelines will be of great use by anyone building or remodeling in the Reserve. They will serve as an excellent tool in programming for Architects and Designers. I have now worked designing and building homes on Whidbey Island and in the Reserve for 20 years. With this new tool I see in the future many happy Realtor’s making land sales and happy home owners who have been educated and understand the treasure of living in a National Park Reserve. Cascade Custom Homes & Design is a full service builder, remodeler and designer servicing Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands.