Vista Title & Escrow Helps Buyers Modify Discriminatory Covenants
March 12, 2024
Washington-based Vista Title and Escrow launched a new service helping property buyers to have a restrictive covenant modification filed with the county auditor’s office at no cost.
This filing will allow the property owner to formerly declare the discriminatory covenants written in a property’s title report as void and unenforceable.
In the early 20th century, it was not unheard of for certain discriminatory restrictions to be included in the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs). These discriminatory provisions limited the property from being owned or occupied by people of certain races and religious affiliations. This unacceptable act of discrimination was first ruled as unenforceable by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948, and later banned as a part of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Washington soon followed suit by passing a state law that would declare these discriminatory covenants void. In 2018, the state revised its law giving property owners the right to declare these restrictions as void through the filing of a restrictive Covenant modification.
With Washington state law now providing property owners the opportunity to file these affirma??ve declara??ons, there is a bit of homework for those wishing to record these modifica??ons. It can prove to be a cumbersome task but Vista Title & Escrow and our affiliate, Stevens County Title & Escrow, intend to make this as easy as possible for those buyers closing escrow or ge??ng ??tle insurance within our family of companies.
When staff at Vista Title & Escrow or its affiliate, Stevens County Title & Escrow, find a discriminatory covenant in the CCRs, the homebuyer will get an alert notifying them to opt in for the modification.
“Our goal is to make the communities we serve better, one transaction at a time,” said Anthony Carollo, Vista Title’s chief executive officer. “Working with our communities to use the tools and opportunities available to us to stand for what is right is reflected in our core values of care, clarity, and cultivation. We truly care for our communities and want to see them thrive. This is a move the company is proud to include in our title and escrow process for all the Washington counties we serve as a part of our ongoing effort to provide an unparalleled customer experience.”
Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.