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Thanks all. Fortunately, a quick check with the title department resolved the issue. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a name="x_x__MailAutoSig" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Marc Holmes, JD</a><br>
<a name="x_x__MailAutoSig" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Holmes Law Group PLLC</a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2303 W. Commodore Way, Suite 306</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Seattle, WA 98199</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; color: blue;"><a href="mailto:marc@holmeslawgroup.com" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>marc@holmeslawgroup.com</u></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br>
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(206) 849-0853</span></p>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> on behalf of John McCrady <j.mccrady@pstitle.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 14, 2026 11:38 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Married couple as tenants in common</font>
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<div><span class="x_pfptPreheaderE90FC7" style="display:none!important; visibility:hidden; font-size:1px; color:#ffffff; line-height:1px; max-height:0px; max-width:0px; opacity:0; overflow:hidden">I think Mr. Nelson’s response is well spoken. We would not have
any problem insuring a purchase by “Jane Smith, a married woman as her separate property as to an undivided 80% interest and John Smith, a married man as his separate
</span>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I think Mr. Nelson’s response is well spoken.
</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">We would not have any problem insuring a purchase by “Jane Smith, a married woman as her separate property as to an undivided 80% interest and John Smith, a married man as his separate property as to an
undivided 20% interest.”</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I would suggest a recital on the deed such as: “Jane Smith and John Smith are married to each other but prefer to take title each as their respective separate property and in unequal percentages.”</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">John McCrady</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Counsel</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Puget Sound Title Company</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">5350 Orchard Street West</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">University Place WA 98467</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">253-476-5721</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:j.mccrady@pstitle.com"><span style="color:#467886">j.mccrady@pstitle.com</span></a></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif; color:#1F497D">Email hacking and fraud are on the rise to fraudulently misdirect funds. Please call your escrow officer immediately using contact information found
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 14, 2026 9:15 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Married couple as tenants in common</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">You are not mistaken, but it’s probably easier to do what the title insurer wants and then do a deed post-closing, from the couple as grantors to each of them as grantees to create the 80-20 separate property
interests.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Note that the result would definitely be separate property interests and not community property; it’s not possible for a married couple to hold
<i>community</i> property as anything other than “community” with equal rights of management, reimbursement, etc., under community property law.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Sincerely,</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Eric</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Eric C. Nelsen</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">1417 31st Ave South</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Seattle WA 98144-3909</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">206-625-0092</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a></span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>marc <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__linkprotect.cudasvc.com_url-3Fa-3Dhttps-253a-252f-252fholmeslawgroup.com-26c-3DE-2C1-2C6EYhVPxaFqtenazUmHN0zlc0s2B1tt3VQUuoHMgC3C6gjRnBcZ0ZXtzp1mUVp7hm5e2sUlf2of-2DAEtH4wUTRtXhlH4HEM43fngt4wmqu3cshYJ6-5FLrE-2C-26typo-3D1-26ancr-5Fadd-3D1&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=99mcggAkYERy1-yzGtdxttxOROFWIbbsscjWo0sEDhE&m=NoXIPyUqWRN5E8phQaI_zmLzzJ2DfSvibJR3fXSD5QVG_VxYvr57x8EOfKsyulOo&s=TqZu8jv7HYIXFPgouINSZJFgMvB8zafbrmCxNlyxVrI&e=">
holmeslawgroup.com</a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 14, 2026 8:47 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Married couple as tenants in common</span></p>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; color:black">I've just been advised by an escrow company for a large title insurer that a married couple buying a home must take title as husband and wife and cannot
vest title in unequal shares. I have clients wanting to take as tenants in common with 80-20 split and have pushed back on this. Am I mistaken in my understanding that Washington law allows married persons to take title as tenants in common and as such can
take in unequal percentages?</span></p>
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<p class="x_elementtoproof"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="x_elementtoproof"><a name="x_x_x__MailAutoSig"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; color:black">Marc Holmes, JD<br>
Holmes Law Group PLLC</span></a><span style=""></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p class="x_elementtoproof"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; color:black">2303 W. Commodore Way, Suite 306</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p class="x_elementtoproof"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; color:black">Seattle, WA 98199</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br>
<span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:marc@holmeslawgroup.com">marc@holmeslawgroup.com</a></span><br>
<span style="color:black">(206) 849-0853</span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
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