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Vacation Rental Ban in Chiwawa River Pines?
Own a vacation rental in Chiwawa River Pines? Do you have a cabin there that you have been thinking about renting out when your family isn’t using it?
Al over at NCW Real Estate Blog reports that the community is debating how to enforce a ban on vacation rentals and all other commercial ventures that have been a part of the neighborhoods.
No matter your opinion on the matter, if you own property in Chiwawa River Pines, you should plan on attending upcoming meetings of the neighborhood association.
I think that enforcing a ban on vacation rentals will have a negative impact on property values. Buyers in the Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee real estate market like the option of renting out their property even if they never use the option. Condos that can’t be rented out languish in our market. Homes in the city limits of Leavenworth don’t sell quickly for the same reason. I think a ban on vacation rentals in Chiwawa River Pines will only increase the property values in Ponderosa, where out of area buyers will turn their attention.
UPDATE March 20 – A date has been set for a community meeting for those who own homes and property in Chiwawa River Pines
Geordie, this is not something new. The covenants have never allowed vaction rentals. If something happens, it would either be a change in covenants that to allow commercial activity, an enforcement of covenants or some combination of both. That’s my understanding and it is not implementation of a ban. I suppose we could say that driving 150 mph on highway 2 is to be banned as well! It is already, and you really notice it if your caught. This is much the same thing.
Thanks Al, I should have been more clear. While these rules do exist in the covenants for the Chiwawa River Pines home owners association, they haven’t been enforced in the past.
I wonder if many other homeowners associations in Leavenworth or Lake Wenatchee have covenants like this that have been sitting dormant and unenforced for a while?
It has really only been in the last few years that there has been this noticeable rental activity. Certainly 4 years ago I never noticed it. Now, in certain parts of the development it is a problem. I’ll use my speeding analogy again, just because I didn’t get caught last week doesn’t mean I won’t get caught tomorrow.
That’s also why I don’t think the values will be negatively impacted. The folks that bought in Chiwawa River Pines have always known rentals weren’t allowed. Thanks again for the forum!
Al,
I am a new member to the Chiwara River Pines community and i was not aware of this issue. Should I have reviewed the bylays, sure, but I also was aware that there were nightly rentals in the area.
In general, I understand your points. However, may of us that did not purchase a home 5 or more years ago are paying a pretty penny to find a vacation home in Leavenworth. While we would all likely to be indepently weatlhy, many of us look to suppliment the cost of a mortgage with nightly rental proceeds.
I also believe that the values will decline since you are removing a subset of the buyers from this community. I understand the risks associated with renters, but I have yet to see a detailed list of violations that have caused such a concern. Do you have one? If so, please share.
Why can’t a 2-3 strikes your out policy be implemented. If a home owner’s renters violate the community rules then the owner will be written up and notified. After 2 or 3 issues, their ability to rent will be removed.
I look forward to your comments
anon-
Al emailed me and said he wouldn’t comment because of his new role on the Chiwawa River Pines board.
Here is the link on his blog:
http://www.ncwrealestateblog.com/2008/08/18/chiwawa-communities-association-rental-update/
Including info about the upcoming meetings and membership votes.
A majority of vacation home buyers I talk to on a daily basis are interested in having the OPTION of renting out their home as a vacation rental. I don’t think Chiwawa River Pines should make this decision lightly.
[...] At the time, I took the position that I thought that enforcing the existing (but unenforced) prohibition on short term (nightly / weekly) rentals would be bad for home values. My experience tells me that vacation home buyers (who drive the Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee real estate market) prefer to have the option to rent their home when they aren’t using it. Not every vacation home owner does rent their cabin, but most prefer to have that as an option. [...]