HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6254

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Commerce & Labor

Title:  An act relating to manufactured or mobile homes.

Brief Description:  Negotiating land transfers involving manufactured or mobile homes.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Schow, Franklin, Horn, Heavey, Johnson and Rasmussen).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Commerce & Labor:  2/19/98 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 7 members:  Representatives McMorris, Chairman; Honeyford, Vice Chairman; Conway, Ranking Minority Member; Wood, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Clements and Cole.

Staff:  Pam Madson (786-7166).

Background:  A licensed real estate broker may negotiate a sale or transfer of a used mobile home as part of a real estate transaction involving property on which the mobile home is located.  The transaction must be on behalf of the legal or registered owner of the used mobile home.  This transaction does not subject the real estate broker to licensing requirements of the vehicle dealer licensing law unless the broker is acting as an agent of the vehicle dealer. 

The real estate broker licensing law prohibits real estate brokers from sharing a commission with a person who not a licensed broker. 

Summary of Bill:  A licensed real estate broker is authorized to negotiate the sale, lease or other transfer of a new mobile or manufactured home in conjunction with the sale of real property.  A licensed real estate broker may share a commission with a licensed manufactured home retailer for transactions involving the sale or lease of a manufactured home in conjunction with the sale or lease of land.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill is the result of a task force that met on this issue during the interim and included the industry, licensed vehicle dealers and realtors.  Realtors will be allowed to market and sell new manufactured homes and share commissions with vehicle dealers for these transactions.

Testimony Against:  None

Testified:  (In favor) Brian Wahl, Washington Association of Realtors; and Bob Mitchell,  Department of Licensing.