Springtime rolls around like a breath of fresh air in the greater Puget Sound area, trees and flowers in bloom, and the sun, elusive for nearly two full seasons finally shines on us, even if it is only a few days at a time, allowing for more activities outdoors.
 
    But a great many of us whose passion is to garden, know the consequences of time spent outside in the fresh and crisp springtime weather of the great Northwest.
 
    Itchy, red, swollen eyes, accompanied by a runny or congested nose, with constant sneezing. Or, red, itchy, scaly rashes on the skin.
 
    Familiar, no?
 
    Hay fever, the big evil of springtime and even early summer, can be blamed on two culprits: pollens and molds. And itchy rashes and eczema can be pinpointed to garden products and tools.
 
    First, pollens, scattered feverishly about by wind and insects, are one of the most powerful sources of hay fever irritation. They are so abundant in the air, almost unseen to the naked eye, that just a few hours outdoors in a garden or yard will enhance the potency of pollens affecting said hay fever symptoms.
 
    Molds are another way one can find himself suffering from these annoying and uncomfortable hay fever symptoms. Molds can be found in composte bins, greenhouses, damp wood piles, even raking, mowing or weeding can stir up molds. It is said that mold spore counts can be significantly higher than even pollen counts.
 
    Second, Dr. Belsito, author of Color Atlas of Occupational Skin Diseases (1998), points out that poison ivy pollens, in the spring and summer can cause skin allergies, that result in an eczema-type rash. This rash can also be affected by the use of various garden products.
 
    Poison ivy can be transmitted by wood, or even pets. The pollens get onto the wood or the fur of an animal, and when you touch them, it can rub off on you. Also, garden gloves or tool handles can transfer poison ivy to the skin as well. So if you notice these three-leaved poison ivy variety in your garden, woods or yard, carefully stay away!
 
    Also, one indiscriminate item to be cautious of is rust on garden tools. Rust, along with the friction of constant use of handles on mowers, or rakes, can create an eczema-type reaction on the skin. So with all these pollens, molds, and poison ivy spores floating about everywhere, then when is the best time to get out there and do yardwork and gardening?
 
    Dr. Belsito recommends early morning or late in the day. Also a cool and cloudy day might be best, as on hot and windy days, large amounts of pollen get carried to and from. Some medications can help alleviate these nagging symptoms, and since there is no one season of the year that is more offensive than another, you may consider seeing your doctor to find out what exactly you are most allergic to.
 
    If it is trees or pollen, springtime is the time to be cautious. Or if it is ragweed, weeds or grasses, then the fall is the worst time for sufferers.
 
    Discovering what you are allergic to early in the season is the better approach. But if you do use over-the-counter medications to alleviate symptoms, use common sense and read all labels carefully and always be aware of your surroundings and hazards in your yards and gardens.
This article was derived from KC Publishers (c) 1998 and The Gale Group and LookSmart (c) 2000.

By now, every Windermere agent has been schooled on the need to disclose material defects of a property. For example, no one would consider failing to disclose a leaky roof or failed septic system. However, material facts are not limited to facts about the property. Facts about the buyer or seller can be equally material in a transaction. Simply put, if a buyer or seller is unable to perform, the other party is entitled to know. For example, if a buyer must sell his house before he can purchase another, but makes a non-contingent offer on a new house, that fact is material to the transaction. Or if a buyer who has given a promissory note for earnest money gambles away half of the funds, his inability to pay the note is material. Or if a seller has decided to file bankruptcy before the closing date, that fact is material.
 
Under the law, any fact that substantially affects a party’s ability to perform can be material. The consequences for failing to disclose material facts about the parties are as serious as the consequences for failing to disclose defects in the property. Deciding what information that could be considered a material fact can be difficult. The fact that a buyer’s employer is downsizing or is experiencing financial stress may create a real fear that the buyer may lose his job, but that fear alone does not trigger a disclosure requirement.
 
If there is an issue that arises in a transaction, feel free to call your agent and discuss what could be a material fact or not, and come to an agreement on what to disclose and what not to.

Sewer Capacity Charge
What is the sewage treatment capacity charge?
The purpose of the charge is to pay for building sewage treatment capacity to serve newly connected customers. This charge ensures that all customers pay their share of the cost of capital improvement to provide them with sewage treatment service.
Who is required to pay this charge?
Customers connected to sewers in King County’s service area on or after Feb. 1, 1990.
How is the bill handled?
King County sends capacity charge bills to customers about six months after connection to sewers. King County then bills customers directly every six months for 15 years. At any time during this period, customers can pay the remaining balance at a discount rate of 8 percent per year.
How much is the charge?
King County requires single-family residential customers to pay $10.50 a month ($63 every six months) for 15 years. Multi-family housing is converted to “residential customer equivalents,” or RCE’s, using the following scale: *2-4 units per building = 0.8 RCE’s per unit *5 or more units per building = .64 RCE’s per unit. King County then bills multi-family customers at the rate of $10.50 a month per RCE. A mobile home is equal to a 1.0 RCE.
If I sell my home or property, does the new owner assume the charge?
Yes. The subsequent owners will be responsible for paying the capacity charge through the end of the 15 year period.
Should I prepay all future charges?
If you prepay all future charges, it costs less over the 15 year period because you receive an 8 percent per year discount. But, if you’re planning to sell your home or property in a few years, you may not want to prepay future charges since the remaining payments will be passed along to the next owner.
Will I continue to get a bill for sewer?
Yes. All customers will receive a sewer service bill separate from the capacity charge.