Creating a lease for a my first househack in Puyallup, WA
Member since 2025 · 15 posts · 23 votes
Creating a lease for a my first househack in Puyallup, WA
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Tacoma, WA · Member since 2026 · 28 posts · 29 votes
5moSeconding the WA-specific concern. I self-manage a duplex and a 4-plex in Tacoma and I've stuck with RHAWA forms the whole time. Membership is ~$100/yr but every form is state-specific and they update them when the legislature changes something — which happens more than you'd expect lately. Just-cause eviction statewide came in 2021, the rent increase notice rules (60 days for anything over 3%) are newer, and the lead/mold/flood disclosure requirements have been tightened.
Rocket Lawyer and Zillow aren't bad starting points for other states but I wouldn't trust either as fully current for WA — generic templates tend to lag. RHAWA's forms actually cite the RCW sections, which for me is usually the tell for whether a template is being kept up to date.
Few things your lease should cover regardless of which tool you land on:
- RCW 59.18 just-cause termination language (month-to-month at-will isn't a thing here anymore)
- Security deposit itemization + the statement-of-condition requirement at move-in
- Lead-based paint disclosure if the property is pre-1978
- 60-day notice for rent increases over 3%
For a househack specifically I'd err on the side of the more-compliant option — you're sharing the property, and compliance mistakes are harder to clean up after move-in than before.
15 Replies
- Member since 2025 · 15 posts · 23 votes5mo
I should note that I am listing my room rentals on Furnished Finder and they also offer a state-specific lease tool called KeyCheck so I am leaning towards using that one as it will also be the tool I will be using for screening tenants.
- 5moKyle HendricksPro MemberLender · Member since 2021 · 170 posts · 74 votes
@James Jordan Hey James, I am a househack focused lender and own furnished units in Puyallup myself. Furnished finders Keycheck is decent for credit/background checks.
Rentredi is what I use though. Easier to use platform. It allows you to input your lease and have your tenants docusign through there, connect your bank and collect rent and deposits, and do screening as well.
If you are a bigger pockets pro member, rentredi is free, and bigger pockets also have state specific leases to make sure you are covered. So well worth it in my opinion.
FurnishedFinder is great for listing your units, I would also do airbnb with a 30 day minimum stay as well. I am about 50/50 on my booking between FF and Airbnb.
Feel free to reach out with any other questions!
- Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes5moAre you sure you want to go that route? Will Rocket or Zillow or Bigger Pockets show up in court to defend their contracts? Washington is an exceptionally high risk state for landlords (I did all of my investing in King, Snohomish and Pierce for the first 20 years) and a good attorney is necessary if you're going to subject yourself to the caveat laws of the place. Sure, save a couple of hundred bucks. :-)
Quote from @James Jordan:
I am moving into my first househack to begin renovations very soon. I need some help identifying which tool I should use in order to cover myself. I want the ability to edit the form in case I want to add anything specific but I want to make sure my lease is 100% legal. Which tool do y'all suggest I use to build this lease? I have found several tools for building leases but I just don't know how much I need to be paying for this service. A couple examples of different tools I have seen include RHAWA (high compliance), Rocket Lawyer, Zillow Rental Manager, Bigger Pockets lease forms, and a few others. Any opinions on this?
- Member since 2025 · 15 posts · 23 votes5mo
Quote from @Ken M.:
Are you sure you want to go that route? Will Rocket or Zillow or Bigger Pockets show up in court to defend their contracts? Washington is an exceptionally high risk state for landlords (I did all of my investing in King, Snohomish and Pierce for the first 20 years) and a good attorney is necessary if you're going to subject yourself to the caveat laws of the place. Sure, save a couple of hundred bucks. :-)Quote from @James Jordan:
I am moving into my first househack to begin renovations very soon. I need some help identifying which tool I should use in order to cover myself. I want the ability to edit the form in case I want to add anything specific but I want to make sure my lease is 100% legal. Which tool do y'all suggest I use to build this lease? I have found several tools for building leases but I just don't know how much I need to be paying for this service. A couple examples of different tools I have seen include RHAWA (high compliance), Rocket Lawyer, Zillow Rental Manager, Bigger Pockets lease forms, and a few others. Any opinions on this?
Do you have any recommendations for a good attorney? I have had several investors use these aforementioned lease creating tools which gave me a little confidence in them. Since this is my first property, saving a couple hundred bucks means a lot to me as I have very little margins with my renovations. - Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes5moThe good attorneys I've used all moved out of state or retired. But I believe there is a REIA in Seattle or Redmond still. They'll have a recomendation.
Quote from @James Jordan:
Quote from @Ken M.:
Are you sure you want to go that route? Will Rocket or Zillow or Bigger Pockets show up in court to defend their contracts? Washington is an exceptionally high risk state for landlords (I did all of my investing in King, Snohomish and Pierce for the first 20 years) and a good attorney is necessary if you're going to subject yourself to the caveat laws of the place. Sure, save a couple of hundred bucks. :-)Quote from @James Jordan:
I am moving into my first househack to begin renovations very soon. I need some help identifying which tool I should use in order to cover myself. I want the ability to edit the form in case I want to add anything specific but I want to make sure my lease is 100% legal. Which tool do y'all suggest I use to build this lease? I have found several tools for building leases but I just don't know how much I need to be paying for this service. A couple examples of different tools I have seen include RHAWA (high compliance), Rocket Lawyer, Zillow Rental Manager, Bigger Pockets lease forms, and a few others. Any opinions on this?
Do you have any recommendations for a good attorney? I have had several investors use these aforementioned lease creating tools which gave me a little confidence in them. Since this is my first property, saving a couple hundred bucks means a lot to me as I have very little margins with my renovations.
- Member since 2025 · 15 posts · 23 votes5mo
Do you have any recommendations for a good attorney? I have had several investors use these aforementioned lease creating tools which gave me a little confidence in them. Since this is my first property, saving a couple hundred bucks means a lot to me as I have very little margins with my renovations. - Tacoma, WA · Member since 2026 · 28 posts · 29 votes5mo
Seconding the WA-specific concern. I self-manage a duplex and a 4-plex in Tacoma and I've stuck with RHAWA forms the whole time. Membership is ~$100/yr but every form is state-specific and they update them when the legislature changes something — which happens more than you'd expect lately. Just-cause eviction statewide came in 2021, the rent increase notice rules (60 days for anything over 3%) are newer, and the lead/mold/flood disclosure requirements have been tightened.
Rocket Lawyer and Zillow aren't bad starting points for other states but I wouldn't trust either as fully current for WA — generic templates tend to lag. RHAWA's forms actually cite the RCW sections, which for me is usually the tell for whether a template is being kept up to date.
Few things your lease should cover regardless of which tool you land on:
- RCW 59.18 just-cause termination language (month-to-month at-will isn't a thing here anymore)
- Security deposit itemization + the statement-of-condition requirement at move-in
- Lead-based paint disclosure if the property is pre-1978
- 60-day notice for rent increases over 3%
For a househack specifically I'd err on the side of the more-compliant option — you're sharing the property, and compliance mistakes are harder to clean up after move-in than before.
- 5moDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
Quote from @James Jordan:
I am moving into my first househack to begin renovations very soon. I need some help identifying which tool I should use in order to cover myself. I want the ability to edit the form in case I want to add anything specific but I want to make sure my lease is 100% legal. Which tool do y'all suggest I use to build this lease? I have found several tools for building leases but I just don't know how much I need to be paying for this service. A couple examples of different tools I have seen include RHAWA (high compliance), Rocket Lawyer, Zillow Rental Manager, Bigger Pockets lease forms, and a few others. Any opinions on this?
Start with a lease that covers all basic legal issues, including any state & local requirements.
Then, download other leases, from anywhere, and copy & paste clauses you like and didn't think of.
Then try to organize the lease with the most important clauses first.
Lastly, find a REALLY good residential real estate attorney and pay them to proof your lease.
BONUS: set your lease up as a "form template", so you can quickly tab through it adding specific tenant & property info (short term pain, long term gain):
WORD: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-form-in-...
GOOGLE DOCS: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9303071?hl=en
Logical Property Management4.9458 Reviews - 5moJimmy LieuBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votesWelcome to BP James, good question and honestly this is one of those areas where spending a little extra upfront can save you a lot of headaches later. In most cases, the “best” lease isn’t really a specific software but a lease that’s compliant with your state and ideally reviewed or built off a local landlord association or real estate attorney template, since those are usually updated with current laws and already structured properly. Tools like Rocket Lawyer or Zillow Rental Manager can be fine for convenience and quick edits, and they’re usually affordable, but I’d still double-check that they include the right state-specific clauses and addenda for things like repairs, notices, and tenant responsibilities. BiggerPockets lease forms are also a decent starting point, but again I’d treat them as a base layer rather than a final legal document unless you’ve had them reviewed locally. If you’re going to self-manage, having a solid, legally sound lease tailored to your area is one of the most important parts of protecting yourself long term.
Quote from @James Jordan:
I am moving into my first househack to begin renovations very soon. I need some help identifying which tool I should use in order to cover myself. I want the ability to edit the form in case I want to add anything specific but I want to make sure my lease is 100% legal. Which tool do y'all suggest I use to build this lease? I have found several tools for building leases but I just don't know how much I need to be paying for this service. A couple examples of different tools I have seen include RHAWA (high compliance), Rocket Lawyer, Zillow Rental Manager, Bigger Pockets lease forms, and a few others. Any opinions on this?
Jimmy Lieu, Red 1 Realty4.9120 Reviews - 5moDenise SuppleeBusiness MemberRealtor · Willow Grove, PA · Member since 2017 · 979 posts · 643 votes
Since I used to create lease forms, I’d suggest starting with a solid, state-specific lease that’s been reviewed by an attorney, then customizing it for your house hack. Most of the platforms you mentioned are fine, many are fairly generic. Check out ezlandlord forms as well I think their prices are pretty fair.
Spark Rental Co-Investing Club577 Reviews - 5moAaron ZimmermanBusiness MemberAccountant · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
Id reach out to your local realtors association and see if they have a lease
Brick House CPAs53 Reviews - Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes5mo
You absolutely want a well-litigates, state-specific lease and supporting documents. Attorney written custom leases are often the worst I see! (and expensive)
I would start with the WA REIA.
- 5moBrandon VukelichBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Tacoma, WA: 🏢 27 LTRs 🏡 3 STRs · Member since 2018 · 546 posts · 457 votes
@James Jordan make your life easy and just join RHAWA for the best lease docs and access to all the vendors (including attorneys) that you'd need. There really isn't any better source for WA-specific forms that cover landlords' butts better than the RHA docs.
As @Kyle Hendricks mentioned, I have clients that self-manage and have been very happy with Rentredi or DoorLoop.
Best wishes on your investing!
Broker at Multifamily Properties519 Reviews - Member since 2026 · 5 posts · 1 vote4mo
I'd suggest you join the WA State Landlords Association (I think it's $100 annually) and use their forms. They have every type of document you might need, from leases, notices, condition reports, notices to quit, etc. The site is easy to use and when you register, they will give you a pass code to access the forms.
The better you do on the front end screening tenants and setting clear expectations, the easier your life will go. If you're new to this, give yourself the grace to make some mistakes and learn from the all. Listen to your gut. The best part of being a landlord is collecting the check and watching debt service go down. The worst part is everything else. Stay cool and kill people with kindness. Don't be a pushover, but be firm and kind. Good luck!
- Real Estate Broker · Nashville, TN · Member since 2022 · 163 posts · 87 votes4mo
James congrats on the househack. Since you are in Washington, RHAWA is probably your best bet for a state compliant lease. Washington has some of the most tenant friendly laws in the country right now, and a generic Rocket Lawyer or online template is not going to cover all the required disclosures and notice periods specific to your state.
That said, the lease tool is only half the equation. What matters more is what you put in it. I manage 23 doors in Nashville and the clauses that save me the most headaches are not the ones that come standard in any template.
A few things to make sure your lease covers since this is a househack specifically. First, clearly define which areas are the tenant's exclusive space and which are shared common areas. This is the number one source of conflict in househack situations where you are living in the same building. Spell out exactly who has access to what, including storage, laundry, parking, and yard.
Second, include a clause about quiet hours and guest policies. When you share a wall or a building with your tenant, these become way more important than in a traditional rental where you never see the property.
Third, put your maintenance request process in writing. Even though you live right there and the tenant might be tempted to just knock on your door at 9 PM, you want everything documented through a formal channel. Text thread, email, or a simple app. This protects both of you.
Fourth, make sure your lease has clear language about utilities. In a duplex househack, figure out if utilities are separately metered or shared, and put the split in writing before anyone signs.
The RHAWA membership is worth it just for the legal updates alone. Washington keeps changing landlord tenant law, and what was compliant last year might not be today. Good luck with the reno and the first tenant placement.
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