Burien Motors, Inc. v. Balch

— The principal question raised concerns a real estate broker’s liability for drafting lease assignment papers for a proposed lease assignee without disclosing to him the adverse zoning law status of the real estate or the broker’s ignorance of that status.

Mr. Robert V. Yeakel, a real estate broker in the Burien area of King County, Washington, originally negotiated a 20-year lease of real property to be used for the sale of used cars — a commercial use within the meaning of the applicable zoning law. The broker, the owners, and Auto Lane, Inc., the lessee, knew the property would have to be…