Mayor Wilson signs Seattle’s first ‘Do Not Solicit’ list to block unwanted real estate offers citywide

Seattle homeowners will soon have a new way to stop unwanted and persistent offers to buy their homes.

Mayor Katie Wilson has signed an ordinance creating Seattle’s first citywide “Do Not Solicit” list, allowing homeowners to opt out of real estate purchase solicitations they consider unwanted or predatory.

The ordinance is aimed at the calls, letters, and flyers homeowners frequently receive offering to buy their property for cash.

City officials said predatory homebuying practices have particularly affected elderly homeowners and communities of color, contributing to displacement, economic disparities, and the loss of generational wealth.

Residents described solicitations as stressful, invasive, and fear-inducing

During a Seattle City Council Housing, Arts, and Civil Rights Committee meeting in June, residents described receiving repeated offers to purchase their homes. Some said the solicitations were stressful, invasive, or fear-inducing.

“It’s a very difficult thing to get a letter in the mail that says we want to live our dreams in your house, and so you should just leave,” Anita Adams with the Black Homeowners Policy Counsel told City Council members.

Chukundi Salisbury, founder of Black Legacy Homeowners, added, “We’ve recognized that we have AI calls now. If you listen closely, it’s not even a person, right? So, this has gone too far.”

Under the new ordinance, a homeowner can add their name to the “Do Not Solicit” list. The prohibition on solicitation takes effect 30 days after the homeowner is added to the list.

Violators could face a $1,000 penalty for a first violation and $2,000 for each subsequent violation. Each day a violation occurs can be treated as a separate offense.

The ordinance also allows homeowners to pursue civil action within two years, including claims for emotional distress.

The list will not open until June 2027, when homeowners will be able to add their names.

“Every person deserves privacy and dignity in their home,” Mayor Wilson said. “With this ordinance, Seattle is fighting predatory solicitation practices and building enforceable protections that put homeowners in charge of who can contact them.”

Some realtors argue the law is broad enough to limit legitimate outreach

Supporters said the law gives homeowners greater control over who contacts them about selling their property.

The issue is particularly significant for homeowners who may be older, grieving, experiencing financial difficulties, or simply unfamiliar with Seattle’s housing market.

In those situations, homeowners may not know how much their property is worth, while potential buyers generally have access to market data and other information about a home’s value.

But the ordinance has drawn concerns from some members of the real estate industry.

The Seattle-King County Association of Realtors said it supports efforts to curb predatory conduct but argued during the council’s June discussion that the ordinance is written broadly enough that it could restrict routine communications that help homeowners understand their options.

Some licensed real estate agents also urged the City Council to exempt them from the law, arguing that real estate professionals can help homeowners understand the market and obtain the full value of their property.

The ordinance does not prevent homeowners from selling their homes. Instead, it creates a mechanism for homeowners to tell potential buyers they do not want unsolicited purchase offers and gives that request legal consequences.

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