Press Release

A class action law suit has been filed against realtors

A class action law suit has been filed against realtors to recover lost property value for home owners under EA-18 Growler flight paths surrounding the Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island.

A class action law suit has been filed against Windermere Real Estate/Center-Isle, Inc. and Re/Max Acorn Properties, Inc. claiming that, over the last 22 years, they failed to provide legally required information to home buyers regarding the presence of a military air installation and Navy jets. Because disclosure forms were provided by the NWMLS and the practice was prevalent, it is expected that more offices will be added over time.

Since 1992, Noise Zone properties, on the average, have sold for more than their true value because jet noise was not disclosed. In January, 2014, the deception was revealed and much of the legally required information has again been included in the realtor disclosure form; it is presumed the value of those properties will likely be lower when they are sold or refinanced.

Pilots practice carrier landings and other maneuvers at Ault field at the Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, as well as at the obscure Outlying Field in Coupeville, 17 miles to the south. During practice, planes cycle as low as 250 feet over neighborhoods built at the end of the OLF runway, hidden from view by a few rows of trees. Its presence is not apparent unless jets are actually flying.

Noise levels at 134 dB over these homes equals a noise record broken at a Seahawks game last year. Instead of disclosing extremely high decibel levels, night flights, and providing the Noise Zone Map prepared by the Navy to guide prospective home buyers, the disclosure made no mention of the base or jet noise at all. Many were devastated to learn how severely their lives would be affected soon after moving in.

The loss to home owners goes far beyond the loss of equity when they sell. How do you compensate for a life dictated by jet schedules, roaring insanity, and severe health impacts like cardiovascular disease and stroke – instead of a normal life? It is important to note that the Navy now has plans to double the number of Growler jets based at the NASWI, all of which will require carrier landing practice.

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