Abandoned and trashed after mudslide, Edmonds house now for sale

EDMONDS — Richard Lord had to flee his house the night a mass of mud rumbled down from the bluff above and sent a tree through a second-story wall.

He left within hours and never moved back.

Four years later, the once-grand home near the end of Norma Beach Road sits empty. Thieves, vandals and black mold have left a state of ruin, inside and out.

A bank took ownership in December.

“I don’t think there should ever be anything built here,” Lord said during a return visit in January. “Look at that hill. I don’t feel secure.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Lord and his wife, Pat, have long since moved on from their digs north of Meadowdale. But if you’re interested, the bank is open to selling the 5,000-square-foot spread with sound and mountain views. The asking price of $209,000 is less than a quarter of what it sold for in 2004.

“House is MAJOR fixer if not teardown,” an online listing declares. “Corner lot on quiet street.”

The blurb continues with a warning: “Landslide on steep bank behind/above property, retaining wall damaged. No keybox or access, house is unsafe.”

While technically possible, high costs and regulatory hurdles make rebuilding the house doubtful.

Land-use obstacles could increase in slide areas, given the host of reforms under discussion after last year’s Oso landslide, which killed 43 people.

Shallow mudslides often hit homes and train tracks along coastal bluffs in south Snohomish County. Though far smaller in scale than the deep-seated hillside collapse in Oso, they do put lives in danger.

State and county policymakers have considered new requirements for landslide areas. Proposals include bigger setbacks from steep slopes. They could mandate real estate disclosures for known landslide dangers.

On Tuesday, a new state rule was approved requiring the possibility that anyone seeking to log in landslide-prone areas might have to provide additional scientific data.

“It was like being in a horror flick”

Richard Lord was home with his dog, Toby, when the slide hit March 14, 2011. His wife was out that Monday evening.

For the previous seven years, the Lords had maintained their house in pristine condition. Decorated with a beach theme, light-colored carpets and wood floors gave it an airy feel.

“This was a great place to live, a great party house,” he said.

He remembers the vibration, but not the sound.

“After the initial slide, a tree came through the house,” he said. “It was like being in a horror flick.”

An 18-foot-high retaining wall absorbed some of the blow, but was left broken in spots.

Toby, a flat-coated retriever who has since died, refused to budge, so Lord carried him out.

Within 2½ hours, authorities told him there was no going back.

The couple and their two dogs spent the night at their business, Champions Real Estate in Lynnwood. The next day, he woke up at 3:30 a.m. to make store deliveries for his candy business, Rocket Chocolate.

The Lords spent the first week at a motel then moved to a rental house. The house they now own in Mill Creek is less than half the size of their old one.

They waged a futile battle for an insurance settlement. After talking to about a dozen attorneys, they decided that pursuing the issue in court wouldn’t be worth the potential return.

In a letter, Pat Lord described the couple “dusting ourselves off from this over and over.”

“Our lives have been put on hold for many years now,” she wrote. “It would be great if our bank set us free like they do so many others with much smaller problems.”

Richard Lord said he’s happy to have escaped alive. At the same time, the 67-year-old said the event “guarantees that I’ll spend the rest of my days working.”

County records listed the house’s owner as the Bank of New York Mellon as of Dec. 29.

A representative from the listing agent, Brown Real Estate Group LLC of Seattle, said the only information they have on the property came from the county website.

“We don’t even know how long ago the prior owner vacated,” an email said.

Immediately after the slide, the house was in excellent condition, save for the mud. A 4-foot-high security gate out front did little to deter intruders, though. Thieves ripped out copper wiring, pipes and the central heating system, railings, fixtures and counters. Nearly anything with scrap value was carted off.

Torn insulation now hangs from the ceiling and graffiti mars the walls. On the floor lie piles of broken doors and shattered glass. Moss covers the gray-white carpeting in the game room above the three-car garage. A busted TV and dishwasher litter the driveway.

Hit by slides before

County planners have documented slides on the property going back two decades. They classify it as a landslide hazard area. Digital images reveal evidence of historic slides as well.

The Lords’ former house was built in 1990, permits show. The construction met building codes of the day. Only later that decade did the county adopt its first rules for building near so-called critical areas, including places with high landslide risks.

A previous owner applied for permits to rebuild the house after slide damage in 1998, county records show. He also obtained approval to build a large retaining wall engineered to shield the house.

Convincing county planners that it’s safe to rebuild again could be tough.

“If there is a fix, somebody’s going to have to be able to prove it to us,” county permitting manager Tom Rowe said. “And that’s not going to be easy to do. Bottom line.”

That means, among other things, producing a geotechnical report that addresses the safety of the proposed home and lays out a plan to stabilize the landslide.

That’s not impossible, Rowe said, “But the question is, what is the cost?”

For now, county code inspectors plan to keep an eye on the property, Rowe said. If they believe it’s become too dangerous, they could order abatement actions, including demolition.

“I don’t know if it rises to that, but it’s something I’m going to ask staff to take a look at,” he said.

The Lords aren’t asking for sympathy. They want to raise awareness about landslides, and the headaches that mortgage lenders and insurance companies can create after the fact.

“If you’re alive when you walk away from a mudslide, you’re good,” Richard Lord said. “It happened. Move on. You can’t get wound up in it.”

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

The Edmonds City Council gathers to discuss annexing into South County Fire on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Community group presents vision for Edmonds’ fiscal future

Members from Keep Edmonds Vibrant suggested the council focus on revenue generation and a levy lid lift to address its budget crisis.

The age of bridge 503 that spans Swamp Creek can be seen in its timber supports and metal pipes on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. The bridge is set to be replaced by the county in 2025. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snohomish County report: 10 bridges set for repairs, replacement

An annual report the county released May 22 details the condition of local bridges and future maintenance they may require.

People listen as the Marysville School Board votes to close an elementary and a middle school in the 2025-26 school year while reconfiguring the district’s elementary schools to a K-6 model on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Marysville schools audit shows some improvement

Even though the district still faces serious financial problems, the findings are a positive change over last year, auditors said.

Outside of the Madrona School on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sewer district notifies Edmonds schools of intent to sue

The letter of intent alleges the school district has failed to address long-standing “water pollution issues” at Madrona K-8 School.

Cars drive along Cathcart Way next to the site of the proposed Eastview Village development that borders Little Cedars Elementary on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in unincorporated Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Former engineer: Snohomish County rushed plans for Eastview development

David Irwin cited red flags from the developers. After he resigned, the county approved the development that’s now stalled with an appeal

Edie Carroll trims plants at Baker's Acres Nursery during Sorticulture on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sorticulture, Everett’s garden festival, is in full swing

The festival will go through Sunday evening and has over 120 local and regional vendors.

Students attending Camp Killoqua next week pose with Olivia Park Elementary staff on Friday, June 6 near Everett. Top, from left: Stacy Goody, Cecilia Stewart and Lynne Peters. Bottom, from left: Shaker Alfaly, Jenna Alfaly and Diana Peralta. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
A school needed chaperones for an outdoor camp. Everett cops stepped up.

An Olivia Park Elementary trip to Camp Killoqua would have been canceled if not for four police officers who will help chaperone.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Everett’s minimum wage goes up on July 1. Here’s what to know.

Voters approved the increase as part of a ballot measure in the November election.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
State declares drought emergency for parts of Snohomish County

Everett and the southwest part of the county are still under a drought advisory, but city Public Works say water outlooks are good.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.