Guide To Seattle Real Estate

Ok so just how is this going to work?

Part of the reason I am phasing out of full time Real Estate is that I don’t want to work with unscrupulous people.  No not all agents and lenders are unscrupulous!  But, unfortunately,I think there are more that are than not. 

Just look at what attracts most people into the real estate industry. $$$$$$$$ Making money fast.  People are lured into Real Estate thinking that they are going to make it rich.  Brokers tell prospects about how much their top performers make to get them to sign up.  Then over 90% of agents drop out in the first 2 years.  It isn’t all that easy to make a sustainable income.  Being a great agent takes a lot of work, it definitely isn’t a walk in the park.

I will admit that is what attracted me to the business.  I thought that a flexible schedule and a decent income would allow my wife to stay home when we had kids and I could spend more time at home with them.  I want to be really involved with my family.  We had Callista a few months ago.  She is a beautiful gift from God.  Even her cry’s and screams are cute.  Real Estate Riches are made working long hours, nights and weekends.  Not for the family man wanting to spend more time at home.

I have been double dipping for awhile now working for a marketing company in Auburn, more of a 9 to 5 gig.  Working B2B is great, much less likely to be stuck working with those unscrupulous fellows. 

I want to keep what I like from the Real Estate Industry.  I am going to reduce my night and weekend work and just refer clients to other great agents.  One thing I have learned in the business is what smoke smells like.  No matter where they try to blow it.  This way I can send clients to agents who actually specialize in what they are looking for.

I’ve represented buyers, sellers, houses, townhouses, condos, Snohomish/King/Pierce counties, wherever there was a commission check I was.  Sure I did my absolute best for every client that I had.  But specialization has its benefits.  There was no way I could’ve really known the inventory in Tacoma and Bellevue, only an agent that specialized there could.  Someone who actually went on tour every week and saw every home that came on the market.  Most agents are just like I was, they specialize in making the commission check.  That is what brokers teach their agents to do. Make them money!

So instead of spending my time knocking on doors and sending out massive amounts of postcards, I am going to get to know great agents.  This way I don’t have to work with the unscrupulous ones, I can just say no.  Then I can review these agents here on this blog.  I can talk about what they do great and only write about agents that I feel actually have their clients best interests in mind.  No Smoke Allowed!

When I am approached by a person who is looking to find an agent I can then send them to the agent who will best serve them, not just someone chasing the commission check.  Sure I wont make as much as a full time agent, but this is only a part time gig.  I can focus my time on my family and working at my marketing gig.  I can take what I love about real estate and help others at the same time, the best of both worlds.

Wish me luck as I figure out how all this is going to work.