Guide To Seattle Real Estate

While I was in college, being a real estate agent was the last career on my mind. I knew that I was headed into business, preferably one that I could own myself. I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit. I wanted to be of service to others. In fact I have a well defined life [...]

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Rhonda Porter at the aptly named MortgagePorter.com, gives us some great advice on Debt To Income ratio or DTI.  She explains and lists some of the standard DTI ratios and then reminds us that, “Just because you qualify for a higher mortgage payment does not mean that you must have it.”  All too often the [...]

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Over at Issaquah Undressed, Larry Cragun give us a little encouragement to use the lender recommended by your real estate agent.  Time and time again I have found this to be true.  While there are some occasions in which a client had worked with a lender before and had a great experience, most of the [...]

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So we have talked about what a BATNA is and how it relates to Real Estate from the buyers perspective, what about the seller.  This can be a touchy subject for many sellers, “Full price or nothing!” I have heard many say.  Well that would be great but it doesn’t always work that way.  Neither [...]

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Batboy who!? No not batboy, your BATNA.  Best Alternative To No Agreement (BATNA.)  The concept was originally created by Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.  Before you begin the real estate negotiation process you need to know at what point you will walk away, also known as your [...]

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Figuratively, of course. When receiving an offer that is too low, and they all are these days, it is important to use everything you can to get an edge on your competition. Negotiation tactics are an edge that all top producing agents have.  This post is the second in a series on Negotiation tactics and real estate.
When [...]

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The market is changing, but I mean that the confidence bottom has dropped out of some real estate agents. I have always been a student of the human condition. How people react when their ego is hurt, what they do when they are in a position of power, or do they go on the defensive [...]

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Pricing a home, the key to a sale.  If pricing isn’t right the first time ,we all know that the home may not sell.  In this market, pricing is key.  Here is situation were the comparable pricing that was initially presented was the correct price to set the home at, not what the seller wanted. [...]

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Last week while previewing for a buyer in the Bellevue area, I ran into a home without a keybox, by sellers request. 
On mission that day I saw about 30-35 homes.  It was a very productive day, I am able to preview about 8-10 homes an hour depending on proximity.  I generally run in and [...]

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Establishing your home’s true market value (selling price) is one of the most important steps in the selling process. It is vital to do it right the first time. There is a fine line between getting as much as you can for you’re home or asking for too much and have it not sell, [...]

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