The Difference Between a Buyer’s Agent & a Seller’s Agent

When you buy a home, don’t work with the real estate agent selling the house. You need to work with a buyer’s agent for a successful transaction.

If you were getting a divorce, would you go to your spouse’s attorney for advice and counsel? Of course not, that would be ridiculous!

The same principle applies if you’re a buyer looking for a home. You shouldn’t take counsel and advice from the seller’s agent, who has a statutory duty to suck as much money out of your wallet as possible.

Here's how you know the difference between the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent: you hire the buyer’s agent before you ever start going out and looking for homes. Consider everyone else your competition.

A buyer’s agent will protect your best interests during the transaction.

To learn more about the home buying process, visit IGotSmart.com and click on home buyer seminars. If you have any other questions for us, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Is the Puget Sound Real Estate Market Going Crazy?

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Today I’m going to be giving you a real estate market update for the Puget Sound area. I have a few concerns about the market and I will be addressing them here.

You need to understand that at this time last year, the average sale price in Puget sound was $521,000. This year it is now $615,000. That is 14% appreciation in one year! That’s almost unheard of. That’s a change of $236 per sq. ft. and now we’re closer to $270.

These multiple offer situations are driving home prices through the roof. When cash buyers come in, they don’t need to get an appraisal done on the home, so the appraisers have no chance to value the home. This is causing home values to rise unchecked. Foreign investors are also bringing in a lot of money to the area, and these people often have deep pockets.

Appraisals keep checks and balances on the real estate market, so how are we going to handle this problem?

If you’re a buyer, please understand that this is normal. We’re seeing levels rise to where they were at the peak of the market, so you’re not getting ripped off. However, be wary when you’re fighting 15 other people for a home and the price escalates rapidly. What I suggest you do is look at homes that have been on the market for 2-3 weeks. There will be less competition from buyers and these homes will be more affordable. Just make sure that they’re in good condition.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Market Update from Seattle

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Hi, everyone! Today, we’ll discuss market conditions in the Seattle area.

In September, the average asking price was $633,000 in Seattle; $230,000 in Tacoma; $342,000 in Everett; and $953,000 in Bellevue. Likewise, the average sold price was $646,000 in Seattle; $228,000 in Tacoma; $335,000 in Everett; and $953,000 in Bellevue. It is still a seller’s market, but it’s slowing down!

The number one reason why people don’t move to Western Washington is the home price. However, there is an exception: high-tech industry home buyers find Seattle very affordable.

The average time it took to sell in Seattle took 23 days; in Tacoma took 46 days; in Everett took 32 days; and in Bellevue took 25 days. On average, people live in their homes five to seven years before moving.

If you have any questions about what these numbers mean for you, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're always here to be your real estate resource!

What Is the Number One Mistake Seattle Buyers Are Making?

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

What are real estate conditions in Seattle like right now? Many folks in our area are curious about whether now is the time to buy and whether conditions are favorable for a successful home sale.

There are ten key mistakes that buyers in our area make all the time, but right now the number one mistake buyers make is waiting to make their move. There are several reasons why:

• Inventory is low: We only have four weeks worth of inventory; if nothing comes on the market in the next four weeks, there will be nothing to buy in our area!


• Interest rates are still low: Interest rates are below 4% right now. It's pretty safe to say that you might never see rates that low again!

Think about current conditions this way: a 1% increase in interest rates means the amount of home you can purchase just went down by 10%. For example, if you were qualified to buy a $400,000 home, but rates jumped by 1% before you found a home, you would only be able to afford a $360,000 home!

The most deadly mistake that buyers are making right now is that they're waiting to buy. We don't want you to do the same! Give us a call or shoot us an email with any of your questions and concerns about our current market. We would love to hear from you!

How to Avoid Rotting on Siding When Home Buying

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Today's topic is siding, a very important part of the exterior of your home that can hurt your chances of selling.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have had problems with a certain type of oriented strand board or LP siding. Essentially, this siding is made of a pressed, wood-like material with an exact pattern. It's not like the cedar siding you'll see on some homes where the patterns differ.

Because it's so moist here in the Pacific Northwest, this siding will start to wear if you don't keep it painted. If this type of siding isn't kept up, it starts to rot and will need to be replaced. When you're looking at homes, you want to take a look at the bottom of the boards to ensure that moisture isn't being absorbed and rotting the siding.

When siding begins to rot, moisture then gets between your exterior wall and your interior wall and gets on your insulation. This can result in black mold, which is a huge pain to deal with and can even be dangerous!

One of the best places to look around the exterior of a home is where the exterior of the fireplace is. Those areas tend to rot the most and the fastest. If you view a home that has rot occurring, you want to be very careful. Replacing LP siding can be very expensive, costing you tens of thousands of dollars.

So, if you're looking at homes with LP siding, be sure to call a professional to take a look at it. If you're selling your home, you probably want to do the same, as rotting siding may be a great way to scare buyers away.


If you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to help you out!