Do You Want Unlimited Income Potential?

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If you’re stuck in a dead-end job or you’ve been looking for a career change, I want to meet with you. You can make an exceptional living as a real estate professional, especially if you’re looking to start now. I quit my job as an executive 23 years ago to join the real estate profession, and I haven’t looked back since.

Forbes recently ranked the top sales jobs in America, and real estate broker came in at number 5. The secret to a successful and profitable career as a real estate broker is the training and mentoring you receive at the very beginning. This is what we specialize in. We have opportunities in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, and we’d love to hear from you.

Give me a call at 877-IGotSmart (877-446-8762) or visit igotsmart.com to learn more. I look forward to hearing from you.

Market Update from Seattle

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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!

Are You Ready to Buy a Home?

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

Buying a home is a serious step. One common mistake buyers and sellers make is not being emotionally prepared to make an offer on a home.

Some buyers can spend a couple of years getting their finances in order. Then they get their loan approved and look at homes with a real estate agent. Finally, they find the house of their dreams, and what happens? They want to sleep on it, or pray on it, or get a family member's opinion before they make on offer.

The reality is that in this market, if you snooze, you lose. Correctly priced properties are just flying off the market. You have to be emotionally prepared to make that decision and make an offer. Look at homes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays if you are ready to make an offer. Weekends are the worst time to make an offer because a lot of other buyers are out there and you are almost guaranteed to wind up in a multiple offer situation.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you.

What Is the Number One Mistake Seattle Buyers Are Making?

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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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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!