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Adventures in a Changing MarketAdventures in a Changing MarketFrom the Guide to Seattle Real Estate the Adventures in a Changing Market blog is a medium where Home Buyers and Sellers, Agents, and Investors can learn from each other to better realize their goals. Jonathan Martin specializes is working with firs
Articles:
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Articles
Pricing Your Home
2007-12-02 16:39:00 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, or worse yet not enough and leave money on the table. Your real estate agent can give you an estimate of your home’s value. This is called a Comparable Market Analysts or CMA. Your real estate agent will compare the features and benefits of other homes that have sold recently to your home to help you determine the value. There are many other factors that tie in to the CMA. What is the average time it takes to sell a home? What is the sale price compared to original listed price? An experienced real estate agent will spend hours working on your CMA, if you are interested in having this report just let me know and I will be more than happy to provide you with this free of charge. I will also provide you w... More About: Home
What you should DEMAND from your real estate agent before you buy!
2007-11-28 21:00:00 It is so important that you have an agent who is willing to WORK for you, DEMAND that they do. All too often I meet people that tell me horror stories from their previous real estate agents. Like when it seemed that the real estate agent only showed them houses that were out of their price range, or when the real estate agent showed only one nice home and three gross ones and then said let’s make an offer. These are stories of real estate agents working for themselves not for their clients. This is why it is important that you choose a real estate agent that you feel comfortable working with, not just the first agent that answers to phone or whomever is sitting at the front desk at your local Real tors office. Choose one that you have researched and know how they work for their clients. Your agent should have the statistical knowledge of the area you are looking in. They should know the inventory and have seen the properties before they show you. This way they can weed out the... More About: Agent , Estate , Real Estate , Real Estate Agent
What you should DEMAND from your real estate agent before you buy!
2007-11-28 21:00:00 It is so important that you have an agent who is willing to WORK for you, DEMAND that they do. All too often I meet people that tell me horror stories from their previous real estate agents. Like when it seemed that the real estate agent only showed them houses that were out of their price range, or when the real estate agent showed only one nice home and three gross ones and then said let’s make an offer. These are stories of real estate agents working for themselves not for their clients. This is why it is important that you choose a real estate agent that you feel comfortable working with, not just the first agent that answers to phone or whomever is sitting at the front desk at your local Real tors office. Choose one that you have researched and know how they work for their clients. Your agent should have the statistical knowledge of the area you are looking in. They should know the inventory and have seen the properties before they show you. This way they can weed out the... More About: Agent , Estate , Real Estate , Real Estate Agent
STRATEGIC VISION: How and Why!
2007-11-21 03:11:00 Last night I attended a small presentation by Paul Brainerd at the University of Washington, Bothell Campus. I was very impressed. Paul talked about his foundation, The Brainerd Foundation, and most importantly how they go about allocating the 2-3 million in grants they give out each year. The Brainerd Foundation specializes in place based conservation. Place based means they find a place, geographic, that is environmentally important and viable for change and try to develop the “sustainability” of the community in that place. Sustainability, what is it? Well it is really a pretty broad term encompassing socio-economic-politico-cultural community. Everything is so connected. No community is an island. Paul spent considerable time describing the research they do to find an area that is both important and viable. Once they find this place they invest money in other non-profit organizations that work to institute change in the community. They aren’t throwin... More About: Vision , Strategic
STRATEGIC VISION: How and Why!
2007-11-21 03:11:00 Last night I attended a small presentation by Paul Brainerd at the University of Washington, Bothell Campus. I was very impressed. Paul talked about his foundation, The Brainerd Foundation, and most importantly how they go about allocating the 2-3 million in grants they give out each year. The Brainerd Foundation specializes in place based conservation. Place based means they find a place, geographic, that is environmentally important and viable for change and try to develop the “sustainability” of the community in that place. Sustainability, what is it? Well it is really a pretty broad term encompassing socio-economic-politico-cultural community. Everything is so connected. No community is an island. Paul spent considerable time describing the research they do to find an area that is both important and viable. Once they find this place they invest money in other non-profit organizations that work to institute change in the community. They aren’t throwin... More About: Vision , Strategic
Why you should NEVER call the sign in the yard! Part Two
2007-11-20 02:22:00 This a continuation of an earlier Post, I hope this increases your value of the use of a buyers agent. Rather than calling the listing agent (the agent who represents the seller) you should have your own representation. It is much like going to court without a lawyer, you just wouldn’t do it. · Free to the Buyer: The buyer very rarely pays for the agent’s services. The seller at the end of the sales process generally pays the agents that are involved in the transaction. The agent that the seller chooses usually has an agreement with the seller on their commission on the property. In return, the agent selling the home usually splits the commission with the buying agent. So, you should take advantage of a free experienced Seattle real estate agent because the seller, in reality, pays for both agents anyway. If you are dealing with a For Sale by Owner property, the buyer can choose to pay their agent’s fee or the commission can be negotiated with the s... More About: Sign , Part , Call , Yard
Why you should NEVER call the sign in the yard! Part Two
2007-11-20 02:22:00 This a continuation of an earlier Post, I hope this increases your value of the use of a buyers agent. Rather than calling the listing agent (the agent who represents the seller) you should have your own representation. It is much like going to court without a lawyer, you just wouldn’t do it. · Free to the Buyer: The buyer very rarely pays for the agent’s services. The seller at the end of the sales process generally pays the agents that are involved in the transaction. The agent that the seller chooses usually has an agreement with the seller on their commission on the property. In return, the agent selling the home usually splits the commission with the buying agent. So, you should take advantage of a free experienced Seattle real estate agent because the seller, in reality, pays for both agents anyway. If you are dealing with a For Sale by Owner property, the buyer can choose to pay their agent’s fee or the commission can be negotiated with the s... More About: Sign , Part , Call , Yard
Negotiate! What are you AFRAID of?
2007-11-19 21:12:00 In my university negotiations class we practiced negotiating every day. The information and experience that I gleaned from the class was awesome. I had never been a negotiating type of person. I just shopped around until I found the right price then I bought. Persuasion and communication have always fascinated me, the art, the style, the technique, the power, when used for good of course. Every class period we were assigned a “role” and a position to “play” from. In reality the students had nothing to lose so they should have held their ground. I mean why not, it was just role playing. I held mine and made out like a bandit come voting time. Being a real estate agent I work on my negotiating skills and use them often. But negotiating with other real estate agents can be just like class, easy. Sometimes they are so removed from the situation, or just want to earn their commission that they don’t hold their ground for their clients either. Now I wou... More About: Raid
Negotiate! What are you AFRAID of?
2007-11-19 21:12:00 In my university negotiations class we practiced negotiating every day. The information and experience that I gleaned from the class was awesome. I had never been a negotiating type of person. I just shopped around until I found the right price then I bought. Persuasion and communication have always fascinated me, the art, the style, the technique, the power, when used for good of course. Every class period we were assigned a “role” and a position to “play” from. In reality the students had nothing to lose so they should have held their ground. I mean why not, it was just role playing. I held mine and made out like a bandit come voting time. Being a real estate agent I work on my negotiating skills and use them often. But negotiating with other real estate agents can be just like class, easy. Sometimes they are so removed from the situation, or just want to earn their commission that they don’t hold their ground for their clients either. Now I wou... More About: Raid
Why you should NEVER call the sign in the Yard? Part One
2007-11-19 15:44:00 We are often asked why a person should use a buyer’s agent. Why not just call the agent with the sign in front of the house I want to buy? Hopefully I will be able to answer this in the next few posts. Save Time: Without the help of a professional Seattle real estate agent, the search for buying or selling a home can be very time-consuming. A good real estate agent is proficient at sorting through multiple listing properties and finding the results that are tailored to your wants and needs. Agents are subscribers and members of the MLS (Multiple Listings Service). This organization has lists of properties that can be searched by different needs, as well as wants in a home. The listings on the MLS are more detailed and advanced than what is accessible to the general public. By using an agent and having access to the MLS you can save a tremendous amount of time because your agent is better trained to do the looking for you and find the properties that fit your specific need... More About: Sign , Part , Call , Yard
Why you should NEVER call the sign in the Yard? Part One
2007-11-19 15:44:00 We are often asked why a person should use a buyer’s agent. Why not just call the agent with the sign in front of the house I want to buy? Hopefully I will be able to answer this in the next few posts. Save Time: Without the help of a professional Seattle real estate agent, the search for buying or selling a home can be very time-consuming. A good real estate agent is proficient at sorting through multiple listing properties and finding the results that are tailored to your wants and needs. Agents are subscribers and members of the MLS (Multiple Listings Service). This organization has lists of properties that can be searched by different needs, as well as wants in a home. The listings on the MLS are more detailed and advanced than what is accessible to the general public. By using an agent and having access to the MLS you can save a tremendous amount of time because your agent is better trained to do the looking for you and find the properties that fit your specific need... More About: Sign , Part , Call , Yard
The Benefits of Owning a Home, Part Three
2007-11-16 22:34:00 This is part three of the benefits of home ownership series. Forced Savings Many people are not very good at saving money; fortunately, a house is an instant savings account. There are two different ways you grow your savings: Each month as you pay your mortgage a percentage goes towards your principal. The amount that accumulates in your principal is called your equity. During the early years of your mortgage, it will seem like there is not much equity but it is better than nothing when compared to renting. It will continue to grow the longer you own your home. Your home will appreciate. You can also make home improvements to your home that will also raise the value of your home. Many studies have shown, throughout history that the best financial investment for most Americans is their own home. More Space Inside or outside, you will generally have a lot more room if you own your home. You will often have your own laundry space, parking space, bigger rooms, bigger yar... More About: Home , Part , Benefits
The Benefits of Owning a Home, Part Three
2007-11-16 22:34:00 This is part three of the benefits of home ownership series. Forced Savings Many people are not very good at saving money; fortunately, a house is an instant savings account. There are two different ways you grow your savings: Each month as you pay your mortgage a percentage goes towards your principal. The amount that accumulates in your principal is called your equity. During the early years of your mortgage, it will seem like there is not much equity but it is better than nothing when compared to renting. It will continue to grow the longer you own your home. Your home will appreciate. You can also make home improvements to your home that will also raise the value of your home. Many studies have shown, throughout history that the best financial investment for most Americans is their own home. More Space Inside or outside, you will generally have a lot more room if you own your home. You will often have your own laundry space, parking space, bigger rooms, bigger yar... More About: Home , Part , Benefits
The Benefits of Home Ownership, Part 2
2007-11-16 22:29:00 This is part two of the benefits of home ownership. Freedom & Individualism When renting you are restricted to what improvements you can make to your home. You not only have to get permission, but it doesn’t make sense to improve someone else’s home, benefiting the homeowner and not you. By owning your home you have the legal right to do what you want to improve your home. If you want to paint, add new carpet, put on siding, remodel, or even own a pet it is entirely up to you. Owning your own home gives you the freedom to make your own decisions and create an atmosphere that you enjoy living in, as well as receiving all the financial benefits from your improvements. Stable Monthly Costs While being a renter, you can count on your rent to consistently go up every year. By getting a fixed rate mortgage, you know exactly what your monthly payments will be for the next 30 years or how ever long your note is for. No surprises! If you decide to get an adjustable rate... More About: Home , Part , Benefits
The Benefits of Home Ownership, Part 1
2007-11-16 22:27:00 This is part one of a three part series on the benefits of home ownership. If you are considering making the move from the renting phase of your life and would like to transition to the home ownership phase then I hope this helps you make your decision. Leveraging Your Money One of the financial benefits to buying a home is the leveraging of your money, especially in Seattle. Basically, leverage gives you the benefit of using a small down payment to make a big investment. You can yield huge profit on a small front-end investment. For instance, if you purchased a $600,000 home with 5% down, you leveraged the $30,000 down payment to purchase an asset worth 40 times that amount! Real Estate Appreciation The advantages of leverage really become obvious with appreciation, or the increase of net worth of a property. For example, if you paid $30,000 down, on the same home from the previous example, and occupied it for 5 years and had a modest appreciation of 3% a year your home w... More About: Home , Part , Benefits
Clarity in business and life
2007-11-16 00:17:00 At my regular Seattle BizBuilders meeting today, Lesli Dullum LMP, RC Optimal Wellness Consulting, presented. She is from the Silverdale area and braved the ferry to come and see us here in Seattle. I was impressed; she walked us through a little exercise to help clarify why we are in business and why this business at that. There is a principle in philosophy called congruency, that life is better when everything is aligned. When a person is passionate about all aspects of their life and following through with what drives them, life works for the better. For example why am I in real estate? People, well ok not just people, but really I love working with people in education, goal achieving, relationship, and a little sales too. Does how I currently run my business/life reflect that? Yes. What do I sell? At first you might think houses, but what I really sell is piece of mind and knowledge or know-how. Does how I currently run my business reflect that? Yes. Who are my... More About: Business , Life , Clarity , Sine , Clar
Construction Project
2007-11-15 14:41:00 My wife and I live in West Seattle. Specifically near the Alaska Junction, I noticed this post on WestSeattleBlog the other day and recognized my townhome in the image. I will try to take some better pictures today. More About: Project , Construction
BizBuilders Seattle
2007-11-15 01:58:00 I am a member of a Seattle business networking group called BizBuilders. Basically it is a group of professionals that get together every Thursday for an early lunch to talk about what they are up to and to pass along referrals. Working as a real estate professional in Seattle I have found this meeting to be very helpful not only with referral but to learn from other successful “solopreneurs.” We gather at the Sixth Ave Inn in downtown Seattle at 10:30 every Thursday. I have met and completed business with a Home Inspector, Lease Broker, Restaurant Consultant, Photographer, several Non-Profit Charities, a Mortgage Broker, Credit Repair counselor, and a Financial Advisor. I know that I have forgotten a few of the guys and gals. We are always looking for other great professionals to join us, it is an exclusive group. By that I mean that only one representative from each profession is allowed not that we are too good for anyone. Do you belong to any networki...
The benefits of home ownership
2007-11-14 20:06:00 Benefits to Owning Real Estate Leveraging Your Money One of the financial benefits to buying a home is the leveraging of your money. Basically, leverage gives you the benefit of using a small down payment to make a big investment. You can yield huge profit on a small front-end investment. For instance, if you purchased a $600,000 home with 5% down, you leveraged the $30,000 down payment to purchase an asset worth 40 times that amount! Real Estate Appreciation The advantages of leverage really become obvious with appreciation, or the increase of net worth of a property. For example, if you paid $30,000 down, on the same home from the previous example, and occupied it for 5 years and had a modest appreciation of 3% a year your home would be worth over $694,000. By only investing 5% down, you can still indulge yourself in the full appreciation value. That is a gain of $94,000 on your initial investment of $30,000. Tax Savings You may constantly hear many people complaining of... More About: Home , Benefits
seattle real estate
2007-11-14 02:46:00 seattle real estate More About: Seattle , Estate , Real Estate , Real
Hello world!
More articles from this author:2007-11-14 00:29:00 The Guide to Seattle Real Estate is under going some changes for the better. Please bare with us. To continue your real estate experience as before follow this link to our mirrored site. More About: World , Hello World 1, 2 |
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