REALiTY BiTES
REALiTY BiTESi turn REALTY into REALiTY
For Buyers Category
11 Easy Steps To Buying A Home
I wanted to throw in a plug for our in-house mortgage consultant who is very knowledgeable and friendly. The actual house hunting process is a bit more complicated, but at least the financing aspect is pretty easy. In REALiTY, there are fewer steps since step#8 is just Pete providing buyers with a status update! Getting a loan has never been easier!
When REALiTY BiTES, Bite back!
Cottage Lake Statistics
I often get calls from clients asking about the current value of their homes, given the state of the current housing market. This usually leads to an in-home visit and catching up on the good times (what? You didn’t have a good time with your real estate agent while searching for a home?). Eventually, the conversation turns back to real estate and I’m forced to talk about work. Read the rest of this entry »
Kudos
It’s always a good feeling when a client that I’ve helped has something nice to say about my services. In the old days, my broker might get a nice letter in the mail from a client letting him know I didn’t screw anything up, and that I should be able to keep my job for at least another day. Nowadays, the web makes it easier to share those thoughts with the world, both good AND bad. Fortunately, I haven’t had any bad reviews (knock on wood).
Check out the latest review [Here] I received from a satisfied client on YELP.com!
I also happened to receive an award from Seattle Magazine for my work in 2011.
A big THANK YOU to all who I’ve helped this past year. If I can help you with a purchase or sale in 2012, give me a call. Let’s make this a great 2012!
When REALiTY BiTES, bite back!
What’s Green And Can Fit A Body Inside?
What’s Green And Can Fit A Body Inside?
a). The Green Lantern’s body suit.
b). One of the pods from the movie “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers”.
c). The latest trend in home building.
Since this Blog is centered around real estate, you’ve probably already guessed that the appropriate answer is C (although A is technically correct and B is half correct since the movie was originally shot in B&W). Yes, I am referring to a trend that is considered “green” (not the color, but the effort to save our world by changing our lifestyles and taking our environment into consideration).
Could you be a pea in a pod?
The days of the McMansion are coming to an end. Small is big and Big is small these days. Pod housing is a growing trend, and for good reason. Not only is the footprint smaller and more energy efficient, but the manufacturing process can be streamlined, resulting in pre-fabricated kits which can be built quicker and with less waste byproduct.
The biggest hurdle for the supporters of this type of housing, is getting mass consumer acceptance. In other countries, minimalist housing is the norm (see video below).
I’m not sure if I could live in a 300 square foot apartment, but from the video above, it appears that the occupant isn’t sacrificing much!
What do you think? Could you live comfortably in a pod unit? Leave a comment!
When REALiTY BiTES, bite back!
Re-Think What You Say For Better Results
If Only I Could Take That Back!
How many times have you said something and wished afterwards that you could have taken those words back. Imagine how the outcome could have differed if you had just re-phrased your words. Sometimes, how you say or write something can be just as important as the meaning you are trying to convey.
I’m reminded of one of my favorite movies starring Bill Murray. Groundhog Day is the perfect example of how one man could change the outcome just by changing his behavior. And the best part? He got to do it over and over until he got it right! I can’t even count the number of times I have wished for a “rewind” button in situations where I’ve said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Usually, my brain works faster than my mouth, but sometimes, the opposite happens and I get into trouble.
My boss shared a short video with me that was touching, and I wanted to pass it on to others as well. So, in the spirit of sharing, watch this video and see if you can change what you say in future conversations.
Would You Approve A Loan For This Person?
I subscribe to many real estate resources, and one of my favorites is The REsoure.tv. The two guys on the site have very insightful thoughts that they share with their viewers. As a Realtor, I find it very useful since I don’t have the time to do the in-depth research the way that these guys do.
Today’s video is a spoof on lending requirements. Check it out!
Don’t Forget To Wash Your Hands…
In the never-ending quest to conserve water, some entrepreneurial folks come up with some pretty wacky designs. It’s a well known fact that the biggest water wasting room in the home is the bathroom. In fact, 75% of indoor water use comes from the bathroom alone! Of that, the toilet uses 25%, with the remaining from the shower/bathtubs and faucets. I’ve seen and read about some pretty interesting water saving efforts, and have even tried some myself. Before the invention of low-flow toilets, I put rocks and other weights in the toilet tank so that less water would be used when flushing. Who knew that toilet tanks could house more than just a stash of drugs? Read the rest of this entry »
The Road To Addiction Has An Innocent Start
From Candy To Coffee
Like nearly every other Seattle-ite, (Or Woodinville-ite), I’ve become addicted to that syrupy brown goodness we call coffee. In my case, it’s espresso, and it all started about 15 years ago during one of my very long meeting sessions at Microsoft. Up until that point, I had never, ever, ever had a cup of coffee. Never. That’s 33 years of living without drinking the brown liquor. So I was standing outside the conference room, and there happened to be an espresso bar. The gentleman barista coaxed me over to talk to him because he was bored. Read the rest of this entry »
Zillow Wrong Again?
Don’t Believe Everything You Read On The Internet
I’ve written about this before in a previous blog post [READ HERE], but it’s nice to have my thoughts backed up by an independent and respected entity. This short video interview from The Wall Street Journal summarizes how Zillow’s Zesstimates can be so far off the mark.
A Woodinville Example
Let’s take a look at two homes in Woodinville, WA where I live. These homes are currently listed for sale and are situated about 1.5 miles apart in desirable, rural areas. I have had the opportunity to visit both homes and feel that aside from the interior design choices made by the respective owners, they share many similarities with regard to quality. Read the rest of this entry »
The Changing Role Of A Real Estate Agent: A Historical Perspective
The Old Days
The Old Days
Realtors as Gatekeepers
Prior to entering real estate as a career back in the mid 90’s, I spent nearly ten years working in the computer industry, using the most advanced PCs at the time. When I first saw the tools available to real estate agents, I felt like I was stepping back in time. If you were a buyer looking for a home, you couldn’t just log on to the internet and search. Real estate agents were the gatekeepers of the data, and that made them an integral part of the process. Back then, all of the homes for sale were listed in paperback books that came out every couple of weeks. The photo to the left shows what the books looked like. Depending on what area you worked in, you could have 3 or 4 of these books in your possession at any one time. Read the rest of this entry »
