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I Hope There Aren’t Any Bugs! (Why You Should Always Work With Traditional Real Estate Agents)
September 9, 2016 /“I hope there aren’t any bugs!” said the landlord as she handed me the keys to my new apartment. “I beg your pardon?” I said, a trifle dismayed that the apartment I would be renting with my girlfriend could be home to “bugs.” “Oh, it’s nothing really,” said the landlord, “it’s just that there might be bugs in your apartment.” An awkward silence ensued. “I’m not saying there definitely are bugs,” said the landlord with a forced laugh, the kind family members might use at Christmas dinner when crazy Uncle Ernie starts telling inappropriate stories. “It’s just that there might be.” More silence. I had a brief vision of the scene from the last Indiana Jones movie when one of the bad guys falls into an anthill and is eaten alive by its inhabitants. “Anyhoo,” the landlord said, clearing her throat, “who wants a cup of coffee?” There were bugs, as it turned out. I discovered one after wrestling three suitcases, two bicycles, and a box stuffed with approximately twelve pairs of flip-flops through the front door of our new apartment. As I prepared to unload my burden and collapse onto the carpet of the living room floor, I found the space already occupied by the…Read more
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Do you want a discount from your Real Estate Agent?
September 2, 2016 /What You Get When You Work With a Discount Agent Here’s a hint: it’s not much. While discounted brokers might seem attractive (who isn’t attracted to a lower price tag?), a lower cost does not often equal a better experience in the real estate world. Before jumping on the discount bandwagon, take a minute to read our reasons why traditional realtors are still the kings (and queens) of the real estate world. Traditional vs. Discount Before launching into a discussion about why the traditional model trumps discount upstarts, it’s important to understand the distinction between the two. A traditional broker is a tried and true real estate agent - he or she will charge a standard commission fee (often 6% of the sales price), but will not charge any other fees. Traditional brokers generally control all aspects of the real estate transaction, such as advertising your home, working with the MLS in your state, negotiating offers, helping you discover anything unique about certain properties, developing individualized marketing strategies to ensure that a homeowner’s property gets maximum market exposure, and finding properties for prospective buyers. A discounted broker, on the other hand, charges a lower commission, often around 3-5%, but sometimes even lower. Some…Read more
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Have you ever wanted to live in Ballard?
June 3, 2016 /It’s common knowledge that Seattle has a long and proud maritime history. Whether you’re enjoying a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, visiting the aquarium on the pier, or simply renting a paddleboat out on Green Lake, you'll never be far from the water. In the midst of all this briny heritage is Ballard, a nook of northwest Seattle with especially strong ties to the sea. By coincidence, it’s also one of the most popular neighborhoods in the city. Ballard has a long, rich history that stretches back to the 1850s. Originally an independent town populated by fishermen of Scandinavian descent, Ballard has since been incorporated into Seattle and blossomed into a hotspot for culture, food, and drink. One of Ballard’s most popular attractions is the Nordic Heritage Museum, which specializes in preserving and celebrating Nordic culture through dance, film, music, and an extensive series of classes and lectures. On particularly sunny days, visitors can stroll down to Ballard’s popular Golden Gardens Park, a coastal recreation area with forest trails, sandy beaches, and ample views of the Puget Sound. If you’re going to visit Ballard, however, you’ve got to emphasize eating and drinking. In a city renowned for its culinary scene,…Read more
