All Forum Posts by: Sonia T.

Just a thought Sonia, depending on your area and if its high end or not, I would talk to a noted realtor and get his/her advice for your area. They know what is selling and what is not. Also, it would be in your best interest to go to see like properties in your area and see for yourself what is out there. With today's technology you can take all the pictures you want and compare it with what you have. Also your friendly realtor can show you the details such as days on market (DOM) and give you ideas to make your decision. If its a mom and pop neighborhood you can design it yourself. I always use neutral colors, re-model the kitchen and bathrooms and upgrade the property without blowing your budget. This site has tons of podcasts and the people here will share great advice because we all want to succeed and not repeat mistakes. Best of luck!

Yes, plan to do that for sure. Go to open houses to see what materials are used, etc. Thanks!

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Originally posted by @Account Closed:

I was at the county courthouse today, in the law library. They had an excellent law book on real estate finance. It covered all of these topics in great detail. Just about anything to do with foreclosures. So a great tip is to checkout your county courthouse library and read up.

Can you share the title? Would love to understand more..

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Welcome to BP!

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Hello,

I was told that if one makes an offer (reviewed by a real estate attorney, of course) without a buyer agent, it should be made clear on the offer that the listing agent is NOT pocketing both sides of the transaction.

If this is incorrect, please enlighten, me! Thanks

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Hello,

I am sure I will offend most real estate agents/brokers with this question, but - can Zillow's Price This House feature be quite accurate? Is it really complicated to come up with an accurate CMA or BPO?

I ask this because I have experienced first hand one so called - 20+ years "experienced" managing broker/agent of a big national brokerage firm - provide me with a price analysis that we should list the house at $40k lower than what I came up with my unsophisticated analysis using Zillow.

I hired someone else and the house sold at what I was expecting - 40k more than the "experienced" agent was advising me.

What are your thoughts?

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Hello,

Any recommendations of designers/investors in the Greater Seattle area?

If one is starting out in a house (live first for a couple of years then sell or rent) that needs work (structural and dated components), what do you recommend? Go with a trusted contractor first to decide on what to do (ie. remove cabinets), then a designer afterwards (ie. color and style of cabinets)?

Thank you!

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Hello,

How does one evaluate a real estate agent/broker?

Is it reasonable to ask for a MLS printout with the following:
1) average days on market;
2) percentage removed from market without selling;
3) How close to listing price the properties sold at;
4) How few "concessions" were given by the seller.

Also, can they print out the statistics of their competitors? Any other questions I should be asking?

Thank you!

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Originally posted by @Jiri Vetyska:

Hi Sonia,

Well, you can invest anywhere, but if you chose to manage your own properties, it's best when it's near by.

Downtown Seattle up to green lake are very popular areas, but unless you want to compete with 10-20 cash offers way over asking price, and accept 3% or less cash flow, south of Seattle is a great area to invest and see both great appreciation and cash flow.

Pick a good area with good schools and nice neighborhood and you'll do great!

Yes, that makes sense. According to zillow, the market in the south of Seattle is "very cold". But I was hesitant thinking that maybe I am missing something or people more experienced know better. My gut tells me I should go for it. We will see...

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Hi,

I came across Faira the other day and absolutely love it! I wish you all the best of luck and you prosper in this business model. The only con is that you are new and not many properties are listed.... How are you reaching to potential sellers? FSBO section on CL? Word of mouth?

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@Chris Mason:"The question is basically "Double the listing agent's commission and have no one in your corner that knows the ropes? y/n." I was told that if one make an offer (reviewed by a real estate attorney, of course) without an agent, it should be made clear on the offer that the listing agent is NOT pocketing both sides of the transaction.

If this is incorrect, please enlighten, me! Thanks

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All Forum Posts by: Sonia T.

Sonia T. has started 14 posts and replied 42 times.

Post: Designer/Investors in the Seattle area??

Post: Burned on foreclosure purchase

Post: Hello from Seattle

Post: Buying without representation - can I save 3%?

Post: BPO vs CMA vs Zillow Price This House

Post: Designer/Investors in the Seattle area??

Post: How to evaluate listing agents - superstars vs mediocre

Post: Work in Kent, WA - Live in North or South of Seattle?

Post: Seattle Area Flippers - Sell Free (no commission) on Faira

Post: Is hiring an agent "required"???