I get a lot of questions around some basic principles of the appraiser and the appraisal. For today's blog, I thought I would share these FAQ with you. How is an inspection different than an appraisal? Although it seems like they are doing similar tasks (inspecting the home), the purpose behind doing an inspection versus and an apprasial are for two very different reasons. Home inspections assess the physical condition of a home and home appraisals estimate the home's value. Although the appraiser visually inspects the home, the appraiser usually addresses conditions that are apparent or observable. Unlike a home inspector, an appraiser does not test mechanical systems and major appliances

Have you ever felt blindsided when you got a commission check? Looking at the number on the check, you just wonder: "WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO?" You had a totally different number in mind. "How did this happen? I thought I knew what my split was." I've always wondered - Why don't brokerages explain in detail exactly what ALL the fees will be when sign up to their brokerage? Why can't brokerages just be transparent and up front about the costs and the fees - so you know AHEAD of time? It's enough to make you disappointed, or worse, distrustful. I've been in the business 20 years. I've seen the pains different agents go through. One of the pains is commissions. That's why there's a very

I get a lot of questions around some basic principles of the inspector and the inspection. For today's blog, I thought I would share these FAQ with you. WHO CHOOSES THE INSPECTOR? Often, buyer's don't have an inspector on hand, so they ask their real estate agent to recommend an inspector. In Washington State NWMLS, there is an Inspection Referral Disclosure Form (Form 41D), that your agent may have you sign. Your agent will give you three or so names of inspectors that you can choose from. With your approval, the agent will coordinate the inspection. Many agents have "go-to" inspectors that will be able to prioritize an inspection for their agent/client. But the Form 41D asks that the

First of all, some people think you will automatically get an appraisal when you buy real estate. However, you only need an appraisal when you are getting a loan. The lender needs to know the property's value. Meaning - appraisals aren't only about money - sometimes they are about repair work as well. The loan amount is based on the appraised value. The lender will not loan an amount higher than the appraised value. In our hot real estate market, where people are outbidding each other to win the house - the offers might escalate the price above the appraised value. Of course, you won't know that until later in the process. In the moment, you are just estatic that you've won the offer i

When you are in sales and marketing, there are passive ways to do your work, and aggressive ways to do your work. Aggressive interaction with people - door knocking, cold calling. Basically, having direct contact with a human being. Passive - email marketing, drip campaigns, social media, postcards/mailers. Basically, indirect access to your client/potential client base. I'm not saying one way is right or wrong. It's actually smart to take a multi-pronged approach to your work, meaning don't put all your eggs in one basket. Just because one way of marketing works now, doesn't mean it will work later. What's also interesting is that just because you have worked in one geographical area wi