By Jason Roberts

“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” ~ Anthony Robbins, Author, and Life Coach

By Pam Christensen

In this market that is the question, right? We do have a hot market there is no debate on that, but even in a hot market, the return on investment for Staging is huge! You may have heard me speak at the meetings and talk about our statistics; we staged 300 homes last year with an average time on market of 8 days, and our homes sold for an average of $30,000 over asking price. Those statistics speak for themselves. But I really got a rude awakening the other day when I casually started searching through Redfin to see what was available in the North Seattle, South Snohomish County area. I gotta tell you I felt like I have been living a very sheltered life! I work with some of the best investors in the Puget Sound area, and my clients use quality finishes that fit the price point and style of the home. They understand that from a business

By James Dainard

By Pam Christensen

Funny, I pulled up the article that I wrote last year for our May newsletter and we had the same depressing rainy and gray weather! But this year our April was even wetter, windier and grayer! We have had a couple of 70 degree days to give us hope that there really is a sun in the Pacific Northwest, and so it’s time to get started on creating curb appeal that sells. So, put your rain slicker and rubber boots on and head into the yard so when the sun shines you’ll have some beauty to enjoy, and your buyers will be delighted with spring color when they walk up the sidewalk to view your home.

By Mark J. Kohler

This may seem bold to hear from your CPA. I’m not a realtor selling you real estate, but as a tax lawyer, I am actually trying to help you save taxes and build wealth at the same time.

By Tracy Minick

Pets and pet policies are one of the major stressors that landlords may face. Animals can often equal damage. Here are some best practices to help mitigate the risk and danger from a pet. Many cities are "pet-friendly." As a landlord, you will have to balance the inherent difficulties of pets with having quality tenants.

By Gena Horiatis

Finding your niche in the vast world of real estate investment can take time. Be patient. You are going to have to try on a lot of different hats to see which one suits you best. My recommendation is to begin to wholesale in your backyard. Your backyard is anyplace you can drive back and forth to in a weekend. There are really good reasons for this. There is no risk, and you get to see the operations firsthand. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to do several of the same types of deal before you branch out. That way you really understand the strategy. When you are ready to move on, you might select lease options, which are another great way to make money without using any of your own.

By James Dainard

With inventory low and the real estate market hot, buyers are eager for a quick sale in order to close on the home they want. I spoke with our listing team for some tips and tricks that they recommend to clients who are getting ready to list their investment properties and below are some of their ideas.

By Doug Owens

People sometimes ask me whether it is advisable to buy real estate at a sheriff’s auction, and I always say “It depends.” A sheriff’s sale happens when someone obtains a judgment against someone who owns the property and the court orders that judgment be foreclosed and the property be sold to pay the judgment. A foreclosure and sheriff’s sale wipe out the liens of any creditors whose liens are junior to the lien that is foreclosed. So if there are senior liens the purchase may not make economic sense. But if there are not senior liens, the first kind of risk in buying at a sheriff’s sale arises.

By Jack Burns

Palm Springs, CA, March 28, 2018 – The group discussion at the Inman event was thought provoking, but I felt all fidgety in my seat. Brad Inman had asked the group: “How can agents participate in the exploding iBuyer space?”

By Fred Rea

You’re listening to a guru pitch you on his program for wealth, dreaming of millions in the bank. You leave the seminar pumped up, pockets a little lighter due to the cost of the weekend training, but ready to take on the world.

By Pam Christensen

I love the Vegas market! Every year I try to make it to market for at least one day, but with 3 interconnected buildings and 40 floors of exhibits, it’s impossible to see everything unless you can spend at least 3 days touring the market. There are over 4,200+ samples of furniture, bedding, lighting, flooring, accessories and gift resources. It’s THE place to find trends for the coming year and for my company to meet new suppliers to help us create designs that wow our clients. For me, it’s like Designers Disneyland complete with stars like the Property Brothers who were launching their new furniture line. My husband really wanted me to stand in the LONG line to meet them and get a picture, just so he could show friends at home how tall the Property brothers really are. I, however, chose to pass on the opportunity.

By Doug Owens

I have written two articles about the Supreme Court’s Hirst decision, the first just before the end of the 2017 extended legislative session and the second a few months later based on an article I had read by a colleague on the implications of the decision for people in counties other than Whatcom. By now you have probably heard or read that the current Legislature has adopted a bill, which the Governor has signed to address the Hirst decision.The bill carries an emergency clause and so it has taken effect.

By James Dainard

In Today's hot real estate market, inventory is low leading to quick sales from eager buyers. I asked our amazing listing team for ideas and tips that they recommend to all clients and below are some of their insightful thoughts.

A cross collateralized loan is simply a loan where more than one property (asset) is being used as collateral. For example, you use a rental property you have some equity in as collateral to secure your loan against a flip you are purchasing as an easy way to use less of your own capital. The two caveats to this type of loan are the collateral home has to be in Western Washington and CANNOT be owner-occupied. Intrust Funding will typically lend up to 65% of the homes fair market value (FMV) so if you own a free and clear home worth $300,000 we can lend up to (300,000 * .65) = $195,000. The real beauty of the cross collateralized loan is that we can even structure your loan so you have an interest reserve built-into the loan so you have no monthly interest payments, no upfront fees, no down payment and if you get a construction loan, no upfront rehab costs either. There is absolutely no better cash-on cash return in a real estate investment than a collateralized property loan from Intrust Funding!

Many investors like deals in which the seller carries back some or all of the purchase price, allowing the investor-buyer to maximize leverage. There are several ways in which seller financing can occur, perhaps the most common of which is the promissory note secured by a deed of trust. From the buyer-borrower's standpoint, this method is favorable but not as favorable as a traditional mortgage which has been all but replaced by the deed of trust. The reason for this is largely that institutional lenders favor the relatively rapid process of foreclosing the deed of trust in case of default without having to file a lawsuit as would be the case with a mortgage. A deed of trust can be foreclosed in approximately one hundred eighty days while foreclosing a mortgage could take a year or more. Sellers who agree to finance their buyers have in many cases fallen into line with the big lenders and used the note and deed of trust as the financing mechanism.

As any investor knows, if you have not made any investment mistakes you probably have not made any investments. Learning from these mistakes so you can master your investment business is the key to your success. You can learn from other people's mistakes, so I would like to share mistakes that I have either personally made or have watched investor-clients make.

A year ago I wrote concerning a timber trespass case that had been recently decided that had implications for investors who buy property that has tall, primarily coniferous trees on either the property to be purchased or any neighboring parcel close to the common boundary. The Court of Appeals, although a different division, has now decided a case on a similar topic which raises new concerns for investors.

"I'm in the process of completing my first cash flow property and I am getting ready to start thinking about tenants. How do you determine who will make a good tenant?" -Matt in Seattle

Predictions are in for kitchens and baths trends for 2017 and not surprising they are not too different from last year. In general, open spaces that are functional for all ages, but take our baby boomer populations needs into consideration are hot. Clean lines and transitional styles are replacing traditional designs.