I can help you
I've lived and worked in Seattle my entire life. As a professional Realtor with roots in the area, I know the local market intimately. I also know it's important to understand your goals, so I take the time to get to know you. Then I can quickly narrow down where you're likely to find the home that fits you best at the price you want.
As your Realtor, I have special access to detailed information on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a service that provides exclusive information about thousands of homes for sale. By knowing your needs, I can eliminate homes that don't meet your criteria. I make appointments, preview homes for you and help you determine the pros and cons of each property. I've worked with buyers in many different situations; moving up, downsizing, relocating, and investors.
Once you find the home you want to buy, I will guide you through the many details involved in the process. My goal is to make a complicated process simple and transparent, so that you can make smart, informed decisions.
If you're ready to find your next home or property, please contact me anytime.
Getting started
LENDER
A good lender is very important. They should clearly explain the fees associated with a mortgage and walk you through the process. A lender works for you the same way I do. Make sure you're comfortable. They can help you establish your budget and provide a written pre-approval letter. This way, when the right house pops up, you're ready to write an offer. If you don't already have a lender, I'd be happy to refer you to a couple of professionals I trust.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?
Once you've established your budget, determine where you want to live. Do a little legwork in the neighborhoods you like. Check out local schools, the farmer's market and proximity to public transportation; especially if you commute. Take a walk in the neighborhood and check out how people keep their homes and yards. Is it somewhere you can see yourself? Drive by at night so you can see if it feels differently then.
After you have decided on an area, or a couple of different areas that would work, I can begin to send you listings that meet your criteria. We can go check them out together. Not only will you want to consider how the house feels to you, you'll want to know about the guts of the house, too. It's useful to do some diligence to see if the house has had any permits pulled for work or remodeling that has been done. Having an inspection is critical to making an informed decision too. The money you spend on having it inspected is cheap insurance if it turns out your house has old faulty wiring, a leaky roof or a collapsed sewer line. I can put you in touch with some licensed, reputable inspectors that will give you a full report on the house.
It's important to know about your sewer, just as much as it's important to have an inspection on your house. It's the owner's responsibility to maintain the sewer line from your house to the city main, which is usually below the street in front of the house. Spending $225 getting the sewer line scoped before you buy is cheap insurance. Cracks, off-sets and root intrusion are typical problems that can be fixed- collapses can't. A new sewer line can run tens of thousands of dollars. Best to just know ahead of time if the sewer is in decent shape.
HOME
After your offer is accepted and your inspection is done, your lender will request financial documentation for the loan and make contact with an insurance company to obtain a binder for your homeowner's insurance. I will help you through that process. Then, you will wait on pins and needles for closing! A couple days prior to actual closing you will have your signing appointment. Bring your patience and attention because you'll be signing a lot of papers. Most documents will be from your lender. At this point, they will look pretty familiar. You will bring your cashier's check or confirmation of a wire with you to your signing apppointment at escrow. Once you and the seller have signed, escrow will close the transaction and have it recorded at the county. When escrow calls your Realtor with the recording number, you get your keys and are now, gulp, a home owner! Congratulations!
Sound like a lot? Don't worry, I'm there every step of the way.
The perfect home for you
Starting to look for a home or property can be exciting and sometimes a little overwhelming. A good way to begin is to focus on your needs and wants. I'd be happy to build a custom search for you. With the information below, I can set up a comprehensive real estate search to find the perfect match. I'll contact you with the results and provide any guidance you need to go from there.
There's no obligation or fee and your information won't be shared with anyone.