Should You Use a Local Credit Union, an Online Lender, or a Broker for Your Seattle Mortgage?

This is a question I love getting early in the process, because it tells me a buyer is thinking ahead, and thinking ahead is one of the most valuable things you can do in this market. Here is the honest answer. For a basic pre-approval, shopping around is wonderful and absolutely something I encoura

Am I Overpaying If I Relocate From a High-Cost Area? What Seattle Urban Buyers Need to Know

I see a lot of people moving to the Seattle area every week. They're coming from all over  the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Austin. Everyone's got their own reasons for making the move. And when they start looking for a place to live, they all seem to feel the same way: relieved. Compar

How Do I Price My Home Based on Recent Sale-to-List Ratios?

One of the most important conversations I have with every seller starts the same way. They come in with a number in mind. Sometimes it is a Zestimate they have been watching for months. Sometimes it is the price their neighbor got two years ago in a very different market. Sometimes it is a number ba

How Much House Can I Actually Afford vs. What the Bank Pre-Approves Me For?

Every week I talk with buyers who open a conversation with a number. "The bank pre-approved me for $850,000." They say it with confidence. They are excited, and they have every right to be. Getting pre-approved is a real step forward and something worth celebrating. And then I ask the question that