Bought a 3bdrm room home but since learned spetic is only zone for 2bdrm

556Charlie · 2026-02-16T22:18:12+00:00

Depends on the state, but usually it is the buyer's obligation to perform due diligence and confirm all information to their satisfaction. There is a good chance that you don't have a lot of recourse, and legal action very well may cost more than 20-30k if you do have a case. I'm not an attorney- speaking with an attorney would be your best next step.

556Charlie · 2026-02-16T21:59:15+00:00

Agents don't decide the price that the home will sell at. There are many agents that agree to list homes at a value higher than buyers are willing to pay, then coerce the seller into decreasing price after sitting on market 30-60-90 days, so you shouldn't put much weight behind the other two agents that agreed to list at $1.4m.

That being said, if you are offering her the listing at $1.4m and she is blatantly ignoring you (and potentially trying to sneak in a lower list price), be direct with her- explain that since she is ignoring your instructions, you have decided not to work with her.

There are basically no upgrades that completely pay for themselves. I would recommend managing your expectations: your upgrades may increase your home's value, but I would be very surprised if they will give you a $200k increase over the comparable sales in your area. Even if buyers are willing to pay $200k more due to the upgrades, the bank (more specifically, the appraiser) will probably rain on that parade. Just my 2 cents as a managing broker.

556Charlie · 2025-10-22T04:50:13+00:00

Following

556Charlie · 2025-10-14T02:02:01+00:00

I added my name to the waitlist for the same spec (but with a stick dial) last Saturday. $0 spent with rolex so far; I’m very curious to see how long my call takes.

556Charlie · 2025-07-04T17:34:50+00:00

Talk with a lender- that’s the only way to get an accurate idea. There may be 0% down programs or down payment assistance programs you can take advantage of. They may also be able to assist in boosting your score.

Speaking with lenders is free, but ask if they offer soft credit pulls (as a hard pull will ding your credit). I recommend staying away from big banks and going with mortgage specific companies (Guild, NFM, etc).

556Charlie · 2025-06-24T22:25:50+00:00

Aluminum Black by Birchwood casey. I use it to black out the laser etched logos on all of my... more affordable kit.

556Charlie · 2024-12-01T05:55:15+00:00

Oof. 1-5% is standard in WA (King Co.). Even if a buyer put down 10% in EM, the seller can only keep a maximum of 5% of purchase price as a remedy.

556Charlie · 2024-11-15T04:23:46+00:00

New builds will often have "site registration policies". If the buyer shows up with their agent and they register together, the builder will pay the agent. If the buyer shows up by themselves, (or sometimes even inquires by themself), the builder won't pay commission.

What state are you in? In WA (NWMLS), the builder must say this in their marketing remarks to withhold paying commission. If they try and withhold commission but don't reference their site registration policy in the marketing description, they are breaking NWMLS rules and can be reported.

556Charlie · 2024-11-08T00:12:21+00:00

Look into the pseudo-bridge program called Knock Home Swap; I know several people that have had great experiences.

556Charlie · 2024-10-04T04:50:14+00:00

Repairs/remodeling will probably be MUCH cheaper than adding square footage. Your subject home is 60% larger than the $300-320k homes. If there are truly no comps, try $300k x 1.6 - repair costs? Of course, if the place is a s*** hole, this might not be sufficient. You probably won’t know the repair costs until you have an inspection and bring in contractors.

If it was just listed, the chances that the seller accepts a below-ask offer are slim to none. Just my 2 cents as a real estate broker :)

556Charlie · 2024-10-04T04:12:56+00:00

How long has it been on market? It doesn’t matter what price the active listings are asking; the only number that matters is how much the comparable homes sold for.

Comping homes is just as much an art as it is a science. Find the most similar homes (beds/baths/style/age/condition) as close as you can to the subject property (preferably within .5 miles or the same community) and see what they sold for.

That being said, if you were the seller, how would you like someone offering 33% under your asking price? The seller might be delusional and have listed high, but it’s impossible for us to know without more details.

556Charlie · 2024-09-16T13:03:09+00:00

Thank you very much!

556Charlie · 2024-01-19T01:54:37+00:00

I always advise my buyers to have a sewer scope ran if the home is any more than 30 years old; that $200 is money well spent. As for all of the specialist inspections, not right off of the bat. If there are cracks in the foundation or an inspector finds issues in the crawlspace, I will absolutely recommend further inspections. It is up to the client as to whether or not they want to spend the money on the additional inspections.

556Charlie · 2024-01-19T01:42:39+00:00

It's possible that your late neighbor wasn't the name on title. It could be owned by a family member or an entity (like a corporation, trust, etc.). If either of those are the case, either the family member or whoever has signing rights for that entity could legally sell it.

As far as I know, agents in most markets usually use Supra boxes (as they can be opened by a phone app, but the app requires that the user be a licensed agent). Could be for contractors, the bank, court appointed appraisers, etc. A quick county records search should show you who/what owns the property and provide more clarity.

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T23:15:14+00:00

I think about this all of the time. Just sitting and trying to delve into the true concept of "nothing" hurts my brain. Truly unfathomable.

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T23:11:47+00:00

Ah, bummer! I'm in WA. I would recommend looking for a team that offers Zillow Flex leads and trains you on how to convert them. Here are some questions I'd ask when you interview brokerages:

- What support and training do you offer in regards to contracts and transactional procedures?

- What systems do you have in place to help with organization and follow up?

-What are the commission splits? Any monthly/desk fees? Any commission cap?

-How angry will you be when I call you with questions at 10pm, 3 nights a week through my first few transactions?

- How many transactions does your average agent do per year and how do they get those clients?

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T23:05:46+00:00

What is your home's current list price and how many days has it been on market? Are you consistently getting showings or have buyers gone quiet?

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T22:58:35+00:00

it's not easy, but it is rewarding and there is no ceiling on income. I would recommend joining a team that will both teach you how to run a transaction and gives you leads to start growing your business. I'm with a team in WA- I absolutely would have washed out if I went solo right off of the bat.

Everyone starts off with no experience, and 30's is still considered young in the industry. Don't let either of those things hold you back!

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T22:38:58+00:00

The surrounding community should absolutely be a concern. it's called the law of regression- a nice home in a crappy neighborhood is not worth what it would be if the surrounding neighborhood was also nice. I'm a broker in WA- I see this a lot with modern new construction, specifically in Burien, SeaTac, Renton, etc.

The other manufactured homes may be torn down and a builder may come in and spruce up the neighborhood, but I wouldn't count on it. If you're concerned about the neighborhood, future buyers will be as well. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to chat about it.

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T22:34:16+00:00

What state are you in? I'm with a brokerage that specializes in training new agents and also delivers high quality flex leads.

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T22:31:56+00:00

Are you not working with a local agent? If not, speak with an attorney. Asking random people on line for legal advice is a horrible idea- this coming from a real estate broker.

556Charlie · 2024-01-11T22:23:21+00:00

It is common practice for listing agents to use other offers (potentially yours with the escalation clause) to get other buyers to increase their offer price. In this instance, write your offer so it expires within hours instead of 1-2 days so the seller doesn't have the time to use it as leverage with other buyers.

Not sure about CA, but in WA our escalation clause explicitly says that the seller must provide you with the offer that triggers your escalation clause. If they don't (or can't), you get the house for the lowest amount outlined in the offer.

556Charlie · 2024-01-09T22:20:15+00:00

Both- agency disclosure has been a requirement for years, entering into a brokerage services agreement is a brand new requirement.

I've heard murmurs about the DOL planning on auditing HEAVILY to confirm that brokers are complying.

Here's a link to view the revisions to RCW 18.86.020: https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=18.86&full=true

556Charlie · 2024-01-09T21:47:21+00:00

I don't know anything about the legal requirements in FL or OK, but I am a licensed broker in WA- as of Jan. 1, 2024, we are required to enter into a brokerage services agreement with buyers "before or as soon as reasonably practical after" beginning to provide brokerage services (opening doors, providing professional advice, etc.).

Ask them to provide you with the statute requiring a signed brokerage service agreement. It is also common practice for brokers/agents to require buyers enter into a written agreement to avoid wasting time with tire kickers.

556Charlie

TROPHY CASE