Buying Steps 28-31: Navigating Inspection Negotiations

Andi Dyer • April 28, 2025

Step 28

Once you receive the Inspector’s report, we will both review it.


Most home repairs are negotiable. Be prepared to pick your battles: Minor issues, like a cracked switch plate or loose kitchen faucet, are easy and cheap to fix on your own. You don’t want to start nickel-and-diming the Seller. 


We are going to start with some background so we can make the best plan for you. Hey, I haven’t laid any real estate history on you yet, so this is important. I’m going to explain our NEW Standard Operating Procedure per our attorney for Washington REALTORS®.


“Historically, Buyer Brokers have drafted Buyer requests for repairs (Inspection Response Form 35R) by attaching a page or two from the Inspector’s report identifying a problem that Inspector noted and then instructing Seller to hire further investigation and correction of the issue. When a Seller agrees, Seller is then vested with full authority to select the expert who will conduct further investigations and determine needed corrections, if any. The result of this is that too often, Seller delivers by hiring a specialist who reaches conclusions that do not conform to Buyer’s expectations based on the urgency and crisis created in Buyer’s mind by discussions with Buyer’s Inspector. The reason inspection requests are drafted in this way is because real estate Brokers are not specialists with respect to the problem or the solution identified by Inspector. Since Brokers cannot diagnose the problem or the solution, their suggestion to Buyer is that Buyer surrender the issue to a specialist. That is appropriate. The problem is that our industry has fallen into the habit of surrendering Buyer’s inspection contingency to a Seller-selected specialist who naturally places immediate cost savings over long-term sustainability. That is the disconnect between Buyer expectations and Seller deliveries.


Rather than surrendering Buyer’s inspection contingency to Seller-selected specialists, Buyer Brokers should be assisting Buyers to consult a Buyer-selected specialist to determine the work and costs associated with the work, necessary to correct problems identified by Buyer’s Inspector. This means that during the inspection contingency, Buyers should be bringing contractors into Seller’s home who can diagnose problems identified by the Inspector and suggest repairs, along with associated costs, sufficient to resolve the problem for Buyer’s long-term use. Armed with knowledge provided by Buyer’s chosen specialist, Buyer can then negotiate either a price concession or Seller payment of Buyer closing costs in the amount of the repair so that Buyer ends up with that sum following closing and can hire the contractor to make the repair. In the alternative, Buyer can ask Seller, via Form 35R, to hire the identified contractor to make the repairs identified on the contractor’s bid. Either way, Broker is removed from the task of identifying the solution to a problem Buyer’s Inspector identified and Buyer is empowered to control the solution to the problem. Seller is equally advantaged by the ability to apply a purely economic analysis to the request Buyer makes, free from stressful calculations associated with finding a contractor they can hire to make a repair they may or may not agree is needed.


The nuts and bolts of the inspection contingency addendum (Form 35) make all of this background work possible although Brokers may need to develop their understanding of the form and shift the time periods associated with completion of the form. The initial inspection period (ten days by default) requires Buyer’s conformity to the Home Inspector statute. The statute allows Buyer to personally conduct an inspection or Buyer may hire a licensed, whole home Inspector only to conduct the inspection of Seller’s home. Additionally, during this period, Buyer may bring a licensed electrician, plumber and engineer into Seller’s home to inspect the electrical, plumbing and structural components of Seller’s home. Then, during the “Additional Inspections” period (five days by default) Buyer may bring a “specialist” into Seller’s home to diagnose problems and suggest solutions. During the Additional Inspections period, Buyer may, without additional Seller consent, bring contractors into Seller’s home to propose solutions to the problems identified by Buyer’s Inspector. Buyer must trigger the Additional Inspections period by timely claiming the additional time and providing the Inspector’s recommendation for additional investigation.”


MARKERS IN TIME


by Annie Fitzsimmons, Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline Lawyer | Oct 10, 2019

 

It is in your best interest to get your own bids after the Inspection. Other options include:


  • If the Seller agrees to make all of your repair requests: He or she must provide you with invoices stating that the repairs were made. Then it’s full steam ahead toward the sale.


  • If the Seller responds to your repair requests with a counteroffer: He or she will state which repairs (or credits at closing) he or she is willing to make. The ball is in your court to either agree, counter the Seller’s counteroffer or terminate the transaction.


Remember to check in with yourself to see how you’re feeling about all of this. You will  find something objectionable in the home inspection report. You need to be realistic about how much repair work you’d be taking on. At this point in the sale, there’s a lot of pressure from all parties to move into the close. But if you don’t feel comfortable, speak up.


If you are still within the time frame for the inspection period you should be able to get out of your contract to purchase the property and be refunded your earnest money. This is the exact reason we have an inspection period and hire an Inspector. It’s also the reason you want to make sure you’re working with a great REALTOR®.


In order for you to get out of the contract due to a bad inspection, we will need to terminate the agreement and get your Earnest Money back. If all parties involved are being responsible and reasonable, this can hopefully happen quickly but plan that it could take up to a few weeks to get your earnest money back potentially.

 

The most important things to remember during the home inspection? Trust your Inspector, trust your gut, and lean on your agent — they likely have a lot of experience to support your decision-making.

That’s something to feel good about.

 

Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Step 29

We get asked for recommendations on “the safest places to live in Whatcom County” all the time. By law we are not allowed to answer that question for several reasons:


  • It violates Federal Fair Housing standards which are meant to deter agents from steering Buyers into or out of certain areas.
  • My idea of safe might not be the same as your idea of safe. For example, are you worried about crime, natural disasters, clowns, or those adorable Girl Scouts selling cookies door to door and compromising your diet? “Safe” is subjective.


So, what do you do if you are new to the area and have questions about crime rates?

We recommend checking out the following websites as part of your investigations:


  • Bellingham Herald – Local Crime

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/crime/

  • City of Bellingham – Police Activity

https://cob.org/gov/dept/police/news-police/police-daily-activity

  • National Sex Offender Registry

https://www.nsopw.gov/

  • Neighborhood Scout

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/

  • If you are looking at a home in the County, Ferndale or Lynden, etc. check their sources as well.


Drive around the area you’re thinking of living in both at night and during the day to see what it’s like. Visit the police station and talk to the police offers. They can answer any questions you have and give you, their perspective.

 

Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Step 30

Can You Back Out of a Purchase & Sales Agreement?

We often get asked by Buyers if they can terminate a Purchase & Sales Agreement they’ve signed due to a change of heart or because they found a different house they like better. Here's what you need to know:


Step 1: Consult Your Attorney

Always consult your attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.


Step 2: Understanding the Agreement

  • If the Purchase & Sales Agreement has been executed (signed by both Buyers and Sellers), there are typically limited ways to back out.
  • In the state of Washington, there are often options during the Inspection Period.


Step 3: The Inspection Period

  • Once the Purchase & Sales Agreement is executed, there is typically an Inspection Period, usually lasting 5 to 10 days.
  • During this time, the home inspection takes place.\


Step 4: How to Back Out During the Inspection Period

  • Most agreements include a clause allowing the Buyer to back out if they are unhappy with something in the Inspection Report.
  • If you choose to terminate the agreement during this period, you can typically:
  • Request to cancel the agreement due to inspection issues.
  • Request a refund of your Earnest Money.
  • This must all happen before the Inspection Period ends.


Step 5: After the Inspection Period

  • Once the Inspection Period has ended, it becomes very difficult—if not impossible—to back out of the agreement and get your Earnest Money refunded.


Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Step 31

If you’re buying a condo or moving into a planned community with a Homeowners Association, you need to review and approve or disapprove the documents/rules. For condos, these documents generally include the Declarations and Bylaws, the Rules and Regulations, the current year's budget, and the meeting minutes.

If you’re buying a single-family home, you will need to review the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC & R’s), which address things such as pets, fences, parking, and garbage cans. 

The reason you need to review these documents is that when you buy a condo, you’re not just buying your particular unit, but you’re also buying into the building. You need to figure out if the building is stable and healthy financially speaking or if there could be potential problems, either with big upcoming maintenance issues or delinquent condo owners who aren’t paying their HOA fees, etc. It’s also essential to learn about the building’s rules, such as:


  • Are there pet restrictions (number of pets, breeds, weights, etc.)?
  • Are there any move-in fees?
  • Can you lease your unit and, if so, for how long?
  • Is more than 75% of the building renters? If so, there is a good chance your Mortgage Lender won’t approve the loan as a building with too many renters is a risky investment


When you buy into a single-family home with a Home Owner’s Association, there are going to be rules/regulations you need to abide by. How many dogs can you have? Can you build a fence? Does it need to go to a design review committee first? Can you run a business from your home? Can you park a Recreational Vehicle/boat in your driveway or road?


For all of the above reasons, we strongly urge you to read all documents thoroughly. Write down any questions or issues you’d like to know more about as we can ask for clarification or further documentation. Pay particular attention to the meeting minutes as this is often where you’ll learn what’s really going on in the building and any future plans for big-ticket repairs.


After you’ve read the condo documents, email me any questions you have and whether you feel comfortable going forward, want to cancel the Purchase & Sale Agreement, or would like additional information.

 

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN BUYING A CONDO

You’ve found the perfect condo now what? It’s important to ask the right questions to make sure the condo is going to qualify for a mortgage. So what are the right questions? That’s why we’re here to help! These are our top 10 questions to ask when buying a condo. Remember, you’re not just buying a condo, but you’re buying into a piece of the building, and the mortgage company needs to make sure both the condo and the building are in good condition, both physically and financially. So here are the top 10 questions you should ask the HOA or property management company when considering buying a condo:

1. “Are there issues?”
Take a look at the minutes from board meetings to see what the owners have been griping about. These documents can give you great insight into potential headaches you might encounter should you choose to live in the building. Lenders may ask for these as part of their loan-level review to ensure there are no major issues that could adversely impact the operation or marketability of the project.
 
 2. “Am I surrounded by Delinquents?”
Find out the 30-day delinquency rate of present owners in terms of paying their Homeowners Association fees. The maximum allowed by Fannie and Freddie is 15% of the total number of units. Federal Housing Administration loans allow 15% of the owners to be 60 days delinquent. Therefore, if more than 15% of the current owners are late on their Homeowners Association fees, you may have trouble getting a loan for a unit in that building.

3. “Is there a Rainy-Day Fund?”
Oftentimes, Lenders must review the homeowners’ association's current budget to determine that:

  • The budget is adequate (i.e., it includes allocations for line items pertinent to the type of condo
  • It provides for the funding of replacement reserves for capital expenditures (such as roof replacement) and deferred maintenance – at least 10% of the budgeted income should be put toward the reserves is a common amount.
  • It provides adequate funding for the building’s insurance deductible amounts


4. “Am I covered?”

 Does the association insurance include:

  • A $1M Commercial General Liability policy on a per-occurrence basis, and
  • Hazard Insurance with 100% Replacement Cost coverage and no coinsurance, and
  • A Fidelity Bond that protects the Homeowners Association against embezzlement or other loss of funds (21 and more units)?
  • Are the interior finishes of the unit covered by the Hazard Policy or will the buyer have to purchase a separate walls-in policy?
  • Speak to your Insurance Agent or ask us for a few recommendations.


5. “Lawsuits!”
Currently, mortgage loans in projects with any type of litigation are ineligible for delivery to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD. Litigation, however, can vary from having no impact on the project to having a major impact. In recognition of the various types of litigation and their potential impact on a project, the current policies related to litigation are as follows:

Any project (condo, co-op, or PUD) for which the homeowners’ association or co-op corporation is named as a party to pending litigation, or for which the project sponsor or developer is named as a party to pending litigation that relates to the safety, structural soundness, habitability, or functional use of the project is ineligible.

The following are defined to be minor matters and may be acceptable:
       a. the homeowners’ association is the plaintiff in an action to collect past due homeowner's association dues, or
       b. the homeowners’ association is named as the plaintiff in a foreclosure action, or
       c. the homeowners’ association is named as the defendant in litigation for which the claimed amount is known, the insurance carrier has agreed to provide the defense, and the amount is covered by the association’s insurance (Slip & Fall), or
       d. the homeowners’ association is named as a ‘Necessary Defendant’ in a mortgage foreclosure suit
       e. the homeowners’ association is named as a defendant in non-monetary litigation involving neighbor disputes or rights of quiet enjoyment.

6. “Are most of my neighbor's owners or tenants?”
Does the association have any restrictions on renting units? If yes, do those restrictions comprise a prohibited restraint on conveyance per the Fair Housing Act? Are first mortgages exempt from any Right of First Refusal or Leasing Restrictions? If not, the project may be non-warrantable. Generally, a good rule of thumb is that if more than 50% of the building is renters, you may have trouble getting a mortgage in that building.

7. “Who’s in charge?”
Is the project professionally managed or self-managed? Each type of management presents its own unique risks, with self-managed properties representing greater risk.
 
8. “Is there a monopoly?”
Per Fannie, and Freddie no single entity (including a person) may own more than 10% of the total units in the project. HUD now allows a single entity to own up to 50% of the units. For example, if you’re looking to buy a condo in a 3-flat building and 2 of the units are one person you probably won’t be able to get financing for the unit you’re interested in purchasing. Crazy right?

 

Condo finance laws & regulations change frequently. You will have tons of financial documents to review, seek legal counsel reviewing this if you are uncomfortable/unfamiliar with this.

 

Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

ENTER TO WIN A $500 GIFT CARD

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
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Selling Steps 1-2: Finding a Realtor® & Comparing Services

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 1 Many homeowners start the selling process by looking at sites such as Realtor.com, Zillow, or Redfin to see what similar properties have recently sold for in their neighborhood to determine the current value of their home. That’s fine and understandable, but keep in mind: The sites aren’t 100% accurate as listings that were never listed in the NWMLS, or For Sale By Owners, will be missing. The information on the online sites is often out of date or not accurate as NWMLS. Therefore, a property might show that it’s still Active on Zillow, even though it sold 9 months prior. When professional appraisers conduct an appraisal, they only take into account homes that have sold in a particular neighborhood within the last 90 days. It’s not possible to sort the data by date on the online sites so it’s difficult to only look for properties that have sold within the last 90 days. Therefore, Step 1 to buying a home should be to interview REALTORS ® to represent you and ask them to provide you with a CMA (Comparable Market Analysis). Find a Realtor® How do you find a really good REALTOR®? Hopefully, you’ll contact us at 360-734-6479 or andi@andidyer.com so we can see if we would be a good fit. Remember, not all REALTORS® are right for all people. It would be best if you found someone who is not only great at his or her job, but someone you like and trust as you’re putting a big piece of your financial future in their hands. Ask friends and family for referrals. Contact those Realtors® and set up initial phone screenings with them. Notice how quickly each REALTOR® responds to your initial phone call or email. The REALTOR® should get back to you within 24 hours; if not, that’s a bad sign. This business moves fast, and deals can be lost if your REALTOR® doesn’t respond quickly on your behalf to showing requests, offers, inspection negotiations, etc. Initial Phone Screening During the initial phone screening, find out if the REALTOR® knows your neighborhood and if they’ve ever helped a client buy or sell property in your neighborhood. Ask about their experience. If your gut reaction says this person might be a good fit, ask them to do a CMA on your home and set up a time to meet with them in person. Be prepared for the REALTOR® to ask questions about your home, how much you owe on your mortgage and if any repairs are needed as they need this information to do an accurate CMA. Meet In Person and Review the CMA When you meet with the REALTOR® in person, ask them our Interview questions for hiring a REALTOR (see the next article we send). You will go over the CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) together and evaluate your competition. Ask them not only what they think your home is worth, but what the average days on market (i.e. the number of days from when your home goes on the market until you have an accepted contract) are in your area. If the REALTOR® doesn’t know this, move on. Ask them what they charge, how much the closing costs will be, and what approximately you’ll net if you sell your home for X price. Most importantly, be honest with each REALTOR®. If you need to sell your home for a certain amount of money or in a certain time frame, tell them. Only when REALTORS® have a complete picture can they come up with the best strategy to fit your situation. Lastly, trust your gut. Sign the paperwork Once you’ve picked a REALTOR®, expect to sign a Listing Agreement authorizing that REALTOR® to represent you. That starts the ball rolling to get your home on the market. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Step 3: Understanding the Escrow Process

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 3 THE ESCROW PROCESS

Selling Steps 4-5: Understanding Your Realtor's® Role & Homework for Sellers

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 4 What I Do For You Not all real estate practitioners are REALTOR®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTOR® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. When looking at all the factors that an Agent influences, it’s easy to see how important it is to choose the right one for you. Navigate a complicated process Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Information and opinions REALTORS® can provide objective information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They’ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property most likely have a good resale value when I am ready to sell? Negotiating skills There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and including or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections, and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your Agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required. Property marketing power Real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property. Someone who speaks the language If you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language. Experience Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS®, on the other hand, handles hundreds of estate transactions over the course of their career. Having an expert on your side is critical. Objective voice A home often symbolizes the future, rest, and security – it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, home buying and selling can be an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the largest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 6-7: Electronic Signatures & Exclusive Sale Agreements

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 6 Signing Electronically Authentisign is a secure, online, document signing service that enables multiple parties to participate and sign real estate documents electronically. Electronic signatures have been approved for use since June 30, 2000, when Congress enacted the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. In an electronic signing, the action of you approving the documents is your signature. Instead of actually signing your name, you are approving the documents by clicking on signature or initial blocks. When you click on each block, the document will replace the block with your name or initials. The entire signing process is tracked, including the IP (internet protocol) address of your computer and the date and time you signed. This electronic process is convenient, efficient, and reduces the amount of time and paper used in the transaction. Respond to Invitation You will receive an invitation email with a link to access the signing transaction. Click the blue icon (shown below) to open the Authentisign electronic signature service.

Selling Steps 8-11: Zillow Accuracy & Zestimates

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 8 You see a home on Zillow or the like (we’ll call them portals from here on out) and inquire about its availability with us…and it’s not for sale. You’re looking to sell your home and you LOVE the Zestimate (I don’t need to talk to anyone to find out how much my home is worth; squeeee! And even better my home magically increased in value by $50K in the last two weeks according to Zillow; double squeeee!), yet the number is completely wrong when you talk to a REALTOR®? Why? Let’s start with the availability of homes part. The dirty secret about online real estate is that it’s built upon you being a leader. The online real estate world is inaccurate and untrustworthy. Portals don’t care about their data being accurate; they are an advertising website, not a real estate website so there’s no incentive for them to make sure that a home that sold six months ago is changed from active to sold on their website. They just care about getting your contact information, they sell advertising. Now that you know that the baseline of portals is garbage, let’s move on to estimates of home value. First of all, Zillow itself calls it a “Zestimate,” as in estimate. Zillow has a helpful chart which can be seen below showing that in the Seattle area the Zestimates are off by 9.8% on average. That means on a $500,000 home the Zestimate could say it’s worth either $450,000 or $550,000. That’s a $100K swing in price. Instead, Zillow says it’s a starting point for a pricing discussion. If it’s not even close to accurate, why are you taking these estimates as gospel? Wouldn’t it be called a “Zaccurate” if it was accurate? So why they aren’t accurate and what are these Zestimates based on? In Whatcom County, most of their data come from public data derived from the county, city, and state. The problem with this data is that it is out of date, to begin with. Anyone who has lived in Whatcom County for any length of time knows that the data is often inaccurate and this, in part, is what Zestimates are based on. The portals do not have access to sold home prices – en masse – which adds another layer of inaccuracy to the mess. The portals then apply an algorithm – a computer program – to these disparate incorrect pieces of data to derive an estimate of value. How can an accurate price be determined for a home when the data it is based on is out of date and incorrect? It can’t. So how should the value of a home be determined if you want it to be accurate? Sold home data – hard dollars spent – in a recent time period on homes that compare to each other is the most important way to determine the current market value of your home. Appraisers only use comps that have sold within the last three months which have a similar number of bedrooms, baths, square footage, and features, and are located within a 1-mile radius of the subject property. This is the reason why the beautiful new construction 3-bedroom single-family home that sold a year ago on your street doesn’t help the value of your 100-year-old 2-bedroom four-flat condo. Only real estate professionals and appraisers have access to this sold data; portals do not. The condition of your home is a factor. All things being equal, an updated home will be of more value than an identical home in the bedroom, bath, and square footage count no matter how much you love your “charming!” 50-year-old kitchen and asbestos-filled basement. Whether a neighborhood is appreciating or depreciating in value will affect the price of your home. Often a Seller’s perceived value of their home and the actual market price are very different numbers. You might be willing to overlook that your home has no AC and that the third bedroom is the size of a storage closet because you think the home has a ton of character which makes it worth the same as a home with Central AC and three large bedrooms, but these issues affect the price whether a Seller wants to admit it or not. This is why determining the fair market value of a home is a mixture of art and NWMLS data. My job as a REALTOR® is to help you determine where the actual market price of your home is based on the accurate information we have at my disposal, not the perceived price based on your emotions. So, in lieu of talking to us or any other REALTORS®, where can you go for accurate information? We will send you a link, to my system that is accurate, and an app HomeSpotter which it is integrated with. See a house on Zillow, Trulia, etc. that you like? Look it up on my App or NWMLS to be sure it’s actually available. Our sites are updated constantly. Zillow’s website sometimes has information on it that is 6 months old. In a fast-moving market, this could make or break your buying experience – specifically how much time you waste online. You’ll need to find every home in your general area and neighborhood which matches your home’s bedroom, bath, square footage, parking, etc. which has sold in the last three months since that is the time frame appraisers use. Then you need to go inside of them (or find recent photos of the interior) to make sure they match your home in terms of quality, condition, and finishes to determine a somewhat accurate value. Or you can pay for an appraisal every year until you’re ready to sell. Or we can generate an NWMLS report of sold homes in your neighborhood for you whenever you’d like, which is free. One tip we do recommend for Sellers is to claim your home on Zillow so you can make the data as accurate as possible.  The bottom line for these and other websites is this: They are nothing, but advertising sites meant to monetize your eyeballs. Next time you log on to a portal such as Zillow and Trulia, look for an ad for a bank, or three-plus Agents (who pay to make it look like it is their listing which it isn’t), or a mortgage person or any of the myriad of advertising partners these companies have. Every time you look up a home as a Buyer or try to ascertain the value of a home as a Seller you’re selling an ad for these people and companies to the tune of multiple millions of dollars every year. They aren’t in the business of accuracy, only your eyes on an ad. Want accuracy? Want to know the market value of your home? Tired of wasting your time online? Give us a shout. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Step 12: Social Media & Self Promotion

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
Step 12 You’ve picked a REALTOR® (us!). Yeah! Now what? Now we need to get your home ready for the market. This involves: Change the privacy settings on all your social media pages so only friends can see your posts We don’t want potential Buyers Googling you learning that you just got a big promotion at work, are moving across the country or are buying a new house because you’re having a baby. All of these items can hurt my negotiation position, therefore, it’s imperative you change your security settings to make your posts and photos private to strangers. And while you can mention on your social media page that you’re selling your home, don’t say why. Top 10 List Write a top ten list of reasons you love living in your home. We don’t want these reasons to be things the Buyers can easily see for themselves such as your gorgeous kitchen. Rather, we want them to be intangibles that only you know such as the beautiful sunsets visible through your living room windows, that you have great neighbors, the Farmers Market down the street every Tuesday, see the next page for an example of a Top 10 List. We then use this list in our marketing of your home. The Top 10 Reasons You’ll Love Living Here 1. Location, location, location! Only 3 blocks to the shops and restaurants of Sehome Neighborhood. Plus, everyday conveniences like Haggen’s, Starbucks, Blue Fin Sushi, Walgreens and a gas station are just steps away. 2. Work downtown? Drive there in 5 minutes, walk there in 20 minutes. Take an Uber to enjoy the night for $8. 3. Want to take the scenic way Western Washington University? The trail is literally off the side yard and walk there in twenty minutes. Or take the off-leash dog trails to the tower for a scenic overview of Bellingham, the Bay & Mt. Baker. You will never get bored with the variety of trails in this 175-acre oasis. 4. Have a dog? Zip out back to the Arboretum trails, or it’s a quick drive to the Lake Padden Dog Park and off-leash trails, or Fairhaven Dog Park. 5. 2 ½ miles to Fairhaven , walking distance to Sehome High School. 6. FANTASIC alpenglow sunsets behind Mt. Baker. Watch the moon & stars from the warmth of your living room. 7. Enjoy wildlife? We have squirrels, deer, racoons and even Barred owls in the summer. 8. The privacy in the backyard makes coming homing home at the end of the day to our sanctuary absolutely restorative. Sunbathing in the afternoons, drinking coffee in the mornings and watching the hummingbirds, or having a movie night party on the back deck, we get 8 months of living out here. 9. We don’t have green thumbs and love the low maintenance yards. 10. We wanted a convenient location in town, but to feel like we were in the middle of nature. We’ve Loved Living Here and Know You Will Too Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 13-14: Decluttering, Staging, & What Stays

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 13 Once all of the paperwork is complete, we’ll walk through your home room by room with you to create a comprehensive list of items that need to be decluttered and furniture that needs to be moved or put in storage. Together we’ll determine whether we need to bring in a professional stager to stage either certain rooms or the entire property. Unless the property is vacant, we usually don’t need a stager. If your home is vacant and we determine a stager is right for your situation, we’ll provide several companies for you to interview. Once you’ve picked a stager, you would pay the staging company directly for their services. See our article “81+ Staging Tips that help Buyers Fall In Love.” Remember, we’ll create a personalized list just for your home. Once the staging/decluttering is done, let us know so we can schedule an appointment with our top-notch professional photographer for your home. Home Staging That Delivered Big Results Great design helped to bring about quicker sales that surged high above list prices. Home staging can show a home in its best light and attract more home buyers—and possibly bidding wars. Several of last month’s “Best of the Best” home staging winners showed what a difference staging can make. Each month, the Home Staging Resource recognizes top designs from its members. Check out some of the designs featured recently on the Styled, Staged & Sold blog as well as more of October’s honorees below. Budget-Friendly Updates Addie Ashworth, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Realty in Columbus, Ohio, and owner of Ashworth Staging + Design took on a listing that her client inherited from his father. “Nothing had been updated in years, and everything was original,” Ashworth says. “The seller did not want to spend a lot of money on updates.” Ashworth suggested low-cost fixes with a big impact, such as removing the dated carpet to expose the original hardwood floors underneath. The entire house was painted in “Agreeable Grey” by Sherwin-Williams. Some of the kitchen cabinet doors were starting to fall off, so Ashworth recommended removing them and adding baskets. Everything in the kitchen was painted white, and the aging linoleum floor was swapped out for luxury vinyl planks. Ashworth also brought in modern furnishings, staging the home with a midcentury vibe to compliment the 1958 ranch-style home.  The property had more than 270 showings and 43 offers—all above list price. The seller accepted a cash offer with no contingencies for $165,000 over the asking price. The home closed in five days. Before:

Selling Steps 15-17: Repairs, Home Staging Tips, & Deep Cleaning

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 15 REPAIR TIME If together we have gone through the house and identified a list of items that need to be fixed. If your dishwasher hasn’t been working for years or your air conditioning unit has been making an unusually loud noise, we need to have those items repaired before your home goes on the market. It’s better to get items fixed now before they come up in an inspection report and potentially scare off a Buyer later. We have access to affordable repair people, electricians, handymen, etc. In general, we always recommend: Touching up the paint in your home. Installing new caulk around every shower and tub. Hiring a professional HVAC company to service and clean both your furnace and AC, if applicable. Hiring a professional to clean your carpets. Making sure all light bulbs are working and that every light fixture contains the highest wattage light bulbs it can bear. Having chimneys professionally swept. Changing outdated cabinet hardware in kitchens and bathrooms. Repairing any broken window screens. Testing all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are functioning properly. Making sure downspouts aren’t improperly sloped or damaged in single-family homes. If they are, have them repaired. Repairing any damaged, broken, or missing roof shingles. Email us to see our updated list of recommended service providers such as handyman, appliance repair people, etc. Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.

Selling Steps 18-19: ShowingTime Mobile App & Homeownership Glossary

By Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 18 Have us send you the ShowingTime App. The ShowingTime mobile app makes it easy for Sellers (you) to manage and take part in the home-selling process. By keeping up to date with your home’s showing activity, Sellers can: Confirm/decline showing requests See all upcoming appointments Review their home’s showing and feedback activity Easily contact your agent Adjust your notification preferences Lorri Briggs, who’s sold five houses in four states, said using the ShowingTime mobile app helped her take the inefficiencies out of the home-selling process . “I fell in love with ShowingTime immediately,” Lorri said. “I was amazed at how user-friendly the app was. It had everything I needed to know in one handy place … past showings, future showings, how many showings last week, and how many in the last 30 days. It was so awesome. “Not only did it help me keep organized and on top of prospective Buyer traffic, but it clearly showed anything that I still needed to respond to. Every morning I would review our showing times and plan accordingly.” Lorri’s not alone. Many of our customers continuously comment on how much their homeowners enjoy having access to their listing’s information via the app: “The feedback is an excellent way to communicate with Sellers!” — Ofe Polack, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage “This makes the homeowner very happy.” — Gail Smith, Brokers Guild “As a direct result of using ShowingTime, I have been able to service my clients right away and maintain showings and feedback in one place.” — Tommy Burdett, RE/MAX Coast and Country Click here to see the video tutorial.
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