Selling Steps 21-22: Likely Occurrences & Safeguarding Your Property
Andi Dyer • May 16, 2025
STEP 21
Sellers, this will most likely happen…
- The Buyer will negotiate 2-5 times on this transaction. They will negotiate the purchase price, the inspection, potentially the appraisal, and the final walkthrough.
- You may write a dozen+ offers before getting one accepted.
- You will want to tell your friends and family about your experience on social media sites. Don’t!
- The property might not appraise for what you sell it for.
- The Agent will miss scheduled appointments and not call or show up.
- Appointments will be made and canceled at the last minute.
- Don’t get a promotion, and don’t start a new job.
- Some showings will last about five minutes, and some showings will last 3 hours.
- There will be a day when I call you and say someone wants to see your house, and you are going to ask me when, and I’m going to say, pull your curtains back, they are sitting outside now.
- I am going to call you three minutes before your showings and cancel, sometimes 20 minutes after.
- Agents are going to make appointments at the very LAST minute.
- Agents are going to knock on your door, or even drive by and see you in the yard and ask if they can see your house (if this happens, call me.)
- Expect a lowball offer (at least it is a starting point).
- The Buyers may lose their job, or worse yet quit the mortgage process.
- Whatever happens, we will get through it together!
Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.
STEP 22
Unfortunately, these days it seems scams and rip-off artists are around every corner. As REALTORS® we run across a rental scam almost daily where the scammer has stolen pictures off the internet of a property for rent or sale, sets up their own fake rental on Craigslist using the photos, and tries to lure a trusting tenant to rent and send a deposit the property sight unseen. This happens locally!
So, what can you do as a property owner to protect yourself? Our best advice is to set up a Google Alert on your home or rental property. Google Alerts are simple and free tools to get regular updates about something that interests you, such as your property and your tenants.
As a landlord, you should set up a Google Alert on your property’s address so you can see whenever someone posts something on the internet about your property to make sure it’s a legitimate post. You may also want to set up a Google Alert using the name of your tenant so you can be on top of what your tenant is doing in case he or she gets arrested or in trouble for any illegal activities. We also recommend setting up a Google Alert with your tenant’s telephone number. This could possibly tip you off if your tenant plans to move without providing notice. If they place a “MOVING SALE” advertisement on Craigslist with their telephone number, it should turn up in a google alert notification.
As a homeowner, we also recommend setting up a Google Alert so you can make sure someone doesn’t try to run a rental scam using photos of your property.
It even makes sense for renters to set up a Google Alert on the address where they are living.
(We also recommend parents set up Google Alerts on each of their children using the child’s full legal name, but that’s another story for another day!)
Setting up Google Alerts is simple. Go to http://google.com/alerts (note that you’ll need to have a Google login to use the service). For each Alert, you need to decide the following:
- Search Terms. This can be as simple as entering the property address in quotations. For example: “3537 Orleans Street.” You may also want to set up another alert if there are alternate ways your address may appear, for example including the abbreviation for “Drive” (making the alert active for: “3537 Chicago Dr.”) or including the town (such as: “3537 Orleans Street, Bellingham”). Do this for Road, Rd., Drive, Dr., Way, Avenue, Ave., Court, Ct., etc. Using quotations around the search terms will help filter the results.
- Type of information to search. This tells Google which information to include in its search (Everything, News, Blogs, Web, Video, Groups) Setting this to “everything” will include all types of search results.
- How often the alert should be sent (as it happens, once a day, once a week)?
- How you would like to receive the alerts? Caveat: Google Alerts is not guaranteed to be 100% foolproof or reliable. And since it only sends alerts when new pages enter the top searches means it may not be an exhaustive result for every term. However, it’s a great place to start and helps you cover your bases!
Questions? Contact us at andi@andidyer(dot)com or 360-734-6479.
Join us and our guest Amy Baker to learn about first-time home buying on Tuesday, August 19th, at Goods Local Brews (2620 Northwest Ave.) at 6 pm. Buying your first home is an exciting milestone, and we’re here to help make the process simple and stress-free! Join us for our First-Time Home Buyer Seminar, where we’ll break down everything you need to know—from understanding mortgages and down payment assistance programs to navigating the home-buying process with confidence. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or ready to take the next step, this seminar will provide expert insights and practical advice to help you make informed decisions on your journey to homeownership. Questions? Call/text: 360.734.6479
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WANT A FREE MACDUFF 2.0 STICKER? MACDUFF 2.0 stickers are here! Want one? Text or call me at 360.734.6479 and I’ll hook you up with a free sticker!
I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be representing the Women’s Council of REALTORS® – Northwest Washington Network at this year’s WCR NXT Convention in Houston ! I'm going as the Vice President of Whatcom, Skagit, & Island County. It’s a powerful gathering of real estate leaders from across the country, and I can’t wait to bring back fresh ideas, connections, and inspiration to our local network. Stay tuned for takeaways and behind-the-scenes peeks—this is going to be good. The Women's Council of REALTORS® advances women as professionals and leaders in business, the industry, and the communities we serve, and "When Women Are Present, Everything Changes."
So many possibilities with this 9.9-acre property in a prime location near I-5. The bright and airy rambler features an open floor plan and two primary suites, offering comfort and flexibility. Unique zoning allows for an RV park, and the property currently generates $50,000+ in part-time annual revenue through RV parking, camping, and a 2024 trailer that conveys with the sale and operates as a successful Airbnb rental. The land is beautifully landscaped with gardens, fruit trees, and lush, park-like scenery—creating a private sanctuary that feels far away yet remains close to amenities. Continue to grow the business, expand operations, or simply enjoy the peaceful setting while generating passive income. A rare opportunity!
JOIN THE PACK THIS AUGUST Lace up those sneakers and leash up your sense of adventure— the very first Race for the Underdogs 5K is happening at stunning Lake Padden in Bellingham on Sunday, August 17 at 8:30 AM . This heartwarming event benefits the incredible work of Happy Tails Happy Homes (HTHH) , a Whatcom County nonprofit that gives second chances to the animals who need it most. 🐶 Who You're Racing For HTHH isn’t your typical rescue. We’re a volunteer-powered, foster-based organization with no shelter, no offices, and no paid staff —just a deep love for the underdogs. That means every dollar raised goes straight to the animals, many of whom arrive with medical or behavioral challenges. We believe every tail deserves a happy ending. 🏃♀️ About the Race This scenic 5K trail loop winds counterclockwise around Lake Padden on soft grass and wooded paths. Starting near the picnic shelter at the east entrance, the route is mostly flat with a few rolling hills and one short uphill stretch through the trees on the lake’s southwest side. It’s peaceful, pet-friendly, and just the right mix of nature and challenge. 📍 Getting There From I-5 Northbound (Seattle): Take Exit 246 (N. Lake Samish), head left at the stop sign, drive 2.5 miles to the East Lake Padden entrance, and follow the HTHH signs to the playground. From I-5 Southbound (Bellingham): Take Exit 252 (Samish Way), go left over the freeway, right onto Samish Way, and continue 2.5 miles to the second Lake Padden sign (East entrance). Turn right and follow signs to the playground area.
Second Quarter 2025
FREE BELLS TICKETS
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.
STEP 3 THE ESCROW PROCESS
