A worst-case scenario after buying a new house: the economy turns, or you lose your job, or a medical emergency wipes out your savings—and all of a sudden that mortgage starts killing your finances. You liquidate some other assets to stay afloat, but it’s not enough. You fall into foreclosure.
This was reality for thousands of homeowners during the recent banking collapse and mortgage crisis. In a recent article on Seattle’s new wealth (and who that wealth doesn’t benefit), The Seattle Times summarized those trying times:
The mortgage crisis, exacerbated by massive job cuts and uncooperative lenders, devastated households from Snohomish County in the north to King and Pierce counties farther south, and it evaporated the collective net worth of entire neighborhoods as home values plummeted, and homeowners — unable to pay their bills — fell into foreclosure.
Many of those households are still struggling to recover. And as a real estate agent, that breaks my heart. Buying a house should be a satisfying experience all the way through. We believe that, and we work hard to make it happen. That means, sure, we handle negotiations, bidding wars, last-minute showings, and paperwork—but we also help you avoid bad investments. Fundamentally, we believe our first obligation is to our clients’ long-term well-being.
You shouldn’t feel pressured to buy the biggest or most expensive house you can afford. A good real estate agent should help you assess your current and future living costs, job security, other investments, and personal comfort with commitment. Investing in a house is a long-term decision, and possibly the largest financial decision you’ll make in your life.
We keep our clients from overextending themselves. We want to put you in a home that will stay your home until you want to sell. We aren’t interested in making the most money we can off of your major life choices—we’re committed to helping our clients find what’s best for them. In every interaction, we strive to do good.
Beyond our own role in finding a house for you, we can also put you in touch with lenders and other investment professionals who treat their work the same way we do. In our twenty-five years working in Seattle real estate, we’ve created a community of dedicated, selfless professionals who take pride in helping each and every client. From lenders to contractors, we can provide references you can trust.
Because that’s what it comes down to: trust. When a client trusts us to help them make the best decision for their future, we step up and honor that trust. We won’t pressure you into an exposed situation that will lead to foreclosure. We won’t urge you to spend more than you’re comfortable spending. Instead, we’ll treat you like family and put you in a house you love that fits your life circumstance and gives you long-term peace of mind.
You can read about what it’s like to work with us through testimonials from past clients, and stories of how we consistently put our values first and stand up for our clients’ best interests. We’re on your side, and we can’t wait to work with you.
