PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
VerraTerra roughly translates as "truth in real estate." The industry as a whole does things in ways… [more]
sellSmart! Listing Plan
If you've never gone through the home selling process, it can be an emotionally challenging and complex… [more]
Giving Back
Giving back to the community has always been important to my family and I. Over the years, my wife and… [more]
buySmart! Buyer Plan
At VerraTerra, we strive to make buying real estate in the greater Puget Sound area more efficient and… [more]
Real Estate Commission Craziness – What value can an agent bring to be paid $500K on one sale?
Think agents are paid too much? Wait till you see how much this listing is going to pay the buyer's agent!!
Seattle Area Home Sellers FSBO Assistance
Considering selling your home as a For-Sale-By-Owner ...we can help you get off to a running start.
Own Rental Property? The IRS is making you issue more 1099's!
New rules for landlords on providing Form 1099's to contractors and service providers
The Mortgage Interest Deduction's Farewell Tour?
In February of this year, President Obama established the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility… [more]
Seattle Red Kettles and Bell Ringers - Share in the Joy of Giving!
The Salvation Army, “America’s favorite and most trusted charity,” has been serving the greater… [more]
November Puget Sound Real Estate Statistics
Demand November's real estate figures are out and the seasonal slow down has finally presented itself.… [more]
Understanding Your FICO Score
The three main credit bureaus -- Transunion, Experian, and Equifax -- give you a grade on your creditworthiness according… [more]
Is There a Difference Between a Discount and a Full Fee Real Estate Agent?
I was recently part of a short discussion on Trulia Voices regarding agents that discount their commission… [more]
City of Seattle Proposing Legislation To Make People With Arrests/Conviction Records a Protected Class
Fair housing laws were created to prevent individuals from being unfairly discriminated against when… [more]
BUYERS
Traditionally, a Seattle real estate agent's value to home buyers has been finding Seattle homes for sale and of course, the obligatory real estate transaction. Agents had the inside track on what homes were for sale, where they were located and for how much. Well, times have changed for the real estate industry - thanks to technology and the Internet. Buyers looking for Seattle area … [Read More...]
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
VerraTerra roughly translates as "truth in real estate." The industry as a whole does things in ways that no longer make any sense. We are all about finding better ways than just what's "normally" done or at least give you (the consumer) choices, which is our core philosophy. This includes the way we go about Seattle area property management. Typically, there are two phases … [Read More...]
SELLERS
At VerraTerra, our number one goal is not only sell Seattle area houses, but change the way the industry does business and how the public views our industry. For the most part, the current view of real estate agents is not highly favorable and many of the complaints revolve around poor service and insanely high cost. A very common question from consumers is what do agents actually do to … [Read More...]
WHY CHOOSE VERRATERRA
There are quite a few real estate companies to choose from (over 2000 that are members of the NWMLS), why should you consider VerraTerra? We have looked at all the different marketing strategies (new and old) to sell homes and thrown out the gimmicks, the antiquated methods that no buyer actually uses and carefully researched just how buyer's today find homes. We took the good stuff that works, … [Read More...]
LATEST NEWS FROM OUR BLOG
We’re Hiring! Are you ….the One?!
We’re looking for one unique individual to be a part of an incredible and revolutionary real estate company called VerraTerra LLC. VerraTerra loosely translates to Truth in Real Estate. That is what we are and what we represent to our clients. Many of the skills and traits we want in a team member are similar to those anyone one would ask for: honest and reliable, someone who is organized, an excellent communicator, has great computer knowledge, is personable, and has reliable … [Read More...]
The Path of a Purchase Loan For Your New Home
Qualification The first step to take when purchasing a new home is to speak to your selected mortgage advisor to find out a) what you qualify for by taking your application and pulling your credit and b) choose the financing option that works best for you and your goals for your new home. Purchase and Sale After you are pre-qualified you will likely look at homes with your real estate agent. Once you find the one that is right for you and in your price range an offer is made on the home. When … [Read More...]
The Business of Books, A 3-Part Series Coming to Seattle!
So I've always had story ideas or book ideas for a long time. Never ever put them in writing cause, well, I'm not a writer. Thinking back to all my reports and papers I've written for school (and the mediocre grades I got for them) just confirmed that I wasn't a writer. However, over the last month, I've come to the realization that being something ...like a writer...is just a mindset and if I choose to be a writer...then I am. Through this website and the articles I've done, I actually … [Read More...]
City of Seattle Proposing Legislation To Make People With Arrests/Conviction Records a Protected Class
Fair housing laws were created to prevent individuals from being unfairly discriminated against when it came to housing. At the federal level, no one can be discriminated because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin in the sale, rental, or advertising of a residential property. Each of these are considered protected classes. At the city level, each city can adopt additional classes. For Seattle, the protected classes are listed as: age, ancestry, … [Read More...]
Is There a Difference Between a Discount and a Full Fee Real Estate Agent?
I was recently part of a short discussion on Trulia Voices regarding agents that discount their commission verses agents that charge a "full" fee. The discussion was directed towards sellers though the vast majority of respondents were agents. The overwhelming majority opinion from the other real estate agents was that "full" fee agents were better than an agent that would discount their commission. I, of course, disagreed with this belief. It was a little disturbing to see the overwhelming … [Read More...]
Understanding Your FICO Score
The three main credit bureaus -- Transunion, Experian, and Equifax -- give you a grade on your creditworthiness according to what your creditors report to them. FICO scoring model is still the heart. FICO stands for Fair, Isaac and Company, the group that designed the model. Here is how they say the score breaks down: 35% - payment history 30% - amounts owed 15% - length of credit history 10% - types of credit 10% - new credit Payment history is the most important part of a … [Read More...]
Welcoming Our First Contributing Author to VerraTerra
I would like to welcome Suyny Tasaka of Mortgage Advisory Group as our first contributing author to our blog site. Look for her awesome articles on mortgages and loans on our site in the coming week and beyond. I've been working with Suyny (pronounced Sweeny) for several years and knew she had a wealth of great knowledge and information that can be shared with everyone. Looking forward to it Suyny! Here's a quick bio on her from her web site. “It is all about you!” At Mortgage Advisory … [Read More...]
