Top Reasons You Should Never Buy or Sell Without an Agent

by Cara Ameer

Key Takeaways

• As a layperson, you don't know what you don't know when it comes to handling the single largest transaction you'll likely make in your life.
• A real estate agent serves as a ninja negotiator to achieve the best price and terms that the market will bear while protecting your interests.
• Agents are connected to a plethora of industry professionals to help you get the deal done.

As with most important things in life, you wouldn’t try to handle a legal situation without an attorney, build your own house or take on the IRS solo to challenge a tax matter. Well, buying or selling a home is no different.

Here are the top reasons you should never buy or sell a home without an agent.

1. Knowledge is not…

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Western Washington Market Snapshot

A Great Way To Stay Up To Date: Get a FREE Detailed Market Snapshot for your personal home or Neighborhood of interest HERE! 

The Market Snapshot is a great way for buyers and sellers to get informed and stay informed about the real estate market. Buyers can keep an eye on the areas they want to move to. Sellers can see every comparable sale in their neighborhood as they prepare to sell their home. Market Snapshot will come directly to your inbox on the schedule you choose, and best of all, it's FREE!

KIRKLAND, Washington (May 4, 2017) – “Frustrating” is how brokers are summarizing the mood of buyers, brokers – and industry professionals – during the current housing market frenzy. New statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show…

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The 17 Most Popular Home Remodeling Projects

Kitchen upgrades have overtaken bathroom updates as the remodeling project homeowners want most, according to the National Association of Home Builders' Remodeling Market Index report covering the first quarter of 2017. Bathroom renovations previously held the number one spot, but kitchen redos barely pulled ahead in the most recent report.

To help: Introducing The Cascade Team Home Pro Network!

Receive bids from Home Pros and easily manage projects.

Simply go to the Home Pro Network from www.thecascadeteam.com/directory/ and request a quote for bid on your next project. The business found here are used and trusted by our local agents and/or their clients. You can search and find everything from Handyman, Escrow, Financial, Roofing Services,…

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Your Treasure Awaits: Open House Treasure Hunt Is May 20th!

The Open House Treasure Hunt is Back!

Join us on Saturday, May 20th for our Annual Open House Treasure Hunt.

Tour homes and win over $200,000 in Cash & Prizes!

Star 101.5 and 96.5 Jack FM will be there!

Homes must be listed by May 18th!

Register HERE to have your home included in the Open House Treasure Hunt

What can you expect during the Open House Treasure Hunt this year?

Our marketing efforts include:

• 150 Radio Spots - Star 101.5 and 96.5 Jack FM (around 1 Million Impressions will be generated from the radio spots!)
• 4 Live Radio Remotes - Website promotion for each remote on the station's website
• Zillow Banner Ads reaching over 1,000,000 Home Shoppers throughout the area.
• Trulia Banner Ads reaching…

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Shrinking Inventory Putting “Stranglehold” on Sales Around Western Washington

Brokers continue grappling with challenges of multiple offers.

KIRKLAND, Washington (May 4, 2017) – “Frustrating” is how brokers are summarizing the mood of buyers, brokers – and industry professionals – during the current housing market frenzy. New statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show declines in inventory and sales, while prices continue their upward trajectory, but those numbers only tell part of the story.

• Inventory Down 25%
• Prices Up 10.4%
• Bidding War Tactics For Buyers Now a Must!

“The real estate market is going absolutely gangbusters,” remarked OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate. “The remarkably low number of homes for sale can be blamed for the drop in sales,” he emphasized, adding, “The…

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Fake News and Misconceptions About The Real Estate Industry, Debunked

Here we address some Fake News about the Real Estate Industry.

As flexible schedules and independent work become more appealing (and accepted), more and more people — including a surge of millennials — are joining the real estate business. But while there can be many perks, there are also a lot of industry misconceptions.

Below, we decided to weigh in on some of the myths about the real estate industry that newbies in the profession often think is true, and what the actual truth is.

1. Property gurus know best.

The biggest myth or scam in real estate is the supposed property “gurus" that newbies see on TV and entrust them by buying their fake how-to courses and DVDs, and spend thousands of dollars attending their seminars. The big…

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10 Best Washington Cities to Raise a Family

  For the record; I'd like to point out that The Cascade Team has a significant presence in the majority of the top 10 "Best Cities To Raise A Family"... Certainly that's not a coincidence!  

Wallethub conducted a study to find which were the best places specifically to raise a family in the state. As most of us here in the Pacific Northwest already know, Washington is all-around a great place to live considering that there's a healthy job market, high educational attainment, and a natural environment that promotes an active lifestyle. Not to mention, Washingtonians earn the 12th highest per-capita personal income in the U.S. and experienced the fourth highest growth in income between 2015 and 2016.

The indicators used in selecting the top…

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Area Home Prices Double In Just 5 Years

  The term "Hot Real Estate Market" doesn't even do the situation justice any longer. March was easily the priciest month for real estate in the Puget Sound region’s history, and we haven’t yet reached the peak home buying season. In Fact: King County’s median single-family home hit a new high of nearly $600,000 in March — about double the prices seen at the bottom of the housing bust five years ago.  

Northwest MLS brokers report 50 percent spike in new listings, but brisk sales prompt predictions of “frenzied spring”

• Over 10,300 new listings met with 10,500 Buyers!
• Inventory at Historically Low Levels
• Area Homes For Sale Below 10,000 for 2nd Straight Month (Only 2 times in History)
• Home Prices jump 11.5%!
• Inventory Down…

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Name Your Selling Price!

We have many buyers out there looking and with a lack of inventory, we may just have a buyer for your home. Sign up to receive an alert if a buyer is interested.  All it takes is 30 seconds to fill out our online form HERE

• Choose the ideal selling price for your home.
• Receive an email alert if a buyer is interested.
• Sell your home with no hassle.

Selling Your Home In A HOT Market

In today’s low inventory market, now more than ever, you need a broker who knows how to maximize your sale.

The Cascade Team provides a full service selling experience by executing a buyer engaged marketing plan for your home.  We leverage our proprietary technology to provide the most exposure possible for your home, utilizing those…

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Spring Surge of New Listings Met with Frenzy of Buying Activity

Northwest MLS brokers report 50 percent spike in new listings, but brisk sales prompt predictions of “frenzied spring”

• Over 10,300 new listings met with 10,500 Buyers!
• Inventory at Historically Low Levels
• Area Homes For Sale Below 10,000 for 2nd Straight Month (Only 2 times in History)
• Home Prices jump 11.5%!
• Inventory Down 23% Over Last Year

KIRKLAND, Washington (April 6, 2017) – Northwest Multiple Listing Service brokers expected an uptick in the number of new listings during March, and that expectation was met with a significant gain – up more than 50 percent from February. Members added 10,321 new listings last month, but they also reported an even greater number of pending sales (10,447), leaving inventory near historic…

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