Guides and short reads.

Plain answers to the questions people ask me most, about buying, selling, investing and renovating around Snohomish County.

Free guides

For buyers

Every step from first call to keys, the documents you’ll need, and the questions to ask on tours.

For sellers

What to fix, what to skip, and how to get the house photo-ready without overspending.

For investors

How to read a rental’s numbers, financing options, and landlord basics in Washington.

For renovators

Judging a fixer, budgeting the work, and what to check before adding a second unit.

Two numbers, two different questions. Here’s what each one tells you, with a worked example.

One is an estimate, the other is a lender’s commitment. Why the difference matters when you write an offer.

Rent-backs, contingent offers and bridge loans, and who each one fits.

What to look at in the first ten minutes, and what needs an inspector or contractor to judge.

How much, where it goes, and the contract terms that decide whether you get it back.

Zoning, utilities, parking, permits and cost. A checklist for the planning stage.

The small projects that tend to pay off, and the big ones that usually don’t.

How owner-occupied financing works for small multifamily and homes with an ADU.

What sold, what changed, and one useful idea. Personal, short, never salesy.