Seattle Real Estate Myths That Cost You Money
Spring is the only time to sell, the list price is the price, you need 20% down — Seattle real estate myths persist because they sound true. Here's reality.
Topic
Buyer & seller education
All 108 articles tagged “Buyer & seller education.” Researched for Greater Seattle, written in plain English.
All Buying a home 240Seattle 122Neighborhoods 113Buyer & seller education 108Selling a home 80Seattle market 77Washington state law 70Contracts 49Commissions 32Inspections 31Mortgages 31Eastside Seattle 29First-time buyers 29Condos & townhomes 28Market data 24Relocation 24Investing 22Closing costs 19South King County 11Luxury Real Estate 10North Seattle Suburbs 8Staging 8Taxes 8Moving 7New construction 6
Can I Sell My House With a Mortgage on It?
Yes — most sellers do. Escrow pays your loan off from the sale proceeds at closing. How the payoff works in Washington, and what happens if you're underwater.
Buying a Home in Seattle: The 1990s vs. the 2020s
MLS books, faxed offers, and agent-guarded listings versus portals, e-signatures, and the NAR settlement — what changed for Seattle buyers, and what didn't.
Median vs. Average Home Price in Seattle: Which to Trust
Median and average home prices can move in opposite directions in the same month. One tiny worked dataset shows why — and which number to use when.
Price Per Square Foot in Seattle: Why It Misleads
Price per square foot looks like the fairest way to compare homes. In Seattle it's one of the easiest stats to misread. Here's the math and the traps.
When to Refinance: A Breakeven Guide for Seattle Homeowners
Refinancing isn't about hitting a magic rate — it's breakeven math. How to run the numbers on your Seattle mortgage and the traps that make a refi a bad deal.
How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment in King County
Think your King County assessed value is too high? Here's how the appeal process actually works, what evidence wins, and the deadlines that can sink you.
The History of the 6% Commission: How the Default Got Set
Nobody legislated the 6% real estate commission. It was built — by rate schedules, MLS rules, and decades of inertia. Here's the actual history.
Seattle Market Slang: A Decoder for What Agents Actually Say
Offer review dates, escalators, pre-inspections, going in clean, DADUs, unit lots — a decoder for the local jargon Seattle agents use without explaining.
Should I Sell My House Now or Wait? A Seattle Answer
The honest answer: your life timeline matters more than the market's. How to weigh equity, rates, and Seattle seasonality before you decide.
Townhome HOAs vs. Condo HOAs in Seattle: Key Differences
Seattle townhomes often have tiny or no HOAs; condos have full associations. What that means for dues, repairs, insurance, and risk when you buy.
Landslide and Earth-Movement Coverage in Washington
Landslides are excluded from standard homeowners policies. What earth-movement exclusions mean for Washington hillside owners and what coverage exists.
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