Seattle Dispatch: Investigating A Different Way to Buy & Sell Real Estate

I love the real estate business. Having worked with buyers and sellers for ten years in San Francisco I better love it.
Over the course of a decade I've seen the market change several times and that has kept me on my toes. The most profound change in since Y2K has been the proliferation of online tools and data available to consumers. Not only do people have the benefit of blogs and MLS access but there are real estate brokerages that eschew bricks and mortar offices altogether. These companies offer what could be called an 'a la carte' approach to buying and selling where the consumer does the research and relies on the expertise of a real estate professional during the most critical moments of the transaction. For buyers that's writing and submitting the offer and for sellers its evaluating those offers. The benefits? Getting a substantial portion of the commission rebated back to you.

I'm in Seattle this week to train for my new job as a Field Agent with Redfin. I'm excited to learn more about this company and how they are changing the real estate business. There will always be a place in the market for traditional brokerage but I wanted to take this opportunity when it presented itself.

Don't worry, though. I'm still the Downtown expert and am plugged in to and reporting on the news and events that pertain to high rise and new construction condominiums in Downtown San Francisco. In the coming weeks I will share with you what I learn about Redfin and how it works.