Instantly Upgrade Your Seattle Home Value

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

A lot of my clients in Seattle have been asking me how it’s possible to increase their Zestimate on Zillow. The Zestimate is created by an algorithm, and there is no ability for humans to manually alter the Zestimate for a specific property.

Zillow can't take features or upgrades on your property and compare them to other recently closed homes in your area, even though doing so gives you a more updated value on your property. Tax values and data from appraisals are used to place a value on your home, which really has nothing to do with its real market value.

However, you can go into Zillow and claim your home, which allows you to change the data on the website. Zestimates are notorious for being inaccurate, and this is one way to combat this problem. Simply follow the instructions in the video and update the features of your home. You can even add square footage from your basement and new pictures of your home. Within 24-48 hours your home value will change on the website.

If you want to find the true value of your home, I would recommend you reach out to me and I can run a comparative market analysis on it. That will be the most accurate way to find your home’s true market value.

We look forward to hearing from you!

What 3 Kinds of Bank-Owned Properties Can You Buy?

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

Today we are excited to discuss the three types of bank-owned properties you can buy here in Seattle. Each one is a little different, and could be a great option for you depending on your situation.

1. Short sale

When the owner of a home can no longer pay their mortgage, one option they have is a short sale. At this point, their home is worth a lot less than the home’s actual value. When you submit an offer on a short sale, the owner will sign off on it and it will then be submitted to the lien holder. The lien holder will then send someone out to make sure the home is priced at market value. One downside about short sales is that they often take 60 days and can take as long as 180 days to close.

2. Traditional bank-owned property

These are properties where the bank has taken ownership of a home, and puts the home back on the market. These homes are first come, first serve. However, make sure you do your inspection and understand what kind of work the property will need once you buy it.

3. Auction property

These properties are usually sold at a discount. This is a great option for cash buyers who have the money already. We can also work with lenders to get buyers a loan for an auction. You’ll have to put 10% down, but the mortgage company will cover the rest. There’s a chance you may be able to get the property for less than your loan.

There are a lot more details and nuances regarding these three types of properties. If you’re interested in buying a home like this, give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to hear from you!