[FutureSDguy]

The Seattle market was still pretty hot at the time I got the brushoff from the seller’s agents. (But not hot enough, IMO… because those houses didn’t sell easily.) I think there’s resentment that mainstream agents have towards Redfin playing into their willingness to show a house to you.

I had no problems on closing… they want you to get the process started using their automated system, but they will work with you on the phone or in the office in getting the purchase agreement drafted and sent. If you want a tough negotiation, they’ll play. They’re pretty quick too.

Considering the fact that you’re doing business with a company and not an agent, and agents are salaried employees, Redfin agents will consult with each other in their office. This is a bonus, because not everyone can know everything…

[FutureSDguy]

The Seattle market was still pretty hot at the time I got the brushoff from the seller’s agents. (But not hot enough, IMO… because those houses didn’t sell easily.) I think there’s resentment that mainstream agents have towards Redfin playing into their willingness to show a house to you.

I had no problems on closing… they want you to get the process started using their automated system, but they will work with you on the phone or in the office in getting the purchase agreement drafted and sent. If you want a tough negotiation, they’ll play. They’re pretty quick too.

Considering the fact that you’re doing business with a company and not an agent, and agents are salaried employees, Redfin agents will consult with each other in their office. This is a bonus, because not everyone can know everything…

[FutureSDguy]

The Seattle market was still pretty hot at the time I got the brushoff from the seller’s agents. (But not hot enough, IMO… because those houses didn’t sell easily.) I think there’s resentment that mainstream agents have towards Redfin playing into their willingness to show a house to you.

I had no problems on closing… they want you to get the process started using their automated system, but they will work with you on the phone or in the office in getting the purchase agreement drafted and sent. If you want a tough negotiation, they’ll play. They’re pretty quick too.

Considering the fact that you’re doing business with a company and not an agent, and agents are salaried employees, Redfin agents will consult with each other in their office. This is a bonus, because not everyone can know everything…

[FutureSDguy]

My advice: make sure you understand Redfin’s touring policy. First 3 hours free, and the remaining ones charged at $250/tour. Don’t complain: it makes total sense in a “get what you pay for” business model that saves you money in the end.

If Redfin suggests that you call the seller’s broker for showing, you better think twice. You may get pretty nasty behavior from them. (“Why should I do Redfin’s work on my nickel” they will protest…)

[FutureSDguy]

My advice: make sure you understand Redfin’s touring policy. First 3 hours free, and the remaining ones charged at $250/tour. Don’t complain: it makes total sense in a “get what you pay for” business model that saves you money in the end.

If Redfin suggests that you call the seller’s broker for showing, you better think twice. You may get pretty nasty behavior from them. (“Why should I do Redfin’s work on my nickel” they will protest…)

[FutureSDguy]

My advice: make sure you understand Redfin’s touring policy. First 3 hours free, and the remaining ones charged at $250/tour. Don’t complain: it makes total sense in a “get what you pay for” business model that saves you money in the end.

If Redfin suggests that you call the seller’s broker for showing, you better think twice. You may get pretty nasty behavior from them. (“Why should I do Redfin’s work on my nickel” they will protest…)

[FutureSDguy]

I bailed on moving to San Diego and decided to go back to Seattle where the job market and pay was more favorable for my line of work. I also went through Redfin as a buyer. The first attempt to secure an agreement was a big fiasco (due to the fault of the seller), I didn’t feel Redfin was carrying the ball enough. But on the second property and a second agent, things went very well, and I appreciated the savings.

[FutureSDguy]

I bailed on moving to San Diego and decided to go back to Seattle where the job market and pay was more favorable for my line of work. I also went through Redfin as a buyer. The first attempt to secure an agreement was a big fiasco (due to the fault of the seller), I didn’t feel Redfin was carrying the ball enough. But on the second property and a second agent, things went very well, and I appreciated the savings.

[FutureSDguy]

I bailed on moving to San Diego and decided to go back to Seattle where the job market and pay was more favorable for my line of work. I also went through Redfin as a buyer. The first attempt to secure an agreement was a big fiasco (due to the fault of the seller), I didn’t feel Redfin was carrying the ball enough. But on the second property and a second agent, things went very well, and I appreciated the savings.

[FutureSDguy]

Alcohol is a bad idea, IMO, especially during times of hardship. Stick to the recreational drink when you’re in a good mood.

Grieving over a loss is normal–its human instinct and should not be construed as weakness. Let yourself grieve for three days–let yourself be sad over the loss, and don’t rationlize. You plan ahead to stop the grieving on Saturday, and on that day, its all over. You have moved on (tell this to yourself in the past tense).

[FutureSDguy]

Check this one out:

http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/24/news/economy/home_sales/index.htm

(Note how the paragraph starts with “Still”)

“Still, Lereah said low mortgage rates and reduced prices from sellers wary of the soft market should help sales to gradually improve during the second half of this year. He said weak sales are ‘masking improved fundamentals in the housing market.'”

So what are the fundamentals that have improved? It can’t be sales, which are masking the fundamentals…

[FutureSDguy]

I read it a piece of real estate propaganda, pure and simple.

[FutureSDguy]

I thought foreclosure *was* the bailout. It relieves the debtor from the responsibility of paying off the debt, and the house is given to the lien holder, the bank.

If this double-bailout is in effect, it will only serve to keep prices inflated. *sigh*

[FutureSDguy]

Perry’s 40% energy savings story confirms my belief about people who believe in AGW. (And by the way, the effort in itself is laudable, I just disagree on the underlying reason for doing it.)

On the topic of environmental hypocracy, and not so much on global warming itself, let me say that some of the vitriol surrounding AGW stems from two things (which do overlap a bit, but they are distinct enough to separate out):

1. The need to validate ones own choices. After spending money and making a big hoo-ha about solar energy, it’s hard to have to have other people devalue that effort. In the software industry, one might work hard for 6 months coding something to have it invalidated because it’s not needed or something better comes along. But the software developer will fervently defend his work, because he’s not about to let his devotion be invalidated by others.

2. The need to reduce CO2 as a pollutant just because it’s good for the environment*. For some it’s purely symbolic… they’ll just go along just to be on the “better side” of society (which is why there are always two major political parties). For others it’s “hard science” and they’re the ones who will whip out pages and pages of realclimate.org articles to validate their believes. But I suspect there is segment of self-proclaimed AGWists that, inside, really don’t believe that the extra CO2 is causing the recent warming (you know, the lack of a strong 20th century correlation, and the actual percentage of the atmosphere, sunspot correlation, etc.), but continue to argue for it anyway because it’s “good for the environment”
and/or want to continue their association with their side.

(Why is abortion such a hot issue? Well, just like global warming, it’s an issue that is merely a proxy for how you identify yourself: you either side with the conservatives or you’re with the liberals.)

I like recycling my tin cans, glass bottles, milk jugs etc. I drive my wife crazy by digging through the garbage for egg cartons and other recyclable tidbits. But there are reasons to believe that I’m really not helping the environment by doing this (Penn and Teller has a funny documentary about this), but I do it anyway because it makes me feel good, and anyone who would challenge me about the illogic of it, I’ll simply say “yep you’re probably right, but I just don’t like the idea of not giving these materials a chance at reincarnation.” Software developers tend to be compulsive organizers…

* Funny how “green” people want less CO2 considering that CO2 is plant food. (Before you start spitting in my direction, I’m being somewhat–but not completely–facetitious here.)

[FutureSDguy]

PD said: “I remember a story about a cop, famous for giving DUIs, who received a DUI himself. I had a similar reaction to that story as I did to this one.”

But that cop suffered the consequences of his mistake (or should have anyway). Gore needs to own up to his mistake of creating an unnecessary double standard in energy consumption.

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