The Rental-Income Catch-22 Just Died: What It Means for Move-Up Buyers
A lot of people who want to keep their current home as a rental and buy a new one get stuck: the lender will not count the future rent until a tenant is in place, but they cannot carry two mortgages long enough to get one there. A Fannie Mae update taking effect November 1, 2026 changes how that math works.
Read more →The 21-Day Head Start: What NWMLS's New 'First Look' Means for Seattle Buyers and Sellers
Starting September 2026, Washington sellers can list a home in a new 'First Look' status: visible to every agent in the MLS, but only on Zillow and Redfin if the seller chooses. Here is what that actually means if you are buying or selling.
Read more →A Duplex Penthouse Facing Seville Cathedral: The Best View I've Woken Up To
A three-bedroom duplex penthouse in Seville with a private elevator, two terraces, and the Cathedral and Giralda filling every window. Why the address made the whole trip, and the investment angle behind a view like this.
Read more →Madrid, a Total Solar Eclipse at Sunset, and the Two Apartments I'd Send You To
Two apartments I stayed in myself in central Madrid, a top-floor penthouse over Plaza de España and a high-floor place looking straight onto Plaza Mayor, plus the once-in-a-century total solar eclipse chase that explains why there were two. First-hand recommendations, not a booking-site gamble.
Read more →Barcelona, Next to the Sagrada Família: Where I'd Stay, and Where I'd Invest
An apartment I stayed in myself, right across from the Sagrada Família, and why a first-hand recommendation beats booking blind. Plus the investment angle, including the 2028 rule reshaping Barcelona's market that has me watching closely.
Read more →The Small Trim Update That Makes an Older Home Feel New Again
Buyers glance at honey-oak trim and think 'dated'; they glance at clean white trim and think 'updated.' That perception, not a full remodel, is what a weekend of trim work actually fixes.
Read more →A Malaysian Highland Investment Opportunity: Different Category, Different Math
A cash-flow-focused investment in Malaysia's Genting Highlands at around $260K USD entry. Different from the Riviera Nayarit second-home category, and surfaced through the network rather than a property I've visited personally. Here's the honest read.
Read more →Kirkland Just Made ADUs Faster and More Predictable: Here's Why It Matters
Kirkland's Pre-Approved DADU Program gives homeowners a faster, cheaper path to adding a backyard unit. Here's how it shifts value for Eastside properties.
Read more →The Mortgage Math Most Buyers Miss: Purchase Price vs. Interest Rate
Both purchase price and interest rate matter when buying a home, but they impact your finances in very different ways. Depending on how long you own the home, one can matter much more than the other.
Read more →When Renting Beats Buying: Why the Math Now Points Back to Real Estate
A real estate broker's honest look at rent-vs-buy. Using real Eastside and S&P 500 data, a 2023 renter who invested the difference came out well ahead of a 2023 buyer, but that same stock-vs-housing divergence is exactly why the forward move now points back to real estate. With a Common Critics Q&A.
Read more →Mercer Island's February Reset Showed Why Prepared Buyers Should Watch Winter Windows
Mercer Island's median single-family sale price fell from $2,850,000 in January 2026 to $2,230,000 in February 2026, a 21.8% month-over-month drop. Even the Eastside's most expensive neighborhoods can open brief buying windows when winter demand softens.
Read more →A Beachfront Pre-Sale in Riviera Nayarit, and Why I Share Opportunities Like This
Most international real estate deal flow moves through agent networks, not Google searches. Here's a current pre-sale on Mexico's Riviera Nayarit, and why subscribing connects you to opportunities like it before they reach US-facing sites.
Read more →Redmond's January Reset Was a Chance for Prepared Buyers Before Spring
Redmond's median single-family sale price fell from $1,780,000 in December 2025 to $1,389,995 in January 2026, a 21.9% month-over-month drop. Winter dips in a city like Redmond can be brief, making preparation essential.
Read more →Sammamish Home Prices Dropped in December 2025. Why Winter Buyers Should Notice
Sammamish's median single-family sale price fell from $1,685,000 in November 2025 to $1,400,000 in December 2025, a 16.9% month-over-month drop. Winter softness on the Eastside can be temporary, so buyers need to be ready when it appears.
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