How do you buy a home? Why is the home the most intimate and telling place in your life? What makes the home the most important place to you? What makes your home feel like your own? How do you sell your home? What's the best way to decorate? What are the hottest paint colors? Where is everyone eating and shopping this month? Welcome to the Close to Home podcast where we will answer all of your home questions and beyond! Every other week, hosts Brennen Clouse and Tracy Erickson dishes the ne ...
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The Clouse Corner: What is an Expired Listing?
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What is an expired listing and can it be made into a good thing for either the buyer or seller? The answer to both is a resounding, "yes!" This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is going to do a quick dive into what makes a listing expire and what both buyers and sellers can do to make the most of the situation! If want to know more, or have any qu…
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Happy New Year to all our lovely listeners, we hope you had an amazing holiday! This week we are jumping right back into it with Brennen's annual top predictions for the Seattle real estate market in the upcoming year. If you're thinking of buying or selling property this year this one is a must listen! If want to know more, or have any questions a…
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The Clouse Corner: Top 4 Mistakes Home Buyers Made in 2021?
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Happy holidays to all our lovely listeners! With the new year fast approaching we here at the Clouse Corner thought it would be a good idea to close out the year with a little retrospective, so to put a proverbial bow on it Brennen is going to be running down the top 4 mistakes he saw buyers commonly make in 2021. Happy New Year! If want to know mo…
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Happy Holidays and thanks to all our listeners, you'll hear more from us in the new year!
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What is seller sabotage and is it as bad as it sounds? Well, yes, it's pretty bad, but luckily it is avoidable. That's why on this week's Clouse Corner Brennen is going to give you the quick run down on seller sabotage, how to recognize it, and how to deal with it! If want to know more, or have any questions about real estate or ideas for future ep…
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#47 Lending a Helping Paw with The Pittie Project!
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This week's episode is dedicated to all the four legged members of our families as Brennen and Tracy are sitting down with Ashley Georgia the owner and operator of the Pittie Project. The Pittie Project is an amazing organization that partners with dog rescues across the US in order to give pitbulls a second chance at life. It's amazing work and we…
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Sometimes the number of loans available to help you buy a home can be overwhelming, both in their numbers and complexity. How do you choose which is best for you? The answer: stay informed. That's why this week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is giving the fastest possible breakdown on FHA loans, what they are, and how best to use them! If want to kno…
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The Clouse Corner: 4 Steps to Becoming a Successful Real Estate Agent
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There's never been a better time to get into real estate from the agent side, but how do you even begin? This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is giving a quick 5 minute walkthrough to how you can get started selling real estate! If want to know more, or have any questions about real estate or ideas for future episodes feel free to reach out: Inst…
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It's getting to be that time of year! And luckily this week Brennen and Tracy are sitting down with Kristi and Lindsay the amazing founders of the L’AVANT Collective, makers of beautiful all natural soaps that happen to make amazing holiday gifts! L'AVANT was a mutual brainchild of it's two founders on a trip to Cabo, and it took four years to come…
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The Clouse Corner: Why is Home Owners Insurance Important?
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Everyone knows home owners insurance is important, but what seperates a good plan from a bad one, and why do you need it? This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is going to be giving a super quick breakdown on home owners insurance plans and what you need to be looking out for! If want to know more, or have any questions about real estate or ideas …
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The Clouse Corner: Flipping Homes vs Flipping Condos
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These days most people are looking for an entry point into the housing market, which probably means you'll start with a fixer upper and try to flip. But which is the better choice? On this weeks Clouse Corner Brennen is going to be digging into the pros and cons of condos versus single family homes on this week's Clouse Corner! If want to know more…
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The Clouse Corner: Top 3 Mistakes During a Kitchen Remodel
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So you've finally done it, you've got the money together, called up a contractor and are about to go all in on that kitchen remodel. But what are the potential pitfalls you should be watching out for? Don't worry, this week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is going to give you a quick rundown of the top 3 common mistakes people make during their kitche…
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The Clouse Corner: How to Sell Your Home in the Fall
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It's that time of year again, the leaves are changing, the pumpkin spice lattes are in full flow. But I know what you're thinking, what about real estate? That's right dear listener this week's episode is for anyone looking to sell their home or condo in this, the spookiest month of the year. Be sure to tune in as Brennen gives the inside track to …
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The Clouse Corner: The Benefits of Generational Living
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What the heck is, "Generational Living," You might ask? Generational living is a growing trend in today's market where multiple members of a family combine their buying power in order to get a larger home, often with separate attached residences. But what are the benefits beyond that? That's what we are diving into on this week's Clouse Corner as B…
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The Clouse Corner: Potential Pitfalls of Vacant Land
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We've all been there, you see a vacant lot and suddenly your brain is just a Pintrest board of bewitching little tiny homes you can live in while you finish your dream home on the property proper. But how feasible is that really? This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is digging into the potential pitfalls you can face when you decide to build your…
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The Clouse Corner: What Can I Do With a VA Loan?
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In our continuing series on loans this week Brennen is breaking down VA loans. What is a VA loan you might ask? A Veterans Association loan, or VA loan is a home loan given to members of the armed services and backed by the US government instead of a bank. If that's enough to peak your interest then this week's episode is definitely for you! If wan…
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#45 Strawberry Poptarts and Shikorina Pastries
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The pastry train keeps on rolling this week as Brennen and Tracy sit down with Hana Yohannes, founder of Shikorina Pastries. Hana is a former student of The Pastry Project, our previous guests on the show, who decided to make her dreams a reality and created the bakery she always wanted to own. Shikorina Pastries uses 100% fair trade, organic ingre…
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The Clouse Corner: What Do I Do With a Seller's Credit?
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At first glance this title might sound like a real estate riff on a sea shanty, but that is not in fact the case! A Seller's credit can help a buyer deal with closing costs and repairs during the close of a sale on a property. Does that sound like something you would be interested in? Well then this weeks Clouse Corner is just for you! If want to k…
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#44 Spreading Opportunity with The Pastry Project
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We've been cooking up something special on this weeks Close to Home as Brennen and Tracy sit down to talk with Heather and Emily cofounders of The Pastry Project in Seattle! The Pastry Project is a non-profit that's all about giving cooks the skills they need to join a real kitchen without it being a huge undertaking for either themselves, or the r…
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The Clouse Corner: How to Deal with a Counteroffer
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Once you've put in an offer on a house and it's been accepted you're in the clear right? Right? Not quite, there are still a few hurdles to clear, and by far one of the most scary is the possibility of a counteroffer. What does that mean, and what do you need to be prepared to do about it? Don't worry Brennen has all the answers you're going to nee…
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#43 Inside Moshi Moshi! A Special Owners Interview
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We've got something really special for you this week on the Close to Home! Tracy is sitting down with Rumi and Charlie, the current owners of Seattle's own Moshi Moshi. If you're a long time listener you might know that Moshi Moshi was originally owned and built out by Tracy and her husband Kevin, making this week's episode a fun owners-only retros…
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The Clouse Corner: How to Get in Ahead of the Offer Review Date!
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Sometimes you've just found the perfect house, you know it, we know it, heck the house knows it. When that time comes there is nothing more nerve wracking than waiting for the offer review date to see if yours is going to be the one accepted. So why not avoid it entirely? There is an art to constructing an offer that a seller will snap up well in a…
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The Clouse Corner: Does Selling 0ff-Market Save Money?
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One piece of advice you'll often receive when you tell people you're selling your house is that you can save money by selling off market and not using a real estate agent, but is that really the case? On this weeks Clause Corner Brennen weighs the benefits and potential downsides of selling off market. Which one is ultimately more profitable? You'l…
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The Clouse Corner: New Warning Signs of a Cooling Market?
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This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is going to be breaking down some of the warning signs of a cooling real estate market. Now nothing is guaranteed, but the market does give definite signals when it comes to these things and it's a good idea to know what you might need to look out for in the future, whether that's just a better time to sell or…
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The Clouse Corner: What You Need to Know About Homeowner's Insurance
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Recently a client reached out to Brennen with a question about using their homeowner's insurance and in doing so inspired this episode. Obviously homeowner's insurance is something you must have to close the sale of a house but how do you use it properly, and what potential mishaps should you try and avoid? Those questions and more are getting answ…
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The Clouse Corner: How Much Should Your Monthly Mortgage Payment Be?
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This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is giving a brief rundown on mortgage payments. Full disclosure we here at the Clouse Corner are not financial experts and this should be by no means taken as the end all be of advice on the topic. This is mostly just a 5 minute rundown to get you in the right ballpark so that you will feel confident knowing r…
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#42 Expanding a Classic at The HoneyHole with Kristin Rye
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It's a triple decker this week as Brennen and Tracy are sitting down with Kristin Rye, the owner of the recently expanded HoneyHole! The HoneyHole is a Seattle institution known for it's amazing hand crafted sandwiches and Kristen is here to give the inside track on everything from new events to the optimal time to order your lunchtime special. So …
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The Clouse Corner: What the Heck is Happening in Seattle's Housing Market?
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This week on the Clouse Corner we're taking a break from our usual format of teaching specific lessons in real estate and just taking a deep dive on what the heck is going on in Seattle's housing market right now. Obviously the pandemic has thrown a lot of things out of whack and many of the trends seen in the housing market right now are pretty un…
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The Clouse Corner: Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid on an Investment Rental
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Are you hoping to break into the rental game with an investment property? Maybe somewhere super desirable right now like Seattle? Well then look no further! This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is giving a quick crash course in the top three common mistakes people should avoid with their first investment rental. If want to know more, or have any …
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#41 Adventures in Alaskan Fishing with Luis Arruela
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This week Tracy is sitting down with fifth generation fisherman Luis Arruela to talk about his family's history with fishing, as well as his own experiences running his own fishing boat in Alaska. The idea of running off to be a fisherman in Alaska is one that still holds a certain amount of romantic appeal, inspiring shows like Deadliest Catch. Lu…
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The Clouse Corner: Don't Fall in Love with Glamor Shots
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Glamor shots are a must for selling your house, they use perfect staging and amazing life to turn a house into the home of your dreams. That ebing siad come closing time you want to make sure that you've got a genuine prince and not just a from in a wig if you catch my drift. This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is taking a quick look at glamor s…
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The Clouse Corner: The Number 1 Question You Need to be Asking in Todays Market
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With all the madness that has happened over the course of the last year on both the seller and buyer sides of the market it's hard to know where you should be putting your focus. That's why this week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is honing in on what he believes is the most important question a seller should be asking themselves right now, and where…
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#40 Crafting the Cocktail for Success with Erik Carlson
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This week Tracy is sitting down with close friend and pioneer of the craft cocktail in Seattle Eric Carlson. If you read any of Seattle's numerous food magazines it's likely you've already heard of Eric who most recently has been applying his talents to the cocktail menu at Stoneburner. Over the course of this week's episode he and Tracy will be di…
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The Clouse Corner: What is a Long Closing and Should it Worry You?
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At a recent open house Brennen was asked whether not putting in an offer because of a potentially long closing was a good idea. It's an interesting question and so we are theming this week's episode around it. Is it better to play it safe? Or do you miss 100% of the shots you don't take? Find out this week on the Clouse Corner! If want to know more…
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The Clouse Corner: How Important is Proof of Financing?
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Proof of financing is can sometimes go overlooked in the buying process and yet it plays a cruicial role in the buy offers you put out on each property. What are the advantages to having a current proof of financing attached to each offer you make? Find out from Brennen on this weeks Clouse Corner! If want to know more, or have any questions about …
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#39 Creating Something Special with Raised Donuts
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Have some fresh coffee with you this week and be prepared to order out for emergency baked goods as Brennen and Tracy are sitting down with Mi Kim the founder and head chef of Raised Donuts! Raised Donuts (in case you didn't know) is an amazing specialty bakeshop in Seattle drawn from Mi Kim's own culinary journey and family history, and inspired b…
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Everyone has experienced buyers fatigue at some point, maybe when you're three-quarters of the way into a long grocery run, maybe when your favorite collectible card game starts printing a new set every other month and you can no longer keep up. The conditions that create buyers fatigue are pretty universal and that applies to real estate as much a…
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What Does Realtor Experience Really Count For?
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How much does experience count for when it comes to picking your realtor? The question can get surprisingly muddy since many people know someone in real estate and oftentimes that person might just be starting out. This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is breaking down the pros and cons of going with age over beauty (so to speak) when it comes to …
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The Clouse Corner: The Best Places to Move After Selling Your Home
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It's hard to debate that there has ever been a better time to sell your home, especially if you live in a desirable city like Seattle. However there is one question that looms over such a decision, even in the best of times: "Where do you go?" This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is laying out what he thinks are the most desirable places and prop…
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The Clouse Corner: Why Houses That Look New Sell Better
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This one might seem like a no brainer but houses that look new tend to sell faster and for more money. Unless your property is some kind of heirloom or landmark that tends to be the case. But where should you put your energy when you go to start fixing your place up to sell? This week on The Clouse Corner Brennen is giving his top tips for areas th…
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The Clouse Corner: Top Tips for Helping a Property Sell Quickly
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Once you've made the decision to sell your home or condo you'll probably want to make the transition from owning the asset to cash in hand as quickly as possible. Of course there are the usual things to consider, like the market, and timing, which will affect the demand for any property. However there are also several easy steps you can take as a s…
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The Clouse Corner: 3 Things You Must Know Before Buying a New Townhouse!
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New Townhomes certainly are eye catching and often sought after in any marketplace, but just like there are tips and tricks for buying an older home (good bones, sound foundation etc.) there are also some things you really should know before jumping into new construction as well. This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is going to share 3 of his fav…
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The Clouse Corner: How to Create "Curb Appeal"
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Everyone knows what "Curb Appeal" is, but they also tend to talk about it like it's the "It" factor in a teen romcom and that makes it harder to achieve than it actually is. This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is sharing his top 4 tips for what you should maintain or repair to give your house that "wow" factor from the moment people step out of …
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#38 What's Next for Seattle Restaurants? Interview with Ethan Stowell
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Pull up a seat at the table as this week Brennen and Tracy are sitting down with Ethan Stowell acclaimed Seattle chef, restaurateur, and philanthropist, to talk about how Covid has impacted the Seattle restaurant industry over the last year. Ethan is a hometown boy who has worked in, started, and built many restaurants in Seattle, including seven (…
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The Clouse Corner: Why You Don't Live in Your House When it's Being Sold
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If you're trying to sell a property you also live in it may seem like a huge logistics problem to not live there as it's being sold, however there are some good reasons most people choose not to live in a house as it's being sold if they can. This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen will lay out those reasons and hopefully make the case for why you, …
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The Clouse Corner: Why is a TV The Most Important Staging Item?
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It may sound absurd that will all the effort that goes into staging a house the make or break item is often the TV but it's the truth. After all it's not like some of the usual must haves like a fireplace, you can literally put a TV almost anywhere. And yet if you don't include one you may find your people walking away from the your open house, why…
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The Clouse Corner: What Does Your Townhome HOA Cover
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More and more Townhomes are including HOA fees but what do they actually cover, and why is this becoming the new norm? This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen is giving his two cents on why HOA's are becoming more and more common in developer packages, and how you can find out what yours covers! If you have any questions about real estate or ideas f…
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The Clouse Corner: Why is the Weekend Important in Real Estate?
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Have you ever wondered why homes almost always go under contract starting on Monday? Is it because people just want to get a jump on the week, or is there more to it? A savvy buyer knows that the weekend is the best time to make a descison about a house and this week on the Clouse Corner we're walking you through it. Whether you're a buyer or selle…
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The Clouse Corner: More Top Reasons Homes Fall Through in Escrow
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It's part two of our series on why homes fall out in escrow! As we've said before hearing that a real estate deal fell apart in escrow is a pretty common saying, but not a lot of people actually understand what it means. Last time we covered how a deal might fall apart in escrow because of financial reasons, and this week we are covering title and …
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The Clouse Corner: Why is The Market Crazy During the Beginning of the Year?
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The first few months of the year are always boom time in the real estate market. But why? Is it just something in their air, or perhaps a mad dash to convert your Christmas bonus into equity? This week Brennen will be breaking down the real estate rush of the first few months of the new year, why it happens, and how you can best capitalize on it! I…
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