First Free Homebuyer Class is Feb 15 – Free Pizza and Beer!

Archive for the ‘Press’ Category

Next Free Homebuyer Seminar July 20 – with Pizza and Beer!

July 7th, 2011 by Craig

Our final Free Homebuying Seminar (sellers welcome too!) will happen July 20, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at the WaLaw office, 2033 Sixth Ave., Ste. 990.  We’re kicking it up a notch or two this time – we’ll have pizza and beer!  We’ll still talk about the state of the current market, financing options (with Tom Goldsmith of Cobalt Mortgage), and how you can save lots of money in the transaction while protecting your legal interests.  But this time, instead of soda and cookies we’ll have some delicious NW microbrew on hand and fantastic pizzas from Serious Pie.  This is a great chance to meet Marc and Craig in a very informal setting.  Both buyers and sellers will learn lots of great information about the WaLaw model and the services we provide.  And did I mention the pizza and beer?  :-)

If you are planning to buy or sell your home this spring, you know that the real estate market has changed considerably. What’s an “REO”? What’s a “short sale”? How do foreclosures affect market values? Know your options!

Is This a Seminar for First Time Home Buyers? Who Should Attend?
The seminar is for anyone interested in learning more about buying or selling a home in today’s market including first time home buyers, repeat buyers, and sellers.

What: Workshop for Home Buyers and Home Sellers
Where: WaLaw Realty Offices, Downtown Seattle
Click here to RSVP and get directions to the Home Buying Seminar .
When: Wednesday, July 20th, 2011, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Cost: FREE

As usual, RSVPs are appreciated but not required.  We hope to see you!

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Look out MediaWorld, Here I Come!

February 16th, 2011 by Craig

Earlier today I participated in a discussion concerning strategic defaults on KUOW’s program The Conversation. While I had a couple of “uhs” overall I thought it went well. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think! If you don’t have the time, I will tell you I got the chance to make my favorite point on the subject: We should not hold people to a high ethical standard in regards to their contractual obligations UNLESS we hold the other party to the contract, the bank, to the same standard. And of course we DON’T hold banks to the same ethical standard. That strikes me as unfair. If we tolerate a “strategic default” by a business, we should also tolerate it by the person who is the other party to the contract. My $.02….

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WaLaw’s Marc Holmes to speak at Agent Reboot

August 12th, 2010 by Marc Holmes

Our friends at Inman News didn’t award us the Most Innovative Real Estate Brokerage Award (bummer) but they have asked us to speak at the Seattle edition of their 12-city Agent Reboot event.

They describe Agent Reboot as “power-packed” and “low cost” which pretty well sums up our whole business model so you know we’re down with that.  It’s an event local real estate agents looking to learn about new developments in the industry so it presents a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to agents who haven’t heard of us, yet.  And maybe we’ll get to spread the gospel of lower commissions!

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WaLaw Realty nominated for 2010 Innovator Awards – VOTE TODAY

June 22nd, 2010 by Marc Holmes

We’re excited to announce that we’ve been nominated for the prestigious 2010 Innovator Awards awarded by Inman News at the annual Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco.   Along with several impressive companies we’ve been nominated in the Most Innovative Real Estate Brokerage category.

Nominations are open to the public and winners are chosen by the Inman News editorial board.  This year, for the first time, there is a “People’s Choice” Innovator Award as well so we need your vote so we can win twice! 

Click here to register (choose the “limited access” option to register for free) then click here to vote. 

Inman News prides itself as “the leading source of independent real estate news, information, advice, research, opinion and commentary for industry professionals and consumers alike” and they’ve been handing out the Innovator Awards annually since 1997.  The awards go to forward-thinking individuals and businesses and past winners include Google Earth, Trulia, Redfin, New York Times Real Estate, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, RE/MAX International, E*Trade, E-Loan, Lending Tree.

It’s a big honor for us to be nominated and especially cool since it comes on the heels of an awesome article they about us last April.  You have to be a dues-paying member to read the whole article so we’ll sum it up for you.  The reporter looked all across the company to see if anybody else had a business model that combined the traditional strengths of a top notch real estate brokerage with the practical advice and counsel of a real estate law firm all for a low flat fee.  Sure enough, we’re the first and only ones to do it and that, my friends, is the definition of innovation!

This nomination is right in line with our mission statement which makes it all the more satisfying.  WaLaw Realty - Changing the way people buy and sell real estate!

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Buyer Agent Commission Rebates: The US Dept of Justice Is On Our Side!

April 29th, 2010 by Craig

The Department of Justice maintains an interesting web site regarding broker commissions and rebates to consumers. As noted by the DOJ:

New business models are emerging that allow consumers to save thousands of dollars when they buy or sell a home. Where these practices are allowed, some buyers’ brokers are offering refunds on commissions, and some sellers’ brokers are charging only for services actually used.

WaLaw Realty is one of the “new business models” that not only allows consumers to save thousands of dollars directly, but also puts downward pressure on the fees charged by other brokers. WaLaw Realty — helping clients save money, and changing the world for the better in the process. What’s not to love?

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MLS Listings: WaLaw is selling houses!

March 25th, 2010 by Craig

WaLaw gits 'er done!

Here’s one of our recent listing success stories. This seller saved more than six grand ($6,000!) on the listing agent fee. The house sold in less than two months. The system works!

On a related note, I authored an interesting post on Rain City Guide about this picture. Specifically, what does the “Sold by…” sign indicate? I soft sell my point in the post, but here I’ll give my full two cents: It tells other brokers and agents that the buyer’s agent (Mr. Houston) will work cooperatively to get a deal closed.

This must be the purpose of the “Sold by” sign. It simply cannot be designed to promote Mr. Houston as a competent buyer’s agent, because most buyers don’t understand the role played by Mr. Houston based on these signs. The only people who completely understand the message are other brokers and agents. Therefore they must be the audience, and this is the only message to that audience that makes sense.

In the not-too-distant future, WaLaw should have its own “Sold by” sign — except it won’t say, “Sold by.” Rather, it will say something like “Buyer assisted by” or “Buyer’s interests protected by” (obviously we need to refine the message) because that is what WaLaw does. When representing a buyer, we don’t “sell” anything.

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Flat Fee Real Estate Brokers: We’re trying where others have failed…

March 2nd, 2010 by Craig

WaLaw is in the news! Turns out we’re boldly going where some bigger fellas (Redfin, Findwell) tried and failed: the Flat Fee. Hopefully news of our endeavor will continue to spread… If so, then the flat fee will be here to stay!

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We’ve changed the name of our law firm!

January 20th, 2010 by Craig

The Law Office of Craig Blackmon is now officially Blackmon Holmes PLLC. Contratulations Marc! Keep up the good work — but where do you go from here? Your name is alreay on the door….

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Our Own Marc Holmes named a Rising Star!

December 4th, 2009 by Craig

Every year, Washington Law and Politics asks the legal community to identify both ”Super Lawyers” (experienced and widely respected attorneys) and “Rising Stars” (younger and less experienced attorneys who have shown tremendous potential to date).  This year, Marc Holmes, the owner and licensed broker of WaLaw Realty, was named a Rising Star!  Congratulations, Marc!!  Marc is following in the footsteps of Craig Blackmon, law partner and co-owner of WaLaw Realty, who was named a Rising Star in 2004 and again in 2005.

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Walaw in Seattle Times

July 28th, 2009 by Marc Holmes

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2009534040_avoiddisasters26.html

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