Close To Home

This week Brennen gives his top 5 tips for listeners making big moves and lifestyle changes in the upcoming year. Hello again lovely listeners. Listen, we know it's a holiday weekend so hopefully you are out making the most of it! But, especially if your holiday itinerary involves one last wonder around your favorite neighborhood haunts before you tear everything up and head to Seattle, (trust us there are dozens of you, probably) then taking 5 minutes out of your long weekend for these 5 hot tips will be totally worth it. Even if you are not Seattle bound but are thinking 2020 is the year you grab that promotion and head to the big city, or the bigger city, or even to somewhere quiet and quaint so you can work from home, we've made sure these tips are broadly applicable meaning: there's a little something useful here for everyone. Anyway, we're not here to bend your ear about it, give it a listen and as always feel free to reach out if you have any questions. You can always reach us at our various social me

Here's hoping each and every one of you is off to a fantastic start to the new year, thanks for listening! This week Brennen puts a new spin on the market update by bringing you two clients personal stories. Hello lovely listeners! This week we are trying something new on the Clouse Corner monthly market update. Instead of throwing a bunch of numbers at you, this week Brennen has the personal journeys of two clients, who both closed on their homes in the recent market. We are hoping that adding some of these first hand stories will be a good way to give you listeners some up to date tips and tricks for dealing with the ever changing market, in addition to still giving you the facts you need. It's a new way of doing things and let us know if it works for you. Do you like it better than the old market update, or do you miss those hard numbers? Let us know by dropping us a comment or otherwise reaching out! As Always you can reach us on any of our various social media channels: Instagram Facebook Twitter Also

In the first episode of the new year Brennen explains Real Estate Excise Tax  (REET) some of its history in Seattle, and how it applies to you. Hello Lovely listeners! For our first episode of the new year we thought we would try something a little different. This week Brennen does his best to explain the changes made to Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) in Seattle going forward from 2020. He also does a quick recap of the history of the policy. The basic cliff notes on who will be affected are people who own homes they are looking to sell in certain specific price ranges. So, if you own a property that you’re looking to sell that is either priced under 500 thousand, or upwards of 1.5 million, you should give the episode a listen because this affects you! Also canny buyers might also pick up a little inside info they can use as well. Hope your New Years goals are going well, let us know what they are and if they include a new home in the comments! As always if you have questions you can reach us on our vario

This week Brennen talks about how Seattle buyers can take advantage of down payment assistance. Hello lovely listeners, it’s 2020! A whole new year of possibilities is right in front of us and all we have to do is reach out and grab them. In that spirit our first episode of the new year is about down payment assistance, a  program available to Seattle buyers that can help them punch above their weight class, fiscally speaking. It goes without saying but don’t actually start throwing punches at an open house, it’s considered very poor sportsmanship. Anyway, if one of your goals for the new year was setting yourself up in a cozy new starter home, or even the dream home you fantasize about, then you will enjoy this week's episode! As always if you have questions you can reach us on our various social media pages. Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com As always, thank you for listening and we will see you on Wednesday for the first Close to Home episode of the new year! Our Opening

Closing out 2019 Brennen makes his top 5 real estate predictions for the upcoming year. Hello again lovely listeners, this week's Clouse Corner is going to be our final episode of 2019. It seems like the year really just flew by there at the end. Hopefully you all had a great holiday season and are looking forward to great things in the new year! Speaking of the new year, this week's episode is all about just that! If you think you might be putting a property up for sale in the next year and want to be prepared, or if you just really like learning about Seattle real estate trends, then this is going to be a great listening experience for you. We'll be taking this week off of Close to Home for the holidays, but we'll be right back with you next Wednesday the 8th with a brand new episode so stay tuned! As always if you have questions you can reach us on our various social media pages. Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com Thanks for a great year of shows, if you’ve been listening the w

This week Brennen talks about how sellers can take advantage of Compass Concierge to increase the value of their property. Happy holidays lovely listeners! We hope the season is treating everyone fantastically, with good cheer, family, and joy to spare. Also we apologize for the audio quality of this episode. There is construction going on outside of our office in Seattle and we did the best we could, but it still sounds a little off.  One of the nicest parts of the holiday is finally having time to relax in your home with the people who mean the most to you. Not only is it a heart warming experience, but it’s also a good time to assess the house itself and see what needs a little sprucing up. Maybe making big meals in your kitchen would be easier with more counter space, or going across the floor to make coffee in the morning would be a less chilling experience with radiant heating. Well good news! Compass Concierge is a feature where Compass can loan you money to make these kinds of luxury upgrades and

Brennen talks to Nicole Kincaid about how energy clearing can be helpful with problem properties. Hello lovely listeners! This week we are delighted to be hosting Nicole Kincaid, energy clearing and Stuffology expert. What is Stuffology you might ask? You know that closet you’re constantly shoving stuff you don’t want to deal with into and then forgetting about? Well Stuffology is the process that turns that shame cupboard into a nice working closet again, the kind of place where you can put guests coats. Obviously it doesn’t have to be a closet, for some people it’s a garage, or a junk drawer, you get the idea. We all have areas in our homes that we don’t feel great about, or are just accumulating junk; often some combination of the two. Luckily for all of us Nicole is an expert, not just in helping people clear out physical clutter, but also that pesky emotional baggage taking up space in your lovely floor plan. This week she and Brennen take a deep dive on the benefits of maintaining your house, not just

It’s the middle of the month again, which can mean only one thing: it’s time for the Seattle Market update! Hello Lovely Listeners! This holiday season is really flying past. It seems like just a few days ago we were uploading our first Clouse Corner of the month and now we are almost in the scramble for gifts portion of the season. Luckily if you are looking to be better prepared than we are we have just the thing for you! That’s right it’s monthly market update time. It’s commonly thought that the best way to prepare for the future is to look to the past, so every week we devote an episode of the Clouse Corner to doing just that. Brennen will compare and contrast the fluctuations of the market from last year, all while giving an inside perspective on what those numbers actually mean. Are we in a buyers market, or a sellers market, is this a good time to put a property up for sale, we attempt to answer all these questions and more. As always if you have questions you can reach us on our various social med

Brennen breaks down why winter is actually an underrated time to put properties on the market. Hello again lovely listeners! This week Brennen is taking on the myth of winter being a bad time to put properties up for sale. Regular listeners may note that this is the same topic we covered in Close to Home episode 18, and you would be right! Think of this episode as the cliff notes, or the introduction. So, if you missed last week's episode, or just want to try it in a shorter punchier format, here you go! The conventional wisdom is that spring is the best time to put a property up for market, but we’re not about convention here at The Clouse Corner. Sellers bold enough to put their properties up in winter may find themselves enjoying some unexpected benefits, like dodging a springtime saturated market. That’s just one tid-bit from this week's episode, you’ll have to listen to find out the rest! As always shoot us comments or suggestions on our social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClou

Everyone knows that spring is the best time to put your home on the market, or is it? Hello again, lovely listeners. This week Brennen is busting chops and misconceptions about the best time to put your home on the market. Common wisdom says it should be in the spring. But if you think that a cozy place all done up for the holidays isn’t going to attract a buyer, then buddy, you have another thing coming. And that is just one of tip of the festive iceberg (literally, there are six other in this episode). With any luck by the end you will be convinced, or at least have some healthy skepticism, the next time you’re told May or June is the best time to sell a property! Also, in case you have not noticed our new commercial in the episodes we are really hoping people will drop us a review on apple podcasts. If you like the show, or just have a suggestion for a topic or way we can be better, please drop it in the reviews. It really helps us get this podcast into the ear-buds of people who could use the information.

This Week Brennen tackles the classic debate of rent vs. buy from a new angle. Hello lovely listeners! We hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving, or just enjoyed some well deserved time off. We certainly did, but now we’re back to business as usual! It’s time for another little tid-bit of wisdom on the many nuances of real estate courtesy of Brennen. Now, we’ve talked about whether it is better to rent or buy back in Episode 15, which you should check out if you have not already. However, that was from the perspective of the person doing the renting or buying. This week we’re doing the old flipsy-dispy and giving the other side access to that sweet, sweet, market insight. If you have been hemming and hawing over a property you own, then take five minutes out of your day and spend them in the Clouse Corner! Thanks for listening, as always, if you learn something, or have questions let us know, we love to hear from you! Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com Our Opening theme: “Inspir

Hello again lovely listeners! With Thanksgiving just around the corner we thought we would bring you a special treat. It’s Nikki Benson! That’s right, bossladymortgage is back! And she and Brennen are putting their heads together to give you some quality edutainment. So kick back and relax, if you are listening to this episode on Thanksgiving day maybe cut yourself an extra slice of pie, but try and make some room for the best dessert: facts about applying for mortgages! Seriously though, Nikki is always a huge pleasure to have on the show and we really hope you guys enjoy this one. If you have any questions for Nikki, or just want to pester her to be on the show again, hit her up at: nikki.benson@caliberhomeloans.com And as always you can reach out to us over our social media! Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com Thanks for listening and have a great holiday! Our Opening theme: “Inspired” By Kevin Mcleod (incomptech.com) Other music (in order used): “Classic Rose 2” By Vibe Moun

Hello lovely listeners! This week we are back with another Clouse Corner that is all about the numbers. Specifically, when is the optimal time to start the process of selling your property? It’s the kind of issue that becomes more complex the more you look into. You have to consider all the time you’ll be spending on paperwork, cleaning, and staging. Luckily for you Brennen is here with the breakdowns to give you the optimal window for your house to be done, dusted, and sold. Of course this being a Clouse Corner, all this information is just the tip of the iceberg. If you find you want to know more you can always reach out to us over social media! Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com And as always thank you for listening! Our Opening theme: “Inspired” By Kevin Mcleod (incomptech.com) Other music (in order used): “Cipher” By Kevin Mcleod (incomptech.com) “We Don’t Know How it Ends” By Lee Rosevere (leerosevere.bandcamp.com) Music obtained and Licensed under Creative Commons: By A

Hello again lovely listeners! We are back with another spicy top five list courtesy of Brennen, who is putting his own spin on How to Find Your Dream Home - Without Losing Your Mind. Often times the process of buying a new home, or even moving out of an old one can seem like an insurmountable amount of work. There are so many listings to go through, financials to get in order, not to mention seeing the actual properties themselves. Honestly, it’s enough to make you look at your current domicile and say: “eh, good enough.” But who wants “good enough” really? As a kid it’s probably a safe bet you never spent time drawing your “good enough” house. No, you drew your dream house, and even though a trampoline room is probably not on the table anymore, that’s still where you deserve to be. Anyway, if you’re having trouble figuring out where to start your home buying process, this is a great episode to start with. And, as always if you learn something and want to know more, or have follow up questions just shoot u

Hello Lovely Listeners! We are back with some helpful, and hopefully entertaining, advice here at The Clouse Corner. In case you’re new around here, this is our weekly podcast where we take all the complexities and the world of Real Estate and condense it into tasty tidbits of wisdom. It’s like a good cup of coffee, or a bite of toast that’s been perfectly buttered, but for your brain, and maybe your house? We don’t judge. This week Brennen has the numbers, all of them. You’re going to hear the difference between the housing market for condos and single homes this year versus last year. What will this answer? First and foremost whether we are in a buyers or a sellers market. If you want to know what that is, we did a Clouse Corner about it, which you can check out! But basically, we want buyers to know that the market is hot right now, and sellers to know where they can go to get good help selling their homes. Spoiler alert, it’s Brennen! As always, thanks for listening. If you liked what you heard consider

Hello again lovely listeners! This week we have a special treat for you, as we have bossladymortgage herself Nikki Benson in the house! Together, her and Brennen are going to break down everything you need to know about getting downpayment assistance in the state of Washington! What is that you might ask? Well you should definitely listen to the episode and find out! But in a nutshell it’s a zero interest loan from the state to help first time home buyers get started. There is a catch, you do have to go to a class to qualify. Luckily we teach those classes on the third Saturday of every month (that’s the 16th of November if you’re interested). Just shoot Nikki an email at: nikki.benson@caliberhomeloans.com and you will be all set to go. As always if you learned something, or have a question you would like answered, let us know, we would love to hear from you! Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com And be sure to check out Nikki as well! And mention that we sent you so she’ll come back

Hello again lovely listeners! We are back once again with your weekly bite sized nugget of delicious wisdom, like a delicious canapé for your brain and your wallet. This week Brennen tackles the ever important question: “When should I start shopping seriously for my new home?” It might surprise you to find out, but many people can get stuck in the cycle of renting year after year, or even month to month, because they do not understand how much time it actually takes to find, purchase, and close on a home. Now though, you can put your calendars away, or hang on to them, and mark down with confidence when you can expect to be moving into your new home! If you learned something, or know someone who might find the information in the episode useful, please feel free to share us or just throw up a like to let us know you like what we are doing. And as always thanks for listening! Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com Our Opening theme: “Inspired” By Kevin Mcleod (incomptech.com) Other m

Hello lovely listeners and welcome back to the coziest corner of the internet, The Clouse Corner! This week Brennen shares 4 of his favorite ways for property owners to get started using their home to raise additional funds rather than just sit there like a wall, well four walls, and a roof, and maybe a cozy breakfast nook, but I digress. The Point is sure, if you already own your property you could just sit on it and let it accrue value over time; but with just a little extra work on your part you can leverage it and get a jump start on everything from early retirement, to a well deserved vacation. Anyway, enough with the preamble, dive in and enjoy! If you have any questions, or comments,  please feel free to reach out over social media. And if you learned something useful, or know someone who could use the information, please feel free to share us. We always appreciate the help! As always thank you for listening! Instagram Facebook Twitter Online at: TheClouseGroup.com Our opening theme: "Inspired

This week, on the second episode of the new and improved Close to Home podcast, Brennen tackles the classic question: is it better to rent or buy? Spoiler: The answer may surprise you! Of course, you’ll have to listen to the episode to get all the juicy tidbits, but the short answer is it all comes down to the math. Only you know what lifestyle you’re looking for; we just want to give you the proper tools and information. So, whether you’re looking to purchase a house and live there for the next 10 years, or spend that decade traveling around taking in the sights, Brennen will give you the numbers to make an informed choice. Although, even if you are planning on moving around a lot you might consider subsidizing it by becoming the landlord of a cozy two bedroom, maybe in Seattle, just saying. We also have more upcoming community events! What is a Brew and Learn? It’s basically all there in the title. Come and get all your real estate questions answered at the Boardwalk restaurant on the Microsoft campus Novem

This week on the Clouse Corner Brennen delves into the basics of investing in real estate. If you have ever watched HGTV you should be more than familiar with the term. But what does it actually mean, and what are some of the ways you can get started? Well, get ready for not one, not two, but three ways you can begin growing wealth using your home or investment property! It’s a subject we’ve talked about on our Youtube Channel! Check out our episode on House Hacking if you want a more in depth dive onto the subject. Also, while you’re there check out our other great videos, maybe drop us a like or a comment! And as always you can reach us on our other social media pages: Instagram Facebook Twitter Also online at: TheClouseGroup.com Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next week! Our opening theme: "Inspired" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Other music (in order used) "Scheming Weasel" Kevin MacLeod (incompete