James Evanoff

The bridge.... the majority of the bridge will be paid for by those that live over there or have to work over there. Those are your commuters paying the toll on the new bridge. The exodus is fueling stalled/falling prices over there, when traditionally it was the one of the most expensive areas to live in Pierce County as well as one of the fastest growing areas. Hope that helps..... - Thu Nov 22 2007, 22:11

Builders change their prices frequently. Depending on market conditions and the amount of inventory they have available. If all they have are presales, prices go up (if they are selling presales quickly). If they have alot of standing inventory (finished homes) and sales are slow, they either lower prices or change the buyer bonus. As a site agent in the Tacoma area I can tell you this.... shoot for the moon. Ask for everything. They never give you everything you ask, but they will give you some. It just depends on how badly they need to sell a home. BTW, nothing "insults" the builder.... they just reject the offer if it's too low or ridiculous. They've seen/heard it all! Good luck in your hunt for a new home. - Thu Nov 22 2007, 22:08

I understand your plight and sympathize. As a realtor let me say this.... not all realtors are created equal. The best advice do your homework and thoroughly interview your potential agent. Ask tough questions. Interview more than one and definitely get referrals from friends or family who have had a good experience. It sounds great in theory to go it alone and sell FSBO or pay someone $500 to stick your home in the MLS and pray it sells, but really that's not what you are looking for. In the end selling FSBO you aren't aware of all the disclosure laws in WA state. Should you ever be sued over something after the sale of your home and you didn't disclose or weren't aware it was a problem, you will be liable. In the end the money you would have paid a realtor would be far less than settling the lawsuit. Do your homework, interview top agents (easy to find out who they are!) and let them assist you. Agents sell homes an average of 8-14% higher than For Sale By Owner. That covers the 6% commission. And 95% of all real estate related lawsuits are associated with FSBO sales. It's not that people aren't successful selling on their own, they just open themselves up to alot of potential headaches. Best of luck in selling your home. - Thu Nov 22 2007, 02:44

As a realtor, let me ask you this question.... why would/do you want it deleted from this site? As an agent our job is to expose your listing to as many potential buyers as possible. When you hired your agent, didn't you expect them to do this? In the end, the more exposure you have brings you more ad calls. If you have more demand for your home you will receive a higher sale price on your home. You do want that don't you... the highest price possible in the shortest amount of time? Just a thought. I wish you a speedy sale on your home. - Thu Nov 22 2007, 02:25

As a guy who specializes in new home sales, the short answer is no. The builder will simply keep your earnest money and let you "out" of the contract, then put it back on the market. If he has you under contract and the builder addendum spelled out the upgrades (costs, liability, etc.... and they all do!) you're in a bad position. They don't install the upgrades anyway without you being under contract. Put a little sugar on it and ask your realtor to do his job. If it's a site agent, he doesn't want to upset the builder and jeopardize his job. If you have your own agent, he has no clout or pull with the builder. It's a tough spot to be in. Cut back on the upgrades you can before they are installed, otherwise you'll have to bite the bullet on this one and build yourself a really nice home. - Thu Nov 22 2007, 02:13