Seattle Real Estate Ranks #4 Among Metros Long-Term

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

Seattle real estate proves long-term strength

Finally, some good news about the Seattle real estate market!  According to a Bloomberg Business Week study, the Seattle real estate market ranks fourth for long-term real estate growth among major U.S. cities. Just remember, most of the factors that caused Seattle’s prices to explode still exist, ie. a beautiful setting, excellent job opportunities, limited geographic surface area for expansion, awesome beer, etc., so it is certainly reasonable to expect that prices will rebound sooner here than elsewhere in the U.S.

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eXp Realty of Bellevue, WA Welcomes a New Recruit!

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

bellevue washinton real estateeXp Realty would like to welcome its newest real estate investment expert, Bob Kelly, to our team in Bellevue, WA. Bob is a newly licensed agent, since June. He lives with his wife and three sons in Bellevue, WA.

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Rates Are Amazing…Maybe It’s Time to Refinance

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

Thanks to guest-writer Gregory Phillips from HomeStreet Bank for contributing this great article about the historically low interest rates available these days.

There are a lot of scary headlines these days. All you seem to hear about banks and mortgages is negative. But despite all the negativity, for some people there has never been a better time to refinance. Although rates have risen off their all-time lows, they are still at historically low levels, with 30 year fixed rates below 5% and 15 year fixed rates below 4%.

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Looking For a New House or Apartment to Rent in Seattle?

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

Are you planning to relocate to the Seattle area? Have you been browsing for Seattle homes for rent on real estate sites, maps, apartment finders, etc…only to find your mind going numb from endless clicking, pop-up ads, and pointless maps that do you no good because you don’t even know the area well enough to make sense of them? And how about all those scams and SPAM responses from Craigslist? It’s so hard to make any progress, even if you already know your way around.  Add to that a tight time frame to find the right place before you start that new job, or the kids have to start school….or your lease expires. You need help!

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Top 12 Reasons Agents are Joining eXp Realty

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

exp realty recruitingeXp Realty is continuing to grow. As of October 2010, we’re now active in 11 States, with more on the way.  eXp Realty is turning the real estate business inside out; eschewing traditional offices, training and marketing practices in favor of a modern, technology-driven approach that will pave the way for the entire industry in the 21st Century.  The following is a quick list of some of the many reasons that real estate agents are making the leap to eXp Realty.  It is no secret that the real estate business is changing…and eXp Realty is leading the charge!

  1. The Industry’s Best Residual Recruiting/Revenue Share Program
  2. Amazing Internet Presence/ Top-Ranked Websites
  3. Multiple Revenue Streams and Business Planning/Accountability Workshops
  4. Collaborative Blogging Platforms and SEO Will Put You at the Top of Google Searches
  5. Lead Generation Programs Will Get You Started On Day #1
  6. Low Split’s and Fee’s Make Business Affordable Again
  7. Cutting Edge Real Estate Agent Tech Tools
  8. Free Social Media Marketing Training and Coaching Program
  9. Green, Paperless, Low Carbon Footprint
  10. On-demand training 24/7 by Top Facilitators via eXp Virtual and eXp University
  11. eXp Realty is at the Forefront of Sponsoring Local Social Events, RE Camps and
  12. Low Annual Cap!!!

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10 Great Reasons to Live Near West Seattle’s Alaska Junction

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Rob LeRoy
Beach Drive in West Seattle

Beach Drive in West Seattle

This article was written by my friend and colleague, Annette Grupido, with whom I work in West Seattle. My witty comments are in italics. Just like this. Enjoy.

1. The water! Less than a mile away is the peaceful and gorgeous Beach Drive. Just far enough from the bustle of Alki, yet close enough for a great run /walk with numerous scenic viewpoints and parks along the way. There is even a lovely Italian restaurant, La Rustica, for those nights you’d like to take a leisurely stroll to a memorable dinner.

If you liked the volleyball scene in Top Gun, you’ll LOVE Alki Beach in the Summer!

Alki Beach volleyball

2. The Alaska Junction offers a plethora of restaurants and pubs. A huge variety of foods are represented here. Mexican, Sushi, Steaks, Thai, pub fare and more! Not to mention our thriving nightlife. Monthly art walks feature local artists, there is live theatre at Artswest, as well as a handful of Karaoke and live music venues.

My favorite is Lee’s Asian Restaurant, home of the 7-flavor beef, which is worth the drive regardless of anything else you see over here…

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It’s Pronounced "ISH-Kuh" – Bellingham’s Irish Pub, Uisce

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Rob LeRoy
Bellingham Irish Bar

Uisce Irish Pub 1319 Commercial St Bellingham, WA (360) 738-7939

As a longtime ‘Hamster, the arrival of a bona-fide Irish pub to the downtown scene was more than a personal dream come true. It was a coming of age story for the town itself.  It is my humble opinion that no town is really worth living in if it does not have at least a pretend Irish pub. The fact that Uisce is a real Irish pub, with genuine trappings and an actual (gasp, cover your ears, Glenn Beck!) immigrant owner, brings Bellingham a certain legitimacy…an air of maturity and style that it once lacked.

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Portland Bike Lanes Now Feature Power-ups!

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

Thanks to some anonymous, but incredibly awesome, pranksters, Super Mario Kart-esque power-ups are now available on some of Portland’s bike lanes!  These are great for extra energy on those cloudy Monday morning commutes, or invincibility when swerving home from the pub on Friday night. Just be careful to avoid those pesky turtle shells!

Looking for more information on life in Portland and Portland real estate? Click here!

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eXp Realty Offers Free Social Media Marketing Coaching

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

exp realty recruiting

Joining eXp Realty will get you access to our  Social Media Marketing program…for FREE!*

Welcome to the eXp Realty Premier Social Media Marketing Program.  If you’re an agent that understands the turning tide of modern marketing, but don’t quite know how to get started, this program is for you.  Similar to the wildly popular and truly excellent Rain Camp seminars, eXp offers all of the same tools and tricks. Plus, I’ll actually help you implement all of them!

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Bellingham Cracks Down on Parking Misfits

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Rob LeRoy

parking_violation copy

I went to court today.  Not for the first time…probably not the last.  It was a matter of principal, and in matters of principal I am prepared to throw down whatever gauntlet is required to guard against offense, regardless of magnitude.  Justice must be served, and our rights as citizens must be protected.  As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

Today the burden fell upon me to refresh that tree with my blood…or, at least, my twenty bucks.

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