Bren the Broker

10/17/2026

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Of all the questions I get from first-time buyers, this one comes up more than almost any other.

10/17/2026

Can a basement apartment cover your mortgage in Seattle? 🏡

Short answer: no. Longer answer: it covers a real chunk of it, and that’s still worth doing.

The part everyone skips is the 15 percent you lose to vacancy, utilities, and maintenance. That’s the difference between the number in your head and the number in your account.

The math works. It just works slower than the internet says it does.

Part three: how to figure out what a house is actually worth before you write the offer. Follow so you catch it. 👀

📞 Thinking about a house with rental potential? Call or text me at 206-899-9101

RentalIncome WashingtonRealEstate PNWRealEstate

10/16/2026

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One of the first questions I get from buyers, usually right after their offer gets accepted, is a simple one: when do I actually get the keys?

10/15/2026

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Almost every first-time buyer I work with saves hard for the down payment, gets it locked in, and then hears the phrase “closing costs” for the first time somewhere around the offer.

10/14/2026

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Most Seattle sellers ask the same question before they list: when is the right time to put my home on the market?

10/14/2026

Seattle has some of the oldest housing stock on the West Coast. Four things fail here more than almost anywhere. 🏚️

The side sewer. Knob-and-tube wiring. Water where it shouldn’t be. Permit history.
All four are findable before you buy. A few hundred dollars up front beats five figures later.
Part two is the permit one, and it’s the one that quietly costs people the most. Follow so you catch it. 👀

📞 Buying an older home in Seattle? Call or text me at 206-899-9101

SideSewer KnobAndTube WashingtonRealEstate PNWRealEstate

10/09/2026

Your DTI isn’t a pass/fail test. It’s a dial, and you have more control over it than you think. 📊

Five ways to move it:
1.Pay down revolving debt first
2.Don’t take on new debt (lenders recheck right before closing)
3.Increase documented income
4.Buy a little less house
5.Ask about a seller rate buydown

That last one matters right now. Seattle is sitting at roughly three to three and a half months of supply, so there’s room to negotiate.

Find out where your number sits before you fall in love with a house.

📞 Want to map it out? Call or text me at 206-899-9101

SeattleHousingMarket PNWRealEstate

10/08/2026

What DTI do I need to buy in Seattle? 📊

Under 36 percent is the zone where nobody argues with you and you get the best rate.

Part three: five ways to move your number before you shop. Follow so you catch it. 👀

📞 Not sure where yours lands? Call or text me at 206-899-9101

VALoan FHALoan PNWRealEstate

10/06/2026

Everyone obsesses over their credit score. Your lender is looking at a different number first. 📊

It’s your debt to income ratio. What you owe every month, divided by what you earn before taxes.
That one percentage decides how much house you can actually buy in Seattle. Not your score.

Part two: the exact DTI each loan program wants to see. Follow so you catch it. 👀

📞 Want to know yours before you shop? Call or text me at 206-899-9101

WashingtonRealEstate PNWRealEstate

10/02/2026

Three ways Seattle buyers actually lose their earnest money. ⚠️

1.Waiving a contingency, then trying to walk.
2.Missing a deadline you didn’t know was running.
3.Wiring your deposit off an email.

All three are avoidable. Call escrow before you wire, watch your dates, and don’t waive anything without talking it through first.

That last part is the whole job. 📞 Call or text me at 206-899-9101

WashingtonRealEstate PNWRealEstate