The Schoenrock Griffith Group

04/22/2026

Just sold in Mica and this is one we are proud of. Competing against a seemingly impossible-to-beat offer with an escalation clause, my buyers snagged this one at the list price, but how?

TL;DR: A high offer is great. An offer that is nearly guaranteed to actually close is even better.

We placed our original offer the day this one came on the market, hoping no other offers came in. For a special property, of course another offer was submitted with an escalation clause up to $2 million! For a $1.2 million property, my buyers were ready to give up. After a brief conversation with the list agent, we found out the competing offer was still a normal, conventional loan with 20% down, meaning it would still need a conventional appraisal. This was a special property, but it wasn’t priced $800k below market value.

The buyers didn’t need to overcome $800k, they needed to overcome whatever amount the other offer was willing to beat ours by. Was it $5k? $10k? Higher? We wouldn’t know.

Still discouraged but with this perspective, we resubmitted our offer, the buyers wrote a compelling letter to the seller AND shared evidence of their strong financial ability to purchase the home, and that did the trick. (If you know me, you know I am a fan of letter-writing).

When it would have been easy (and maybe the obvious outcome) to give up when you’re up against an offer that seems too good to be true, it paid to take a step back, evaluate the landscape, and still move forward. It turns out the other offer was only escalating by $1,000!

The seller accepted our offer, and the buyers closed today on a truly beautiful property, even with the sellers netting less than they would have with the other offer.

04/17/2026

This was a special home to prepare to list, even if at the end of the day it didn’t make it to market because some savvy buyers snagged it before it went live.

Still, a beautiful home on Spokane’s most iconic street deserves to be admired.

I’m stoked for my friends who cared for this home well to move on to their next adventure, even if it means my access to their garage golf simulator just moved further away.

03/21/2025

“Come hang with at our brand-new listing on 16th tomorrow from 11a-2p!

This beautiful brick rancher is on a massive 0.25 acre lot in the heart of the South Hill and has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on the main level.

The basement includes a MASSIVE indoor climbing wall and access to a 2-car attached garage (a rarity in this neighborhood).

Come hang!

11/22/2024

🛶 Under contract! Our buyer is excited for the chance to call this beautiful Pend Oreille lake cabin their own!

This will be the 3rd waterfront property on Pend Oreille we have helped buyers find this year, and each one comes with a unique, but similar set of challenges.

Beyond making sure the regular home stuff is handled, we also make sure our buyers are able to take care of encroachment permits, water rights and usage, and a host of other property specific issues that come up with docks, boathouses, and homes that were built before permits were a thing. So far, we have been able to navigate each issue with a 100% success rate.

Whether it’s lakefront or neighborhood, Idaho or Washington, we turn over every stone so that there are no surprises at closing.

11/05/2024

How do you stand out in a market of brand-new construction options? Despite high-end finishes, a lived-in home surrounded by new builds can be a challenge, but we were prepared to tackle it.

In a growing neighborhood where buyers could still get in early during construction to pick finishes from the ground up and still take advantage of builder incentives, we found creative ways to stand out. We experimented with different angles and marketing strategies, and did everything we could to highlight its unique character and get it sold.

We’re grateful to have been entrusted with this sale through referral from Arizona. If you are ever in need of real estate services outside Spokane and North Idaho, we love to come alongside you to interview and help you choose agents that match your goals and personality!

Thanks to our clients and all those who support us through referrals—it’s a pleasure to serve you!

10/31/2024

Buying a house can be challenging enough, but buying while also selling can be even more stressful!

When these sellers found their dream property, it meant quickly preparing their home the market, navigating two sets of inspections, and getting the timeline just right so they could have a seamless transition from their current home to the next one, and everything worked out in the end, and that’s exactly what we did.

Tips on what works:
1. Be flexible. We had extremely gracious sellers AND buyers who made this transition easy, giving our sellers more time to make the transition to their new home.

2. There is no “passing” an inspection. Homes (even brand new ones) are going to have “stuff.” What matters is most “stuff” can be fixed or negotiated in the contract. Both of these homes had flaws that we were able to work around and come up with a solution where everyone felt comfortable moving on.

3. Work with a pro. When it comes to realtors, contractors, inspectors, photographers - it’s important to work with someone who knows what they are doing. We surround ourselves with the best in the business and love to make those connections for our clients.

We are excited for the next adventure for the buyers of this Greenwood home in Indian Trail and for our sellers at their new home on Grove!

10/10/2024

Check out my first-ever contribution to the Spokane Journal of Business!

Even though interest rates *rose* after the fed cut a couple of weeks ago, homebuyers and sellers in Spokane and North Idaho should still be preparing themselves for when they start to come back down.

I wrote what falling rates could mean for both buyers and sellers and how each can prepare themselves to take advantage of the market, regardless of when the rates begin to fall.

For first-time homebuyers, lower interest rates will mean more affordability, but lower rates also could lead to increased competition among buyers, according to Realtor Branden Griffith.

09/24/2024

🎃 Donuts are on the (Open) House!

Join us this weekend to ring in the new season with complimentary pumpkin donuts, home-made cider and applesauce, and even some pickleball (pickles are seasonal, right?).

Come check out one of the most unique properties on Green Bluff on your way up to pick fruit, or grab a snack on your way home in case you didn’t get your fill.

Swipe to see all the details of this weekend’s festivities at 8912 E Golden Hills Ln!  



What do you like more?

09/19/2024

Our good friend receives learned about the Glow Run from our Small Town Spokane Newsletter and went and ran it! If you don’t want to miss out on events like this (or eating food if you hate running) then make sure to sign up at the link in our bio.

What else are you getting up to this weekend?

The (September 22) - A 4-mile race through the streets of downtown (starting right next to GU, this race started within the last couple of years and has already garnered a huge turnout. Registration is $30 and still open!

Oktoberfest Beer Cruise (TONIGHT) - Take a beer cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene (21+) with a German-inspired buffet and beer!

CDA Oktoberfest (September 20-21) - Drink some beer in CDA and buy a pretzel necklace. It’s simple.

(September 20-22) - The Valley’s biggest community event is this weekend at Mirabeau, Plante’s Ferry, and the Event Center! Live entertainment, a parade, a fun run, and best of all, family friendly!

West End Oktoberfest (September 21-22) - Can’t pick one brewery to celebrate this Oktoberfest? This festival has 5 coming together to celebrate this weekend. Humble Abode, Brick West, Iron Goat, Whistle Punk, and Grain Shed will have live music, including polka tunes of course, and plenty of beer to go around.

09/19/2024

Look, you already have heard from the 40 people you know working in the real estate industry that interest rates were cut yesterday, but what will that mean practically for Spokane buyers and sellers in the coming year?

Here is what we predict:

With the federal reserve cutting rates and more cuts predicted, the housing market will respond. Homeowners and potential buyers should be prepared to react to the market accordingly.

09/12/2024

When you walk into a home, sometimes you just know the owners have cared for it. This is one of those homes.

Located in a quiet neighborhood in Indian Trail, but still close to the park, shops, and the recently-updated library, this 3-bed, 2.5 bath home (with all three bedrooms on the same floor) has a huge backyard, a great deck off the dining room, and a two-car garage attached, so no defrosting the windows before driving to work this winter.

More living space in the finished and bright basement means there’s room for dinner upstairs and activities downstairs.

Send this to someone who would continue to care for this wonderful home as its wonderful owners move on!