Selling Seattle real estate for 23 years, I'm passionate about providing a first-class, full-service real estate experience. Intuitive listening helps me understand your needs so they can be satisfied with your purchase or sale. My skills, strategies, systems, connections, and communication provide you with clarity and confidence to make informed decisions and achieve your real estate dreams and goals. Real estate with your needs at heart.
Considering selling but worried about the costs of preparing for the market?
Are you considering selling your home but worried about the costs of preparing it for the market? Don't let that hold you back! Windermere Ready offers loans of up to $100,000 to cover expenses like cleaning, decluttering, painting, staging, landscaping, repairs, construction - whatever is needed to ensure your home is ready for a successful sale. Best of all, you won't have to make any payments until your home sells! As someone passionate about helping homeowners maximize the value of their properties, I'm excited to introduce you to this program. Let’s talk to see if the program could be a good fit for your needs. Check out this quick video to learn more about how Windermere Ready could be a game-changer for your home-selling success!
Sell for more,in less time with Windermere Ready.
Contact me for more details!
Client Testimonials
"Erik is consummate professional whose deep knowledge and industry expertise allows him to navigate the crazy PNW real estate market with ease. Erik listened attentively, taking the time to understand our needs and preferences. He consistently went out of his way to accommodate our schedules and ensure every aspect of the buying/selling process was smooth and stress-free. Erik's professionalism and genuine care for our interests set a standard that few people (let alone realtors) can match. Erik got us our first home and we'll be recommending him to all our friends. Thanks Erik!!!"
— Adam Chambers
"Erik is an exceptional agent who was invaluable in helping sell my Mom's condo. Early in the process Erik helped in deciding the appropriate level of remodeling that would optimize my return on investment. Erik even helped pick the paint colors based on the natural lighting in the condo. Since I was selling my Mom's condo remotely (I was out of state), Erik took the lead on many of the activities like working with the staging company, dealing with the buildings HOA and overall helping to manage the unit in my absence. During the sales process (which was only about 2 weeks), Erik's advice was critical in handling the offers as they came in and in ultimately getting the offer I wanted. I would highly recommend Erik if you are looking to sell your house."
— Mike Uomoto
"Erik was awesome. I really hope we don’t need a realtor again, but if we do, he would be my only call."
—Sheila Fritz
"My husband and I had seen a video of a house for sale in our Beacon Hill neighborhood. We were blown away by how gorgeous the video made a rather modest house look. The attention to detail, the little flourishes, the entire production quality and presentation were first-rate. We really wanted to meet the person behind this effort. We soon met with Erik and he ended up selling our house. The fact that he is from Seattle is a big deal; Erik really knows and understands this city. He is well known in the community and is truly committed to making Seattle a better place to live. He was able to help my husband and me navigate through the complexities, all the many twists and turns that take place in selling a home. He is a people person with a big heart and is generous with his knowledge. Erik was there for us and had our backs at every turn. He took the time to explain things and make them easy to understand. He listened to our concerns, always making them a priority. His marketing strategies were well-thought out and gave us confidence that we were in good hands. This man goes about his work with great energy and good cheer. If you are fortunate enough to work with Erik you are getting a consummate professional. My husband and I could not be more pleased with his efforts. We now consider him a dear friend."
— Rita Suzuki
“BUYER’S AGENT: I have 8 real estate transactions under my belt with different agents and Erik Stanford definitely stands out in the crowd. I’m 100% sure that our latest home purchase would not have been successful without Erik’s support, expertise, and guidance. We purchased at a time when multiple-bids and tens of thousands of dollars over list price was the norm. Under his guidance, we were totally prepared and able to avoid a multiple bid situation which kept the price within reason. He called non-stop through his list of approved vendors until he found a building inspector that could come out immediately which helped move our process forward, greatly improving our chances of a successful purchase. Erik kept an eagle eye over every part of the process. When things were taking longer than expected, Erik was on the phone keeping everyone on track. Even though there were a few bumps along the way, with Erik guiding the way, we closed on time. SELLER’S AGENT: After such a positive experience with our new home purchase, we, of course, had Erik sell our home as well. After we spent an exhausting week of prepping our home for the show, he spent another 8 hours over there cleaning our windows inside and out, and fine-tuning our home. I have NEVER met another agent that would have given so much of their time and energy to the sale of our home. Our home never looked so good. He put up points of interest signs throughout the house to point out the positive and the negative features of the house. Total transparency. Our home sold quickly with multiple offers and above list price."
— Karla Chin
“I have to be honest, I went into the home buying process not convinced that the standard agent fees were worth paying. But then we started working with Erik. He devoted so much time, attention, and heartfelt effort to our home purchase that now I wonder whether he shouldn't have been paid more. At the beginning of the process, he sat down with us and spent all the time needed to educate us on the current market realities and what we needed to do to be prepared when the right home came along. When the home we thought we wanted came on the market, he was ready to show it to us the same morning. When we decided that the home was the one, he became Super Agent Erik - taking every step possible to ensure we would get the home at the best possible price. Because of his knowledge of the market, his negotiation/people skills, and his RELENTLESSNESS, we were able to get the house we wanted, without dealing with competing bids, and within a short closing window. It's not just that he paid attention to detail, it's that he approached every step and every detail as if this was his own home purchase. At the end of the day, that's what I valued the most about working with Erik - he was fully and wholly invested in us having a successful purchase. And we did.”
— Blanca Hernandez
"Erik Stanford went above and beyond my expectations to sell my home in a timely and efficient manner. Erik was very organized and helpful, even personally helping me clean windows and prepare the home for the four open houses he held in the first weekend. The decision to sell my home was a tough one, but working with Erik really made it a rewarding experience for me, and in my opinion, for the buyers as well. His experience and expertise was evident from the start, he kept me fully informed at all times and was responsive to every concern I had. I highly recommend Erik Stanford."
—Happy Seller
"Honest, knowledgeable, creative, dedicated – that’s Erik Stanford. Erik knows how to sell. Very organized and an excellent communicator. Like most folks, our transaction involved both selling and buying. To complicate matters slightly, we wanted to do things the “old fashioned way” with a contingent offer on the purchase – which of course affects the sale, too. And we were doing this in a hot market where “contingent” is much less common than it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Erik jumped right in and understood how we wanted to “do the deal” and we really appreciated his ability to lay-out a big-picture plan (roadmap) to get us from point A to point B. There was a lot to do in a very compressed timeframe, but Erik has excellent contacts in the industry to handle the necessary prep work for selling (and those folks came through in a big way). We were simultaneously preparing for the sale and making (contingent) purchase offers. Once we had an accepted offer on the purchase side, the contingent clock was off and running (30 days) – which is not for the faint of heart! But Erik had everything under control (i.e., the roadmap). We were “sold” (offer acceptance) very quickly – at which point Erik (along with his associates in the financial industry) swung into action and helped us through all facets of the remaining paperwork process. Thanks to Erik’s excellent communication skills and professional guidance, we successfully closed both deals per the various contract stipulations. What a ride! No question about it, “Stanford’s the Man” – plus he’s just a great individual and fun/easy to get along with (which of course is a big deal considering the nature of the process). Excellent service."
— John & Stacey Frantzen
“I have had a fantastic experience working with Erik Stanford on the recent sale of my home. So good in fact that I need to share what a tremendous job he does and what he does that makes him such a special friend to have in your corner. Yes, I said friend, because you may start out as “strictly business” but you will admire and appreciate so much of what he does that you become great friends. Several months ago I had made the determination that I was going to sell my home. I immersed myself in studying my neighborhood and comparable homes in it. I visited every open house I saw. They were all very similar in presentation and style until I visited one of Erik’s open houses. I immediately saw and felt the difference when I walked in. The home was immaculate and staged beautifully. There were informational signs about the home all over pointing out things you might otherwise not notice about that house. Even things that were in need of attention were pointed out for potential buyers to see and be aware of. (Nobody does that, everyone else tries to hide problems and hope you don’t notice.) In addition, there was a timeline of repairs and remodels and what the owner had spent doing those things…It gave me a lot of confidence in what was being presented and just took away a lot of questions from my mind about the quality and condition of that home. There was also a wonderful testimonial from the owners about what made the neighborhood special. When you are choosing a neighborhood you gain confidence from hearing what the residents say about it. All of these things were wonderfully presented and I knew then, that Erik was going to be the guy to help me sell my house. Months before my house was planning to be sold, Erik came over and started helping. He walked my entire house. He helped me create a list of things that should be done to improve the appeal of my home; most of them I had not even considered. As the time drew closer he was over here doing things I could not believe a broker would do to help prepare the house. I was honestly flabbergasted at the effort he put out on my behalf. When the time came, the house looked awesome! It sold quickly, with multiple offers, for substantially over the asking price. I could not have been happier. In the days leading up to the closing, Erik continued to be a strong advocate for me. He worked hard on my behalf to make sure the closing would be on time and free of any complications. With Erik working for you, you will be pushed and poked a little to get things done right. His attention to detail and nit-pickiness is all designed to help you get the best outcome you possibly can. I am so pleased I met Erik and made a lifelong friend in the process of selling my house.”
— David Y. Mar
“Any realtor can help you find a house. Erik Stanford will help you find your home. From the first time we met with Erik, he was dedicated to helping us find the right home for our needs. He asked the questions most people don’t think to ask, those that go beyond the ‘how big and how many bedrooms questions—what do you do for fun? What’s your favorite room in the house? What are the things that really matter to you in your home?' These are questions that make a huge difference in finding the right place to live. Erik made the house-buying process easy, and dare I say, kind of fun. His patience, contentiousness, and integrity made him easy to work with and helped us feel immediately at ease. He was incredibly responsive to all of our needs and questions—no matter what time they came in. He helped us each step of the way, not only showing us what we should look for but explaining the things that really mattered about buying a house. He even showed us things to stay away from, vital information for first-time homebuyers. While the process of house-hunting is never simple, Erik made our home-buying experience both successful and insightful. His ability to connect with people and assess their needs made a huge difference in the process. His local knowledge and connections with other realtors were key to us securing the perfect home. Erik knows the Seattle housing market and the ins and outs of real estate, and it shows in every interaction. We feel incredibly lucky to have found not only a wonderful home, but a great friend in Erik. Thank you for everything!”
— Ashley Wiggin and Joe Kavanaugh
“I highly recommend Erik Stanford. He is a consummate professional realtor and personal friend. Erik has helped with the sale of two of our previous homes and with the purchase of our current home. The thing that sets Erik apart from your standard real estate professional is his understanding and implementation of a high level of customer service. Working with him has always been a pleasure and he takes the extra steps necessary to ensure that the needs of his clients are met. The real estate industry could truly benefit from more professionals like Erik.”
— Jay Taylor
“Erik was a pleasure to work with. He was patient and immediately responsive, even to our silly questions as first time home buyers, going above and beyond what we expected from an agent. It was so reassuring to know that Erik was on our team. He is a serious professional who knows how to get results for his clients. He is also a pleasure to be around because he is calm, insightful and has a great sense of humor. Erik works quickly and effectively. This was especially important for us as our time-frame for looking at and buying a house was really short. He was a tremendous help in a tough market for buyers as he helped us put together an offer that both worked for us and got us a house that we love. Thank you!”
— Max Handler and Rebecca Klein
“Amazing, above and beyond what I could have ever expected. He got me through a very difficult situation and provided the help I needed to get back on track. He made recommendations that brought buyers in and was able to pull off a sale on a very difficult property. He was in constant communication and provided the kind of feedback that helped me make the best choices to get the house sold. He really stuck it out after countless setbacks. Yes! He totally took care of my house and did many of the kinds of things I was unable to do since I was out of state. He spent so much time at my property, my neighbors told me they felt like he lived there. He stained my deck! He cleaned the house, made minor repairs, met with contractors, and got the house into a condition where a sale was possible. I was dealing with a very difficult listing and Erik came in and saved the day. I honestly believe I would have been unable to sell the house without the incredible effort Erik made.”
— Daniel Andresen
“Erik performed above and beyond the call of duty...giving us advice and counsel on preparing the house for sale, recommending a stager, brokers preview, and negotiating the final deals. We ended up with four full-price offers and a bidding war. Our house far over the listing price. I can't expect anything more from our real estate agent, Erik, who was simply amazing. Whether you want to sell or buy a house in the Seattle area, Erik Stanford is the BEST you will find. Amazing customer service, knowledge, and expertise.”
— Steve Excell
“Erik is extremely skillful at negotiating and problem-solving difficult situations. No matter what issues came up and the number of issues; Erik's dedication and attention to detail, took us over each hurdle. His work ethic is outstanding; we always felt he did the very best for us. Completely satisfied.”
— Benson & Krissy Wong
“I was caught in a tough situation with an investment property that I had. I was having trouble unloading the property like many people at that time and could see the real estate market as a whole was quickly taking a sharp dive. My sister referred me to Erik, who came in and did his thing. Within a month, I had competing offers, two of which included escalation clauses. I'm grateful for his assistance.”
— Stephen Anderson
"Last year my wife and I purchased our first home together and Erik was our fantastic realtor. He was very flexible, friendly, and worked hard to make sure we were happy and comfortable with the whole process. As first-time home buyers, we didn't know much going into our property search. Erik patiently explained everything and after a couple of weeks of viewing houses together, we felt like pros. We've now been living in our house in the Rainier Beach neighborhood for about 9 months and we love it. We highly recommend Erik to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in south Seattle."
— Caitlin Day
"Erik offered us outstanding service. Everything he did exceeded our expectations! As a first-time home buyer, he was very helpful and knowledgeable. He was on top of the market and we ended up getting a place that had been on the market for 1 day when we made an offer. We had a couple competing offers and Erik helped us navigate through it. As we would go around looking at houses Erik pointed out several things that most real estate agents wouldn't. He also suggested a very well-trained home inspector and then helped us get a contractor in to give us an idea of what it would cost to make the fixes on the house we were looking at. This is the same person that Erik uses for most of his work. We felt very confident going through the entire process that Erik was being honest and helpful. We never felt overwhelmed (except maybe at the final paper signing when they say what the end bill would be after 30 years....haha) and that we knew if we had any questions he would help us out. To this day Erik still checks upon us and is interested to know how everything is going. We have referred a friend of ours to him already and will continue to do so. When my in-laws move up here, they will be using Erik as well! THANK YOU ERIK FOR THE AMAZING JOB YOU DID!"
— Blake Simpfenderfer & Amanda Davis
“Erik was my listing agent for an infill housing development in the City of Seattle. His attention to detail as well as his own personal input helped sell these homes in a very trying time. From start to finish with each transaction he had made sure all the finite items had been addressed to ensure a smooth transaction. I would not hesitate to recommend Erik's services if you want to be represented well.”
— Paul LaBellarte, Owner, Columbia Builders, Inc.
“I am still floored by how WONDERFUL Erik is. He is kind, funny, and really dedicated. He worked his tail off for us, and we ended up with our dream house as a result. Can't really beat that. He was ALWAYS available to us, showing us houses and answering our calls whenever we wanted, offering his time above and beyond our expectations. He went to bat for us in a major way. Erik was knowledgeable in all aspects of the transaction, a pleasure to work with.”
— Jeff & Kate Stelling
“Erik worked with my husband and me to sell our home during a very difficult period of the recession. During this time, my husband was traveling frequently, so I made many decisions on my own. We were fortunate to receive multiple offers. Erik expertly guided me through each offer, giving me his professional opinion on the quality of each offer. He worked diligently to present our home to potential buyers in the most professional way possible. He also gave us wonderful advice on adjusting the pricing of our home, when offers were slow. Erik is a talented, patient, successful Real Estate Agent that I would recommend highly!”
— Cynthia Cooper
"We all know what an emotional and often demanding process of buying a house can be. I have purchased four houses since living in Seattle and have come to realize the major importance of a great real estate agent. The relationship that develops with a professional whose expertise is designed to guide in making some of life's most important decisions is truly one-of-a-kind. In my many dealings with such experts, I have never worked with anyone as knowledgeable, dedicated, dependable, efficient, and caring as Erik Stanford. It has been a privilege to work with him and I would not entrust anyone else to guide me in finding the perfect home."
— Christophe Chagnard, Music Director
“Erik is a true pro! Dedicated and detail-oriented. There were tons of details on this transaction and Erik handled them all with a true commitment to excellence.”
— Kristen Marie Schuerlein
“Erik was very informative, helpful, and educational throughout our experience. He taught us a lot about the home buying process and was even helpful in educating us on fixing up items around the house that need repair. His presence during our pre-inspection and all the time he took to show us houses without making us feel pressured at all showed that he cared very much for our happiness rather than having the situation be strictly business. Because of that, we trust him and have tremendous faith in him. Also, his effort to research a neighborhood review on a potential house and his effort to find out not only the good but also the bad reviews again shows he cared for our safety rather than just making a sale, so again because of that we genuinely feel that he is a truly good person in addition to being our extremely helpful agent. I don't think there's any other agent that compares that can show that kind of loyalty and care.”
— Kathy Fletcher
“Dear Erik, Agnes and I want to thank you for the professional way you guided us through the process of selling our lovely home of 37 years. You are always responsive when we called or asked for information. In fact, you made many helpful suggestions and gave us wise counsel, never forgetting that for us, leaving our family home of so many years was a very traumatic experience. Step-by-step we worked together through all the forms and documents just as if this was not only our home that was for sale, but that in a way, it was your home too. We can honestly say we not only found a remarkable realtor, but also a wonderful friend. So again, we say thank you, Erik, and it is without hesitation that we recommend you to our friends and neighbors when they decide to sell their home.”
— Reverend Mark & Agnes Duntley
“Erik went beyond our expectations. His service was excellent. He helped us review our contract and advised us on things to look out for at a very late time for something he wasn't required to do. He gave us some contacts for other services such as property management, contractor, and other vendors for home improvements. He introduced us to our neighbors which he wasn't required to do. He helped us pointed out things to look out for during an inspection. He was open and honest. I can't think of any better. He gave us exceptional service. We'd definitely refer him to any buyers/sellers. He helped us find a home that offered a great deal and that we are very pleased about. We highly recommend Erik Stanford. He was open, honest, very supportive, knowledgeable, and has great communication skills. Thank you for helping us to find a wonderful home!”
“I had used a couple of different Real Estate agents before I met Erik and he is the only one that I have gone to more than once. He is by far the best agent I have worked with.”
— Michael & Gladys Matson
“Hello, Erik. My name is Deanne Wilson and I am a Windermere co-owner on the Eastside. After being out of town for a week I arrived home to find a neighbor's house with a sale sign in the yard. I was thrilled to see it was a Windermere sign. The sign was not a total surprise as the house had recently been spruced up with some yard work and fresh paint. Today I finally looked up the property and could not let the opportunity pass to tell you how impressed I was by what I found. What a fabulous job you have done on marketing this property. The house was very well prepared prior to going on the market, it is staged just perfectly, the photographs are high quality and very well done, your sign is clean and well maintained, and it was a wonderful touch to include neighborhood attractions in the photo gallery. Your attention to detail and professionalism is part of the reason Windermere continues to be a leader in the marketplace. Kudos on a job very well done!”
— Deanne Wilson, Owner, Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc.
“Erik was awesome to work with! As a first-time home buyer, I had a ton of questions, and Erik patiently answered every single one of them. He was very responsive, thorough, and perhaps most important, a great listener. Erik was there every step in the process, from knowing neighborhoods, finding the right home, making a great offer, and closing on time. He knew his stuff- from recommending places to look at, to bringing Purell to a total dump I just had to see! I would highly recommend Erik to anyone looking for an experienced, professional agent to buy their first home or their next home.”
— Walter Haugland
“Erik Stanford served both the Listing Agent for our first home in Madison Valley and the Buyer's Agent for our second home in Seward Park last summer. Erik helped us through the entire process and always went above and beyond what we expected of a real estate agent. Since we both work full-time, Erik took care of many tasks we could not, for example, obtaining bids from three different electricians and making arrangements to have a garage door spring repaired, saving us countless hours and easing our minds tremendously. Even after the sale, he has always been available to help and advise us on any questions or problems that have come up with the house. He also did an amazing job marketing the home we were selling and it sold in five days with seven offers at a price 9% over asking. Erik is a skilled negotiator. He made great suggestions on how to get our property ready to sell and the quality of his marketing materials was outstanding. Needless to say, we were extremely happy with these results. We have already recommended Erik to our good friends who just purchased their first home with his help. We plan to continue to use Erik in all of our future real estate transactions and will continue to recommend him to our friends and family. We can assure you that if you use him as your agent, whether selling or buying, you will receive the same professional and excellent service.”
— Tom Siegel
“Erik was very professional, looking out for what was best for us and provided us with excellent service from start to finish. He was very helpful throughout the processes and took the time to make sure things were done right and he fought for us to get the deal that we wanted. He also gave us advice that we might not want to hear, but it was the advice that we benefited from. During this hard economic time, Erik put us and our family first and not his agenda to sell a house. We could tell through his actions and the way he dealt with us that he was looking out for us and what was right for us. We have experienced other realtors who tried to get us to buy a house as much for their financial gain if not more than what we wanted. Erik never did this which created a high comfort and trust level. We trusted him that he would do what was right and he did. Integrity and professionalism are huge for us and Erik demonstrated these qualities. We have recommended him to others and will continue to do so.”
— James & Mary de Menezes
“Dear Erik, Thank you so much for assisting me with the sale of my Mother's Lakeridge home in on Dixon Drive S. Your professional attitude and attention to detail really impressed me. Each time I had a question you found the answer quickly so any problems could be resolved in a timely manner. No question went unanswered. I would recommend your services to anyone. You made the home selling process easy and enjoyable. Keep up the good work! Thank you for holding the open houses and your wonderful staging of the home. Many nice comments were made about the staging and warm welcome you give the people looking at the home. I wish you continued success and hope the future holds wonderful things for you.”
— Janice Madsen
"Erik does everything in his power to help his clients in the way that he would help his family. He has a big heart and helpful ideas that really contribute to the way he does business. For these reasons, he will always be a success in my book. Thank you for helping me buy my home, Erik!"
“Erik. You were absolutely indispensable during my recent home buying experience. You went the extra mile when things were not always so smooth. As a first time buyer and a single woman, I don't think I would own a house without your help. I will without a doubt refer you to anyone who needs help with their future dreams. Thank you so much (and thanks to Jessica for referring me to you)!”
— Shawna Holman
“Erik Stanford did an exceptional job selling my house. When I found a property I wanted to buy, Erik and I wrote up an offer contingent on the sale of the home I had lived in for more than 25 years. Erik gave me the information I needed to make decisions throughout the involved, totally foreign, and rather stressful process. Erik was able to assist in every detail of marketing the house: from pricing it correctly, to photography and advertising. He generated a lot of interest through flyers, his contacts with other agents and his web page. He reached the right people. After the open house, we had multiple offers to consider. Erik arranged for me to meet with the buyers and their agents to go over the offers. This saved a lot of time going "back and forth" to firm up the final details of the sale. In addition, he was able to set it up so that the same Escrow Company worked on both transactions: the sale of the old property and the purchase of my new house. This made the whole complex process much easier than it would otherwise have been. I would certainly work with Erik again in the future should the opportunity present itself.”
— B. K. Ulricksen
“Dear Erik, Now that I've been living in my new home for about six months, I wanted to write and tell you how thankful I am that I found you and that you helped me find this house. Living here has been such a delight! This place is perfect for me and I love being able to make it my home. Before I met you, I had never seriously considered owning my own home. It seemed like something other people did, not something I could ever do, especially as a single woman. Even after talking to you, I still wasn't sure I had enough money or motivation, but you were incredibly patient and understanding with me. Home Street Bank, the lender you recommended, was excellent, but once we had looked at house after house and found nothing suitable within my range, I figured it just wasn't meant to be. Thankfully, we came across this little gem and I was finally ready to commit to being a homeowner. And then everything fell into place: our offer was accepted right away, the inspection went really well, the bank completed its fastest closing ever, and I was moving into my own home less than a month after finding it!
I don't think any other agent would have been able to make this happen for me. You understood my sense of humor, my concerns about buying a house, and the importance of getting to know me personally. I especially appreciated you after dealing with the seller's agent She was so disorganized and slow to respond, it seemed like you had to do twice the work! I think the best thing about the whole experience (besides ending up with a great place) was that we had fun together! You've become a good friend to me and I will definitely recommend you to everyone I know. I hope that you will use me as a reference when you have people considering you as their agent. I know that you will do the same great job for anyone looking to buy or sell a home. I don't want to move anytime soon, but once we outgrow this place, I'll be coming to you!
I'm so glad you were able to attend my housewarming party, come bowling with all my friends, and take part in my wedding! Whenever you're in the area, be sure to stop by so that we can show you our new carpet upstairs and the flowers I planted in the backyard. Also, we'd like to have the exterior painted red with light blue trim this summer, do you have any recommendations? Good luck with everything and I'm sure we'll talk again soon.”
— Beth Johns & Scott Braswell
“I am writing to you regarding the performance of Erik Stanford in our real estate transaction. We sold our Mount Baker home on Hunter Boulevard and subsequently purchased a new home. In both transactions, Erik was a huge help: In preparation for the sale of our old home, he was patient with us. It took us the better part of two months to prepare our home in spite of the fact that it was an as-is sale. This home was a family home and the accumulation was overwhelming. He checked in regularly without making us feel pressured and in fact offered his time (and back) to help move boxes into storage and help load our dumpster. Never once did I get the feeling that he felt as though we were taking up too much of his time or spinning his wheels. I don't know how we would have managed given our poor cash flow at the time and the fact that both my partner and I had physical limitations that made it impossible to do the labor completely by ourselves. It truly could have taken many more months had we not had his help.
When we began searching for a new home, Erik was sensitive to our needs and demands, which were many. We had many specific concerns regarding the choice of a new home, and I frankly am amazed he didn't throw his hands up and go screaming into the wilderness. Because of our physical limitations, we wanted a home that was primarily on one floor with a level lot "in Seattle!", if there is such a thing; specific about size, style, the whole nine yards. We also were very particular about the area of town we were willing to live in, having strong community ties and commitments. He never flinched. In fact, when he found the perfect house, he went far beyond many might have to get me to go see it as it didn't meet our location criteria exactly. Erik was always available to us at a moment's notice and when I would call up with some demand, out of the blue, regarding either house, he was always patient and thorough in his interactions with me. Needless to say we have been very happy with both the sale and especially the purchase of the new house. We couldn't have found a better place to spend the rest of our lives unless we built it ourselves to our own specifications. I can't tell you enough how pleased we were. Erik made easy, what for us was a scary decision and process.”
“Erik went above and beyond for us. We had a fairly large list of needs in a new home and he was thorough and persistent in helping us in our search and finding a great selection of homes to check out leading us to the home we ended up with. I can't imagine having such success with anyone else.”
— Sheri Day & Mona Ahto
“Called to look at a home we were at 25 miles from his office and he came right over to show us and we were signing purchase papers that very day. Completely satisfied.”
— Ted & Sheri Grimes
"Erik Stanford is a remarkable real estate agent who I'd recommend to anyone. After my father died, he was very instrumental in helping me prepare our family home for the market, then getting it sold. He is very detail-oriented, leaves no stone unturned, sees and considers all issues regarding real estate in past, present and future tense (things most other realtors may overlook), and is great in following up with everything - if you have questions and he's not available when attempting to contact him, he'll ALWAYS promptly get back to you with an answer or put you in contact with someone who can. He has multiple contacts with contractors he recommends to his clients and he's also very knowledgeable about the real estate market and uses what he knows to make sound business recommendations and decisions. In a nutshell, he's honest, courteous, and a real professional!!!"
— Noel & Nancy Barnes
"Erik has helped me sell two homes and buy one. He is an expert in his field and I always knew I was in good hands. He had always gone above and beyond my expectations to make sure I had a positive experience. He listens to what I really need and communicates very well throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend Erik!"
— Maria Sibal
"We loved everything about working with Erik. He was timely, responsive, took initiative in areas we needed him, and was our advocate. We would use him again and highly recommend him to others."
— Jon Gould & Tamara Dyer
"Erik was the perfect agent for my wife and me as first-time homebuyers. Throughout the process, it was clear that he had our best interests in mind. He took the time upfront to get a detailed understanding of what kind of house we were interested in purchasing, even asking about our plans a few years down the road to make sure the house would stand the test of time. This ensured that we focused on homes with good potential and our time reviewing and touring homes was well-spent. During home tours Erik would point out what to look for, based on his understanding of our needs, and what to be cautious about, pulling from his experience attending countless prior home inspections with other buyers and inspectors. Erik was incredibly responsive to all our calls and emails, usually responding to emails within minutes - even in the evenings. He never tired of our endless questions and taking us on numerous tours of homes. His patience, conscientiousness, and integrity made him easy to work with and helped us feel at ease during house hunting. Erik’s in-depth knowledge of the Seattle housing market and connections with other realtors were key to us securing the perfect home. Throughout the process he advocated for our requests and lined us up with top-notch home and sewer inspectors. During the closing process he worked closely with the escrow company to help facilitate our transaction closing smoothly and on-time. We’re super grateful for Erik’s unceasing efforts to find us the perfect home. You can depend on Erik to pull out all the stops to ensure a successful buying experience - I highly recommend!"
— Joe Kavanaugh
"Erik recently helped us buy a condo in Madison Park. His expertise in structuring the offer was invaluable and I'm certain this is why our offer won out against the other bidders, in a very hot, seller's market. Our offer was within our spending goal, and in the end, no higher than the other bidders, but following Erik's recommendation on how to structure the offer was the difference-maker. I highly recommend Erik."
— Jeff & Martha Sherman
Recent developments in the real estate industry concerning the settlement of a class action lawsuit by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has raised a number of questions, especially as it pertains to agent compensation.
For more than 50 years, Windermere has put integrity and professionalism at the heart of our business, especially during times of change and uncertainty like we’re seeing today. Our agents take their responsibility to their clients very seriously and are committed to guiding them through any changes that may result from the NAR settlement.
There has been a great deal of coverage about NAR in the media, which has led to a tidal wave of misinformation. There is also still a lot that is unknown about how the proposed settlement will affect the home buying and selling process. With that in mind, we felt it was important to provide clarity on two of the proposed changes that will likely have the most impact on home buyers and sellers. NAR’s settlement has not yet been approved by the courts, but if it is, the following two items will go into effect in July 2024.
Agents representing buyers in every market touched by the settlement agreement across the U.S. will be required to enter into a written agreement with their clients called a Buyer Agency Agreement. These agreements cover critical elements of their working relationship such as the term of the agreement, the exclusivity of the representation, the agreed compensation rate, and the agent’s responsibilities to the buyer. We firmly support the requirement of a Buyer Agency Agreement as an opportunity to provide increased protections for buyers and their agents and to create a more informed real estate environment for all parties involved. It’s worth noting that Buyer Agency Agreements are already required by law in certain states where Windermere operates, including Idaho, Utah, and Washington.
The commissions that are paid to a buyer’s agent and a seller’s agent will be decoupled, a change that is intended to provide more transparency about how agents on both sides of the transaction are compensated. This means that what was once customary, which was for the seller to pay the entire commission to be divided between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent, will now be separated. Under the proposed new rules, the seller will pay the listing agent and the buyer’s agent will be paid by the seller or the buyer—or a combo of the two. That’s not to say that the seller has lost the option to pay the buyer’s agent, and in many cases they may choose to do just that. One example might be when the buyer is using a VA home loan which doesn’t allow them to pay a commission by law, or to help a first-time buyer who lacks funding for the commission cost on top of the down payment and closing costs. It could also be a seller who understands the value that a buyer’s agent brings to the transaction and wants to ensure they are compensated for their work.
As stated earlier, there are still many unknowns about how the NAR settlement will impact the home buying and selling process, but what we do know is Windermere agents are ready to fiercely support their clients’ best interests through these changes, as they’ve always done. We will stand alongside them and continue to use our influence to advocate for a fair, transparent, and equitable real estate experience for all involved.
Thank you,
Geoff Wood
CEO & Co-President
Jill Jacobi Wood
Co-President
OB Jacobi
Co-President
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