San Francisco Real Estate: Escrow Out Loud

Last week Matt’s mum joined him on the podcast and shared her real estate experiences with us. Every story, like every real estate purchase or sale we've been a part of, has at least two sides – and often a lot more! This week on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, Matt talks with his dad to get another perspective on their family's experiences buying and selling homes over the decades.

[01:28] The Fuller’s first home in Boise, Idaho was a great buy. Even though the turnaround between buying and selling their house there was unforeseeably quick, the profit they made from it really set them up down the line in terms of home ownership. The economic environment back then in the 70’s seemed to be more favorable for various programs that enabled buyers to come up with the funds for the down payment on a home, particularly for first-time buyers.

[06:35] Work relocation took the Fuller family to Denver. Upon arrival, they quickly found a real estate agent through Mr. Fuller's colleague and she helped them find their new home where they remained until leaving the state. While the house was busy appreciating, the family was knee-deep into soccer. There was a star player, a coach, a referee and a state board member – and Matt the not-soccer player! Over the years, the family remodeled the home and housing prices appreciated so by the time the Fuller’s sold their house and left Denver for Michigan, they were able to net a nice profit.

[10:48] What are the things home buyers need to consider when deciding on a property? Choosing the right neighbourhood is often just as important as choosing the right house and, in fact, the two often go hand in hand. Most people have a list of requirements for their ideal neighborhood. For a family like the Fullers, this included things like good schools, recreational facilities, and access to shopping.

[12:17] We finish up part one of this interview in Michigan. The cold weather? Bats in the attic? Michigan was quite a change for the Fuller family. While they ended up finding a really nice house with a beautiful backyard often visited by deer in all seasons and fireflies on warm summer nights, in hindsight Dad regrets what they paid for that property. The realtor they used was working strictly for the seller and the Fullers felt their interests were not the priority. Agency laws vary by state and have changed over time..?

[18:21] Before moving back to New Mexico, the Fullers moved once more, this time to a small town in Michigan, where they loved the Realtor and the commute, but beyond that…. scandalous! Join us again next week, for part two of the interview, when we pick up the Fullers' trail in Gallup, New Mexico!