Mike Drake-Realtor

I want to walk you through what a property tour actually looks like with me — because it’s different than most.

I came up in plumbing and construction long before I got into real estate. That background changes how I see a house.

When I tour a property with a client, here’s what I’m actually looking at:

**Outside before inside.** Roof condition. Eaves. Siding. Foundation grade. How water moves around the property. Septic field if it’s rural. Where the well is. Power line approach. These tell me more about a property than the kitchen does.

**Then the crawlspace.** Every time. Standing water. Insulation condition. Plumbing patches. V***r barrier. Old beams. If a house has been neglected, the crawlspace is usually where it shows up first.

**Then the attic.** Sheathing condition. Daylight at the eaves. Old water stains. Ventilation. Insulation depth. Having an Inspector run the thermal imaging can tell a lot in these areas as well.

**Then the panel.** What brand. What amperage. Anything obviously wrong like double-tapped breakers, mixed wiring, or a known problem brand.

**Then the plumbing pressure and shut-offs.** I run the water in two locations at once and watch the pressure. I check where the main shut-off is. I look at the water heater age and condition.

Only after all of that do I really start paying attention to the kitchen and the finishes.

Most buyers fall in love with the finishes. The finishes are the easy stuff to update. It’s the bones and the systems that quietly cost $20,000 to $50,000 after closing — and those are the things buyers without the right background never see coming.

Here is the honest answer: I’m not a home inspector. I’m not pretending to be. But I know enough about the systems of a home that I can flag problems before we make an offer — and that has saved my clients real money on real deals.

If you’re buying in North Idaho and you want someone in your corner who actually knows what they’re looking at, reach out. My job is to get you answers.

— Mike Drake
eXp Realty | Kootenai, Bonner, Shoshone & Benewah Counties

A question I’m getting a lot right now: “Is this a good time to sell in North Idaho?”

Here is the honest answer.

It depends on your area, your price point, your prep, and your goals.

That probably isn’t the answer most people want — but it’s the right one.

What I’m seeing across Kootenai and Bonner this spring:

Inventory is climbing. Buyers have more to choose from than they did 18 months ago. That means homes that show well, price right, and get prepped properly are still moving — often quickly. Homes priced on hope rather than data are sitting.

The market did not collapse. It also did not stay frozen at the peak. It moved into something that requires more strategy than it did a couple years ago.

For sellers, this means a few things:

The neighbor’s sale from two years ago is not your pricing comp.
Listing photos and prep matter more than they did when buyers were desperate.
A pricing strategy built on data — not on what you wish you could get — is the difference between two weeks and four months.

If you’re thinking about selling this spring or summer, let’s sit down and look at the actual numbers for your home, your street, your area. No pressure. No pitch. Just real information so you can make a good decision.

Call me, text me, or email me. My job is to get you answers.

— Mike Drake
eXp Realty | Kootenai, Bonner, Shoshone & Benewah Counties