Seattle Real Estate Report

Just Now:

An ADT (home monitoring/security) salesman knocked on the front door. I opened and listened attentively to the kid's pitch until he said, "A lot of people don't know this but ADT and Google are effectively the same company now and..." at which point every alarm in my head screamed "never!"

I responded, "So it's not enough that my phone listens in on everything I say even though I've instructed Google to NOT do so and now Google prefers to watch me undress, come and go, know when AND count the number of times my doors and windows open or close, how precisely many people are at home, where they are, what they're doing, what they look like, build biometric records and profiles of every living soul willing to pay Google to monitor me like cattle? Have you heard of a country called China where this kind of authoritarian tracking is the law? And do YOU really wanna play a part in the destruction of your own privacy and freedom... AND MINE?"

Him: blank stare. "So would you want to take advantage of this for free for 1 year as a model home in this neighborhood?"

Me: "It's enough that the vacuum cleaner knows where every piece of furniture in this house is and how to put itself back on the charger.... so, no."

I did some checking after he left.

In 2020, Google bought 6% of ADT and promised this "next gen" security system. Google and ADT's security package: Google screens and cameras and ADT's software, sensors, and hub. Google's plans for a security system are starting to take shape.

Notice the words: "starting to take shape."

Realtors: I know NY State realtors don't use MLS (RLS) but I am curious to know why NY has so few rew realtors per 1000 residents compared to states with greater populations. This chart aggregates from NAR but RLS stats say around 52k agents/brokers in NY. Both TX and NY are around 21,000,000 population. Educate me, briefly or at length.

AGENT to JOB ratios are also revealing: It's an interesting contemplation when you factor in that NY is 0.6 agents for 1000 jobs with only 5,740 agents active in 2022 while TX is 2.1 agents for every 1000 jobs with 27,710 agents active.

I'm a mortgage broker; 14 years. Started my own company and looking at expanding my own two-state mortgage company to 6 states. I know the crystal ball is murky but what's happening in your sphere(s) of business as an agent... what do you see now and future?

This is a PSA. You've likely seen or heard TV commercials about protecting your home against fraudulent loans, title theft and losing your home to n'er-do-wells with a "one-page document."

Title fraud is real but it happens so very infrequently that you have a greater chance of finding a trophy with a zygodactyl on top at a Goodwill store. These companies that leverage fear (Home Title Lock, for example) will not protect you against claims, liens or related events that challenge your ownership of your home. They are simply a monitoring service that can let you know when action has been taken against your title. You can do this for yourself if you are really concerned.

Of note: Home Title Lock is presently sporting an expert (David Hooten") fear mongerer in the TV ad who plainly says that as a county clerk of the court, he must allow fraudulent filings even when he knows it is illegal. First of all, that it is utter deception. County clerks do NOT sit idly by and allow thefts to go down or else they would lose their job in a heartbeat. Second... Mr. Hooten lost his job last year to sexual harassment allegations.

Mukilteo, WA is a small town 25 minutes north of Seattle proper. Lighthouse Beach Park and Ferry Doc are beautiful year-round. October 1, 2019 at sundown.