Questions people actually ask.
Including the ones people apologise for asking. Nobody is born knowing how this works.
[[PLACEHOLDER — B4: the three questions Irina gets on almost every first call, in the caller's own words. These go at the top of this page. Capture: write down what the next three callers ask in the first five minutes.]]
Do I really need 20% down?
No. This is the single most common thing that stops people before they start. There are loan programs with far lower down payments, and Washington has down payment assistance programs. What you qualify for is a lender's answer, not mine — and I'll introduce you to two or three so you can compare rather than taking the first one.
Can I afford a house?
I genuinely don't know, and neither do you until a lender looks at your actual numbers. I won't guess at it, because telling you what you can borrow isn't something a real estate broker should be doing.
What I can tell you is that plenty of people who assumed the answer was no turned out to be wrong. And if you're not ready yet, I'll say so plainly and tell you what to work on. That conversation costs nothing.
Should I find a house first, then get pre-approved?
The other way around. An offer without a pre-approval usually isn't taken seriously here, and looking at houses before you know your range is how people end up disappointed. Lender first.
What's actually in a monthly payment?
Principal and interest, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, mortgage insurance if your down payment is below a certain level, and HOA dues if there are any. On an older house, maintenance belongs in your thinking too, even though nobody puts it on the sheet.
People get surprised by this number, and they shouldn't have to be.
How many clients do you work with at once?
Five, maximum. It works out to four to seven closings a year, which is fewer than a lot of agents advertise. That's the point — it's why I'm the one who answers when you call.
Do I pay for staging?
No. I stage and photograph your home myself and it's included in my compensation, so there's no out-of-pocket cost to you for either. Most sellers pay separately for both.
Will you tell me if a house is a bad idea?
Yes, and I'll tell you if your asking price is too high, too. I'd rather lose a transaction than watch someone buy something I'd have warned my own family about.
How fast do you respond?
Within 24 hours, always. Usually much faster. If you'd rather text than fill in a form, text me at 206-867-0272.
Do you speak Romanian?
Yes. I was born and raised in Romania. I work in English and Romanian both.
Which areas do you work in?
King, Pierce, and Thurston counties. Mostly Federal Way, where I live, plus Auburn, Kent, Milton, Edgewood, Puyallup, Spanaway, and Tacoma. I've written up four of them in detail.
Where do I search for listings?
On my brokerage site, which has the full, current, compliant MLS search. I don't duplicate it here.
What if I'm not ready for a year?
Then you're not ready for a year, and that's a completely normal answer. Come to a free class, ask me things in the meantime, and buy when it's right for you rather than because someone told you the market was about to run away.
Not on the list?
Then ask me directly. There's no such thing as a question that's too basic.