Diva Dweller Stories From the Field 2021

It’s no secret: 2021 has been filled with challenges, but it has also been an amazing year that we are super thankful for! In today’s Roy and Kim show (Seattle’s favorite real estate show hosts!), we are giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what things have been like for our Diva Dwellers in 2021. Tune in or catch the recap.

This week on the Roy and Kim show, we are sharing stories from the field. We are lifting up the curtains and showing you exactly what we do in Divaland for our Diva Dwellers. What has Seattle real estate REALLY been like in 2021? And we don’t mean what are the facts and stats (more on that next week). We mean what has it really been like for our amazing real estate clients. They are some tough cookies who have been through a lot. And we are telling all in this episode.

Since Thanksgiving is almost here, we also want to share how thankful we are for our amazing Diva Dwellers. Thank you all for trusting us with your wildest dreams. We are so grateful you let us help you. And we are so excited to celebrate you all.

Especially Memorable Moments from Roy & Kim

One of Kim’s most memorable transactions from 2021 was selling the Rainbow Roost. Kim really loves that the Rainbow Roost was sold by a poly queer couple with lesbian agents (us!), and purchased by a queer couple with lesbian real estate agents. We really put out the rainbow vibes with the Rainbow Roost.

The Rainbow Roost also set some amazing sale records. Kim listed the Contemporary Rainier Beach home for $683,000 and it received 18 offers. The Rainbow Roost ended up selling for $901,275, which is a whopping 32% over the list price. This is the highest over list price that Team Diva has ever sold a home for. And it is a record for this neighborhood, too. How did Kim do it? See exactly how she worked her Diva magic on this Contemporary Rainier Beach Home.

Roy has also just been wrapping up a memorable transaction for his fabulous Diva Dwellers. This Normandy Park Mid-Century Home that Roy listed is absolutely gorgeous and we have all been dreaming about it. This one came with many challenges, but Roy has been there by his Diva Dwellers side the whole way through. It is closing right now!

The Roy and Kim Show | Diva Dweller Stories From the Field 2021

Below are the details for the Roy and Kim Show so you can tune in live or watch the recap later.

Date: Wednesday, November 17th
Time: 1:00 PM (PST)
Where: Facebook.com/SeattleDivas

Diva Dweller Stories From the Field 2021

Here are some stories about our fabulous Diva Dwellers straight from our Team Diva members! Enjoy the team’s stories of what it really has been like to get help people through this long season.

Michael Jouver’s Stories From the Field

What are the moments that made you super happy that you were doing this work?

Hard to really put into words seeing as I help list them all. Every home listing process is different – if I had to pick, it would be the magic we made for our Wedgwood Mid-Century, the transformation of our Magnolia View Home, and helping two of my best friends list their Modern Othello Home.

How did you help someone against incredible odds?

Magnolia was a process, but we did it! That was the biggest house transformation I’ve been a part of for some time now.

Did you get cozy and feel good about a moment when you handed the keys to someone?

I usually take the keys from them, LOL – knowing our listings closed as smoothly as possible and that new love and life was about to fill them always makes me happy.

Was there a house you listed that you still feel super lucky that you were able to capture its beauty?

The Modern Queen Anne View Home – DROOOOOL. Want want WANT!

Roy Powell’s Stories From the Field

What are the moments that made you super happy that you were doing this work?

This happens pretty often when I’m working with friends. Whenever I say, “This is the one time in our friendship where you get to lean on my vast passion and knowledge to make one of the most important (and expensive decisions) in your life,” it’s a pretty big and fulfilling feeling. I’m very fortunate to work with a lot of friends and people who quickly become friends by working together.

How did you help someone against incredible odds?

OH BOY, all of 2020 and most of 2021 have felt like clients winning against all odds. I did have one set of clients last year where they had limited resources and only 5% down. We wrote offers on 10 homes before they finally won their home in Greenwood. These were offers that I would have been proud to receive on my own listings but saying the market was heated is a huge understatement. Those 10 misses were full of heartbreak and frustration, but through it all, we made the best of it and they stayed strong.

I say this all the time, but you end up with the home you are meant to have. Sometimes the road is very long. The interesting thing about the long road to homeownership means that we get a lot of time to get to know each other and our bond gets a lot stronger through the process.

Did you get cozy and feel good about a moment when you handed the keys to someone?

I LOVE handing clients their keys. There is nothing better than living out that moment when all of your clients’ hard work pays off and you get the prize and the end of the game. It’s also the kick-off to the next part of the adventure where they get to start living. Every key handoff is special and it’s a huge motivator for me in this job.

Was there a house you listed that you still feel super lucky that you were able to capture its beauty?

Where do I start?! The fun part of listing homes is telling a story that feels aspirational! I want buyers to walk in and say, “This could be my life and that life is awesome!” Sometimes that is easier than others. The Normandy Park house from this year is one of them. This house was so easy to list because the story was already there and the clients did an awesome job of getting the home prepped to perfection.

After staging when we got the photos and videos back my clients said to me, “You made my dad cry and I’m not really sure we want to sell our home anymore.”

When I can make a seller fall back in love with their home all over again I know we are going to be successful.

Rocky Flowers’s Stories From the Field

What are the moments that made you super happy that you were doing this work?

Selling and buying homes is stressful for people who are not in the industry. I could say it can be stressful for us too at times. But it is a different kind of stress for clients. It makes me happy knowing that I have been able to give them the tools to make informed decisions about their purchase or sale.

How did you help someone against incredible odds?

This one was a huge team effort. We wrote one offer and got the first house. I had some clients move from Germany and they had a very short time to find a home while they were in temporary housing. The market they were in was extremely competitive. We had to work closely with their lender Derek Wetzel at OnQfinancial to get them the special financing they needed to be pre-approved without a social security number. Not to mention having all their tax returns translated from German. We were able to win a multiple offer situation by writing a stellar offer. The special financing was a weakness in their offer, but I also had a good working relationship with the listing team and they knew that my lenders would get this transaction closed on time.

Did you get cozy and feel good about a moment when you handed the keys to someone?

Every time I give someone keys it is a cozy feel-good moment. I sold a house to someone in West Seattle. They were probably one of the most panicked and stressed-out buyers I have ever worked with. My Diva Dwellers had received some money from a family member that passed away and they wanted to make sure they were not making a foolish decision. They also had a very clear idea of exactly what type of home and neighborhood they wanted to live in. We were able to find a cute craftsman which is just the type of home she dreamed of in a tight-knit neighborhood. It was a very warm and emotional key exchange. They lived there very happily and would often invite me over for neighborhood parties all the time.

Was there a house you listed that you still feel super lucky that you were able to capture its beauty?

Actually, the listing that I have right now in Alki is a perfect example. It is a beautiful home. We had a lot of time to plan staging photos and videos to make this home really stand out.

Lindsy Russell’s Stories From the Field

What are the moments that made you super happy that you were doing this work?

Real estate is disruptive for all those involved: sellers, buyers, agents, inspectors, you name it!
When your clients know you are right there with them during the toughest and most joyous moments, that is super special. And it doesn’t just stop with the sale of the home, we spend time cultivating lasting relationships, clients become like family!

How did you help someone against incredible odds?

Last year a client and I pulled up to literally her dream starter home in Seattle. We hadn’t even made it inside when I got the email that the home had just gone pending. My client was totally crushed but wanted to see it anyway, so we toured. After our tour, she loved it even more and at that point, I knew I had to try something!

I decided to call the broker and see if we could be in a backup position if something changed, my client was appreciative but had really lost all hope and kept saying “we had no chance.” Two days later I get a call from the listing agent, the buyers backed out and when I called my client she couldn’t believe it. I’ll never forget how happy she was! She wrote me the best thank you card after we closed and was incredibly grateful that I persevered to win her that home!

Did you get cozy and feel good about a moment when you handed the keys to someone?

Basically every time! It’s such an honor to help my clients navigate this process and the keys and closing gifts… and the cherry on top is when it all becomes real! I definitely have the cozy feeling inside when I’m driving away after the key hand-off because I get to witness my clients truly taking in the moment!

Was there a house you listed that you still feel super lucky that you were able to capture its beauty?

The first two listings I had were both Mid-Century homes in Richmond Beach in a neighborhood that used to be a large apple orchard. As a fan of mid-century design, it was super special to help showcase those specific home features in the home’s marketing and photography. Little known fact, I used to sell mid-century modern authentic furniture and housewares before I sold real estate, so starting with those two homes as I made this transition was nostalgic and just felt right!

Thank You For Tuning Into the Roy and Kim Show

Roy & Kim Show Washington State Legislature 2021

Thank you for tuning into the Roy and Kim show. This season we will be talking about the upcoming 2022 real estate market, announcing a new Team Diva member, and so much more.