About Steve Milford

How am I different?

I became a Realtor to provide a better service versus what I experienced and to be a better investor. The last time I hired a Realtor, in 2010, it just plain ole sucked….a few of the issues were lack of communication, lack of accountability on the agent's part, saying one thing and doing another, and just being unresponsive in general. I’ll never understand how someone can be on-call, yet have their voicemail full. Huh.

Then I sold my last home FSBO, and I got stung with a dual-agency problem that every agent seems afraid to talk about. Most agents try to “ignore it” to not showcase how it limits them. And they provide no answers. It was during this experience that I thought, “It would just be nice to find someone who says it like it is, no fancy words or promises, who can provide me with education and help me solve my problem.” That is when I decided I woul d provide that for others.

Straight up:

1) A little fix here and a little fix there does not make or break a house. Every Buyer has their own perception of what they want. There are two types of Buyers, either primary-homeowner or investors and both of these Buyers behave very differently.

2) There are 2 kinds of fear in the market – either the Buyer thinks they are paying too much or the Seller is fearful they will sell it too cheap. And these things are based on the ebb and flow of rates, competing inventory, current demand, and what else is happening in the world - like a recession, or war, or elections. Basically, anything that makes our world "not" boring influences how the market responds. Just like the stock market. Are there trends? Yes, but when the market fluctuates every day up and down, is there any rhyme or reason? Not really.

3) Very few Buyers consider one neighborhood only. Most are looking across a larger region to find a house or property. They are looking for the best “value” overall. Appraisers, on the other hand, consider nearby like-kind homes and properties to estimate value and thus individual neighborhoods are valued differently based on a variety of factors. These are two very different ways of thinking about value. When estimating a price to sell at or offer, one needs to evaluate A) what an appraiser is going to appraise it for AND B) considering the region as a whole and competition homes, what a buyer is willing to buy?

This is also why pricing a home, the right price, right out of the gate is so hard to do. 99% of the time is based on nearby sold comps, of like-kind and a speculative piece of what we think the market will do. A home built prior to 1950 of 2,000 sqr feet is NOT of like kind to a home built in 1995 of 1,750 sqr feet. Different building materials, ways of building, coding, and everything else.

4) Want to evaluate a Realtor or agent? Call them and ask them a boring question. Something where they won’t force a contract down your throat.

For me:

I plainly just enjoy helping people - that's why I do this. I clean up lots of messes and could tell you many many stories. Real estate really is a emotion-driven business and that is what causes lots of these messes. Plus, I am not a Realtor for a job. Yes, I make money helping people, but mostly, I strive to help other people so they can have a better overall experience and send me a referral. And since I enjoy fighting for the underdog, here I am.

I don't advertise much, and most of my clients come by personal conversation or referrals. I am not a "hard sell" type when talking with potential clients - I let people choose services wanted. For my clients, I fight for them like I am fighting for my family. Many of my clients compliment me that I am "different" and they are glad they have met me.

I have 20+ years of helping clients in different roles and selling all sorts of different things including websites, labor / staffing, chips, jerky, contracting services, copiers, landscaping services, pest control, furniture, boats, and more.

As a recap, I offer lots of education, let people make their own decisions, be as helpful as possible, and show what's "behind" the curtain. I use technology for efficiency and am on-call all the time. For myself and family, I have tried almost every idea I have discovered "out there" to find a cheaper home or a better deal. Some of those "ideas" work, but most don't. What does work, is just finding ways to have more conversations. So that is what I focus on.

My primary office is in Vancouver, WA. I am licensed in Oregon and Washington and primarily serve clients in Clark, Cowlitz, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties. I have sold most types of properties including detached single-family homes, condos, townhouses, land-only, manufactured homes, fixer-uppers, tear-downers, homes with solar panels, FSBOs, and multi-family. 

For Sellers:

• I don't care how much a house needs to be repaired, it still can be listed.

• I don't care that there is clutter, it still can be listed.

• I am open to showing Sellers ways to increase value AND pay less in commissions! A double whammy!

For Buyers:

• I provide education that helps with budgeting and personal finance.

• I show Buyers how to obtain instant equity.

• I am flexible with showings.

• I am partners with lenders that help all Buyers, even those that offer down-payment assistance.

I look forward to helping you! Feel free to give me a call on my cell anytime, 503-753-7015.