Homes by Justini Martini

Dammit! I left my phone in my room again…on the top floor!
You climb the three flights of stairs, get your phone. You’re back downstairs….
“DAMMIT!!! I left my water bottle up there!”
Where do you keep your appliances? You know, the airfryer, keurig machine, SodaStream.
They’re on your counter…taking up precious space and for all of your guests to see when they come over.
Which doesn’t allow for any sort of prep space for cooking, or space to entertain either…
Do you relate to this right now?
Look, townhomes are GREAT. They offer affordability compared to single family homes, or a great alternative to condo living. But, they come with some challenges.
It worked great when you first moved in. No more people living above, below, and on each side of you.
After a few years of living there you start to notice the things you don’t like.
A lot of them are around 1,100 SF, split between 3 floors. That means a lot of stairs! Cozier living spaces, minimal storage, and the primary bedroom is normally all the way at the top.
You’ve tried to tell yourself “at least I’m getting my steps in” but that is starting to get old, REAL FAST.
But, you really don’t have a solution for that extra storage you need.
Simply put, your home just doesn’t work for your new needs in your life.
If you’d like to know how you can move into your next home, click the link in my bio for our Serve it Up method.
We’d love to show you how our Serve it Up method can help you with your next chapter and finding a home that better suits your needs.

I told my clients to change their search criteria or they likely wouldn’t get a home…😫
They’d been looking at houses for a couple months. Discovering different neighborhoods, finding out what worked and what didn’t.
They really wanted walkability to coffee shops, trails, and a sense of a community that was diverse and the neighbors knew one another.
After a few weeks of looking they landed on West Seattle.
It was during the HEIGHT of the market when interest rates were under 4.5% in 2021. We thought that with the West Seattle Bridge being repaired it wouldn’t be as competitive….
Boy, were we wrong! We toured around 15 homes and wrote 4+ offers. These clients were all cash buyers and they still couldn’t get a house that worked for them.
So, I told them about a town just south, Burien. They knew about this area, but never really thought about living there.
We went there for lunch, walked around and they could see why I recommended it. On our walk we found a home that was in a VERY convenient location and had just come on the market.
We went and saw it immediately.
It was a great fit! They’d also be getting an even larger yard than what they were finding in West Seattle.
We wrote up their offer within 2 days, and competed against 10+ offers.
With my knowledge of the market, great conversations with the listing broker, and their competitiveness, they got the home!
If you are trying to buy a home you need to have an agent who understands how it works and can properly guide you.
There isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. There needs to be collaboration and constant communication.
Our Serve it Up method was made to help people, just like you, to make a move.
Comment the word “MOVE” to get a copy of our Serve it up Method!

If you’ve gotten LASIK in Seattle, where do you recommend and why?
Ready. Set. Go!

You’ve never bought and sold a home at the same time. How hard can it be, right??
So, you do a google search about how it works.
You reach out to that friend/family member who has sold real estate. Or, you ask some of your friends who they’ve worked with in the past.
I’m sure you’ve heard this, read this or thought this yourself;
“All realtors are the same. They just take photos of a house, put them online and then wait for offers to come in.”
The truth is...there are a lot of Realtors that do a lot of the same things.
They ask you what you want in your next home. How much do you think you should be getting for your current home?
They take some photos. Put the house on the MLS. Host an open house or two. Then, one day, they appear with great news that they have an offer for you!
But, what are they doing in between putting the home up for sale and bringing you that offer?
I get it. We’ve heard this time and time again.
So, why do our clients choose us?
There’s more to a transaction than just getting an offer. Or, getting you the next house.
They see the value in our services, our communication, the partnerships we have and our results.
We take the time to learn your unique situation. We hear your concerns, what your goals are for your next home, and what you expect from us.
We have in depth conversations with you and we treat this as a partnership.
This is not something where we come in and tell you what to do. Or, vice versa.
Our Serve It Up Method was designed around our past clients to make the buying and selling experience simpler and easier for our future clients.
If you’d like to know more about how you can achieve your goals, comment “MOVE” and we’ll get you our Serve It Up Method!

My client went from wanting to pay TOP DOLLAR for a house to not even thinking about it after asking this ONE QUESTION! 😮
While touring the home we saw lots of family photos on the walls. Movie room, kids toys, it was going SO WELL! 🤩
School pictures, sports awards, academic awards. She was really starting to imagine her family living there and making the exact same memories, as her kids were around 2 years and 8 months old. 🥇
We were reviewing all of the documents, coming up with questions to ask the seller's agent, and doing all the homework. 😊
I sent in a series of questions, one of them being “Why are the owner’s moving?” 🧐
The response is what made her walk away entirely…. 🏃‍♀️
We found out that the owner’s were downsizing as they were grandparents and not moving because their kids needed more space….
All the photos on the wall were of their grandchildren.
THAT WAS IT!
She immediately didn’t want the house as she had a completely different picture in her mind of what raising a family there would be. This felt like it was the “end” of the family living there to her.
It wasn’t the end of the world, but it just changed her whole view of the home and how it would work for their family. So, we moved on and continued our search.
This really shows why staging and making the space “neutral” is so crucial to selling your home.
With our Serve it Up method we make sure these sorts of things don’t happen! DM me to learn more about how we can help neutralize your home before your sale! 💯

My parents recently moved from the home I grew up in for most of my life. During the move they found a box with “keepsakes” that my mom had held onto for me.

There was one piece in particular that I found that’s very special. It was a writing exercise from when I was probably in elementary school asking me about “My Hero”.

Well, at that time it was my mom (it still holds true)! I’ve always been a momma’s boy. I’’m sharing the story I wrote over 20 years ago. Now, I get to write it again as an adult.

My mom is still my hero to this day. She’s someone who I know I can call over the silliest inconvenience in my life, or something that I have no idea how to manage on my own.

Even if I’m scared of the potential outcome that I’m facing I know I can count on her to help me through it.

One of the best things she ever did was teach me how to make her Oven Fried Chicken 😂. In case you don’t know, chicken is my favorite!

This is a meal that I love to make and I’ll never stop making. Now, I appreciate that I’ll have that recipe to make for the years to come.

It’s something that I’ll be able to make when I’m missing her after she’s gone. When I want to make a “special” dinner to celebrate something, or on those gloomy Seattle nights when a warm, homemade meal just sounds delicious! 😋 . It’s my comfort food.

I’m thankful for all the things my mom has done for me in my life, but, this is something that I’ll be able to cherish forever. ❤️😍

Every time I make it, I think of her and it makes me smile.

Who’s your hero?!

Last year I met some clients who had been searching for their dream home for over a year. They were seriously shopping but only looking when open houses were available. This was working pretty well for them...they said.
I asked them questions about their current situation, what their ideal new home looked like, and what their plans were.
They had reached out a week or so later to ask about a property that wasn't having an open house...and then we decided it was time to work together!
Within a few months we were under contract!
Now, it was time to sell the home they had been in for 30+ years. We were approaching winter and decided to hold off listing until mid to late January. Well, winter in the PNW can be…interesting…to say the least.
It was time to come up with the listing price.
After reviewing comparable homes a couple weeks out to share the data. I noticed a significant change in the market happening that was giving data all over the board.
It was time to do some deeper investigation to make sure I had all the data to share with them so they could make an informed and educated decision.
At the end of the day we ended up receiving a phenomenal offer, in 6 days, and ended up settling at 1.5% under the asking price as we knew with the data that it could end up a lot less than that!
These clients were truly amazing to work with. They listened to my feedback, what was going on in the current market and we had open discussions. With our team work they ended up having a very successful sale!
If you want to know how they successfully got their dream home, comment the word "DREAM" and I'll send you my Serve it Up Method!

How did I make the same mistake as I try to help my clients avoid?
My partner and I were living our lives together but something just seemed off. We were happy but it just felt like there was something missing.
Disagreements and irritation seemed to be the new norm.
We bought our first home in Seattle at the end of 2020.
The house was PERFECT! Dedicated office space and a guest room.
A large yard was also important so we could finally adopt a dog that we had been longing for.
Fast forward a couple years to spring 2023 and we were just out of space!
Two dogs, both of us working from home full time. Stuff was everywhere! We were constantly tripping over each other.
Even the damn dogs were getting restless and on each other's nerves!
We started house hunting and found the perfect home!
We were SO FOCUSED on the monthly payment and interest rate that we didn’t analyze everything as thoroughly as we should have.
So, we worked with our lender and went against her advice. BIG MISTAKE.
We ended up doing an FHA loan because the interest rate was “better”. The plan is to refinance anyways to get that down even further. But, I didn’t even think about the additional costs.
At the end of the day, we ended up paying an extra $16,000 in closing costs to get a “better interest rate”.
We love our new home, don’t get me wrong. We just wish we would have taken it a little bit slower.
When looking to purchase a home, lean on the experts you’ve hired. Listen to their advice.
If a strategy being presented doesn’t make sense, keep asking questions to understand why they may feel this is the best option for you.
It’s not a “one size fits all” scenario and making the wrong decision may be costly.

Trust is something that can take YEARS to build yet can be broken in the blink of an eye.
I’m a firm believer that everyone has to earn their trust with me. When I meet people I like to give them the benefit of the doubt.
However, that doesn’t mean that they have EARNED my trust.
Trust is something that is SO important to me. Growing up I started having my trust broken at a very early age. I was promised by my birth mother, on multiple occasions, that she promised to never leave again.
Once you’ve experienced someone breaking your trust, it seems almost impossible to build it back up, let alone let anyone fully into your circle.
As humans, we all NEED those people in our lives that we can count on. Parents, partners, children, friends, you name it - we are always looking for it.
I know in my business that I have to earn my clients' trust. I know that I can’t just ask them to sign a document and let me sell their house. They don’t know me yet. They have to ask questions, hear how I answer them and start to really feel that trust.
I treat my industry partners the same way. I ask them questions about their business and themselves. I read reviews that their clients have left them. I’ll even ask other Realtor’s who I know that have worked with them why they enjoy working with them.
I will always make sure that who I bring into my business meshes with my values.
The moment the trust is broken, I bring it to their attention immediately. I share what happened, the negative impact it might have had, and let them share how/why it happened. Once we have the conversation we can move forward, but there is definitely hesitation and extra attention on the next interaction.
The reason I have great relationships with my friends and clients is because I know I have to earn it. Which means, be the real me, look at the signs of how you’ve earned that trust and think before I act.
If something seems off, start the conversation.
You’ve earned their trust and they will be open to talking to you because of that!

Family.
It’s a word that can mean something different to everyone.
A lot of us have the family we were born into as our support network, which I know I am forever grateful for.
Then there's the “chosen family".
My chosen family is something magical to me! These are the people that you connect with on another level.
Chosen family has many levels to it. You’ve got your romantic partners, your best friends, your work friends, and your fur babies. The chosen family I’m referring to today is my partner and our dogs.
These guys are my life. My partner is truly there for me. Through thick and thin, tears and laughter, all of it. He’s my biggest supporter and I know I can count on him after any sort of a day.
Our dogs are everything to us. Sure, we have our days that we wonder “why did we want two?!”
Then, the days that we all go on a walk, or snuggle up on the couch for a movie. These are the memories that I live for.
Growing up I had an amazing family.
Once I was comfortable with who I was as a gay teen, I ended up finding my own sort of chosen family. Some of those friends even chose my extended family as “their family”.
I learned very early that not everyone had a family who was accepting as mine was. So, those Holidays that some of my friends dreaded going to? They didn’t go to their own family gatherings, they came to mine. Where my family welcomed them and accepted them with open arms.
Thank you, to all of my family, for being my biggest supporters!

It’s finally time to list your home for sale. Now, you just need to find a buyer. But, you don’t want just any buyer, you want the right buyer.
I’ve heard my Sellers in the past asking “how do we know they are really serious with their offer?”
Buyers have a lot of questions and want to know a lot about a home, especially if it’s their first purchase. I always make sure that my clients and I prepare as much information as possible.
Some people may feel like there is such a thing as providing “too much” information. I don’t believe in that when it comes to a home sale or purchase. People are spending more money on this transaction than any other in their lives.
They want to read information about the upgrades you made to the home. How much the monthly utilities are. How old items in the house are such as the furnace, water heater or roof.
The more information we can provide for a potential buyer the stronger that buyer is. If they have reviewed as much information as possible, they feel like they know the house. Typically, if they make an offer then they’re a “serious buyer”.
I have had my clients submit offers, with certain contingencies in place, knowing that they don’t have all the facts about the home. So, we spend a lot of our contingency period asking questions and trying to get more details about the home.
When you’re preparing your home for sale there is a lot more than just the presentation and the marketing. We need to make sure that anyone who is looking at your home has answers to all of their questions so they can submit a confident offer!
Providing all the information about your home to potential buyers before they even ask for it is what can turn them into “serious buyers”!

You’re sitting in the same traffic. Every. Single. Morning. You see that same car that is always trying to cut in front of everyone.
You look down at your clock and realize you’ve gone a mile in 10 minutes. If it doesn’t start moving soon you’re likely going to have to send that text that you’re going to be late….again.
What used to be an easy commute isn’t anymore. More and more people have moved to your neck of the woods which has doubled your commuting time.
Not only are you commuting for work, but also your everyday life. Kids sports, your friends, family. Everything takes longer to get to.
Imagine not dreading getting into your car for the commute to and from work, and to get back and forth to other activities after work. They're just quick little jaunts. Your commute is a breeze now!
You get to spend some extra time for yourself in the mornings. You get home from work and you can enjoy spending time with your family.
You see your friends and family more often. Your favorite restaurants? Those are a weekly experience!
You aren’t spending your nights mapping out how much earlier you need to leave. You get to be present with your family and enjoy your time together!
If this sounds like you, be sure to check out my Serve it Up method! Your dream can be a reality. We can’t wait to help you start your next chapter!
Get your free copy of my Serve It Up Method here! (link in comments)

What’s your DREAM travel destination?

Asking for help can seem overwhelming at first. I know that I’ve even let my own “pride” get in the way.

There are times that I feel like I don’t want to “burden” someone with my “problems”. Or, “over time it will just get better”.

Asking for help shouldn’t be viewed as a weakness, but as a strength.

The strongest people I know will ask for help when they find a situation they can’t solve on their own.

Think of a team sport like Football. There are 53 players on a team, yet only 11 people from each team play at one time. Not all players even play every position either.

They are brought on to improve the team with their specific skill sets. When they need to keep improving, they ask for additional help. They have their teammates, coaches and trainers who help them improve every day.

When playing offense, the quarterback still needs help to get a touchdown. He’s got his defense to help him not get sacked. His receivers and runners help him get the ball further to that touchdown.

At the end of the day we all need a team to lean on and “ask for help”. Whether that’s your parent’s, your boss, your coach, your partner.

No task is too small to ask for help if you’re finding it challenging on your own!

You’ve just about had it! You’re tripping over toys, your dogs, your partner. Everything just seems to be in the way.

You’re spending your nights resenting even being home. You see the mess, but what’s the point in cleaning up? It’s just going to get back to a mess within hours (if you’re lucky to have that much time!). That nice family time in the evenings is now spent hounding everyone to help with cleaning.

You know you need to make a change…and fast. But how?

With my Serve it Up method we can help you!

We know the struggle you’re facing, and we know we can help you! There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Working with us you’ll be able to get through the sale of your home and a move to your new home. You’ll be able to get back to making those valuable memories with your family.

You’ll finally feel at home and LOVE being there!

If this sounds like you, be sure to download my Serve it Up method now! We can’t wait to help you start your next chapter!

Click here for a free copy!

Happy Valentine’s Day to my favorite man! You always know how to make me feel special and keep me smiling. Love you, Gilly❤️👬