Realtor Corner
Tools for the agents I work with: HouseCanary and AirDNA reports, appraisal-ready checklists, help growing your reviews, and a lender who answers on deadline.
HouseCanary reports
Send any Washington or New Mexico address and I'll pull a HouseCanary report: estimated value, value range, comparable sales and neighborhood trends.
- Prep for a pricing conversation or listing appointment
- Check a buyer's offer price before you write it
- Spot an appraisal-gap risk early
- Help a past client think through a refinance or HELOC
HouseCanary reports are automated estimates, not appraisals, provided to support your clients' financing decisions.
AirDNA reports
Have a buyer eyeing a short-term rental? Send the address and I'll pull an AirDNA report: projected revenue, occupancy, nightly rates and comparable rentals nearby.
- Help investor buyers judge whether an Airbnb or VRBO pencils out
- Support short-term rental financing that can qualify on rental income
- Compare short-term and long-term rental potential
AirDNA figures are market estimates, not guarantees. Buyers should confirm local short-term rental rules and permits.
Let's grow your reviews together
Reviews win listings. Save your review link here once. When we close a transaction together, I'll put it in front of our mutual clients in my closing message, right when they're happiest.
- Your link goes to clients we actually served together
- Clients are asked to share their honest experience
- No review swaps or incentives, which keeps both of our profiles in good standing with Google and the FTC
Appraisal and property condition by loan program
Most appraisal surprises are condition issues that could have been fixed before the appraiser arrived. Here's what each program looks for.
| Program | Property standard | Common flags |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | Rated C1–C6 by condition. C5 (significant deferred maintenance) can be eligible as is; C6 isn't eligible until safety, soundness or structural issues are repaired. | Cosmetic wear usually fine; anything affecting safety or structure gets a "subject to" repair. |
| FHA | HUD minimum property requirements: safe, sound and secure. Roof must keep moisture out with at least 2 years of remaining life. Homes built before 1978 need chipping or peeling paint corrected. | Peeling paint, missing handrails on steep stairs, exposed wiring, broken windows, inoperable heat. |
| VA | VA minimum property requirements, similar to FHA: safe, sanitary and structurally sound with working systems. | Peeling paint on older homes, roof issues, inadequate heat, water intrusion. |
| USDA | Must be decent, safe and sanitary and in a USDA-eligible area; standards similar to FHA. | Well and septic questions, access road issues, deferred maintenance. |
| Jumbo / non-QM | Set by each lender. Some require two appraisals at higher loan amounts. | Unusual or unique properties may need more comparable sales. |
Appraisal-ready checklist for listings
- All utilities on and working for the appraisal (water, power, gas, heat)
- Access to the attic and crawl space, with nothing blocking the hatch
- No chipping or peeling paint on homes built before 1978, inside or out
- Roof free of active leaks, missing shingles and heavy moss
- Handrails on steep or open stairways; no exposed wiring
- Working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors where required
- Water heater strapped and with a relief valve and discharge pipe
- No standing water or active leaks in basement or crawl space
- Broken windows and doors repaired
- List of upgrades with dates and costs ready for the appraiser
- Recent comparable sales you'd want considered
When the house needs work
- Renovation loans: FHA 203(k), including Limited 203(k) for up to $75,000 in repairs, and Fannie Mae HomeStyle roll repair costs into the loan.
- Seller repairs before closing: often the simplest fix for "subject to" items.
- Escrow holdbacks: some lenders allow certain repairs to be finished after closing, such as exterior paint in winter.
- Switch programs: a home that's hard for FHA may work conventional, or with a different lender's guidelines.
If the appraisal comes in low
- Send me better comparable sales; I can submit a reconsideration of value with the lender.
- Renegotiate price, or the buyer covers the gap with cash.
- Ask early whether a different program or a larger down payment changes the math.
Why working with a broker helps your deals
More ways to say yes
Many denials are one lender's overlay, not the program rule. I can move a file to a lender whose guidelines fit.
Wholesale pricing
I compare pricing across lenders, which can help your buyer's payment and cash to close.
Niche loans in-house
DSCR, bank statement, non-warrantable condos, fix-and-flip, jumbo. One call covers your investor and self-employed buyers.
Strong offers
Underwritten pre-approvals, letters updated for every offer, and a call to the listing agent when it helps.
Investor perspective
I've flipped homes and run rentals for 10+ years, so I can help you talk numbers with investor clients.
What agents say
Kristen is an amazing loan officer! I have referred her in several real estate deals and she has always come through. She communicates effectively with her clients and her agents, and has an extensive knowledge of the market and all different loan types and programs. She will what’s be at the top of my list when I need a loan officer.
Kristen goes above and beyond for every single one of my clients. She is extremely efficient with her work and always delivers on her promises. She constantly communicates throughout the loan process. I couldn’t be more grateful to have her in my corner. Thank you for everything you do, Kristen!
Valuation reports and review sharing are offered to support our mutual clients and aren't provided in exchange for referrals. Co-marketing follows RESPA Section 8.
Common questions
What's the difference between a HouseCanary and an AirDNA report?
HouseCanary estimates a property's market value with comparable sales. AirDNA estimates short-term rental performance: revenue, occupancy and nightly rates. Both are estimates, not appraisals or guarantees.
What property conditions cause FHA appraisal problems?
Common flags include chipping or peeling paint on homes built before 1978, roofs without at least two years of remaining life, exposed wiring, missing handrails and inoperable heat or utilities.