Blackfin: A Tell-All Expose of the Last Seattle Real Estate Bubble
I get a lot of unsolicited email – pr pitches, guest post requests, interview requests and the like, so when I received an email tipping me off to an ebook on Amazon that was making waves, I nearly hit delete. But the email said I was mentioned in the book and if I wanted anything corrected, to let the author know. Sure enough the book really was on Amazon and only $10. Why not buy it and see?
It was the best $10 I’ve spent on a book!
Blackfin by Kelly McPherson is indeed a tell-all expose of the last real estate cycle in Seattle, which I’d define as lasting from 2004-2010. The author worked in new construction sales and dishes on what was going on behind the scenes and how customers were often screwed. It is a must-read for anyone living here for the last cycle, especially agents, marketers, developers and buyers. And it’d be a good cautionary read for anyone dipping their toe into the current condo cycle which is quickly heating up.
And it does indeed mention us:
For a time in Seattle real estate business, one of the most powerful people in real estate was a Redfin marketing guy by the name of Matt Goyer. His blog caused more trauma to the real estate business in Seattle during his “real” blogging days than any other single person or action. We used to read it and laugh our asses off, the backlash that would come down from developers and senior management was fantastic.
It goes on for several pages to describe the impact this blog had. An impact, I’ve heard from other sources that we supposedly had, but was never really sure about so it is great to read some specific stories that caused developers grief. At the time, I certainly had no idea, that my fact checking of developer claims, was as impactful as it was :).
Of course it isn’t all rosy:
But once he became a Broker his blog got boring as shit.
That it did! When you’re a real estate broker you risk losing your license if you tell it like it is, unfortunately. At least the author recommends us as a broker :).
If you are looking for a real estate Broker who would be willing to tussle against another Broker my impressions is he would do right by you.
That we would.
We also have many untold tales of our own. There was that time we called out a penthouse with 14 stripper poles and had to take the post down and were fined $5,000 by the MLS. We’ve had numerous takedown notices from lawyers (including Macklemore’s). Even one very recently for a project currently selling! (Four lawyers were involved, I can’t imagine what it cost the developers). Dear lawyers and developers, as always, just send me an email, I’m a reasonable person and happy to correct any mistakes.
Perhaps we’ll write an eBook of our own one day.
