About Us

Introduction

Greetings!  Thanks for checking out my website.  As you probably know by now, I am a Realtor® in Madison, WI.  You may not know that I also am a real estate investor, doing both house flipping and long-term holds of rental income property.  I love that real estate can be both a foundation for a home AND a foundation for a future.  Whether you are looking for a home or a better financial future (or both) I would love to help with your real estate needs.

Aside from real estate, my life is mainly about family.  My wife, Alison, and I married in 2003 and have lived in the Madison area the entire time.  We do the house flipping together, which is a lot of fun.  We currently live in Cottage Grove with our 2 boys and dog.  Both Alison and myself, and all of Alison’s immediate family, graduated from the University of Wisconsin.  So we are big Badger fans and make it to a few football games each year.  My sport is basketball and I have become an avid NBA fan in recent years.  I’m also a big movie fan and you can find some of my reviews on Letterboxd.

Why Should You Work With Me?

EXPERIENCE.  I have been selling real estate in the Madison & Dane County area since 2005 and have sold over 400 homes in my career.  I am the professional with years of experience and daily practice in selling homes; my goal is to pass along information and knowledge so that you can make good, confident decisions.

HONESTY.  Truth is important in all aspects of life and I take that seriously.  I will be honest with you, as well as with other customers and agents.  I do not inflate home values in order to win listings or get a buyer to write a strong offer.  I give my honest assessment and my honest recommendation, no matter the situation.

AVAILABILITY.  You very likely don’t buy or sell homes that often.  Chances are you will own less than 5 homes your entire life.  So this is a big deal.  I get that and I want to make sure you don’t miss opportunities because of me.  So I try to make myself as available to you as I can.  If you work 9-5 M-F, then I’m available for weeknight and weekend showings.  This is part of the job of being a Realtor and I understand that.

LOYALTY. If we sign a contract, that is a commitment we are making to each other.  I am committed to either finding you a property or selling your property.  I am now working for your best interest, even above my own interests.

STABILITY. I want to make this process stress-free, or at least as less stressful as I can make it. That can be done in a couple different ways.  One is by providing you with information like I discussed above.  The other way is with my personality and demeanor.  I have a stable personality;  I won’t get too excited one way or the other.  I prefer to look at the facts, the numbers, the market – and make an educated decision.  That is what I will help you do.

Why Shouldn’t You Work With Me?

If you are looking for a “bulldog” Realtor, then don’t hire me.  Honestly.  I am not that guy.  I don’t do BS, I am not a bully, and I don’t make real estate negotiations personal.  Instead I treat people with respect, I give valid reasons for actions, and I am reasonable & accept reasonable outcomes.  This doesn’t mean I am not working to get you the best deal possible.  I most certainly am, just like I do when I personally am buying or selling a home.

What do I specialize in?

I am well qualified to work with any Buyer or Seller of residential real estate.  Although I would say with confidence that I am more experienced than the majority of Realtors in the following areas:

MULTI-FAMILY: I am a real estate investor and love this side of things.  Also I have an analytical mind and like looking at cash flow, net operating income, etc.

FORECLOSURE & SHORT SALE: I am SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource) certified through the National Association of Realtors. I have sold well over 100 REO homes, having listed properties for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as some asset management companies.  I understand the foreclosure process in Wisconsin and have even purchased property at Sheriff Sale.  Also, I am familiar with the Short Sale process and what it takes to get a Short Sale transaction closed – I have closed more than one that seemed impossible at times!

ESTATE / PROBATE: These are often somewhat similar to REO (Foreclosure bank-owned) properties in that the Sellers want to sell “as-is.”  With my REO experience, and with my experience flipping houses, I am good at knowing the market for these types of homes, and knowing how to market them for sale.

VACANT HOMES: With the REO experience, I am very familiar with selling a vacant home.  I also know some important contacts that can be useful especially for out-of-town sellers.  I have no problems coordinating lawn care, snow removal, cleaning, small repairs, etc.  I have been known to do a few things myself as needed 🙂  My goal is to sell the house, and especially with the experience of flipping homes, I will get done what needs to get done.

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS: I enjoy providing tons of information to first-time buyers and helping them through the process of buying a home.  I think I am especially helpful to these buyers because I know a lot about the financing side of things and can share some of that knowledge, rather than always just referring to a mortgage lender anytime financing comes up.

Seth Peterson  ~  SethPetersonHomes@gmail.com

Call Me Today! (608) 320-9612