Bobby Ray Bunch (Realtor, IA/IL) and Jared Nicolaisen (Loan Officer, JN Home Loan) start with what 2008 did to their families and why “pay yourself first” still matters when every company has its hand out. From there they get into what buyers and sellers need to know right now:

• Why homeowners sitting on a 2-3% rate are using their equity to renovate instead of moving
• HELOC vs. bridge loan: how each one works, what the rates look like, and how much you can borrow
• How buy-before-you-sell programs let you skip the sale contingency
• Why a subject-to-sale offer puts you at the bottom of the pile in a competitive market
• The 10-14 day window when a seller still controls the terms
• Why to replace the carpet and garage door before listing instead of offering a flooring allowance or a price cut
• Why comps from 12 months ago no longer hold up
• New condo rules requiring HOA reserves of 10% this year and 15% next year
• How to spot a bad HOA before you buy, including a story about an HOA president who confiscated a yard sign

Follow Bobby on Instagram at @realtorbrb and Jared at @jared_homeloans. You can listen to The Closing Table on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Is selling your home without a Realtor actually saving you money, or could it end up costing you more?

On this episode of The Closing Table, Realtor Bobby Ray Bunch and mortgage lender Jared Nicolaisen break down the reality of For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transactions, what happens behind the scenes of real estate negotiations, and why having the right professionals involved can make a huge difference.

From a real estate closing that got delayed because a buyer legally changed their name to a three-day negotiation with a FSBO seller, we're sharing stories you don't hear every day.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why For Sale By Owner transactions can be more complicated than expected
• The biggest mistakes sellers make when pricing their homes
• How Realtors help navigate negotiations, inspections, and contracts
• Why saving on commission doesn't always mean saving money
• What happens when a buyer makes a sight-unseen offer
• Why shopping mortgage lenders can save you hundreds per month
• How to decide whether moving into a more expensive home is worth it

And because it's The Closing Table, we somehow end up debating whether adults should drink milk, putting ketchup on mac and cheese, and Bobby's completely legitimate 1,000 closings in a single day.

Whether you're buying, selling, or just curious about how real estate really works, this one's for you.

Connect with us:

Bobby Ray Bunch | Realtor
Instagram: @realtorbrb

Jared Nicolaisen | Mortgage Lender
Instagram: @jared_homeloans
Website: https://jnhomeloan.com

Subscribe for more real estate conversations, mortgage insights, and stories from behind the closing table.

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