Buying a home is a big decision. My job is not to convince you to buy a particular house or push you to move faster than you are comfortable with.
My job is to provide information, answer your questions, help you understand the property and the process, and give you the information you need to make the best decisions for yourself.
Whether you are buying your first home, relocating to Northwest Washington, looking for acreage or an equestrian property, considering waterfront, buying new construction or simply trying to figure out where to start, the process begins with understanding you.
Your Home Search Starts With a Conversation
Before we start touring homes, I want to understand what you are actually looking for.
We will have a buyer consultation by phone, Zoom or in person, whatever works best for you.
We will talk about your preferred locations, budget and financing, timeline, must-haves, deal-breakers, property preferences and how you want to use the property.
This conversation gives me the information I need to create a personalized property search based on what you are actually looking for, not a broad search that fills your inbox with homes that do not fit.
As we look at properties and learn more about what you like and do not like, we will continue refining the search.
The goal is not to show you the most homes. It is to help you find the right fit for you.
Our general path looks like this:
Buyer Consultation → Financing/Preapproval → Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement → Personalized Property Search → Showings
You do not need to have every piece figured out before we have our first conversation. We will work through the appropriate next steps together.
How I Represent You as a Buyer
1. Understand Your Financing Before You Need It
If you are not already pre-approved, I can provide lender resources so you can explore your financing options and obtain a pre-approval. You choose your lender.
Understanding your financing early can help you understand estimated monthly payments, down payment, closing costs and how different price points may affect your overall financial picture.
That gives you better information before you fall in love with a property or are ready to make an offer.
2. Understand Our Working Relationship
Before I begin providing brokerage services, we will review a Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement, often called a BBSA.
We will discuss what I do as your buyer’s agent, the term of our agreement, my compensation and the other important parts of our working relationship.
My compensation is established in the agreement between you and me. What can vary from one property to another is whether, and how much, the seller is offering toward buyer-broker compensation.
Before you make an offer, we will review the seller-paid compensation available for that particular property and discuss how it relates to our agreement.
You will have that information before deciding whether and how you would like to move forward.
Once we have established our working relationship through the Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement, you become one of the clients I am actively representing. My clients receive priority when I schedule showings, write and negotiate offers, manage contractual deadlines and handle the other time-sensitive parts of a purchase.
That does not mean you cannot call me with questions before you are ready to enter into an agreement. You absolutely can. But there are only so many hours in a day, and I have a responsibility to prioritize the clients I have committed to represent and the deadlines associated with their transactions.
When we decide to work together, that same commitment applies to you.
3. A Property Search Built Around You
Once we have established what you are looking for, I create a personalized property search and personally work with you through the showing process.
Looking at homes together gives us information that listing photos and descriptions cannot always provide.
Sometimes you will discover that something you thought was essential is not as important as you expected. Sometimes a feature you had not considered becomes a priority. And sometimes we will walk into a home and quickly determine that it is not the right one.
That is all useful information.
Your search can evolve as we learn more, so you are not stuck with the criteria we established during our first conversation.
4. Look Beyond the Listing Photos
A home is more than bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.
Depending on the property, there may be additional questions worth investigating.
In Stanwood, Camano Island and other parts of Northwest Washington, buyers may encounter private wells, septic systems, acreage, shops or barns, equestrian facilities, ADUs, easements, waterfront or beach rights, rural utilities and other property-specific considerations.
My role is not to make decisions about these things for you or replace home inspectors, lenders, attorneys, contractors, county agencies or other appropriate professionals.
I help identify questions, gather available information and connect you with appropriate resources or professionals when additional expertise is needed.
We are looking beyond whether you like the kitchen or the view and helping you gather information about what you are actually considering purchasing.
5. Build an Offer Around the Property and the Market
When you find a home you would like to purchase, we will look at more than the list price.
We will discuss current market conditions, available comparable information, the property’s time on market, competition when known, your financing, your goals and the terms that may matter in your offer.
Price is only one piece.
Earnest money, financing, inspection, closing date, seller concessions, the seller’s contribution toward buyer-broker compensation and other terms may all be part of the conversation.
I will explain the options available to you, answer your questions and negotiate on your behalf.
You decide what you are comfortable offering and which terms work for you.
6. Inspection and Due Diligence Matter
Once you are under contract, there may still be a lot to learn about the property.
A home inspection can uncover issues that were not apparent during a showing. Depending on the property and what we discover, additional evaluation by qualified professionals may be appropriate.
For rural properties, there may also be septic, well or water-quality information to review. Acreage, waterfront, easements, outbuildings and other unique property characteristics can create additional questions.
When information comes in, we will discuss what it means for the transaction, the options available under your purchase agreement and whether additional information or professional evaluation may be appropriate.
This is an opportunity to learn more about the property before you decide how you want to proceed.
Sometimes the Right Decision Is Not to Buy the House
My job is not to sell you a house.
It is to help you gather the information you need to determine whether a particular property is right for you.
Sometimes a home inspection reveals more work than a buyer wants to take on. Sometimes additional research raises a concern. Sometimes the numbers change. And sometimes a buyer simply learns enough about a property to realize it is not the right fit.
That is okay.
I will provide the information I have, answer questions, help you understand your contractual options and involve the appropriate professionals when needed.
You decide whether the property still works for you.
I would much rather help you investigate the questions before closing than have you wish we had asked them afterward.
A Real Example of Why Buyer Due Diligence Matters
In one recent Arlington-area purchase, my buyers discovered a significant foundation issue during their due diligence.
We gathered additional information about the problem and what it could mean for the property rather than treating the inspection as simply another step to get through.
Ultimately, I negotiated a combination of price reduction and seller concessions that resulted in approximately $71,500 in total savings for my buyers.
The dollar amount is significant, but there is another important part of this story: my buyers had more information about what they were purchasing.
They could evaluate the property, the issue, the negotiated terms and decide for themselves whether moving forward still made sense.
Read the Full Story: How My Buyers Saved $71,500
What Buyers Say About Working With Me
★★★★★
“Tricia was absolutely wonderful to work with! From start to finish she was professional, knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in helping us find the right home. As first time homebuyers she made what could’ve been a stressful process feel smooth and manageable. We couldn’t have asked for a better real estate agent and would highly recommend Tricia to anyone looking to buy or sell a home!”
— Emma, Google Review
★★★★★
“We had an absolutely amazing experience working with Tricia Jacobs in the Arlington/Stanwood area. From start to finish, she was incredibly attentive to our needs and made the entire process feel smooth and stress-free—especially as first-time homebuyers.
Tricia went above and beyond to guide and coach us through every step. She was always available—answering our phone calls day or night, seven days a week—and was 100% supportive throughout the entire process. She truly had our best interests in mind and helped calm our fears on many occasions as we navigated purchasing our first home. What really stood out was how hard she worked to find us the perfect property. She listened to everything we wanted and didn’t stop until she found a place that checked all the boxes.
Our new home has exactly what we were looking for—space for our horses and dogs, plus the shop I’ve been wanting for my woodworking projects. It honestly couldn’t be a better fit for our lifestyle.
She is hands down the best realtor we’ve worked with in the Snohomish and Skagit County areas.
We’re so grateful for everything Tricia did for us and would 100% recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. She’s the best!”
— Jeremiah Swihart, Google Review
Buying New Construction? Contact Me Before Your First Visit
If you are considering a new construction community, contact me before visiting the sales office or registering with the builder whenever possible.
Builders establish their own policies for buyer representation and buyer-broker compensation. Some may require your agent to accompany you or be registered with you from your first visit in order to recognize that agent as your representative or provide buyer-broker compensation.
The sales representative at the community represents the builder.
If you want your own real estate agent representing your interests, involving that agent before your first visit can be important.
Before you visit, we can talk about the community, the builder’s registration requirements and what buyer representation looks like so you understand your options from the beginning.
Buying in Stanwood, Camano Island & Northwest Washington
Properties in Northwest Washington can vary significantly from one another.
An in-town Stanwood home may present very different questions from acreage outside Arlington. A Camano Island property may involve a private well, septic system, water views or beach rights. An equestrian buyer may care as much about fencing, usable acreage, a barn and trailer access as the house itself.
The property matters, but so does how you plan to live there.
Understanding both helps us ask better questions.
Relocating to Northwest Washington?
Buying from outside the area can present a different set of challenges, particularly when you cannot easily visit every property in person.
I work with relocation buyers and can arrange virtual showings when needed, provide local resources and help you understand differences between the communities you are considering.
You do not need to know exactly which Northwest Washington community is right for you before we talk. Part of the process can be gathering the information that helps you narrow that down.
Buying your first home? Visit my First-Time Home Buyer Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying a Home
Why do I need a Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement?
Washington law requires real estate firms to enter into a written brokerage services agreement with buyers as soon as reasonably practical after beginning brokerage services.
The agreement establishes important parts of our working relationship, including the services I will provide, the length of the agreement and my compensation.
We will review the agreement together so you can ask questions and understand it before signing.
How does my buyer’s agent get paid?
My compensation is established in the Buyer Brokerage Services Agreement we enter into before beginning brokerage services.
What can vary from property to property is whether, and how much, the seller is offering toward buyer-broker compensation.
When you are considering a particular home, I will explain the seller-paid compensation available for that property and how it relates to the compensation we have already agreed upon.
If there is a difference, we will discuss the options available to you before you decide whether and how you would like to move forward.
How much do I need for a down payment?
There is not one down-payment amount that applies to every buyer.
Requirements depend on the loan program, property and your financial circumstances. Some qualifying loan programs may offer low- or no-down-payment options, while others require more.
A lender can explain the programs available to you and help you understand the complete financial picture, including closing costs and estimated monthly payments.
Can you help me buy new construction?
Yes.
If you are interested in new construction, contact me before visiting or registering with a builder whenever possible.
Builder policies regarding buyer representation and buyer-broker compensation vary, and involving your agent from the beginning may affect how your representation and compensation are handled.
Ready to Start Exploring Your Options?
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting me.
You may be ready to buy soon, planning a move months from now, relocating from another area or simply trying to understand what purchasing a home would look like for you.
We can start with a conversation.
I will learn what you are looking for, answer your questions and help you understand the next steps.
Then you can decide when you are ready to move forward.
Schedule a Buyer Consultation
About Tricia Jacobs
Tricia Jacobs is a Managing Broker and REALTOR® with RE/MAX Gateway, serving buyers and sellers throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island and Whatcom Counties.
Originally licensed in 1992, Tricia has decades of experience in real estate and has called Stanwood home since 2001. She is a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS®), an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) and a RE/MAX Hall of Fame Managing Broker.
Her experience includes residential homes, acreage and country properties, equestrian properties, waterfront and water-view homes, ADUs and multigenerational properties, investment properties and land.
Tricia believes good real estate advice starts with understanding the person sitting across the table from her. For sellers, that means learning why they are considering a move, what they hope to accomplish and what their timeline looks like before providing information about their property and the current market.
She doesn’t believe it’s always a great time to sell, because it isn’t. Her role is to provide accurate information, answer questions and explain the options available so her clients have what they need to make the best decision for themselves.
When a client does decide to sell, Tricia takes a hands-on approach to preparing and marketing the property. She helps sellers determine what is worth addressing before going on the market and what isn’t worth spending money on, then builds the pricing and marketing strategy around the individual property.
For buyers, Tricia provides experienced guidance from the initial search through inspections, negotiations and closing. Her background is particularly helpful with the additional considerations that can come with acreage, wells, septic systems, equestrian properties, waterfront and other unique properties common throughout Northwest Washington.
Tricia was honored to be voted Best Real Estate Agent in Stanwood & Camano Island in both 2025 and 2026 and serves as President of the Stanwood Commerce Alliance, Stanwood’s Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of real estate, you’ll usually find Tricia spending time with her family, horses and dogs and enjoying the Northwest Washington lifestyle she helps her clients call home.
Tricia Jacobs | Managing Broker / REALTOR®RE/MAX Gateway360-223-1100triciajacobs@remax.nettriciajacobsrealtor.com