| Agent Stats |
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82 Homes Sold |
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1469 Houses Toured |
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$635,305 Commissions Saved |
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$43,887,245 Real Estate Sold |
I am the CEO and Co-Founder of findwell, and come from a background in technology, where I spent 8 years at Microsoft as a product manager for products like Small Business Server, Windows Mobile and Visio.
My career in real estate began when I was a college student and helped my dad buy and manage a rental property. Since then, I have become an active real estate investor and own multiple apartment buildings in the Seattle area. I've also built and remodeled condos, townhomes and single-family residences.
I started findwell when my side business in real estate became full-time, with friends and co-workers using me to help them buy and sell their homes. I thought there was room for a different sort of real estate company focused on technology innovation, unbeatable customer service and lower fees, and I believe that we are changing the real estate industry for the better.
I am currently a member of the Zillow Agent Advisory Board, helping Zillow to craft new website features and programs to help home buyers and sellers.
I am a Badger from the University of Wisconsin, with a degree in Chemical Engineering and East Asian Studies that is not getting a lot of use these days. (Yes, I went to the "real" UW for any local Huskies who are confused!)
Kevin did outstanding work with us as we went through our housing search. We are a finicky family that's seen significant growth since we bought our last house (from 2 newlyweds to a 5-person family with 3 young kids!), and Kevin was very patient as we evaluated different kinds of inventory and considered our options. Eventually, we found a few different properties that interested us seriously, and Kevin helped us navigate the negotations with deft skill. We juggled a few different bids and had to make some tough decisions versus determined sellers, and Kevin was very responsive, consistent, and even-tempered as we went through the ups and downs in the process. I was very impressed that he never pressured us to close a transaction, or to make a deal that would've left us dissatisfied. Instead, he always strove for a good transaction. We are very happy with our purchase and will happily work with Kevin again in the future! We recommend Kevin and Findwell fully! - Peter H.
Kevin Lisota is fantastic! We were looking for a home casually for more than a year, and Kevin never pressured us to move more quickly but was always immediately responsive when we wanted a viewing. He was straightforward with his opinions on houses we viewed -- never overly rosy just to make a sale. He was supportive each time we scheduled a viewing only to discover that the house just wasn't for us. When we finally found a home we fell in love with, he helped us every step of the way. Because of his hard work, valuable advice, and interactions with the selling agent, we wound up getting the house we wanted despite many competing bids. I would recommend him to anyone. Seriously, this is a great agent. - Sally M.
I can't say enough good things about Kevin Lisota and Findwell. Kevin was first rate in every regard - viewing homes, bidding on a home, working with the sellers' realtor, coordinating with lenders and escrow, and completing the transaction. He even knows zoning and other relevant development codes, so he could speak knowledgeably about potential renovations or other development projects (backyard cottages, short plats, tree removal, etc.).
Kevin probably viewed over 30 homes with us. Nights. Weekends. Mornings. Whenever a home was listed. He never pressured us to make a bid. And he quickly identified structural flaws that I missed (that would've cost us a bunch of $$$ to fix later).
We eventually bid on a home in a very competitive bidding war. Kevin told us everything that we needed to know to be successful (pre-inspection, structuring our bid, etc.). Then, in his understated easy-to-work-with way, he took the lead coordinating with the sellers' realtor and our lender to finalize the details. Now we live a beautiful 1926 tudor - thanks to Kevin!
You will NOT receive this customized service from redfin - I know, I bought my first home through redfin. If you're considering buying or selling a home, give Kevin a call to determine whether Findwell is the right fit for you. - Jeremy E.
I had a very positive experience with Findwell. Kevin, my agent, was very knowledgeable about the real estate market and the neighborhood in which I was selling my townhome. He also helped me think through the right strategy to sell (timing, pricing and even the improvements required), based on my situation and goals. It's amazing to receive this level of expertise and quality at such a great value. - Elyn Y.
Kevin Lisota provided fantastic service for selling our old house and buying our new one. Being analytical ourselves, we especially appreciated Kevin's remarkable level of detail about the market, the vagaries of house inspection and the exigencies involved in preparing to show our house for sale. He also provided reassurance when we needed it as well as firmness in negotiating on our behalf.
When Kevin took us on, we did not have any particular house in mind. He discussed our wants and needs, talked to us about the neighborhoods we were considering, and addressed the current state of the market. He patiently showed us homes we were interested in, and quickly brought new homes out our attention. When we passed on making offers for a couple of homes, he took time to understand our decisions, used that data to reframe future decisions, and never pressured us.
Ultimately, the purchase of our new home took time and care as it involved convincing the seller about the state of the market. It also involved a lengthy inspection and contingency process due to the location and construction of the house. Throughout the process, Kevin provided useful guidance and was an eager advocate. He represented us strongly throughout negotiations.
Once the lengthy negotiation on our new house was finally complete, we found ourselves wanting to list our old house quickly. We were well prepared! Kevin had already provided a comparative market analysis and a plan for how best to get our house ready for sale at the first sign that we might be buying a new house. So, when we pulled the trigger, we were ready to list our house almost immediately. It sold within five days of listing, and we received multiple offers.
We cannot recommend Kevin highly enough. Even once the purchase and sale of our homes was complete, we felt confident enlisting Kevin's help to find contractors, tie up loose ends, and complete all the paper work. He helped us graciously at every turn.
While we worked most closely with Kevin, we did speak with and get help from others at Findwell. The team was knowledge, helpful, and generous with their time and attention. We received cooperation at each request, and we appreciate how well the team worked together to serve us as customers. Receiving a rebate of part of the transaction fee after closing was icing on the cake! - Liam L.
I first contacted Kevin at Findwell when I was checking out properties online and saw a short sale that I thought looked like just what I wanted. He came highly recommended by several other families who had worked with him on short sales, so out of many other recommended realtors, I decided to check with him. Fabulous choice! That particular short sale turned out to be pending inspection (didn't show up online); but I started working with Kevin and Findwell on the long process of getting my house ready for sale and then buying a new house, and he was amazing right down the line.
The first step was getting my house cleaned out and ready to show, which ended up taking me more than a year. Throughout the process, Kevin was happy to periodically come see where things were at and give me tips about the most critical changes before putting the house on the market. When I was finally ready, he got the house on the market very quickly and we caught the wave of low inventory/rising prices so the house sold in just one weekend with multiple offers.
Of course, then I had to turn around and buy a house in that environment, but Kevin was super about tracking down possibilities, getting me in to see the best options immediately, and going over the pros and cons of each one with me. He constantly amazed me with his depth of knowledge about houses and real estate process, and smarts around how to position offers and counter-offers to help us get an edge. The house I finally bought wasn't one I would have even looked at, but he previewed it and thought it would be great for us. He was right. Not only a super location and all the "checklist" items, but so many extras (lots of light, remodeled kitchen - just a bunch of things).
The process of actually buying the house was a nail-biter, but Kevin managed it all with skill and constant communication. I always knew exactly where we were at, what was coming next, and what my options were, and was reminded regularly why I was so glad Kevin was at the helm! There were multiple offers that were "collected" over the course of almost a week, and Kevin knew options all
along the way to help us be in the best position to get selected when the sellers reviewed offers - without just bumping our offer higher, adding escalation clauses, etc. I was so thrilled when his approach won out! He managed the final negotiation perfectly and we got the house, even though we weren't the highest offer.
Then we started the three week whirlwind of making sure my current house sale wrapped up in time and the new house purchase also got approved and funded, and that they both could record on the same day so I could move directly from one to the other without a rentback. It was down to the wire! But Kevin kept right on top of both transactions, working very closely with the other real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and everyone else to keep things on track and resolve bumps in
the road. The day of recording, the timeline was so tight that Kevin couriered paperwork himself to make sure that my house sale was recorded in time for my house purchase funding and closing to move forward. He knew exactly what needed to be done and when, and was the guiding force staying on top of everything to make sure we'd get there. It was so reassuring to be able to count on him to manage the whole process and all the moving parts, doing everything he could to get everything in place at the right time, and he pulled it all off beautifully!
Kevin is a joy to work with, and his deep knowledge of real estate and skill with all aspects of the business as well as his dedication to providing amazing service all make him a great partner in selling or buying a home. I highly recommend him, and Findwell. - Stacia S.
Our house shopping experience with Kevin Lisota has been a great one. We wanted an agent who will show us homes that we requested of him rather than take us to various properties that he thinks we may be interested in looking. Kevin was always available to show us any property whenever we asked him to, even if it was just a single property or at an akward time of the day. He was punctual for our appointments with him and provided us with details of the properties. It took us 2 years to find our house and in all this time, Kevin was always patient, available and never pushed us towards a sale. He was polite and knowledgeable and taught us much about the various kinds of property sales. Above all, he was honest and trustworthy. He guided us away from some of the questionable practices and shenanigans of the selling agents and helped us navigate through a successful short sale. It will be my distinct pleasure to recommend Kevin Lisota of Findwell to anyone who is looking for a good, hardworking and trustworthy real estate agent. - wqshmswee
Working with Findwell to sell our condo was a pleasure in an otherwise unpleasant real estate market. We worked with Kevin and Shannon, who were professional, diligent, and helpful throughout the entire selling process. We would recommend Findwell unconditionally even if they didn't offer half-price commissions, and we will definitely be calling them when we buy our next home! - Darren S.
I don't write many reviews- the ones I do write are for the best of the best. Findwell is worthy of this. I went to Yelp when looking for a real-estate company when my wife and I were in the market. I always thought the real estate agent's job was simply a little bit of work for a lot of money, which made me feel cheated in some way. Findwell's premise is that when you buy a house with them you get back 50% of their fees, and their agents are paid a salary rather than a commission. Genius idea. I met 3 of their agents when looking for our house but mostly worked with Kevin, and they all were exactly what I was hoping they would be. No pressure, no lame catch-phrases, they just show you the house and that's it. Kevin's knowledge of the different situations out there regarding buying options was incredible. Whether it was bank-owned, a short sale, or a regular sale he knew exactly what the best course of action was and advised us as such. We ended up getting a house that we still can't believe we were able to get, and when all is said and done we received a check from Findwell for around $7000. You'd be incredibly foolish not to use Findwell for your next purchase. After all, you know your going to find the next house you buy by looking on the Internet anyway- you might as well use a company that gives you half of the fees back. Right? - Todd A.
I have worked with too many agents in Seattle. Then I found Kevin Lisota with Findwell. Since Findwell agents are NOT ON COMMISSION, but are salaried employees they do not live from "sale to sale". Remember that. If you use any "normal" real estate agent, they are highly motivated to push you into something, so they can get paid. Not Findwell agents.
I found Findwell.com, and particularly Kevin Lisota, to be a refreshing source in an otherwise polluted industry. Since we were buying remotely, he would go preview homes for us, and forward comments and photos that eliminated the worst, and elevated the best.
The only very minor complaint I had was, at the time, he was very busy. Most of the time he got back to me immediately, sometimes it would be late at night. I guess that's when he would respond to everybody with emails since he'd be would be, presumably, showing properties to other clients during the day.
He was very thorough with the paperwork on our offer, and he treated our purchase with the kind of respect a real estate sale should command. Almost every other agent I have used in previous transactions would rush the paperwork together making all kinds of mistakes.
Do yourself a favor, use Findwell to buy or sell your next home. They are beyond the traditional full-service agency, and they rebated back 1/2 of their commission. How do you beat that?
Addendum: Zillow said we paid about $525,000 for this home. We paid $450,000 and with total credits, including FindWell's rebate, the cost was about $435,000. - kenrw98199