For buyers
Ten steps, one trusted advisor.
The Buffini Purchasing Pathway gives every buyer the same calm clarity, from first conversation to keys in hand.
Subsection 1 of 4
The Buying Process.
Buyer Book · 25 pages
Start with the Buyer Book.
A complete walk-through of the Bainbridge Island and Kitsap buying process, from first conversation to closing day. Read it on screen as an interactive flipbook, or download the PDF.
Step 01
Initial Appointment
The purpose of the initial appointment is to understand your “needs and wants” as a buyer. This may be the most critical meeting of the home buying process. During this appointment, the entire purchasing pathway will be discussed.
Step 02
Determine the Purchasing Parameters
There are three criteria every buyer uses to find their home: location, price and style/condition. These criteria, along with your “needs and wants,” will determine the properties we search for and the homes we initially view.
Step 03
Acquire a Pre-approval
Viewing homes without a pre-approval usually leads to disappointment. Buyers who are wise discuss their financial situation with a reputable lender and acquire a pre-approval. A pre-approval creates an opportunity for you to not just understand what you qualify for, but ultimately to decide what you can afford. Having a pre-approval greatly enhances your negotiating position – especially in a competitive market.
Step 04
View Homes
The process of viewing homes provides you with information in order to make the best decision possible. Helping you find a home is a process of elimination; not a process of selection. Viewing homes you don’t like is not a waste of time; it helps build a frame of reference to help you find what you do like.
Step 05
Write the Contract
The best way to prepare for the contract phase of the transaction as a buyer is to review a blank copy of the purchase contract. Reading the contract prior to making an offer will make you much more comfortable during the negotiation phase.
Step 06
Deposit Earnest Money
An earnest money deposit communicates to the seller that you’re serious about purchasing their property. Earnest money is kept safe in a trust account until those funds are used to close the transaction.
Step 07
Perform the Home Inspections
After the contract is fully accepted and all terms are agreed upon, a home inspection can be performed if the contract allows. The inspection will allow you and the inspector you hire to take a more thorough look at the property. This inspection will give you a far greater understanding of the property you are purchasing.
Step 08
Final Walk-through
After the mortgage has been approved, a final walk-through is encouraged. On the final walk-through, you will re-inspect the property to ensure it is in an acceptable condition and that any personal property conveying is present.
Step 09
Execute the Closing Documents
Once the contract is accepted, inspections performed and mortgage approved, the closing will be set and final documents will be executed. You will be directed by the appropriate party as to the time and date of this event. Either a formal closing date will be established by a closing attorney, or an escrow officer will close the transaction.
Step 10
Home Delivery
Upon the conclusion of the paperwork and transfer of ownership, you will receive the keys, garage door openers, and any documents/warranties that convey with the property. You will then become the rightful owner. It’s time to move in!
May market wisdom
Mistakes that can derail your move.
Buying a home involves dozens of decisions, and the difference between a smooth closing and a painful one usually comes down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. After two decades and three generations in real estate, here are the patterns I see most often on the buyer side, and how we sidestep each one together.
Mistake 01
Not clearly defining needs vs. wants
Without that line in writing, every showing becomes a debate. Our Initial Appointment exists to separate the two on paper before we tour a single home.
Mistake 02
Skipping preapproval
Touring without preapproval almost always ends in disappointment, and in a competitive Kitsap market it weakens every offer you write.
Mistake 03
Not comparing mortgage rates
A quarter point on a $1.2M jumbo loan is real money over 30 years. I introduce you to vetted lenders so you can compare apples to apples.
Mistake 04
Ignoring credit health
A pull 90 days before offer day gives you time to dispute, pay down, or wait out an item that could otherwise cost you the home.
Mistake 05
Underestimating total cash needed
Down payment, closing costs, prepaids, reserves, inspections, moving. We map every line item up front so nothing surprises you at the table.
Mistake 06
Letting emotions drive decisions
Falling in love is fine. Overpaying is not. My job is to keep the data in front of you when the heart wants to write a number the head will regret.
Mistake 07
Skipping the home inspection
Waiving inspection in a hot market is sometimes strategic. Doing it without a pre-inspection or a senior agent walking the property with you is not.
Mistake 08
Making major financial changes before closing
New car, new credit card, job change between mutual acceptance and closing day. Any of these can unravel a fully approved loan. We pause big moves until the keys are in your hand.
Frequently asked
Honest answers.
The most common questions buyers ask before our first conversation, answered without sales pressure.
How long does it take to buy a home with Raymond?
Most buyers move from first conversation to closing in 60–120 days, depending on financing, inventory, and inspection timelines. Raymond walks every client through the Buffini Purchasing Pathway so the timeline is predictable and the next step is always clear.
Do I need to be pre-approved before viewing homes?
Pre-approval is strongly recommended before previewing properties in Bainbridge Island and Kitsap markets. It clarifies your true budget, strengthens any future offer, and ensures sellers take your interest seriously. Raymond can connect you with vetted lenders who understand jumbo and luxury financing.
Can Raymond represent buyers relocating from overseas?
Yes. Raymond speaks Korean, has years of teaching and business experience in South Korea, Thailand, and China, and is connected to The Agency's global network. He has a degree in international relations and has run an international education corporation. He has successfully represented international buyers relocating to the Pacific Northwest.
What is the ferry commute like from Bainbridge to Seattle?
The Washington State Ferries Bainbridge–Seattle route is roughly 35 minutes walk-on or vehicle, with daily commuter schedules. Many of Raymond's clients walk on with coffee and a laptop and arrive downtown without driving.
How much down payment does a first-time homebuyer need in Washington?
Many first-time homebuyer loan programs in Washington allow as little as 3 to 5 percent down, and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission offers down-payment assistance for qualifying buyers. Twenty percent is not required. A good lender will walk you through every option, including conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA where applicable.
What do closing costs typically include when buying a home in Washington?
In Washington, buyer closing costs usually run 2 to 4 percent of the purchase price and include the lender's loan-origination fees, title insurance, escrow fees, recording fees, prepaid property tax and insurance, and inspection costs. Sellers pay the state Real Estate Excise Tax (REET). Raymond gives every buyer an itemized estimate before writing an offer.
Who pays the buyer agent in Washington State?
Under current Washington law, every buyer signs a written buyer-broker services agreement before touring. Buyer-agent compensation is negotiable and disclosed up front. In most transactions on Bainbridge and Kitsap, the seller continues to offer buyer-agent compensation as part of the listing. We will discuss exactly how compensation is structured at our first meeting.
What inspections do I need on a Kitsap waterfront or rural home?
Beyond a general home inspection, properties on Bainbridge, Kitsap, and Jefferson County often need additional inspections: a septic inspection and pumping (required by most counties at sale), a well inspection and water-quality test, an oil-tank decommissioning check, and on waterfront homes a shoreline and bulkhead assessment.
What happens if there are multiple offers?
Even in a balanced market, the best Bainbridge and Kitsap homes still receive competing offers. Negotiation is where an experienced broker earns the relationship. Raymond walks every buyer through escalation clauses, inspection strategy, financing strength, and terms (not just price) that quietly win the home without overpaying.
Subsection 2 of 4
Communities I serve.
Fifteen Pacific Northwest communities, from Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula across to Seattle, Bellevue, the Eastside, Gig Harbor, the Olympic Peninsula, and Tacoma. Each tile opens a dedicated community page with neighborhoods, ferry and commute notes, market snapshot, weekly events, and current listings.
Subsection 3 of 4
Property Search.
Live listings
Search active Kitsap homes.
Active homes, condos, and land across Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Silverdale, Bremerton, Port Orchard, and the wider Kitsap Peninsula. Results stream live from the NWMLS through The Agency. Click the × on the Kitsap filter to broaden your search.
A better search experience
Search the way it should work.
I’m a paid Homes.com member agent, which means the experience you have searching for a home through me is built around accuracy, transparency, and direct conversation, not paid lead resale.
Talk to the right agent
Direct line to the listing broker
On Homes.com, the contact card on every listing belongs to the actual listing agent, not a stranger who paid for the lead. When you inquire on a home, you reach the agent who knows the property, the seller’s timeline, and the back story.
Accurate data
CoStar-grade listing information
Homes.com is owned by CoStar Group, the country’s largest provider of commercial and residential real estate data. That means cleaner pricing histories, more accurate property details, and fewer phantom or stale listings cluttering your search.
Saved-search alerts
Be first to know when the right one hits
Set custom alerts by neighborhood, price, and features. The moment a matching home is published to the MLS and syndicates to Homes.com, you get a notification, then a call from me with the inside read on the property and the seller’s likely position.
Ad-free, clean interface
A search experience built for you
Listings display without third-party ads and with rich neighborhood and school context. You see the home, not a banner farm trying to sell you a mortgage.
Neighborhood and school depth
Context beyond the four walls
Homes.com pairs every listing with neighborhood pages and school pages so you can evaluate the home, the block, the commute, and the schools in one place. I provide the local color the portal cannot.
Your agent, end-to-end
One trusted advisor, every step
Whether you find a home on Homes.com, on the NWMLS, on Properstar abroad, or through a referral from a fellow Agency advisor in another market, I represent you start to finish, with the same fiduciary duty and the same calm, data-driven process.
Subsection 4 of 4
Relocating to the Puget Sound.
Moving from out of state?
Buying from far away.
Ferries, school districts, weather, taxes, neighborhoods. I have answers, and a vetted agent in your current city to handle the home you're leaving.
Most relocating buyers are managing two homes at once: the one they're buying in the Puget Sound and the one they're selling somewhere else. My Newcomer's Guide covers ferries, schools, cost of living, neighborhood character, and how I introduce you to a trusted listing agent in your current market through my two referral networks.
The Puget Sound at a glance
Why people move here.
4.1M
Puget Sound population
No state
Income tax in Washington
10+ routes
Ferries connecting communities
2,500+ mi
Of saltwater shoreline
The commute
Ferries, not freeways.
The Washington State Ferries system is the largest in the country. Most of my relocating clients trade a daily slog on I-5 or I-405 for a coffee, a laptop, and a saltwater crossing. Here are the routes worth knowing.
The headliner
Bainbridge · Seattle (35 min)
The second-busiest WSF route. Walk-on or drive-on, sailings roughly every 50 minutes. Lands at Colman Dock in downtown Seattle.
North Kitsap
Kingston · Edmonds (30 min)
The fastest route to the Eastside and Snohomish County. Popular with North Kitsap commuters working in Bothell, Lynnwood, and north Seattle.
Fast ferry
Bremerton · Seattle (28 min)
Kitsap Transit's passenger-only fast ferry. The traditional auto ferry runs 60 minutes. Lower cost-of-living trade for a slightly longer commute.
South Kitsap
Southworth · Vashon · Fauntleroy
The triangle route. Connects South Kitsap to West Seattle via Vashon Island. Also serves as the Vashon ferry for full-time islanders.
Olympic Peninsula
Port Townsend · Coupeville
A 35-minute hop across Admiralty Inlet to Whidbey Island. The scenic link between Port Townsend and the San Juan corridor.
In-city
King County Water Taxi
West Seattle · Pier 50 (12 min) and Vashon · Pier 50 (22 min). Smaller boats, downtown-only landing, peak-hours focused.
For live sailing schedules and boat status, see WSDOT Ferries, Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries, and King County Water Taxi.
Schools
Strong districts across the region.
The Puget Sound has several of Washington State's top-performing public school districts. The right one for your family depends on commute, price point, and lifestyle. Here is the lay of the land.
The islands & peninsula
BISD303 & Kitsap districts
Bainbridge Island School District is consistently ranked among Washington's strongest. North Kitsap, Central Kitsap, South Kitsap, Peninsula (Gig Harbor), and Port Townsend round out the peninsula options.
The Eastside
Mercer Island, Bellevue & more
Mercer Island, Bellevue, Northshore, Lake Washington, and Issaquah are the headline Eastside districts. Each draws relocating families with strong academics and well-funded programs.
In-city
Seattle Public Schools & independents
Seattle Public Schools serves the city proper with option, gifted (HCC), and language immersion programs. The Puget Sound also has a deep bench of independent schools (Lakeside, University Prep, Bush, Seattle Academy, Eastside Prep, and more).
In accordance with Fair Housing law, Raymond does not rank schools or characterize neighborhoods. For ratings and comparisons, please consult GreatSchools, Niche, and the OSPI Washington School Report Card.
Two Referral Networks · Nationwide
You're not selling alone. I have great agents in every market.
Most relocating buyers have two homes on their mind at once: the one they're buying in the Puget Sound, and the one they need to sell where they live now. I make both sides easier by personally introducing you to a top, vetted real estate professional in your current city, then staying involved in both transactions until your move is complete. I draw on two complementary referral networks to find you the right agent.
Network 01
The Agency — Global
As a Managing Broker at The Agency Bainbridge Island, I'm part of a global brokerage with offices across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East. The Agency was built for cross-market, often cross-border luxury and lifestyle moves.
Best for: in-city Seattle, the Eastside, California, New York, Florida, Texas, international destinations, and any move where a single, design-forward brand is a meaningful part of the experience.
Network 02
Buffini & Company — Nationwide
I'm a Buffini & Company Certified Full-Service Professional, connected to thousands of independent agents across the United States who train to the same Working By Referral service standards I hold myself to.
Best for: small-town and suburban markets, secondary cities, and anywhere outside a major metro where a deeply rooted local independent agent will outperform a brand name.
If I don't already know the right agent in your city by name, I find them through whichever network fits your move best, interview them, vouch for them, and introduce you. You get a coordinated, two-coast experience instead of two strangers running parallel processes. There's no extra cost to you, and you keep one trusted advisor (me) from your first conversation through both closings.
01 · You reach out
We talk about both moves
Where you're living now, what you're hoping to find in the Puget Sound, your timeline, and what would make the move feel calm instead of chaotic.
02 · I make the introduction
A vetted agent in your city
I personally reach out to an agent I trust in your current market, vouch for them, brief them on your goals, and introduce you by name.
03 · Both sides, one coordination
One advisor, two transactions
I stay in the loop on both sides of your move. Timelines align. Surprises shrink. You always know who to call first.
Two networks, one trusted advisor. Learn more about how I work.
Housing
Where in the Puget Sound fits you?
The Puget Sound is many markets, not one. In-city density. Eastside tech corridors. Walkable island villages. Forested peninsula homesteads. Victorian seaports. We narrow it together during your initial consultation.
The Island
Bainbridge Island
Walkable village, top schools, 35-minute ferry to downtown Seattle. The marquee island market.
In-city & Eastside
Seattle & the Eastside
Seattle proper, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond. Tech corridor and urban density.
North Kitsap
Poulsbo & Kingston
Little Norway on Liberty Bay and the Kingston-Edmonds ferry village. Walkable downtowns, strong schools.
South Sound
Gig Harbor
Maritime village across the Narrows from Tacoma. Picture-perfect harbor, strong Peninsula schools.
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula
Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, Sequim, and Port Angeles. Victorian seaport, lavender valleys, and the gateway to Olympic National Park.
See all communities
Every community I serve in depth
Fifteen dedicated community pages, plus Snohomish County and the broader Puget Sound by request. Ask me about your target neighborhood.
What you trade, what you gain
An honest comparison.
Most relocating buyers I work with are choosing between Puget Sound life and a denser, hotter, drier U.S. metro. Here is a straight read on the trade, with two notes: this comparison is honest both ways, and the right answer is the one that fits your stage of life.
| You'll trade | For |
|---|---|
| State income tax | Zero state income tax in Washington (yes, really) |
| A long, dry summer | The sunniest, mildest July through September in the country, and a longer wet winter |
| Freeway-only commuting | Ferries, water taxis, and light rail as legitimate daily options |
| An 1,800 sq ft city lot | A half-acre or full acre with mature firs and madrones (on the islands and peninsula) |
| Anonymous neighbors | School parents, parade marchers, and First Friday faces you'll see all year |
| Big-box convenience on every corner | A 20-minute drive (or one ferry ride) to almost anything, with quiet in between |
And if you're moving the other direction, from the islands and peninsula into Seattle or the Eastside for work or school, I help with that too. The conversation is the same: where do you want your daily life to happen?
Free download
The Puget Sound Newcomer's Guide.
A printable PDF I send to every relocating client. Ferry routes and schedules, school district overview, community-by-community housing breakdown, year-round events calendar, recommended local services, and a personal welcome from me. Enter your details below and the PDF lands in your inbox in under a minute.
Washington law
Understanding Washington's new buyer agency law.
Transparency. Protection. Clarity.
As of January 1, 2024, Washington State law (RCW 18.86) has changed how real estate brokers and buyers work together. These changes are a major win for consumers, ensuring that you have full transparency regarding representation and compensation before you even step foot in a home.
The law: why we need a written agreement
Under Washington law, a real estate broker must enter into a written Brokerage Services Agreement with a buyer “as soon as reasonably practical” after beginning to provide services. In real-world terms, this means before I can show you a home or provide professional advice, we must have a signed agreement in place.
Why is this a legal requirement?
- 01Formalizes representation
- It ensures you know exactly who is working for you, and who isn't.
- 02Fiduciary duty
- A signed agreement confirms my legal obligation to act in your best interest, maintain your confidentiality, and provide expert guidance.
- 03Compensation transparency
- It removes any mystery about how I am paid, clearly outlining any fees or commissions up front so there are no surprises at the closing table.
Does this “lock me in” forever?
Not necessarily. The law was designed to be flexible to your comfort level. We can structure our agreement in several ways:
- Short-term “trial” periods: If you're not ready for a long-term commitment, we can sign a single-property agreement or a short-duration test drive to see if we're a good fit.
- Exclusive or non-exclusive: I only work exclusively with my clients as a vast majority are referred to me. If you are not ready, we can sign the agreement for a short-term period or a limited geographic region.
- The 60-day standard: Per state law, the default term for these agreements is 60 days, though most of my clients agree to 90 to 180 days as it takes time to find the right home.
What happens on our first tour?
Before we meet at our first property, I will provide you with the mandatory Law of Real Estate Agency pamphlet. If you have not already done so, please download it below. This document explains the duties I owe you. Once you've reviewed that, we will sign a simple Brokerage Services Agreement.
This isn't about trapping you into a sale, it's about ensuring I am legally authorized to represent your interests the moment we walk through that front door.
My commitment to you
My goal is to make your home-buying journey as smooth as possible. By following these state-mandated guidelines, I am ensuring that your transaction is handled with the highest level of legal integrity and professional care.
Required disclosure
Real Estate Brokerage in Washington
The official Washington State pamphlet that every broker is required to provide. It explains agency relationships, a broker’s duties to buyers and sellers, written services agreements, and limited dual agency under chapter 18.86 RCW. Read it before our first appointment so we can move forward grounded in the same understanding.
Begin
Start your buyer journey.
A private, five-step questionnaire, about three minutes. The more I know before our first conversation, the more grounded and personal it will be.
Your information stays private. Replied to within one business day.
The Purchasing Pathway © 2020 Buffini & Company. All Rights Reserved.