How we work
Six steps. No theatrics.
The process is the same whether the home is $1.4M or $14M. The only thing that changes is the homework.
At a glance
4–12
Weeks · typical
1
Named broker
6–10
Homes in first 3 wks
0
Hidden fees
01 · Week 1
First conversation
02 · Week 1
Mandate
03 · Weeks 2–4
Search or stage
04 · Days, not weeks
Offer & negotiation
05 · 21–30 days
Diligence
06 · Closing day +
Closing & after
01
Week 1
Step 01
First conversation
We meet - usually for an hour, at our office or yours. No pitch deck. We ask what good looks like, and what failure looks like. Then we tell you whether we’re the right firm.
Deliverable
Honest gut-check
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
02
Week 1
Step 02
Mandate
If we move forward, we write a one-page mandate: the brief, the budget, the timeline, who's on the other side of the table. Both parties sign. It's the only piece of paperwork we ever produce in triplicate.
Deliverable
Signed mandate
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
03
Week 1
Step 03
Search or stage
Buying: we walk you through six to ten properties in the first three weeks, on- and off-market. Selling: we stage, photograph, and pre-position with our private list before MLS.
Deliverable
Curated short list, or pre-market launch
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
04
Week 1
Step 04
Offer & negotiation
Every offer we write is hand-delivered or on a call. We don't send price ladders by email. The negotiation is the job and we don't outsource it.
Deliverable
Signed purchase agreement
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
05
Week 1
Step 05
Diligence
We coordinate inspection, appraisal, title, and survey with named professionals we've worked with for years. You get one weekly written summary, not seventeen forwarded emails.
Deliverable
Clear-to-close package
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
06
Week 1
Step 06
Closing & after
We attend closing. We hand you the keys. We check in at 30 days, 6 months, and every year after — partly because we care, partly because clients are how we get the next client.
Deliverable
Keys + lifetime follow-up
You’ll meet
Your named broker · transaction coordinator · the right specialist when needed.
Two paths, one playbook
It looks different on each side of the table.
If you’re buying
A short list, not a feed.
Buyer mandate — one page, both sides sign
Curated on- and off-market list within 7 days
6–10 in-person walk-throughs in the first 3 weeks
Hand-delivered offer + live negotiation
Coordinated diligence (inspection, appraisal, title)
In-person closing + 30/6/12-month follow-up
If you’re selling
Quiet, then loud.
Listing mandate + 60-min strategy session
Pre-listing inspection + repairs scoped
Stage, paint, photograph, write the listing
Pre-position with the private buyer list (21 days)
Public launch — MLS, print, journal feature
Negotiate, diligence, close — same playbook
What we always do
The non-negotiables.
✓
A written one-page mandate before money moves
✓
Walking five properties before writing any offer
✓
Pre-listing inspections, every time
✓
Coordinated weekly summaries during diligence
✓
An in-person hand-off at closing
What we don’t do
The things we left at the door.
×
Daily MLS auto-emails — they’re noise
×
Cold opens without a strategy call first
×
Drone footage of homes under $5M
×
Surprise marketing fees added at closing
×
Junior agents you’ve never met
Case study · Cedar Hollow
A 2018 build, sold in 11 days for 4% over ask.
Listed in a soft Q4 market. We held back from MLS for 12 days, ran two private showings to the right buyers, and surfaced one offer at $4.41M against a $4.25M ask. Closed cash, no contingencies.
11 days
List to close
+4%
Over ask
0
Contingencies
Process FAQ
A few we hear every week.
How long does the average buy take, end to end?
Do you take both sides of a deal?
What does your fee actually cover?
Can I see a sample mandate?
Next step
Want to start a first conversation?
Introduce yourself
Meet the brokers
Meridian.
A boutique brokerage representing architecturally significant homes across the coastal Pacific Northwest.
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
Office
1402 Western Ave, Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 555 0188
© 2026 Meridian Property. Licensed in WA, OR.