The Lender & The Agent

This episode is our holiday break from market stats and spreadsheets. Think Spotify Wrapped, but for real estate and lending. We’re reflecting on 2025 with our favorite client moments, hard lessons learned, boundaries we finally enforced, funny and weird stories from the year, and what we’re carrying into 2026 (and what we’re leaving behind). We also rapid-fire some holiday hot takes, because obvi...

In this episode of The Lender & The Agent, Mariesa Holm and Denae Alley get real about what it actually looks like to juggle: 🏡 full-time real estate 💸 full-time lending 💁‍♀️ being moms & wives 🎉 hosting Thanksgiving for 20+ people 📈 business planning for a new year 🧘‍♀️ and trying to squeeze in even one moment of self-care We unpack: • Why Q4 feels like a weird mix of “slow” and “overwhelmi...

The latest numbers are in — and the market is shifting again. In this episode, Mariesa Holm (@holmrealestate) and Denae Alley (@denaealley_mortgageadvisor) break down the real story behind today’s interest rates, home prices, and inventory across Snohomish and King County. You’ll learn: 📉 Why mortgage rates actually went up right after the Fed cut rates 🏦 What a potential 50-year mortgage could...

Buying your first home can feel overwhelming — and let’s be honest, it might not check every box on your dream list. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. In this episode, Mariesa Holm (@holmrealestate) and Denae Alley (@denaealley_mortgageadvisor) break down why your first house is often a stepping stone — the key to building equity, gaining experience, and positioning yourself for the home yo...

In this episode, Mariesa Holm and Denae Alley break down one of the biggest challenges homeowners face — how to buy your next home when you already own one. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or relocating, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. They unpack the four main paths you can take: 1️⃣ Sell first, then buy — the safest route, but it means planning for temporary housing. 2️⃣ Buy continge...

In this episode of The Lender and The Agent, Mariesa and Denae break down what the government shutdown really means for mortgages (spoiler: not much for conventional loans) and where delays might actually show up. They dive into the latest trends with interest rates, explain how Fed moves impact borrowing costs, and share their take on upcoming rate cuts. You’ll also hear real-life stories from th...

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain and letting you get to know us a little better—both as professionals and as people. Mariesa shares how she went from transaction coordinator to Realtor, what it really takes to make money in real estate (spoiler: it’s not as much as people think), and why 2019 was the turning point in her career. Danae opens up about how she fell into lending, the pu...

We’re back with a brand-new season and a brand-new name: The Lender and the Agent! In our first episode, we dive into the hot topic on everyone’s mind — should you wait until spring to buy or sell? We break down: Why today’s market in Snohomish & King Counties offers more opportunities than you think How a 48% increase in inventory changes the game for buyers and sellers The truth about seller cre...