Richard Wamsat

Master Certified Negotiation Expert, Broker Associate, Realtor®

A little about me

I was born in Southern California, and currently live in Irvine, with my beautiful wife Brandy and a fluffy white dog named Murphy. My knowledge of real estate spans two decades having purchased my first home at the age of 19. I have worked in both Northern California and Southern California markets and have fought with banks to save clients' homes or get relief from underwater mortgages during the Great Recession.

For over 20 years I have represented clients in all price ranges from condos to mansions, and from first-time homebuyers to seasoned investors. The department of real estate does nothing in the licensing process to teach real estate agents how to effectively represent their clients, so in 2013 I sought out a company, RENI a member of the Harvard Program on negotiation to teach me how to negotiate on behalf of my clients. In 2015 I earned the designation of Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE). Less than 1% of real estate agents nationwide have earned this designation. This does not mean that I convince a seller to sell you a Ferrari for the price of a Camry, but what it means is that I have both the experience and training to protect your interest in negotiating your home sale.

Here are a few of my accomplishments

Real Estate License

In 2002 I obtained my real estate license after studying at The California School of Real Estate. I passed the state licensing exam on my first attempt, later learning that it takes the average agent several tries before passing.

Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE)

In 2009 I earned the designation of “Certified Distressed Property Expert” (CDPE) and the National Association of Realtor’s “Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource” (SFR) designation. During the “Great Recession” I helped families who were upside down and owed more than their home was worth negotiate with their bank to either save their home or allow them to sell it. Many of them had lost their job in the recession, gotten a divorce, or had fallen ill and could no longer afford their mortgages (some had payments that doubled).

Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE)

In 2013 I earned the designation of “Certified Negotiation Expert” (CNE). According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors both home sellers and home buyers ranked negotiation skills high on their list of important skills when choosing a Realtor. Yet the state licensing exam teaches you nothing about how to negotiate on behalf of your clients. Worse yet, most agents are just winging it. This is why I sought out The Real Estate Negotiation Institute who’s founder and instructor was trained at Harvard and Wharton. The principles I learned were similar to what attorneys are taught in order to effectively negotiate for their clients.

Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE)

In 2015 I graduated to the “Master Certified Negotiation Expert” (MCNE) designation. Putting me in an elite group since less than 1% of Realtors nationwide hold this designation.

Broker Associate

In 2022 I obtained my real estate broker's license from the California Department of Real Estate. Just like when I took my original real estate salesperson license in 2002, I passed the licensing exam on my first attempt. Real estate brokers have a higher level of training and can work independently if they choose to do so. I continue to affiliate myself with Coldwell Banker Realty because of the value that they bring to my business and the tools and resources that I can use to the benifit of my clients.

Awards and Recognitions include

International Diamond Society - Coldwell Banker
International Sterling Society - Coldwell Banker
President's Club - RE/MAX
Executive Club - RE/MAX
Master's Club - Central Valley Association of Realtors
3-time recipient of the United States President's Volunteer Service Award - Points of Light Foundation

Real estate is my passion, and I enjoy helping others reach their real estate goals.

My clients are awesome

"Richard Wamsat is an honest, trustworthy person overall. He has good background and notices slightest pieces of worth-while stuff and will guide you through the whole thing. He has assisted me in buying process and I am very … Read More Read Less

"Richard is an amazing realtor. Richard is extremely knowledgeable about the process as well as about homes, in general, which helped us to make informed decisions at every stage of the process. Richard was also very patient a … Read More Read Less

"EXPERIENCED MARKETING & NEGOTIATION — SIMPLY THE BEST If I had to name the best financial decisions I’ve made on one hand, Richard was responsible for two of them. In looking for an agent, I wanted a realtor certified in m … Read More eeting the ethical standards of the profession. In addition, the best realtor would give me seasoned advice that saved time. Below are separate experiences I’ve had with Richard over the last decade where he demonstrated those strengths. BUYING In buying a home, Richard helped me with many aspects, such as preparing my finances as self-employed, handling aspects that reduced my stress, and pushing (by my request) so I wouldn’t drag my feet. At the time, I didn’t know exactly what kind of home I wanted or how much I should put into one. Richard handpicked homes to show that helped refine my preferences. This led to finding a home I loved, and we made an offer within 24 hours of the listing; however, we were outbid by a cash investor. Richard went to bat for me and negotiated in such a way that my offer won out. I built my life in that home and was always grateful for it. Eventually, its value appreciated higher than my most optimistic estimate. SELLING In selling our home, Richard helped us with: cleaners, staging, photos, pricing, marketing, and negotiating. If your agent isn’t doing this for your listing, I would ask if you have the right person in your corner. After reading through so many other listings that didn’t explain what was special, had inexplicable photos, or led to deals that fell through, I came to appreciate how great a job Richard did with marketing our listing. He knew exactly what the home “symbolized to a buyer” in the description and hit a home run with the photos. Along the way, Richard kept me updated on housing trends and comps. His advice let us set a price which led to multiple offers over asking. Even though I don’t believe in trying to time the market, after it was over, we looked back and couldn’t believe how lucky we were in having Richard position us for the highest valuation we could get. Heading into escrow, Richard’s negotiating experience came to be indispensible yet again. The RE market during this time was insanity, and as a result, a few potential buyers were behaving irrationally. Richard handled these unexpected stressors with grace and shielded us from having to deal with unpleasantries. At the beginning, my partner was skeptical of all RE agents because of her past experiences. By the end, she completely changed her mind—she said she’d never seen a realtor do all that Richard had done for us. SUMMARY I’m sometimes hesitant to give referrals because my reputation is on the line. But I refer Richard to friends and family whenever I can. Get Richard to represent you, and make one of your best financial decisions." Read Less