Bad Deals Only

By Seth Williams

Bad Deals Only is a podcast about bad deals, bad decisions, and the lessons that come from them.

We break down real estate deals gone wrong, business mistakes, financial mis

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FAQs about Bad Deals Only:

How many episodes does Bad Deals Only have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.

Bad Deals Only episodes:

August 04, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 14 | Boston Condo Buyer's Market, Selling My Own House & Appraisal Traps
Boston just tipped into a condo buyer's market, and this week Seth put his own house on the market to prove a point.
In Episode 14, Boston real estate agent Seth Williams and real estate attorney Nick Nardone break down what a buyer's market actually looks like on the ground in Boston, why "it's my house" pulled real buyers out of the woodwork, and the appraisal contingency that is quietly hiding inside every mortgage contingency.
In this episode:
Why Boston condos have tipped into a full-blown buyer's market, price band by price band
Selling my own house: closing stress and why Seth broke his rule about representing himself
How a listing video that said "it's my house" produced three seller appointments and real buyer inquiries
Buying another off-market four-unit with a private-money rehab loan and a residential refi
Mortgage rates moving the wrong way, plus a 5.375% seven-year ARM
Attorney hot seat: who pays for a condo gas leak, the association or the unit owner?
The appraisal contingency hiding inside your mortgage contingency, and how to write LTV into an offer
Overrated or underrated: use-and-occupancy agreements, extended-coverage title insurance, and Qualia
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:44 Seth's hernia surgery saga
08:40 Seth's ruptured appendix and a 20-year cover-up
10:48 Selling my own house and breaking the self-representation rule
14:00 Why "it's my house" brought buyers out of the woodwork
18:50 Buying another off-market four-unit
21:35 Mortgage rates turn the wrong way
25:50 The Fed, fear-mongering, and reading the market yourself
28:00 $189M for Boston school busing
34:20 Hot take: Boston condos are a buyer's market
41:15 Attorney hot seat: who pays for a condo gas leak?
46:20 The appraisal contingency inside your mortgage contingency
56:44 Put it in the offer: controlling the deal
73:00 Overrated or underrated: use and occupancy, title insurance, Qualia
76:49 Wrap
Hosted by Seth Williams, a Boston real estate agent and owner of Reference Real Estate, and Nick Nardone, a Massachusetts real estate and condo attorney. Work with Seth and the team at sellinboston.com.
Bad Deals Only is for entertainment purposes only and is not legal, financial, or real estate advice. Consult a licensed professional before making any real estate decision.
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1h 18min
July 16, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 13 | A Truck Gets Storrowed, $54K Deposits Vanish & the Condo Dumpster Fire
A truck gets Storrowed live on Storrow Drive, a car goes up in flames on the Zakim, buyers walk away from $50K deposits, and the Massachusetts condo market gets called a hot dumpster fire. No producer, no filter.
Seth Williams and real estate attorney Nick Nardone go it alone this week (RIP Producer Nick) for a very Boston episode of moving-day carnage, dead deals, and Reddit's worst landlord horror stories, with a real Massachusetts inventory update in the middle of it all.
In this episode:
A moving truck gets Storrowed in real time, plus a car fully engulfed on the Zakim bridge
Massachusetts single-family inventory update and why the condo market is a hot dumpster fire
Friday price drops are putting buyers under agreement fast
How commission-rule changes broke rental representation, and why rents still aren't dropping
The watermarked 6(d) certificate that blew up a closing, and the Uber Courier document hack
Buyers torching $50K to $54K deposits by walking at the closing table
Reddit bad deals: a phantom in-ground pool, an HOA vs. a court order, and dues spent on board members' lawns
Overrated or underrated: July 4th weekend, lakes vs. ocean, snakes, and men's skincare
The 3A multifamily overlay fight and what "paper compliance" really means
Chapters:
00:00 Cold open - RIP Producer Nick (now powered by Claude)
01:27 Scouting the competition with agent sale-to-list data
03:37 Seth's annual Bank of America pilgrimage
05:56 A moving truck gets Storrowed on Storrow Drive
10:54 A car engulfed in flames on the Zakim bridge
15:20 Friday price drops put four buyers under agreement
16:54 Massachusetts single-family inventory update
18:31 Why the condo market is a hot dumpster fire
19:48 The rent-control ballot measure gets denied
20:59 Why rents aren't dropping and the mom-and-pop squeeze
23:32 How commission-rule changes broke rental representation
30:53 The watermarked 6(d) that blew up a closing
33:37 Uber Courier: the document-delivery power move
36:41 Reddit bad deal: tenants "installed" an in-ground pool
39:15 Does an HOA trump a court order?
40:59 Are condo rules and regs actually enforceable?
45:37 Live fire: a buyer submarines his own condo deal
51:00 Walking away from $50K to $54K deposits
57:58 HOA spends 90% of dues on board members' lawns
58:31 Overrated or underrated: July 4th weekend
61:36 Lakes vs. ocean and a 53-foot tide
66:56 Snake stories: Snake Bay, pythons in the walls, Costa Rica
73:48 The 3A multifamily overlay and "paper compliance"
80:22 Thigh tans, no sunscreen, and men's skincare
82:53 July 4th boat-day provisions and the meat market
Hosts: Seth Williams of Reference Real Estate and real estate attorney Nick Nardone.
Buying, selling, or investing around Greater Boston? Reach Seth and the Reference Real Estate team at sellinboston.com.
Bad Deals Only is a comedy podcast for entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this episode is legal, financial, tax, or real estate advice. Consult a licensed professional before making any real estate or financial decision.
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1h 29min
June 23, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 12 | Boston's Brutal Summer Real Estate Market & Selling Your Own House
The Boston summer real estate market is cooling off, and the deals that are still happening are brutal. In Episode 12 of Bad Deals Only, Seth Williams and Nick Nardone break down why every transaction feels like a fight right now, why everyone (buyers, sellers, agents, and honestly Seth too) is being so difficult this time of year, and what a summer slowdown really means if you are trying to buy or sell in and around Boston.
Seth also gets into the chaos of buying AND selling his own personal home while running deals for everyone else, and the guys close it out with a Father's Day edition of Overrated vs. Underrated (is Cape Cod actually overrated? you decide).
What we get into:
Why the Boston summer market is slowing and what it means for buyers and sellers
The hard fought, brutal deals happening right now
Why everyone feels so difficult this time of year
Seth buying and selling his own house at the same time
Overrated vs. Underrated: Cape Cod, Father's Day, and more
Bad Deals Only is the no filter real estate podcast from Reference Real Estate. Real agents, real deals, real chaos, in and around Boston.
Watch the full episode on YouTube, and find more at sellinboston.com.
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1h 12min
June 06, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 11 | Escalation Clauses & the Trust That Blew Up a Closing
Two real estate vets, zero filter. Seth Williams and real estate attorney Nick Nardone break down how deals actually get done — and undone — in today's market. Seller financing, no-cap escalation clauses, escrow holdbacks, and the trust that nearly blew up a closing. Real tactics, real bad deals, and a lot of laughs along the way.
In this episode:
How a business coach's dare turned into a one-phone-call property sale
The creative-financing playbook Seth used to buy a Winthrop three-family with almost nothing down — then refinance his way into a $1.25M asset
Real estate team economics: why chasing splits is a trap, and how to track where your deals actually come from
"Every deal is a dumpster fire" — the walkthrough issues plaguing closings and the listing-agent moves that prevent them
Escrow holdbacks: how holding back proceeds gets a stalling seller moving
The Escalation Clause Masterclass — when a no-cap escalation wins, and the "will you be pissed?" test for finding a buyer's true number
Pricing strategy: why you sometimes let the market punch an overpriced listing in the face
The "relay race" of a deal — communication and extension etiquette that keep closings on track
The bad deal: a trust with no successor trustee, a mystery title issue, and how to enforce a contract instead of walking away
A lender PSA: why "volcano insurance" is the reason you don't run a condo through Rocket Mortgage
Full circle — selling a home Seth repped 10 years ago (and hasn't set foot in since 2017)
Chapters:
00:00 — A coach dares Seth to grow, so he sells a property on one phone call
01:52 — Creative financing 101: buying a Winthrop three-family with seller financing
10:00 — Team splits, leads & why "chasing splits" backfires
17:00 — Memorial Day weekend, stroller purges & a Beacon Hill condo-conversion run
20:56 — The Newport "Nardo Museum" & an underperforming Florida house
33:13 — "Every deal is a dumpster fire": walkthroughs & listing-agent must-dos
34:00 — Escrow holdbacks that actually motivate sellers
35:46 — Escalation Clause Masterclass: the no-cap strategy
41:24 — Pricing strategy: let the market do the talking
44:10 — The deal "relay race": communication & extensions
49:28 — The bad deal: a broken trust, a title issue & enforcing the contract
59:56 — Rocket Mortgage vs. a condo: the "volcano insurance" saga
64:06 — Full circle: selling a home he repped a decade ago
73:40 — Underrated/Overrated: Memorial Day, grad parties & dance recitals
Bad Deals Only is the real estate podcast that tells you what really happens behind the closing table — hosted by Seth Williams of Reference Real Estate with real estate attorney Nick Nardone. If it helped (or just made you laugh), follow the show and send it to an agent who needs to hear it.
Reference Real Estate — Winthrop & Greater Boston | sellinboston.com
Follow Bad Deals Only on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.
Bad Deals Only is for entertainment and general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk to a licensed professional before making real estate decisions.
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1h 31min
May 22, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 10 | Hole-in-the-Floor FHA & Puppies at the Closing
An AI assistant that drained its own budget, a hole-in-the-floor FHA deal, and a litter of puppies born on a seller's porch the morning of closing. Seth Williams and real estate attorney Nick Nardone get into the deals that go sideways, the brokers who pass the buck, and why the agent who solves the $300 problem is the one who gets the next call.
In this episode:
How Seth's AI build went off the rails: team accounts drifting apart, runaway token spend, and an assistant that forgot it ever built the show notes
Why buyers and sellers now expect AI-grade prep from their agent, and how that is thinning the herd
The $300 bulkhead standoff: two brokers and two attorneys arguing over weather stripping, and the "be the source" rule that keeps clients calling you back
A dilapidated two-family, an FHA offer that should never have qualified, and the hold harmless agreement that kept the deal alive
Appraisal shortfalls: how a rebuttal actually works, and the need-to-know way to brief a client so you solve the problem instead of just stressing them out
The bad deal: a cashier's check that burned up in a car fire on the highway, plus how you recover a lost bank check
Puppies at the closing table: a German shepherd litter on the front porch, a missing seller, and a junk-removal holdback that turned into a credit
The 9,000 square foot move that ran three days late, and the listing-agent habits that prevent it
Underrated or overrated: ADUs in Winthrop vs Revere, Memorial Day weekend, Mother's Day, and title insurance
Chapters:
00:00 : The AI experiment that spent its own money (and forgot the show notes)
09:30 : A Monday from hell: sideways deals, a flat tire, and a near-death MacBook
12:00 : Why agents who skip AI are starting to fall behind
16:00 : The $300 bulkhead fight and the "be the source" rule
20:00 : The hole-in-the-floor FHA deal and the hold harmless fix
28:00 : Appraisal shortfalls, rebuttals, and need-to-know client updates
29:30 : When a small brokerage goes quiet on an escrow refund
35:00 : The bad deal: a cashier's check that went up in flames
38:00 : Puppies on the porch: a Marshfield closing in chaos
41:00 : The 9,000 square foot move that ran three days late
44:00 : Listing-agent habits that keep closings on track
47:30 : Underrated or overrated: ADUs, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, and title insurance
Bad Deals Only is the real estate podcast that tells you what really happens behind the closing table, hosted by Seth Williams of Reference Real Estate in Winthrop and Greater Boston, with real estate attorney Nick Nardone, partner at Touchstone Closing & Escrow. If it helped, or just made you laugh, follow the show and send it to an agent who needs to hear it.
Reference Real Estate, Winthrop & Greater Boston | sellinboston.com
Nick Nardone, Touchstone Closing & Escrow | touchstoneclosing.com
Follow Bad Deals Only on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.
Bad Deals Only is for entertainment and general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk to a licensed professional before making real estate decisions.
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1h 1min
April 27, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 9 | The Spring Market Is Breaking Our Brains
Spring offer season is here and it is melting everyone's brains.
Nick and Seth open on the whiplash of happy new-client calls and festering problem calls, then dig into a condo market drowning in inventory, a starter-buyer pool that is frozen in place, and the real math of renting versus owning. Plus a run of genuinely unhinged bad-deal stories.
In this episode:
Condo inventory exploding while two-beds get passed over for three-beds at the same price
Rent versus own, run live: a $420k East Boston condo against $2,700 rent
The buyer pie chart for a $750k Winthrop single family
Why the entry-level buyer is now closer to 40 than 27, and why so many sit stuck in lease-renewal limbo
Listing edge: golden-hour photos, fewer clickbait images, and lockbox versus accompanied showings
Bad deals: the agent who ghosts at closing, the agent who sold the wrong house, and a divorce that triggered a refi rescission
An ex-wife's attorney dropping a lien on the property at the closing table
Marry the house and date the rate, plus Nick's Aqua Bounty stock run and a safe full of "$18 million" in nickels
Hosted by Seth Williams (Reference Real Estate) and Nick Nardone (real estate attorney). More at sellinboston.com.
For entertainment only. Nothing here is legal, financial, or real estate advice.
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1h 9min
April 07, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 8 | Rates, Deals & Real Estate Chaos
Everything actually happening in today's real estate market, minus the spin.
Nick and Seth break down mortgage rate volatility, why deals keep falling apart, and the real conversation buyers, sellers, and agents are having behind the scenes.
In this episode:
Where mortgage rates are actually heading
Why deals are falling apart right now
The truth about competing offers
Real estate horror stories from the field
Zillow estimates versus market reality
Hosted by Seth Williams (Reference Real Estate) and Nick Nardone (real estate attorney). More at sellinboston.com.
For entertainment only. Nothing here is legal, financial, or real estate advice.
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1h 38min
March 30, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 7 | The $150 Toaster & the No-Show Agent
A blizzard, a missing toaster, and a buyer's agent who never showed up. This one earns the name.
Nick and Seth get into the February snow lull, why septic and Title V testing grinds to a halt in winter, and how to get a listing sold anyway. Then the main event: a deal where the buyer toured the open house three times with the listing team, produced their own agent at the last minute, asked for $100,000 in repairs, and turned the final walkthrough into a seven-hour solo marathon during a blizzard. All over a countertop microwave they kept calling a toaster.
In this episode:
Title V and septic: winter perk-test delays, the two-quote standard, and paying the bill out of escrow
Tight inventory, getting listings ready early, and working off-market and pocket listings
Why rates jumped from the high fives back to 6.5 on war and inflation news
The "seven out of ten boxes" rule, because that is what you can actually afford
A full buyer-intake role play, from work-from-home space to narrowing down towns north of Boston
Why exclusive buyer agency matters, and firing the client who wants to shop three agents at once
The Florida "on or before" closing controversy and what specific performance really means
The bad deal: the no-show agent, the $100k inspection ask, the seven-hour walkthrough, and the $150 toaster saga
Hosted by Seth Williams (Reference Real Estate) and Nick Nardone (real estate attorney). More at sellinboston.com.
For entertainment only. Nothing here is legal, financial, or real estate advice.
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1h 35min
February 14, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 6 | Referral Fee Traps & Handshake Deals Gone Wrong
How tech platforms quietly flip the commission structure and sell agents back their own clients.
Nick and Seth dig into the referral-fee machine taking 30 to 40 percent off the top, why handshake deals get people burned, and what actually protects you when someone refuses to pay after closing.
In this episode:
Compass, Coldwell Banker, and the future of mega brokerages
Zillow, FastExpert, and referral platforms taking huge cuts
Getting burned on handshake deals
Protecting yourself with contracts and mechanics liens
What happens when someone refuses to pay after closing
Snowstorms, Super Bowl slowdowns, and market timing
Hosted by Seth Williams (Reference Real Estate) and Nick Nardone (real estate attorney). More at sellinboston.com.
For entertainment only. Nothing here is legal, financial, or real estate advice.
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1h 19min
February 07, 2026Bad Deals Only Ep. 5 | Snowmageddon: Boston Can't Handle Snow
Everyone says they miss snow until it actually falls on Boston.
Nick and Seth break down why Massachusetts is objectively terrible at snow removal, how half an inch turns the city into a crisis zone, and why New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont quietly run laps around us every winter.
In this episode:
Why Boston panics at the first flake
The unhinged history of space savers
Snow removal scams and contractors who vanish mid storm
Why the rest of New England figured this out years ago
If you want snow, drive north. If you want beaches, universities, and heart transplants, welcome to Massachusetts.
Hosted by Seth Williams (Reference Real Estate) and Nick Nardone (real estate attorney). More at sellinboston.com.
For entertainment only. Nothing here is legal, financial, or real estate advice.
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1h 13min

FAQs about Bad Deals Only:

How many episodes does Bad Deals Only have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.