Bad Deals Only

Seth Williams
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

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 missteps, and everyday decisions that cost more than they should. Each episode dives into why these deals failed, what people missed in the moment, and how to avoid making the same mistakes yourself. This podcast covers real estate investing, business strategy, money management, work culture, negotiation mistakes, and the hidden costs behind decisions that look good on paper. No gurus, no fake success stories, and no pretending hindsight is obvious. If you are interested in real estate, business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, or learning from other people’s expensive mistakes, Bad Deals Only delivers honest conversations, strong opinions, and practical takeaways. New episodes weekly.

Episodes

  1. Jun 6

    Bad 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.

    1h 31m

  2. May 22

    Bad 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.

    1 hr

  3. Apr 27

    Bad 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.

    1h 8m

  4. Apr 7

    Bad 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.

    1h 38m

  5. Mar 30

    Bad 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.

    1h 35m

  6. Feb 14

    Bad 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.

    1h 19m

  7. Feb 7

    Bad 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.

    1h 13m

  8. Jan 31

    Bad Deals Only Ep. 4 | From Lobster Sauce to Lawsuits

    It starts with lobster sauce loyalty and ends with how real estate deals actually die. Nick and Seth open on New England Chinese food economics, then get into why today's deals fall apart. Not over price, but over inspections, unrealistic expectations, and buyers feeding inspection reports straight into ChatGPT. In this episode: Why inspection timelines keep stretching longer How AI is reshaping buyer behavior, for better and worse Normal wear and tear versus actual deal killers What good agents do before the inspection ever happens Why some inspectors write reports that read like horror novels 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.

    1h 12m

  9. Jan 23

    Bad Deals Only Ep. 2 | Inspections, Parties & a Wire That Never Existed

    Holiday chaos, inspection fights, and a wire transfer that never actually existed. Nick and Seth break down why inspection negotiations go sideways, how repair requests blow up clean deals, and what the latest Massachusetts inspection law changes mean for buyers and sellers. Then it gets personal with holiday party politics, RSVP lies, and a cash buyer story you have to hear to believe. In this episode: Inspection negotiations, repair credits, and earnest money confusion What the new Massachusetts inspection law changes actually do How agents make simple deals harder than they need to be The cash buyer, the generous parent, and a wire that never existed Holiday party politics and RSVP lies, for good measure 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.

    56 min

  10. Jan 22

    Bad Deals Only Ep. 1 | Why Real Estate Deals Fall Apart

    The deals nobody wants to admit went sideways. Welcome to Bad Deals Only. Real estate attorney Nick Nardone and Boston broker Seth Williams pull back the curtain on what actually happens when a transaction starts to unravel. Inspection chaos, permit disasters, and agents who torch a clean deal over nothing. This is the messy reality of buying and selling in Massachusetts. In this episode: Why so many deals collapse after the offer is signed Inspection surprises that send buyers running Permit problems that quietly stall a closing How the wrong agent sinks a deal that should have closed 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.

    1h 5m
  • 10 Episodes

About

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 missteps, and everyday decisions that cost more than they should. Each episode dives into why these deals failed, what people missed in the moment, and how to avoid making the same mistakes yourself. This podcast covers real estate investing, business strategy, money management, work culture, negotiation mistakes, and the hidden costs behind decisions that look good on paper. No gurus, no fake success stories, and no pretending hindsight is obvious. If you are interested in real estate, business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, or learning from other people’s expensive mistakes, Bad Deals Only delivers honest conversations, strong opinions, and practical takeaways. New episodes weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Seth Williams
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Bad Deals Only