Tag: What it is like to be a real estate agent

How Do We Arrive At A Value For Your Home?

You have decided to sell your home and have asked me to come over and meet with you and get you ready to go on the market.  What do we do next?  I have you give me a tour of your home.  During that tour you tell me about all of the recent improvements you have done and I also note upgrades that your home has.  For example granite countertops rather than laminate, large yard backing to open space rather than a yard in the middle of the neighborhood surrounded by other homes.  After this meeting I take all of this information back to the office.

Next, I sit at the computer and start doing my research.  I am looking first a homes in the neighborhood that have sold in the last 3 months that are similar.  Then I look at homes that have sold nearby that are similar.  By similar I mean first that the are approximately the same square footage. The homes that I am comparing to your home should have finished basements if you do and if you don’t the best homes to compare you to should not have a finished basement either. Then I look to see that they are the same style.  It is important to compare ranch style homes to ranch homes, two stories to two stories and bi-levels to bi-level homes.  Then I look to see that the homes that I am comparing to your home have the same number of baths and same number of garage spaces.  Then I check to see the number of bedrooms.  This will often give me a price range.  I will see a home that is clearly better than you and one that is not as quite as nice.  Those two homes have set the range.  Next,  I look within that range for the homes that are as close to like your home as possible. Similar upgrades etc.  After this research I should be able to give you a $10,000 to $15,000 range of what I think your home will sell for in today’s market.

In addition to doing the research myself,  I also have my licensed assistant do the same research.  He is able to have an objective look.  He does not know you and did not see your home.  I share with him important details and he arrives at homes that he thinks are comparable to your home and a value for your home.  We then meet and review the information.  Sometimes we arrive at different values and have come up with different comparable properties.  If that is the case we review and decide what should be included in my report and what should be left out.  Perhaps I forgot to tell my assistant that you have remodeled your kitchen.  Not knowing that will affect the value of your home. By having both of us do this research, you are getting two opinions wrapped into one report on your home.

Next, I get back together to review the completed report.  We look at the value and also how long it appears that it will take you sell your home.  If you want your home to sell faster than the average length of time that similar homes have taken to sell you may need to adjust your price to have your home sell faster.  If you are comfortable with the value of your home and the time line, then we are ready to go on to the next steps to put your home on the market.

Next week we will cover what those next steps are. 

How and Why I Became a Real Estate Agent

I became a Realtor over 20 years ago. Much has changed in that length of time.  Since becoming a Realtor I have seen the market in all its forms. I have seen a strong sellers market, a strong buyers market, the housing crisis, negotiated short sales and helped people avoid foreclosure. I have also seen people have over $100,000 in appreciation in their homes in less than 5 years.  What a ride the last 20 plus years has been. So I bet you’re wondering why I became a real estate agent.

When I decided to become a Realtor

I took the course to get my license by correspondence.  I studied the course content from a notebook.  At the end of each chapter I was required to take a test.  I would fax my test to the school, it would be graded and then I could begin the next chapter.  Then I studied for the licensing exam and drove down to Denver for that test.  I sat in a room with many others that wanted to become a realtor.  After passing the test I came to Century 21 Humpal to begin my career in real estate. 

Back Then

we didn’t have the MLS online like we do today, but instead we had a listing book published and dropped off at each individual real estate office every week. This book was everything you needed to know that had happened in real estate in the Fort Collins area in the last week.  It contained the new listings, the sales that had occurred, under contract and withdrawn listings.  That book was not to leave the office and the book itself was not to be shared with clients. Now, of course, we have everything online and the public has access to much of the same information that we do as agents.  

My greatest surprise in becoming a Realtor

was the public’s opinion of real estate agents.  I had always had positive experiences in buying and selling real estate so I was quite surprised to learn that many people see real estate agents as not much better than a used car salesman.  It was after learning this that I made it my goal to change the public’s opinion of real estate agents one transaction at a time.  

So that is why I became a real estate agent.

Since my earliest days a lot has changed, but many things have stayed the same. I still enjoy working hand in hand with my clients in order to help them reach their real estate goals. Whatever they may be. Some of my greatest joys are the day that that first time home buyer is handed the keys at closing and becomes a homeowner. I also enjoy when my client becomes a landlord for the first time.  It is heartwarming and so rewarding to be trusted to walk people through the process.  I am thankful for each and everyone of you that trusts me.  If you want someone with my experiance contact me today. I will work hard for you and look out for your best interest.