|
As
I provide my clients service, I am often asked questions
about many things. I thought I would answer a few and give
some research tools.
How
old are your kids? They're sixteen and eighteen.
My youngest is a senior at Ferndale High School and my oldest
is attending her first year at the Art Institute of Seattle.
Have
you always lived in Washington? No, we moved
here from Iowa. I born in and raised in Washington but my
husband is from the Midwest. We met in Alaska and moved
to Des Moines, IA. We came back for a family vacation one
year and he decided we needed to move back. We researched
different areas before moving and made our decision on different
factors. We researched the schools online before we ever
looked at houses (www.greatschools.net).
We
searched online for houses within our price range.
My husband came out first while I stayed in Iowa and sold
the house. Our new home here was contingent on the sale
of our house there. It was one of the most stressful things
I have ever done but I had great realtors in both locations
that made all the difference in the world.
So
what does your husband do? His name is Ken
Wilson and he is a pawn broker as well as a local independent
insurance agent with Kelley Insurance in Everson. Kelley
Insurance has been serving the Pacific Northwest since 1946
(www.kelleyinsure.com)
(220-6483). I would also recommend Billy Slesk at State
Farm (www.billyslesk.com)
(360-676-9161). Ken is a great guy and we both pride ourselves
in serving our community.
Do you have any lender recommendations?
I do. I know some great folks. David Vernon and Dean
Hayes at Security First Financial Services Inc. in Burlington,
WA (www.sfmtg.com)
specialize in educating clients on the variety of loans
available and finding the best suited for each client. Liz
Standow at Wells Fargo in Bellingham, WA (www.wfhm.com/wfhm/liz-standow)
(360) 739-0757) has excellent customer service that goes
the extra mile above and beyond. She has an excellent level
of professionalism that I respect and recommend to my clients.
Both lenders are brokerages so they can help you find what
will serve your purposes.
Do you recommend any local home inspectors?
I do. John Wagner with House to Home Inspections (www.housetohomeinspections.com)
does a very thorough job with a very user friendly report
for his clients. He invites his clients to attend a portion
of the inspection towards the end so he can explain in detail
his findings. He is located in Bellingham. Another local
inspector is Robert Walsh with Preview Inspections LLC (previewinspections.com).
He includes a 90 day Buyer's Limited Warranty and a 120
day Seller's Limited Warranty with his inspections.I also
recommend Rick Bunzel with Pacific Crest Inspections (www.paccrestinspections.com).
He and his wife Buni are located in Anacortes and are very
knowledgeable and have many years experience.
If
I wanted to add to or make changes to the house I buy or
before I sell my home, do you recommend anyone? I recommend
Carlton Construction (www.carltonsportfolio.com)
(360-305-2996) which is owned by Carlton Burroughs. He has
an eye for detail and it shows. If you need supplies or
ideas for a remodel before you hire someone I suggest you
reach Clark at Mount Vernon Building Center (clarkschacht1@verizon.net)
360-990-8386. He knows all the new products available on
the market and offers them at great prices.
Do
a lot of people do For Sale By Owner now? There
are a lot more For Sale By Owner properties these days.
I think folks are able to obtain more information in the
real estate field so they do sell their properties without
an agent. The sad part is sometimes I dont think they
fully realize that with the knowledge a Realtor® brings
to their transaction, their property will sell for much
more than what they save in commission. According to Washington
Realtor® News, Homes sold by a real estate agent
sell for 16 percent higher on average than those sold by
an unrepresented seller, according to National Association
of Realtors® 2005 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
The median selling price of FSBO homes was $198,200 compared
with $230,000 for agent-assisted home sales. In Washington,
the median selling price of FSBO homes was $200,000 and
the agent-assisted was $250,000 (http://www.realtor.org/PublicAffairsWeb.nsf/Pages/Don'tTryThisatHome).
There are many online resources that really mislead folks
about the current market. I have used a few online favorites
to see how well it would assess the current value of my
house. It changed so drastically in such a short time, it
really was'nt a valid comparable market analysis at all.
A Realtor® brings current, local knowledge that you
cant find online. There is a level of professionalism,
code of ethics and standard of practice that accompanies
a Realtor® that equates monetarily for the client. We
work for property owners in their best interest as well
as the community and the economy as a whole. We bring honesty
and utmost effort to each transaction.
"If
I list my house with RE/MAX, why would that be advantageous
verses some of the other local real estate offices?"
When
you enter into a listing agreement with RE/MAX you enter
into a relationship with our whole international team. We
will all be working toward the sale of your home. If I am
out of town or have an emergency, you will be taken care
of by another agent or my broker. We are very team oriented
and work together. Depending on your property, we may advertise
your property in both Skagit and Whatcom counties with local
publications. We will list your property on North West Multiple
Listing Service which gives other Realtors® in the state
access to information about your home so they can bring
their buyers. Since RE/MAX is a International company our
fellow realtors will have access through our constantly
updated weblinks to your properties information so they
can match it with their buyers. RE/MAX is right across the
border in Canada as well so we can reach out to more potential
buyers. I want to make your dreams come true by doing what
best supports the market to sell your home. I will listen
to your needs, support you in your goals and bring the expertise
to accomplish them with the least amount of stress or worry
to you. I practice under the Code of Ethics:
(http://www.realtor.org/realtororg.nsf/pages/codeofethics-consumerquestions)
(http://www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers/why_use.html)
and invite you to read the standards that I practice. I
look forward to our future business.
"When I am out and about and see a home I like,
do I go and see it without you?" Please do
go into any open house you may see. Let the agent hosting
the open house know you are working with a Realtor®
and keep the information you share with them very general.
They represent the seller so they may ask you many questions
to pass on to the seller which would benefit the seller
in reviewing an offer on the home. If you see a For Sale
By Owner, write down the address and phone number and I
will contact them to ask a few general questions prior to
making a viewing appointment. For example, many FSBOs dont
know square footage and title issues so I can do some preliminary
questioning. I am an Accredited Buyers Representative so
I have a great knowledge base in how to best represent you
in all home buying scenarios.
I
know I have answered only a few questions and that you
may have many more so please contact me and I will be glad
to answer them all. I look forward to working with you.
|