As your local real estate expert, I’m here to guide you to the perfect home. It’s not so different from fly fishing. Whether you’ve been “on the water” a dozen times or this is your first, there’s plenty to learn. If you’re thinking, should I choose a local real estate agent? Read on.
There are many different kinds of fishermen in our world: saltwater, freshwater, lake/river fisherman. There are even more types of species that anglers can pursue. Some anglers fish every day and even some compete with other fishermen while others may only have the chance to get out on some stretch or ocean of water one or two days every 2-3 years.
As a part-time fly-fishing guide in Colorado for over 20 years, I have had the privilege of offering my expertise in the fly-fishing world, to a wide variety of anglers with differing levels of experience. I have seen just about every kind of fisherman, from beginners to experts. I’ve led those who have never held a fly rod and need a complete introduction to the equipment and skill sets, to converting well-seasoned fishermen (some of whom are much better anglers and who I could learn a thing or two in other areas) to the sport. Just like there are different types of fishermen and species, in real estate, there are many types of buyers and sellers as well as many different properties such as raw land, residential, farm/ranch, commercial, etc.
Guiding in the field of Pagosa Springs real estate carries many similarities to guiding on my favorite local waters.
Some clients have never been through the buying and selling process while others have done this their whole life. Even experienced real estate investors/owners need local guidance to the nuances that SW Colorado and Pagosa Springs present. This is why using a local Realtor agent you are more likely to succeed. Like observing a river, the hours, weeks and years it takes studying and understanding changes to our local market keeps me sharp in helping others adapt to the current real estate environment. This is key to offering clients best options to position for success.
As your local real estate expert, I have answers to your questions.
- Should I choose a local real estate agent?
In an article on-line here are several reasons why you should consider using a local Realtor.
They shop for property online.
Don’t we all? And yet, their real estate research goes beyond oohing and ahhing over a few photos on a Saturday night. Darbi McGlone, a Realtor® with Jim Talbot Realty in Baton Rouge, LA, estimates she spends about two hours each day researching potential properties.
“This could include looking up flood zones, previewing the homes for out-of-state clients, or any number of specific things,” she says.
Plus, listings come and go fast in the real estate world, so agents need to check their multiple listing service databases constantly, or else they’ll miss out. Sometimes the process of matching up properties with clients can take a very long time.
“I have a client who wants a Mid-Century Modern house in Carlsbad, but there aren’t many there,” says Rachel Collins Friedman, a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty in San Diego, CA. That means that she’s been searching the database regularly for that particular kind of property for three years (here’s hoping all that patience pays off).
They go prospecting
Of course, there’s nothing like seeing a house in all its brick-and-mortar glory, which is why most Realtors worth their salt spend tons of time driving around checking out new listings. In Friedman’s San Diego area, they call it “caravan day.”
“It’s a good way to preview properties, and it’s a good time to network with other agents and talk up your listing,” she says. Should you choose a local real estate agent, they put in a lot of work well in advance to present you with the best options and knowledge.
They attend pitch sessions and Realtor caravans
Agents don’t spend all their time sizing up homes. According to Friedman, they also spend tons of face time with other pros at pitch sessions—gatherings of local agents at cafes where they swap listing info in order to spread the word about your property if you’re selling, or to find the house that checks.
In fact in Pagosa Springs where a majority of the folks in town at any given point of time are either visiting their second home or on vacation…Local agents get together in person, once a week, through parts of the year to tour certain areas of town to check out the inventory live on a tour called Realtor Caravans…this helps a ton when you physically walk through a home and get the real feel of a place.
Beware of unrealistic perspectives.
Sometimes you should watch out for that superimposed photograph or that drone shot that is taking a video well over the roof line and you will never see that view they are selling. I regularly meet with other agents to find out different perspectives to see what their clients both buyers and sellers are either looking for in a property or how sellers may be responding in current conditions.
They spend their own money on marketing
In addition to not getting paid until a deal is done, selling agents also spend their own money on marketing: magazine and newspaper ads, fliers, hiring a photographer, glossy prints, and premium placements on listing sites.
“Agents can spend thousands marketing a property,” says Friedman.
They write up offers and counteroffers
Offers and counteroffers are an extremely important part of the transaction, as they can save or net you thousands of dollars on a sale. Yet getting to the right price requires written offers and counteroffers every step of the way.
“It’s time-consuming to be writing them up, explaining to the client how to counteroffer and the ways to do so, and just keeping track of it all,” Friedman says.
They stick around for inspections.
You might not be present when it’s inspection time, but a good agent will be. This gives the agent immediate knowledge of what’s going on. Anything from termites to an iffy foundation can be relayed to the buyer immediately, according to Friedman. McGlone estimates inspections take roughly two hours.
They smooth bumps in the road. Expect some potholes here in Pagosa!
Not every sale goes smoothly—buyers and sellers get difficult all the time—but good agents try to shield their clients from the high drama unless there’s a reason to fill them in.
“It’s called putting out fires,” says McGlone. “It’s just fixing issues that a lot of times buyers and sellers never needed to be made aware of.”
They keep you calm when the pressure’s on.
Good agents don’t just hand you a house. They can also act as a therapist, making your sale much less stressful.
“People get emotional. You have to be a problem-solver and keep a positive approach and come up with a positive solution,” Friedman says. “It might not take a lot of time, but it takes emotional energy.”
Tell that to your therapist.
2. What is your experience in Real Estate?
What Types of real estate are you interested in?
- What is your budget?
- Will you need a loan?
- Have you talked to a lender?
*In some cases, considering a local lender has made all the difference between writing an offer (only to beat out by a competing bid) and actually closing on a particular property here in Pagosa Springs!
- Have you already been pre-approved to purchase the type of house of interest?
These and many other questions are important to have answers to as you enter the real estate market. They’ll help determine if you should choose a local real estate agent or not.
Do you have a plan? I would love to offer my expertise in assisting you with some local guidance on your unique and personal real-estate journey…it is my belief that you should step into the real estate world with excitement and confidence!
