PRIOR TO FINDING A HOUSE
  • Listen to your goals and advise you on specific ways to meet them in today’s market
  • Provide names of lenders who are reputable, competitive, and creative
  • When requested, provide a list of questions to ask when shopping for lenders
  • Work with you and your lender to find the right loan program
  • Review good faith estimates and help compare costs and monthly payments
  • Make appointments to see homes in an efficient manner at times convenient to you
  • Call “For Sale By Owners” that we find to see if their property would meet your needs
  • Negotiate commissions with “For Sale By Owners” so that you may buy the house with representation for the lowest cost and avoid litigation
  • Reach out to owners of houses that are not on the market, but may be of interest to you
  • Explain the home buying process from start to finish
  • Provide out of town buyers with a Relocation Guide
  • Call listing agent on properties of interest to ensure properties are available prior to showing
  • Frankly discuss resale potential of houses of interest
  • Arrange to have a licensed agent work with you when we are out of town or unavailable
  • Check MLS listings daily and communicate new listing information to you
  • Provide a list of home inspectors who have received high marks from previous buyers
  • Provide recommendations on first time buyer books, and other timely topics
  • When requested, provide detailed information on market preferences for floor plans/area
  • Provide info/resources on current issues (e.g., oil tanks, lead paint, and radon gas)
  • Provide access to properties for sale at times convenient to you
  • Look carefully at properties which we tour to point out details which may be overlooked
  • Arrive on time to appointments and showings. We pride ourselves on timeliness.
  • Pursue continuing education yearly to obtain the latest info and fine tune our skills
  • Attend regular sales meetings to keep up on latest market and industry information
  • Network with hundreds of agents to get leads on new listings which might fit your needs
  • Carry Error and Omission insurance to help protect you from human error
  • Belong to Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, and National Association of Realtors
  • Belong to two (2) Realtors Multiple Listing Services
  • Attend seminars on current topics
  • Use our experience every day
  • If needed, provide list of questions to ask other Realtors if you are still selecting a Realtor
  • Provide a map of city neighborhoods
  • Provide our objective and honest opinion to all questions
  • Carefully guard confidential information about you and your position
  • Preview properties to see if they would be desirable
  • Keep informed about the areas in which you are looking
  • Provide addresses and directions if we are driving separately to properties
  • Provide “neighborhood orientation” tours for relocating buyers
  • Educate buyer as to today’s market conditions
  • Provide clean and safe transportation
  • Provide flashlight and measuring tape if needed when viewing houses
  • Use the latest technology to communicate and find information
  • Provide basic information on building materials
  • Provide information on inspection options
  • Keep a calm and professional attitude, even during challenging moments
  • Care about our client’s comfort and best interest
  • Have fun!
AFTER IDENTIFYING A HOUSE OF INTEREST
  • Pull tax records on property of interest
  • Provide information on price appreciation in the defined areas
  • Provide, when requested, property archive report on property of interest
  • Provide resources for information on school performance
  • If necessary, confirm with city that the property is on a septic system
  • If necessary, pull permits on file for properties of interest
  • Help to determine the value of a property prior to your making an offer
  • Show you amenities found in neighborhoods of interest (restaurants, community centers, etc.)
  • Help to inform you of standard procedures or practices in current market
  • Follow up on questions with listing agents regarding houses of interest and report back promptly
  • Provide you with specific market data for property of interest (i.e., comparable sales, average days on market, what the seller paid for property and when, current mortgage information)
  • Use sales agreement forms drafted and continually updated by Association of Realtors
  • Provide disclosure forms to seller to assure representations to you are made in writing
  • Provide assistance in reviewing nonstandard forms which may need to be signed
  • Ask critical questions to listing agent about seller to gain important negotiating leverage
  • Discuss standard contingencies
  • Provide information on seller to you (whatever may be known or discovered through negotiating tactics)
  • Timely present offer to seller
  • Expertly negotiate the offer by asking questions of listing agent and lender (if applicable)
  • Review Purchase Agreement with buyer so that all terms are familiar
  • Provide Purchase Agreement to lender to complete loan process
  • Thoroughly read all disclosures provided by seller and help identify potential red flags
  • Make appointment for home inspections
  • Attend home inspection and any other inspections necessary
  • Provide property access to contractors to get bids on repairs, if necessary
  • Provide names and numbers of reputable contractors for bids or information
  • Review inspection report and help you prioritize items
  • Put the home inspection report in context for seller and listing agent, and help them understand our requests for repairs
  • Coordinate re-inspection of repairs by lender, if necessary
  • Negotiate your position strongly and effectively through inspection and appraisal
  • Call lender on a regular basis to make sure the loan process is going smoothly
  • Work with lender to order the appraisal at the strategic time
  • Provide information to appraiser as needed
  • Deliver paperwork and information quickly to all parties
  • Send all executed paperwork to title company
  • Coordinate details for buyer’s earnest money being submitted to title company
  • Work with title company to order a preliminary title search
  • Review preliminary title report with you and help identify any red flags
  • Inform lender of title company to speed up flow of information
  • Provide list of utility companies for home purchased
  • Provide, when requested, utility cost information on properties of interest
  • Provide measurements of rooms for planning furniture, etc.
  • Coordinate appointments to sign documents
  • Coordinate exchange of keys
  • Coordinate access to property by contractors prior to closing
  • Perform walk through inspections with you to ascertain that conditions of sale are met
  • Review closing statement to make sure it is accurate and correct
  • Attend signing of papers to explain paperwork
  • Provide buyer with a copy of all documents signed by buyer
  • Provide complimentary market analysis on home for tax appeals, PMI removal appeals, and financial planning
  • Answer questions that might arise after the sale is closed
  • Maintain a file in our office with all pertinent information should you need info or copies in the future
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  • Belong to a coaching program that provides ongoing education
  • Attend weekly meetings to keep up with market trends
  • Attend classes to keep abreast of contractual and legal changes in the industry
  • Attend conferences and conventions to facilitate education on service and marketing
  • Complete continuing education classes to keep license active