So you’re ready to move to the mountains? Or to buy an investment property in the foothills?
How do you begin?
You’ll need the right agent.
How to choose a real estate agent
Whether buying a home or selling yours, you need someone you can trust. Real estate is the biggest purchase you may make in your lifetime. It’s a big deal! But ultimately, it’s a relationship business. You are going to be spending a lot of time together as you navigate the buying or selling process. You want to actually like the person you’re working with!
You want someone with your best interests in mind. You want someone who wants what’s best for you, not for their commission or timeline or reputation.
You want someone who knows the details of real estate (contracts, the market, projections, etc) but you also want someone who knows people (how to negotiate, how to work well with the other sellers or buyers, who to connect you with when you need a roof fix).
You want someone that can be your advocate when working with and understanding your home inspection prior to buying.
You want someone who knows the area. You want an agent who knows the ins and outs of a mountain home and hasn’t just sold condos in the city. You want someone who understands the nuances of mountain living with septics and wells and acreage.
You want a realtor is who is well connected. Are they part of a local organization (like the Mountain Metro Association of Realtors). Realtors don’t know everything so how are they supported and learning in their network?
For selling your home, you want someone that is good at marketing. At Compass, we often follow a three-phase marketing approach that gets your house exposure and connections before you list, helping you find the best price and deal.
Ultimately, you want a realtor you are confident in and comfortable with. You don’t choose a dentist based on how good their paperwork is.
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent
What does a mountain Realtor actually do?
Market Expertise: How do you know what your house is worth? Do you just look at the price that Zillow gives you? I hate to break it to you, but in the mountains, an algorithm built in a lab is not going to give you the most accurate assessment. In fact, we rarely even consider price per square foot (a metric used by most realtors and even Zillow) because each mountain property is so unique: does it have land, horses, a septic, a creek running through, trees or views? What makes it worth what it should be? Pricing a home is both an art and a science, but especially in the mountains, it’s based on experience and specific knowledge of the area.
Area Expertise: The mountains are an interesting place. No home is like another. Understanding how septics work and what areas have good water, what neighborhoods are family-friendly, what school is best for your family, etc. We understand fire risk and flood concerns. We know commute times and where the best grocery stores are based on location.
Home expertise: When selling, we walk the property and your home with you to determine what needs updating or fixing to best position your home for the market. We help you determine what you can do to get the most value for your home: decluttering, cleaning, fixing up. We can coordinate painting or repairs or landscaping. We arrange photographs and get the best look for your home. When buying, we can see through the “marketing” and find the true value of the home (besides the expert photos in perfect light) and help you see all the pros and cons of the home so you have the best information to make the ultimate decision.
Selling Your Home: Pricing, photos, marketing, listing, showings, open houses, feedback conversations, contracts, negotiations, disclosures, inspections, repairs, and, of course, an emotional counselor to help navigate the ups and downs of selling, keeping you on track with due dates on contract items, working with the title company, remaining legit and legal through compliance and paperwork that you don’t want to deal with, settling on closing, sitting with you as you sign lots of papers and get the money for your home!
Buying Your Home: Online searches, emails and databases, showings, showings and more showings, understanding your needs and wants, working with other agents, hearing feedback from you and giving feedback to sellers, more showings, finding the right place, counseling you through losing out on offers (unfortunately, it can happen), finding the dream home, talking you off a cliff of nerve racking decisions involving money and your future, offering the best price for you and seller, winning the contract, negotiating terms on the contract, getting an inspection, working through house issues, partnering with your lender to get a loan, keeping you on track with a calendar of due dates for disclosures and task items and financial steps, remaining legit and legal through the process, sitting with you as you sign lots of papers to close on your home!
Let’s get going
Real estate in the mountains doesn’t have to be complicated. Let me be your guide in buying or selling. I promise we will make it a pain-free experience to achieve your dreams of living in paradise. Let’s go!