You’ve decided to leave the city behind and move to beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado. Maybe you decided that you would just like to have a little part-time cabin in the woods or perhaps you’ve made the decision to take the plunge and live here full time. Many find comfort in working with a professional when navigating through buying a property, but how do you go about finding a REALTOR® that you are compatible with and “gets” you? A REALTOR® that understands what you want and has the valuable local and industry knowledge to put you in the mountain home of your dreams.
There are many exceptional REALTORS® in Crested Butte. One for every type of person looking for a new home.
Many people begin their home searches online, especially if you have been spurred to move to our quaint little town after you have returned home from your vacation. In fact, a study put together by Google and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) “to uncover trends and insights around digital media usage among home shoppers, whether they were looking for an existing home, a newly constructed home, or an apartment” found that “nine in 10 home buyers today rely on the internet as one of their primary research sources, and 52 percent turn to the web as their first step” (“The Digital House Hunt: Consumer and Market Trends in Real Estate” report on REALTOR.org). Information is knowledge. Study online reviews, take the YouTube video tours, check out REALTOR® social media pages, and examine their websites. This is a great way to narrow down your candidates as you prepare your list of real estate organizations you’d like to interview.
If you’re in town, another way to begin the REALTOR® search process is to take a walk down Elk Avenue to observe various REALTORS’® businesses–How do they look? Are they busy? What do their photos show (and are they appealing)? Seeing a business in person and how it is run may give you insight on their overall package.
Gary Hureskey of Benson Sotheby’s says “Buying real estate is a major investment in finance, time and trust.” He says talking to people in town to see who comes recommended is helpful. There’s nothing like the power of local knowledge to get you connect with the right professionals.
It’s good idea to sit down with at least three REALTORS® and have your questions ready. Do your due diligence! There will be lots of questions on both sides, so come prepared, knowing the type of professional you want to work with.
Kiley Flint of Benson Sotheby’s has this advice about the beginning process. A person who is looking needs to ask themselves these questions.
• Are you ready? Whether you are a first-time home buyer or have purchased before, you need to ask why you want to buy.
• Are you planning to move to a new community due to a lifestyle change or is buying an option and not a requirement?
• What would you like in terms of real estate that you do not have now?
• Do you have a purchasing time frame?
She adds, whatever your answers, the more you know about the real estate marketplace, the more likely you are to effectively define your goals.
Another great way to meet REALTORS® is to go to as many open houses as possible. You don’t have to be interested in the property but you will be able to meet the REALTOR® and have a conversation.
You want to know that your REALTOR® is reliable. Jesse Ebner of Keller Williams points out that responsiveness is the key and that as a client you should expect a call back within an hour. She states that time is of the essence in a transaction and not responding in time could sacrifice the needs of the client.
So with these pointers in mind, here are a few more things to consider.
1. How long has the REALTOR® been working and are they full time? Not that new ones aren’t fully capable, but if they have been around a while, this opens up opportunity to get reviews and learn about their past client feedback. Will the REALTOR® be working with you or will you be working with an assistant?
2. Ask them if they could please give you the name and phone numbers of their last three clients.
3. Make sure your REALTOR® is online and communicating in several different ways. Great REALTORS® are up-to-date with technology. There are exceptions of course, but there’s no denying that texting and emails are the way to communicate in our busy worlds when a phone call or in-person meetings are out of reach.
4. Find out how often your REALTOR® will be in touch with you and keep you informed about the progress of your transaction.
5. Feel comfortable with your choice of REALTOR® because you will be providing a lot of personal information.
6. Ask your REALTOR® if they can recommend service providers who can assist you in obtaining a mortgage.
7. Does your REALTOR® make eye contact? Does he or she listen to you?
8. Are they a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and do they subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics? Working with a REALTOR® who belongs to an MLS and a REALTOR® association will give you access to the greatest number of homes and key industry knowledge.
9. Lastly, ask the REALTOR®, “What haven’t I ask you that I need to know?”
Have a wonderful time and enjoy your new property in the mountains!