SERVICE
I spent 25 years in the Air Force and that was Service. When people see or recognize I am retired military I am often told, "Thank you for your service." I appreciate that, but never expect it so I am always taken aback. I still want to be of Service.
Today, I "Serve" as a Real Estate Agent. To me, working to be the best I can be, not taking on too many clients and sticking around AFTER the sale to help my clients, is part of that service. Yes it is one family at a time, but working the last 6 years to hone my skills has equipped me with a unique knowledge of the market that you can't get from an internet sales company or low cost no cost brokerage.
BUYERS
I don't just unlock doors! When I show homes, I do my best to help my clients see past the WOW factor and look critically at each home. Some flips are just lipstick on a pig and I often find things that are deal breakers for people before we pay for an inspection and tie up money in option fees and earnest money. After the sale, I am there to assist with problems and issues that often arise after closing.
SELLERS
For my sellers, I do my best to really look at their homes and find the true value, I don't use an algorithm, or Guestimate. I don't send people cards saying your home could be worth between $350,000 and $450,000 (just got a letter like that for my home, and wow was it off by a mile). When I give my sellers an estimate of home value, it is after spending time looking at the their home, the features, schools, neighborhood and recent comps. It isn't a scientific wild ass guess. It's a Comparative Market Analysis using actual real data from the San Antonio Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service about what homes have sold for. Since Texas as a non-disclosure state, most of these Guestimates are based on what homes were listed for, not the sold value because oftentimes they don't know the sold price.
Once the sellers get my CMA, we have a discussion about the market, trends, and arrive at a list price. Then pulling out every tool in my tool belt, to sell that home at the highest/best price is my job like...professional photos, a Matterport tour, staging if needed (some homes are so awesome the need no help there), Google Adwerx, Facebook/Instagram and worldwide advertising through Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.
Once a home goes under contract there's still work to be done, and I don't pass that off to anyone else, the buck stops with me. There are more negotiations, repairs, changes to the contract and also working with the title company and the buyer's lender to ensure things are going to close on time. Getting a home under contract in this market is easier than getting it to close, and close on time.
After six years in the business I feel like I am the guy that I would refer my family members to. I know that nobody will work harder for their clients than I will, and I also know that this is a SERVICE business and that is what I do best.
Sam Hall