Choosing a real estate agent isn't a problem because we love, love, love Christine Jones from Century 21 Bundesen Realty in Petaluma. I've known Christine since our kids were in grammar school at the same time. She helped us find and buy an investment property last year. She gets me; she really gets me. She understands that I like to do a lot of my own leg-work, that I enjoy research and do most of it before I ask her for help. She even knows when to disagree with me.
Christine will help us sell our house when the time comes, which is after we help all our kids find new housing. She will likely help them find homes.
Before we are ready to sell out house, we are looking around, doing some exploring and getting a feel for potential new towns. We have an 80 mile stretch over two counties to check out. This is quite the learning experience.
For those of you who like to know what your house is worth without having to talk to a person, you probably have been on zillow.com. The Z-estimate can really make or break your day. And the estimate is almost always wrong. Our neighbors sold their house last year, and despite the sales price,the Z-estimate was $100,000 less that what is was sold for. My uncle refinanced his home and the official appraisal came in at several hundred thousand dollars less than zillow said it was worth. My house was listed as being worth $1.3 at one point. NOT.
It is, however, a good source for other information for current selling price, time spent on the market, price and tax history, that sort of thing. You can even fill in the online form asking to see a property that is listed for sale, and get a call or email in return from a local agent pretty darn quickly. The first time that I did this, I assumed that I was contacting the listing agent. It was the second (or third) time that I did this that I learned my assumption was wrong.
Apparently agents pay a monthly fee for referrals from zillow.com, so when I fill in the online form, the next agent in the queue is contacted. Suddenly I find that I have three agents, one for each major area we are focusing on, including Christine.
I also have multiple Facebook friend who are agents who would gladly help us out. I also have several friend who know real estate agents who would gladly help us out. My good friend and neighbor is in the process of studying for the real estate exam. My sister-in-law is in the process of studying for the real estate exam. I've seriously considered studying to take the real estate exam myself.
I have spoken to so many agents along an 80 mile stretch of Highway 101 that I feel like I am being unfaithful to Christine, and subsequently every agent that I meet or talk to along the way.
*sigh*
It's a process.
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