home buyer Archives - CENTURY 21 MarketLink Realty

5 Minutes at Home with Cindy Garret

May 20, 2020 By C21 Communications

When we asked Relentless Award winning agent Cindy Garret what has changed for her due to the impact of COVID-19, her answer is simple…“Everything.” We checked in with Cindy to understand how her she strives every day to be prepared for anything in her business and personal life.

Are you doing anything differently to push forward with your day-to-day work in helping your clients during this time? How would you describe your new “normal”?

I very much view our current situation as temporary, there is nothing about this situation that is normal! I regularly reached out to my clients either by text, phone, notes or/and email to check in on their well-being. In addition, a new skill I’ve been working on during this time is live video for more of a personal connection with my clients.

What new concerns are you hearing from your clients right now? How are you helping address them?

There are fears that this current environment will hurt their home values. In addition there is an uncertainty around when everything will open back up. To give the right support, I work hard to give my clients factual information to ease their minds.

Are there ways that you or your team members are helping your community get through this crisis?

Just being supportive and encouraging…and keep our local restaurants in business!

What’s your top tip for being relentless during this time?

Get up every day like you are planning for a full day of work, even if you don’t have anything planned. Do something for yourself, do something for someone else, and do at least one productive thing for your career.

BONUS: What is the first thing you’re going to do once the local shelter in place orders have been lifted?

Go have lunch/drinks with my teammates!

The Relentless Agent Awards celebrate all of the ways that C21 Agents deliver extraordinary experiences to their clients and make the home buying or selling process a memorable one. Are you a client who recently has an amazing experience with a CENTURY 21 Agent? We want to know! Click here to submit a nomination for a deserving Agent today.

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5 Minutes at Home with Lisa Mills

May 20, 2020 By C21 Communications

From virtual catch-ups to porch drops, Relentless Award Winning Agent Lisa Mills shows that even the most extreme situations can open a space for creativity to allow entrepreneurs to not just survive – but thrive in any market condition. We recently sat down with Lisa to check in on how she continues to deliver the extraordinary, all while serving a very specific market in her area, the senior community.

Hey Lisa! We’d love to know, what are some things that have helped you clear your mind and stay positive these days?

Yoga, walking and connecting everyday with several friends, family members or clients. In some ways there are more opportunities to reconnect because my contacts are also more available and primarily working from home or simply hanging out at home. This is a great opportunity to make something good from a bad situation!

Are you doing anything differently to push forward with your day-to-day work in helping your clients during this time? How would you describe your new “normal”?

We have to be creative! No showings or open houses are allowed currently in the community I serve. Videos, photos and good pricing are key to moving homes into escrow. For those clients who are stymied with the timing of these new restrictions, I do my best to give positive reinforcement to their situation. I think it’s important to make them feel that I’m more than an agent. I can be a friend, a coach or a delivery person in addition to keeping them apprised of the real estate market and situation.

Are there ways that you or your team members are helping your community get through this crisis?

I have reached out to all my clients with this email: “These are crazy times and we are all adapting. I’m here to help you any way that I can… whether it’s a face mask, gloves, toilet paper, sanitizers, cookies, groceries, handyman services, chocolate or just someone to bring a chair and sit six feet away for a social distance visit, let me know!”

Thankfully, most of my clients are doing well. One needed a face mask and sanitizer wipes which I delivered the next day. One client asked for a visit. Cookies and/or chocolate have gone to many of these same clients. I just feel that it’s important for them to know I can help in more ways than just the business transaction of their real estate needs.

What new concerns are you hearing from your clients right now? How are you helping address them?

Each situation is different in a senior community. Overall, my clients are concerned about people taking advantage of the crisis and submitting significantly low offers. If the home is priced right and they can wait, the homeowner shouldn’t worry since the inventory is low.

What’s your top tip for being relentless during this time?

Stay positive and communicate often, it helps ease anxiety.

Never get too comfortable with the present situation and always have a backup plan for the “what ifs” that life might throw at you.

BONUS: What is the first thing you’re going to do once the local shelter in place orders have been lifted?

Try to reassess what the new normal will be and ensure that I’m fully equipped and sensitive to lingering concerns about contamination and exposure. My car will be fully stocked with personal protection materials to use and give out. Whether I am representing the seller or buyer, I will reinforce the notion to respect all concerns about hygiene and exposure. I will also do whatever I can to eliminate paperwork and rely more on the digital opportunities.

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5 Minutes at Home with Misty Dowling

May 20, 2020 By C21 Communications

Over the past couple of months of shelter-in-place in Quincy, IL, Award-winning CENTURY 21 Agent Misty Dowling has celebrated three family birthdays, a graduation and the adjustment to what “normal” is for the majority of us. Despite these challenges, she has not stopped finding new ways to deliver the extraordinary to her clients and in her community. We caught up with this recent Relentless Agent Award winner to learn the ways she’s working through this current pandemic.

So, tell us Misty, how are you staying connected with your community right now?

Our nurses are working extra-long hours and don’t always have time to eat full meals. I donated snacks to every nurse’s station in our local hospital. The nurses all took pictures with the snacks and sent them to me, they were so grateful for the smallest gesture! I also deliver groceries to the elderly who shouldn’t or can’t get out due to risk of COVID-19.

Do you have any stories that are particularly memorable to you from the last few weeks that you could share?

I ran into a client I sold a home to at the store. She had her four children kids (all under the age of nine!) with her. I could see she was frantic and overwhelmed trying to find Lysol. I told her I would go to a few stores so she didn’t have to drag her kids in and out potentially exposing them. I found 2 cans of Lysol and dropped them off on her porch. She was so appreciative. It goes to show, it’s really the little things we do for each other right now that matter more than ever.

Are you doing anything differently to push forward with your day-to-day work in helping your clients during this time? How would you describe your new “normal”?

We can all use a good laugh right now. I have added videos and market updates into my weekly routine on all of my social media platforms. Instead of just dull market numbers I have added humor! Last week was a Tiger King skit where I dressed my dog up as a lion.

I have also had clients ask me about the spread of corona virus and how that effects showings at their home. We are taking every precaution possible using COVID-19 forms and following guidelines from the association. I explain to sellers and buyers the new way we have to show homes. We use gloves, masks, and sanitizer and remove our shoes at the front door.

Productivity continues for us, despite the current circumstances. I am thankful our office had electronic filing and signatures through Dotloop even before COVID-19 life. This has been a lifesaver in our current stay at home situation.

What is something that you’ve learned during this unique time that you’ll incorporate into your life moving forward?

I touch everything and touch my face!! I had no idea how much I did this until I actually had to think about it. I will keep sanitizer with me and use it more. I also realize I need to slow down and enjoy walking our beautiful parks with my family. I will absolutely make my family continue to take a break from technology and spend more time outdoors. Discovering this has been a huge benefit to come out of the stay at home orders.

What is your top tip for being relentless during this time?

I think the coronavirus has made me as an agent look around and ask how I can help more. I have always approached business by putting people first and the money follows. Living through the coronavirus pandemic will prove even more so that we have to be human and love our neighbors and put people first to then be successful when this pandemic is over.

BONUS: What is the first thing you’re going to do once the local shelter in place orders have been lifted?

I love stopping into TJMaxx for a little retail therapy between showings. I can’t wait for normal life! Besides shopping I just can’t wait to hug my parents at some point. We have practiced social distancing to protect them.

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Home Buyer Checklist: What to Look for in an Open House

February 8, 2016 By Casey Danton

Open houses may be staged to look like a home decor dream, but don’t let that distract you from the real reason you’re there: to potentially buy a home. Make sure you can look past the neatly arranged furniture and focus solely on whether the house would be a good fit for you and your family. To help, here’s a home buyer’s checklist of things you might have missed at first glance.

Windows – Look specifically if they are facing the right direction to let sunlight in, and whether they open to a nice view (versus directly toward another neighbor’s window).

Under the Sink Cabinets – Check for possible signs of water damage due to leaky plumbing.

Electrical Outlets – Make sure there are enough outlets for the appliances and other electronics you’ll be using. If not, you can decide if that’s a renovation you’d like to make.

Storage Space – Don’t just look to see if there’s enough closet space, but look for closet placement. Also check that the storage is in a convenient location.

Appliances – If they’re included in the house, make sure they’re in good condition. They should be on and working while you’re there.

Under the Rugs – Lift up any rugs to check the condition of the floor underneath.

Floor Level – Check to see if the floors are level. Place a marble or another small, round object on the floor and see if it rolls consistently in one direction.

Attic – If the house has one, make sure it’s well insulated.

Water Spouts – Runoff from the gutters should be pointed away from the house, so take a step outside to see if this is the case.

This list isn’t all-inclusive, but it’s a good place to start. Talk to a CENTURY 21 ® agent to see what else he or she might add.

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New Home Checklist: Needs and Wants

August 18, 2015 By Casey Danton

If you’re shopping for a home for the first time, you might find yourself thinking, “Where do I even begin?” It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of searching for your home, and it can be hard to consider what we actually need and not what we simply want. Do you really need a house with a spacious backyard if you don’t have children or pets? And yes, a swimming pool would be nice, but is there enough room for one in your budget?

When shopping for a new home, the needs have to outweigh the wants. For now, it’s more important for you to find a home in a good location, with the right amount of rooms than one with a pool.

This New Home Checklist encourages you to separate what you need in a home from what you want in a home. Bring it around to open houses and check things off as you look around! If there are more wants checked off than needs, then this might not be a practical home for you.

What I need in my new home: These are some general things to look for in a new home, but not everything may apply to you! Simply cross off the ones that apply to the home you’re viewing. There’s space to write in your own.

Good location
Strong school district
Reasonably sized rooms (not too small OR too big)
Interior layout that I like
Home with solid foundation
Good amount of natural light
Attached garage
A driveway or somewhere to park cars easily

What I want in my new home: Write down everything that makes up your ideal home! A swimming pool, a sprawling backyard, and a beautiful, spacious kitchen might make the list. Use this space to fill them in and cross them off as you look through the home.

Take a copy of this checklist to each open house you attend. It might make it easier for you to compare different homes. Search for a home that fulfills most of your needs and allots for some of your wants as well. Practicality is important, but so is increasing the likelihood that you love your new home.

Happy house hunting!

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