When you tell people, "I am trying to sell my house and buy another house at the same time", they look at you with those somber eyes before telling you, "I'm sorry." Why does this happen? Because selling a house and buying at the same time is stressful. It's risky. It's scary. And if you're doing something so major, much less with a big family, you need to make sure you're getting help from someone who REALLY knows what they're doing.
Enter Rob Jansen.
Rob impressed us when we had a chance meeting at an open house, years ago, while I was very pregnant, and needing to buy a home quickly. He came through for us and helped us land that family home, perfect for us to "grow into". He worked hard for us to make sure we were accommodated and comfortable with the whole process. We managed to move into our home six days after our daughter was born, and though it was a stressful time, Rob made it a lot easier for us.
When our family grew a little too much, with twins in late 2013, we decided to call Rob again. Without hesitation, he was ready to once again help us not only buy our new family home, but sell the one he helped us buy just a few years prior. So the second time around, I was able to see him from a seller's perspective in addition to the buyer's perspective again. From the very start, Rob got right to work with answering all our questions, pointing us in the direction of resources, and working with us to get the ball rolling. If you want the confidence of having an "agent who never sleeps", I think that Rob is the guy. From answering emails and getting our house listed in the hours of the night when the rest of the world is sleeping, he gets things done instead of waiting until tomorrow or the "next business day". We always had the confidence in knowing that if something needed answering or fixing, and he said he'd get it done today, that meant it would get done if it was in his power. He was very dedicated to selling our house as long as we were on board and made sure we were prepared for open houses and scheduled viewings. When we finally received an offer we liked, we then needed to crack down on getting an offer on a house accepted so we had a place to move.
Throughout that journey, Rob worked hard. We put in several offers on several different properties, and Rob did everything in his power to keep us informed by following up with listing agents, all the while, getting everything taken care of on the selling end of our old house. He always gave us advice based on all his experiences for strategies when it came to offers and counteroffers and how to handle everything, knowing we were on a strict budget. When we were finally in escrow for both our old house and new house, Rob kept things running on time and our primary responsibility (Other than packing up and preparing to move) simply became signing papers (He uses electronic signatures for the majority of documents, making life easier for everyone). When the seller's escrow company delayed matters and potentially threw off our entire schedule, Rob stepped up and made stuff happen. Whenever something seemed to go wrong, I'd call Rob and he'd be on the case to make it as right as he could.
When all was said and done, we managed to move our family of three small children, two dogs, and endless piles of stuff in 24 hours. Of course it was stressful. But could it have been worse? Absolutely. I don't think selling and/or buying a house is ever a perfectly seamless process, but there are certainly steps that can be taken to make it better. Having Rob around felt like having a realtor and a personal assistant. He is extremely resourceful in all matters--not just selling and buying. He has connections of all sorts and ways of getting stuff taken care of. As rough as moving was for us, I pity those who make the mistake of hiring agents who don't have the knowledge and resources and willingness to get you through the process as Rob does. He's the kind of guy you really want on your side because he's fierce, dedicated and persistent. He works hard for his clients and will make you feel like you're the only one he's working for....but you're not. Trust me. He really doesn't ever sleep. read more